Metro Briefs February 23

Metro Briefs February 23

Flo Mae Moravitz has established a gift in perpetuity in memory of her late husband, Stanley, that provides needs-based scholarships for Pittsburgh’s youth to travel in Israel.

As part of a recent contribution to the Centennial Fund for a Jewish Future (CFJF), the Stanley and Flo Mae Moravitz Israel Scholarship Endowment Fund will impact the next generation of Jewish Pittsburgh by offering subsidies to local teens and young adults traveling on accredited programs to Israel. Applicants must demonstrate financial need to qualify.

The Moravitz Endowment Fund will be administered by the federation, which will begin accepting applications this spring.

“The Moravitz Endowment Fund demonstrates not only extraordinary generosity but also tremendous insight and vision,” Cindy Shapira, co-chair of CFJF along with her husband, David, said in a prepared statement. “This is forward-thinking philanthropy. Commitments like the Moravitz Endowment Fund translate talk into action, providing the resources for Pittsburghers to connect directly with Israel and deepen their Jewish identity.”

For more information or to apply for a scholarship, contact Amy Karp, administrator of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh i-Connect Scholarships, at 412-521-1101 or at akarp@ajlpittsburgh.org.

Pittsburgh Area Jewish Committee’s Bridging Faiths program is hosting “Traditions of the Heart: Marriage and Wedding Customs,” for Jewish, Hindu, Christian and Muslim teens Sunday, Feb. 26, 2:30 p.m., at the Hindu Jain Temple of Pittsburgh, 615 Illini Drive, Monroeville.

The group will examine each other’s sacred texts relating to marriage and then participate in mock Jewish, Hindu, Christian and Muslim wedding ceremonies. There will be a related social action project benefiting the Burundi refugee community in Pittsburgh.

Contact Susan Simons, youth program director, at at 412-605-0816 or simons@pajc.net.

The Pittsburgh Area Jewish Committee’s Christian-Jewish

Dialogue will meet Thursday, March 1, at Congregation Beth Shalom at noon. The topic of the upcoming session is “Secularism,” presented by Rabbi Michael Werbow and Father Dan Valentine. Jewish and Christian texts (Isaiah 44:9-17; Matthew 6:24) will be studied.

The program is free to the public. Contact the PAJC office at 412-605-0816 or at pajc@pajc.net for more information.

Jim Uhler, assessment appeal hearing officer for four years, will hold a free class to help property owners lower their Allegheny County property assessment value to lower tax liabilities. The class will be held Wednesday, Feb. 29, at 4 and 6 p.m. at Shaare Torah.

The Papernick Family Foundation, in partnership with the Jewish Federation’s Centennial Fund for a Jewish Future and the Foundation for Jewish Camp, is offering $1,000 grants to children attending Jewish overnight camp for the first time for a period of 19 consecutive days or more.

Visit onehappycamper.org to submit an application, or if your child attends Jewish Day School, contact Sally Stein at 412-992-5243 or sstein@jfedpgh.org.

Dor Hadash begins its adult education spring semester with Ancient Codes of Family Law, taught by Ram Kossowsky, a world traveler, teacher and student of ancient societies.

This four-session course begins Tuesday, March 6, followed by March 13, 20 and 27 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The course is designed as an active discussion course that will focus on family laws of ancient societies of the Near East with reference to the Torah and the principles behind these laws. Classes will be held at the Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha building.  There is no fee, but registration is required.  Contact Leslie Hoffman, congregation administrator at admin@dorhadash.net or at 412-521-5158.

“A Matter of Size,” will be the final movie in the film series run jointly by Congregation Beth Shalom and the Sisterhood of Rodef Shalom, Sunday, Feb. 26, 5 p.m. at Beth Shalom.

The film will be introduced by Kathryn Spitz Cohan, executive director of JFilm.

A 2009 Israeli film, “A Matter of Size” is a comedy about a “coming out” of a different kind — overweight people learning to accept themselves. A light dinner will be served. There is no charge, but donations will be accepted.

Chabad of the South Hills will hold a Megillah reading with multimedia presentation for children Wednesday, March 7, at 6:45 p.m.

A Purim celebration and feast will be held Thursday, March 8, at 5:30 p.m.  There is a charge. Call 412-344-2424 or e-mail rabbi@chabadsh.com to register.

A pre-Purim seniors luncheon will be held Tuesday, March 6, at noon at the South Hill’s Jewish Community Center.  There is a suggested donation. 

Contact Barb at 412-278-2658 or barb@chabadsh.com to register.

Jewish Family & Children’s Service’s Career Development Center will offer job seekers 17 workshops in March.

Some of the workshops include: Speed Networking, March 1; Magnetic Resumes, March 5; HVACR Presentation and Q&A, March 6; Cover Letters & More, March 13; and Franchising as a Career Option, March 22. Monthly LinkedIn for Beginners, LinkedIn Advanced, AARP WorkSearch 40+, Networking Club and Job Seeker Support group workshops will be held also.

Visit careerdevelopmentcenter.org to register or call the Career Development Center at 412-422-5627 for more information.

 

The New Community Chevra Kadisha of Greater Pittsburgh will hold its sixth annual Adar 7 observance, Thursday, March 1, at Temple Sinai. Adar 7 is the traditional date of Moses’ death, and it is a tradition for Chevrei Kadisha (holy societies) to commemorate this date and to honor its members with a special event.

Dan Leger, a founding member of the New Community Chevra Kadisha, will be the speaker at the kosher dinner. His talk is entitled “Panim el Panim/Face to Face.”

Contact Malke Frank at malkeiva@aol.com for more information about the New Community Chevra Kadisha.

A recent addition to the lineup of broadcasts from the 92nd Street Y Series will be an interview of Israel’s president Shimon Peres, conducted by Charlie Rose and viewable live by satellite at Temple Sinai.

The broadcast was announced to all participating broadcast sites with the stipulation made by Peres that participants not charge their attendees to view the broadcast screening — that it needs to be a free event. It was also advised that this interview (or parts of it) could air on Charlie Rose program sometime in the weeks following the live broadcast.

Also broadcasting live will be an interview of Gloria Steinem, co-founder of Ms. Magazine in 1972. Steinem will talk with Budd Mishkin about her travels as an organizer, lecturer and frequent media spokeswoman on issues of equality, and her work organizing across boundaries for peace and justice. This event is part of the Ruth Stanton Illustrious Women Series, supported by the Ruth Stanton Foundation.

Steinem will be screened live Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 8 p.m. At 7:15, Lynn Magid Lazar, international president of Women of Reform Judaism and member of Temple Sinai, will conduct a “Community Conversation” and offer a WRJ update. Tickets can be purchased at the door. The public is welcome to attend.

Peres will be screened live at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1. This broadcast is free and open to the public.

Call 412-421-9715 for more information.

NA’AMAT USA, Lunch and Learn will feature Lee Oleinick, senior vice president of UBS Financial Services, who will speak about investing in Israel, Wednesday, Feb. 29, noon, at the Labor Zionist Educational Center, 6328 Forbes Ave. 

The program is free and open to the community. Call 412-521-5253 for more information.

 

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