Metro Briefs May 7
The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has announced that Meryl Ainsman will chair the 2016 Annual Campaign. Ainsman holds several executive committee roles: vice chair of the board of directors, vice chair of the executive committee, chair of the community building committee and chair of the Community Scorecard committee.
In addition to her work with the annual campaign, Ainsman has donated her time and expertise to the Jewish Community Foundation, advising resource distribution as a member of the Fund for a Jewish Future Founders Council and the Foundation Grantmaking Committee.
Ainsman chaired the board of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh from 2007 to 2010 and continues to serve as a JCC National Association board member. She also serves as executive director for the Philip Chosky Charitable and Educational Foundation.
Ainsman is the financial manager for the law firm Ainsman Levine, LLC. She and her husband, David, have four children, Laura, Molly, Jesse and Lucy, and a new grandson, Charlie.
Linda Joshowitz will join Ainsman as co-chair of the annual campaign. This year Joshowitz will finish her tenure as chair of Women’s Philanthropy, during which time she also served on the 2014 and 2015 annual campaign board and the Federation’s board of directors. Joshowitz has a particular interest in Israel and leads the local chapter of Bnei Akiva, the international Zionist youth movement and is a participant in the Yesod Leadership Development Program. Joshowitz has served on the Aging and Human Needs Commission and has chaired the Federation’s Fundfest phoning event.
Joshowitz worked as a physical therapist for 20 years. She and her husband, James, live in Squirrel Hill and have five children, Jill, Robin, Sari, Andy and Leah.
The Chronicle will publish the names of confirmands and graduates for each day school and religious school in the May 21 edition. Identify the school and/or congregation, the time and date of the ceremony and the full name of the confirmand or graduate. List names by first, middle and family name in that order, in a single column. Lists are due by noon on Wednesday, May 13. Send lists to angelal@thejewishchronicle.net.
The Squirrel Hill Historical Society will hold its next free meeting on Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of the Redeemer at 5700 Forbes Ave. Robert T. Messner, director, Braddock’s Battlefield History Center, will speak on the topic “The World Class Battlefield Next Door — The Battle of Braddock’s Fields, 1755.”
Contact 412-417-3707 or visit squirrelhillhistory.org for more information.
NA’AMAT USA, Pittsburgh Council will have Bagels and Books with Helen Faye Rosenblum at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 13 at the Labor Zionist Educational Center, 6328 Forbes Ave. There will be a light breakfast and a small charge for the morning.
Contact Dee at the NA’AMAT office at 412-521-5253 or naamatpgh@hotmail.com for more information and to make a reservation.
The 2015 Robinson Awards Gala will be held on Wednesday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. at SouthSide Works Cinema. The short-film competition honors the legacy of Sanford N. Robinson Sr. and helps filmmakers by awarding significant monetary prizes and offering exposure for their films.
The evening celebrates the best of Jewish-themed short films from around the world. Six juried films will be screened followed by the announcement of the three winning filmmakers who will be awarded cash prizes.
A vegetarian reception will follow the films and award ceremony.
Contact 412-992-5203 or info@jfilmpgh.org or visit jfilmpgh.org/competitions for more information.
Ursuline Support Services will present a daylong conference, Stocking the Caregiver’s Toolbox: Techniques and Tips for Families and Professionals, on Wednesday, May 13 at the Edgewood Country Club in Churchill. The Jewish Healthcare Foundation is a supporting sponsor.
The keynote address speaker will be Theresa Brown, Ph.D., R.N., a clinical nurse headquartered in Pittsburgh, whose column “Bedside” appears in The New York Times as well as on the Times blog, “Opinionator.” Previously, she wrote for The New York Times blog “Well,” and she is the author of “Critical Care: A New Nurse Faces Death, Life, and Everything in Between.”
Drawing on experts from various disciplines as well as from the Good Grief Center, the conference also will provide breakout sessions and panel discussions. The conference has been approved for six continuing education credits for the following disciplines: physicians, psychologists, nurses, attorneys, professional counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, human resources professionals and nursing home administrators. Sessions will cover such topics as caregiver in the workplace, financial exploitation and related issues, end-of-life concerns and challenges and social/spiritual challenges.
The conference will allow time for networking to encourage sharing of innovative ideas as well as personal experiences.
Registration for the conference is $125, $50 for students and $50 for senior citizens 60 and older.
Call 412-224-4700 or visit ursulinecaregiverconference.org for more information.
The Agency for Jewish Learning will hold the seventh annual communitywide Tikkun Leil Shavuot program on Saturday, May 23 from 10 p.m. to Sunday 1 a.m. at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill. The free program is open to the community and will feature three hours of study with several classes to choose from during each hour.
A variety of multidenominational rabbis and scholars from across the community will participate. Light dairy and parve refreshments will be served between classes.
The AJL program is in collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and the Jewish Community Center.
The Women of Temple Sinai Gift Shop’s annual clearance sale will be held on Sunday, May 17 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at 5505 Forbes Ave. The sale will include unique and artisan items including accessories, books, children’s toys, jewelry, Judaica and gifts for special occasions. Call 412-421-9715, ext. 121 for more information.
comments