in their shoes

also in this issue

A True Story of Learning Empathy

president’s message pg.3

The Privilege of Sharing Our Lives

rabbi bisno’s message pg.4

A Seder that Speaksto Each Generation

lippman library pg.13

In Their Shoes

Adar/Nisan 5774 | March/April 2014 Issue No. 87

the connection

Check out our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/RodefShalomPgh

Social Action Events from Purim to Passover (pg. 9)

Reflections on Seeing Ourselves in Others Created in the Image of God

B’tzelem Elohim

Contents Adar/Nisan 5774 | March/April 2014

issue no. 87

The bulletin of Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, is published bimonthly, six times annually. Periodical postage paid at Pittsburgh, Pa. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Hakesher, 4905 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. USPS 537–660 Rodef Shalom Congregation

Rodef Shalom Congregation is a member of the Union for Reform Judaism.

Ann Bass RothCongregation President

Rabbi Aaron B. BisnoFrances F. & David R. Levin Senior Rabbinic Pulpit

Rabbi Sharyn H. Henry

Walter Jacob, DHLRabbi Emeritus/Senior Scholar

Steven D. Bram, MSSA, FTAMurray Klein Executive Director

Becca AcknerOperations Director

Miriam LeytonSidney & Shirley C. Rapport Family Center Director

Liron LipinskyJ-JEP Religious School Director

Ariel ArmstrongDevelopment Director

Our mission: The mission of Rodef Shalom Congregation is to build and sustain a vibrant Reform Jewish community. We guide and support our members in living full Jewish lives throughout the lifecycle, based on Torah (study), avodah (worship), and gemilut hasadim (acts of loving kindness). We strive to be a national and international leader in Jewish thought and practice.

3 A True Story of Learning Empathypresident’s message

4 The Privilege of Sharing Our Livesrabbi bisno’s message

5 (Jewish) Table Manner Quizworship

6 B'tzelem Elohim and a Tale from the Biennial

member engagement

7 Simchas & Lifecyclesmember engagement

10 Passover From the Eyes of a Child

lifelong jewish learning, j-jep

11 Learning to Listen from Mr. Rogers lifelong jewish learning, family center

12 Remembering Those who Came Before

lifelong jewish learning, archives

13 A Seder that Speaks to Each Generation

lifelong jewish learning, lippman library

14 As We All go out from Egypt Togetherlifelong jewish learning,

15 Welcome New Development Directorgovernance

16 In the Shoes of the Hungrybrotherhood

Resolution in Memory of Mildred Rubenstein

sisterhood

17 Walking in the Shoes of our Predecessors

development

18 Contributionsdonations & endowments

3Issue No. 87 | Adar/Nisan 5774 | March/April 2014 the connectionha Kesher

president’s message

Dear Fellow Congregants,

The idea of putting yourself in another person’s shoes is a common theme in Jewish culture. We are taught in school, at home, and through the study of Torah that it is necessary to empathize with others less fortunate in order to have a concrete and realistic view of the world. Most importantly, in Judaism, we are taught about Tikkun Olam, repairing or healing the world. An essential aspect of Tikkun Olam is the act of Tzedakah. The root of the word Tzedakah, Tzedek, literally means justice or righteousness. The two are intrinsically connected, so by performing a righteous act (Tzedakah), we can help to repair the world (Tikkun Olam). But how does one perform a righteous act? Rabbis and other religious leaders have told us, even in our religious school days, that giving a few pennies in the Tzedakah box counts as acting righteously. However, for me, it took a real life experience to fully understand what it feels like to be in somebody else’s shoes. I was in my late twenties before I truly understood what it felt like to help somebody who was less fortunate than I. After my second child was born, my husband and I realized that we needed a babysitter for a few nights a week. I asked the graduate program at the University of Pittsburgh if they had any wives of grad students who needed some extra money babysitting. We were put in contact with a very nice woman, let’s call her Sandra, from West Africa. She had a baby the same age as my youngest, and she babysat my children for about a month or so, two to three times a week. One night, we got a distressed call from her. She was being evicted from her home in Hazelwood in the middle of the night. Her husband was nowhere to be found, and she and her child had nowhere to go. My husband and a friend drove to Hazelwood and moved her out of her home and into ours. I found this to be a life-changing experience, because as much as I thought I was fulfilling my duty of repairing the world, I lacked a real grasp of what it meant to be alone, hungry, and without shelter. Sandra and her son stayed with us for three weeks. At that point, I realized that though we had helped Sandra by taking her in, it still might not be enough. She needed to get back on her feet, to provide for herself and her son. With this in mind, I researched local social service agencies that could help her do just that. Within days, Sandra and her child were settled, and our family had learned so much about what I refer to as the global picture. We learned that in order to legitimately help somebody in need, you must imagine yourself in their shoes. Do what you can, and provide in any way possible.

Through this experience, I gained a better sense of the global picture. I realized that I am obligated not only to help repair the world, but to also teach my children to have a real sense of the world and help others in need. Please do what you can to practice Tikkun Olam, and help repair the world.

Shalom,

A True Story of Learning EmpathyPresident’s Message

Ann Bass [email protected](412) 621–6566

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rabbi’s messageRabbi Aaron B. BisnoFrances F. & David R. Levin Senior Rabbinic [email protected](412) 621–6566 x122Twitter @rabbibisno

The Privilege of Sharing Our Lives

One of the many gifts of the rabbinate is the opportunity I have to be with people in times of great joy as well as deep sorrow. When I was a younger rabbi (and I don’t mean the rabbi I was yesterday, but earlier in my now-eighteen-year career), I now recognize how I failed to appreciate

the true significance of this privilege.

However, in the words of that Jewish-boy-from-Minnesota-made-good Robert Zimmerman, better known to most of us as Bob Dylan, “I was older then. I’m younger than that now.”

As I began my career, my father, a now-retired physician, encouraged me to understand that just as with a doctor and her patients, so too with rabbis. While I may have any number of meetings in a given day, for those with whom I share my time, an interaction with their rabbi may well be the most important encounter they have all day. Or as an alumnus-in-residence at the Hebrew Union College taught our senior class, every time we sit at someone’s bedside, every time we stand with a couple beneath a chuppah, every time we say kaddish with a newly-bereaved family, we should approach the encounter as if it’s our first time.

This is not to suggest we regress to a child-like state or we fail to draw upon the experience and wisdom of age. Rather, it is to say that in these encounters, we remain aware of the innocence and wonder (in the words of our prayerbook) “of rejoicing with bride and groom” and the power implicit in what the poet Ranier Maria Rilke called our “willingness to keep company with one who is sad.”

There is another teaching from Rilke that guides me in my work, most especially when I am uncertain that what I have to share will appropriately honor the significance of another’s experience.

“Do not believe…” Rilke tells us, “that he who seeks to comfort you lives untroubled among the simple and quiet words that sometimes do you good. His life has much difficulty… Were it otherwise he would never have been able to find the words.”

To empathize with a family member, or friend, or someone across the room, or even one

What Children Know and Rabbis Learn

who is on the other side of the world does not require our having had their experience (and even then, let us agree, no two experiences are exactly the same and we do a disservice if we compare or rank our losses and joys). Rather, our ability to see ourselves in the experience of another, to see our own reflection in the eyes of another human being, simply requires that we be comfortable being silent in the face of all we don’t understand, that we allow the human connection we share to bridge our divide, and that we be willing to patiently and sensitively open our hearts to the person in front of us.

Or as Professor of Pastoral Counseling Robert Wicks writes, “A person who truly listens stands out because so few people take the time and have the openness to do so.” It’s not so complicated, really.

One day a little girl arrived home late from school. Her mother was angry and started to yell. However, after about five minutes, she suddenly stopped and asked: “Why were you late anyway?” The young child replied: “Because I had to help my friend.” “What was the problem?” the mother asked. “Her doll broke,” was the reply. “And did you help her fix it?” “No. I helped her to cry.””

This is the privilege of my rabbinate in times of sorrow and in times of celebration. For truly, this is what it means to live a life with others. As even small children understand, we need one another and we can be who one another needs.

Let’s continue to take care of each other, you and I.


(Jewish) Table Manner QuizTime at the Table Matters

worshipRabbi Sharyn H. [email protected](412) 621–6566 x126

You probably think your table manners are pretty good, right? Let’s see…

When someone asks for the salt, you:1. Get up and walk the salt shaker over to the

person2. Pass the salt3. Pass the salt and pepper4. Salt your own food and then pass the salt

shaker

#3: Always pass the salt and pepper shakers together so that people won’t have to search around for the one they want; they will always be together.

Now try this one: The Talmud teaches that three practices can extend our lives. They are:

1. Extending one’s prayers 2. Extending one’s time at the table 3. Extending one’s time in study4. Extending one’s time in the bathroom

Correct answer: 1, 2, and 4.

Our prayer leading team is always striving to make prayer more accessible and meaningful for all of our members, and even though #3 isn’t mentioned in the Talmud in this way, we are well aware that Torah study is of utmost importance.

I am not even going to talk about #4 except to say that this is an example of a time when it is more appropriate to consult a doctor than a rabbi.

So, about extending one’s time at the table…

Jewish tradition has long valued hospitality. In ancient Israel, hospitality was a combination of good manners and the harsh realities of the desert in which people lived. The Torah recounts how Abraham, just recovering from his brit milah (and at an advanced age) ran to greet three strangers, likely to have been quite weary, who approached

his tent. In the rabbinic literature, hospitality became the value of “hachnasat orchim,” and was considered to be a great mitzvah, an expression of gemilut chasadim (acts of kindness), especially when it was extended to the poor. Rabbi Huna is said to have set an example by publicly proclaiming his meal times as a sign of open invitation to the stranger, and his saying “Kol dikhfin yeitei ve-heikhul” (“let all who are hungry come and eat”) is still an important part of the Pesach Haggadah and our seder experiences.

In the shtetls of Eastern Europe our great grandparents set tables at weddings so that the poor would have a meal. Today we send contributions to Mazon and we supply the food banks with food (as individuals and as a congregation).

This year, we have a chance to enjoy Klezmer music—the same music danced to by our grandparents at those shtetl weddings—at our March 20 concert and, at the same time, support our congregation’s efforts to feed the hungry through our monthly contributions of ground beef to the East End Cooperative Ministry. Think of it as setting another place at your table!

And then, in April, we will extend our hospitality to some of Pittsburgh’s newest immigrants by inviting them and then warmly welcoming them to our Passover seder. We hope the themes of redemption and liberation, coupled with our hospitality, will allow our newest neighbors to feel at home amongst us.

We can be excused for not using the right fork or for passing the salt shaker by itself—but we are obligated to feed the hungry and to show hospitality. In the end, those are the only real table manners that matter.

Klezmer Music Concertwith Noah Bendix-Balgley Thursday, March 20 – 8:00 p.m. at Rodef Shalom Congregation

PSO Concertmaster Noah Bendix-Balgley & friends perform a one-time-only free concert of new & old Yiddish music. Donations are encouraged for Rodef Shalom’s Philanthropic Fund to benefit the East End Cooperative Ministries.

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member engagementBecca AcknerOperations [email protected](412) 621–6566 x112

B'tzelem Elohim and a Tale from the Biennial

Meeting Inspiration in San Diego

I'm a bit of a news junkie. I tend to spend hours combing through blogs, forums, and feeds, scanning titles that interest me. About a year ago, I started seeing some stories about a trailblazing Rabbi/Cantor named Angela Warnick Buchdahl, and have been keeping an eye out for stories about her ever since. A

few months ago, I excitedly read a story announcing Rabbi Buchdahl’s nomination as the next Senior Rabbi at Central Synagogue in Manhattan, one of the largest Reform synagogues on the east coast.

I forwarded the story out to the masses – I could not believe this amazing news. The fact that such an influential synagogue would name a woman as the Senior Rabbi was a big deal. But this wasn’t just a big deal, it was a HUGE deal, because Rabbi Buchdahl is not just a woman, she is an Asian American woman. This move is not only important for Jewish women; it is a major leap forward for Jewish women of color.

I became even more interested in Rabbi Buchdahl, and started reading every article I could get my hands on about her. I grew up in a small town in New Jersey before my family moved to a bigger, more diverse area in Pennsylvania in my teens. My sisters and I were the only Jewish kids in our elementary school. We grew up knowing that our Jewishness made us ‘other,’ made us different – and that was very difficult at times. But learning about Rabbi Buchdahl’s life was a great reminder that though I may have struggled a bit, I had nowhere near the struggles she has faced, and continues to face. Imagine having to address your ‘Jewishness’ at every turn, because the world at large doesn’t recognize an Asian face as a Jewish face? Imagine being taunted, questioned, or even shunned just because you don’t ‘look Jewish,’ so you must not be

‘a real Jew.’ Her life, her story, and her work shows us all the true meaning of B'tzelem Elohim.

The Korean-born daughter of a Jewish father and a Buddhist mother, Buchdahl has traveled from Seoul to Tacoma, Washington, to Westchester and Manhattan in New York. Her journey forced her to face harsh discrimination, and at times, made her insecure about being viewed as an ‘authentic’ Jew. But she rose above it all and became the first Asian American to be ordained as a cantor or rabbi and the first woman EVER to attain both positions.

Fast forward to this December in San Diego – I had volunteered to sing in the Biennial Choir, and as I took my seat at the first rehearsal, who do I see walk in the door but Rabbi Buchdahl! I tried to contain my groupie-level glee and keep my cool. There she was, right in front of me. This woman who I felt like I already knew, who was such a trailblazer, smiling and preparing to lead 100 of us in song. We rehearsed for hours that day, and I can honestly say I loved every minute.

At the end of the rehearsal, I felt I could not let this opportunity pass me by – I just HAD to meet her! I waited patiently as others were chatting with her, wanting not to crowd her or be pushy. I watched her as she graciously shook hands and greeted the choir members, with a very polite air, and I expected much of the same. When it was my turn, I extended my arm for a handshake, when she grabbed me and hugged me! “Your face,” she said, “your face just beams when you sing! I’ve been watching you the whole rehearsal! What a joy you are. I’m so glad you’re here.” Well, I’m lucky I didn’t start crying on the spot. I thanked her for the incredible compliment, and went on to tell her (briefly) how honored I was to be singing with her, and how much she had inspired me. It was such an amazing moment, and the Biennial itself was an amazing experience, with this story being but one of many. I’m so glad YOU’RE here, Rabbi Buchdahl, that you are here, and you are teaching us all what it really means to be created in the image of God.

URJ Biennial Choir


member engagement

Simchas & Lifecycles

Edgar Gordon O’ConnellMarch 29

Edgar is attending Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, and is majoring in the cello. Edgar also acts, and was in Pittsburgh Public Theatre’s Our Town last fall. Edgar has also acted with Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Park and Gemini Theatre Camp. Apart from schoolwork, cello, and acting, Edgar plays chess and practices Kung-Fu. Edgar is son of John and Rebecca O'Connell, grandson of Paul and Linda Ben-Zvi, and grandson of the Late Edgar and Ann O’Connell.

Karli BurgardApril 26

Karli attends Sterrett Classical Academy in Point Breeze. She enjoys running track, playing softball, scarymovies and laughing! She is the daughter of Alysa and Randy Burgard, and granddaughter of Renee Levin and Frances and Richard Burgard.

B'nai Mitzvah

Birthday Blessing for Larry Berlin

Birthday Blessing for Paul Kaplan

Naming of Jacob Matthew CarlsonParents: Rachael & Jeff

Naming of Gavin Justice LeffParents: Amie & Heath

8 rodefshalom.org

Middle School ScheduleSunday, Feb 16 5:00Sunday, Feb 23 5:00Sunday, March 2 5:00Sunday, March 9 5:00Sunday, March 16 6:00Sunday, March 23 6:00Sunday, March 30 5:00Sunday, April 6 Playoffs at 5:00Sunday, April 13 Playoffs at 5:00Sunday, April 27 Championship at 6:00

High School ScheduleSunday, Feb 16 BYESunday, Feb 23 6:00Sunday, March 2 6:00Sunday, March 9 6:00Sunday, March 16 7:00Sunday, March 23 7:00Sunday, March 30 7:00Sunday, April 6 Playoffs at 7:00Sunday, April 13 Playoffs at 6:00 or 7:00 (depends on seed)Sunday, April 27 Playoffs - Semifinals - 5:00Sunday, April 27 Championship at 7:00

JCC Synagogue Basketball League Schedule

Cheer on our Rodef Shalom Athletes!

Condolences to the Familes of:

Sandra LoevnerHarold BinstockMelba Rosen

Celine Benecia LoetherArlene WienerSharon Silnutzer

Anniversaries

MarchLarry & Phyllis WechslerRichard & Carol NathensonStuart & Joanne FriedmanRay & Helen Faye RosenblumIrv & Mindy FirmanThomas & Helene BurkeNorman & Marilyn WeizenbaumAaron & Michelle BisnoAlan & Barbara AckermanKen & Lillian GoldsmithBill & Debbie Demchak

Lee & Susan HershensonHenry & Rachel BlaufeldPhilip & Iris TeplitzRick & Lori TaperMaury & Louise Baruth

AprilHal & Anne Clair ShaperaEd Snyder & JanBarmak SnyderHoward & Sheila PearlmanJeremy Feinstein & Stefani PashmanBruce & Nancy TobinLynn & Marc ZelenskiSteve Abo & Holly Swartz

Cathy & Thomas TymaJacques & Lorelee ChellyJohn Franco & Jessica EllelJason & Julie LichtensteinMike & Sarah TabachnickStephen & Maxine FisherDavid & Meredith StrassburgerJeff & Rachael CarlsonArthur & Phyllis LapidusRob Byer & Louise Rosen ByerEd & Amy PlattDavid Kaufmann & Dori Charlson Kaufmann

Team Rodef Shalom at URJ Biennial, San Diego


West View Cemetery of Rodef Shalom Congregation

Time-Honored Traditions: Pre-Need Planning

Jewish life is a sacred pilgrimage. Before we complete that journey, we must prepare for its end and our eternal resting place. Pre-need planning enables you to make these decisions, relieving your loved ones of the financial and emotional burdens during their time of need. West View Cemetery offers a full range of affordable choices including traditional in-ground sites and mausoleum internment, all in full compliance with Reform Jewish rites and customs.

To learn more or schedule a tour, contact:Cemetery Manager, Diana Hagmaier (412)931–1600, [email protected]

Passover Items · Confirmation GiftsGraduation Gifts

Raise Your GlassEnhance your Shabbat celebration with our

selection of Israeli wines.

Make Your Upgrade a MitzvahBefore you store that old iPad in a drawer as soon as the latest version is

released, remember that Rodef Shalom could use that old device to better equip our building and staff. Donate any wi-fi enabled smart-device in good condition and you’ll be upgrading both your Temple and yourself!

In-kind donation receipts can be provided upon request.

10 rodefshalom.org

Passover From the Eyes of a Child

Liron LipinskyJ-JEP [email protected](412) 621–6566 x111

lifelong jewish learning

My absolute favorite was celebrating Passover at school with my classmates when I was much younger in Israel. I so much looked forward to the entire presence of Passover and Spring, from the changing of the trees to the small colorful plastic cups we had for our four glasses of “wine” when we had a mock Seder

in the classroom. I do not recall much of the content of this mock classroom Seder, but I do recall singing the songs in the Haggadah with my classmates, and feeling the joy of my peer community.

"The child at the Seder asks: 'Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights we eat leavened or unleavened bread but on this night only unleavened. On all other nights we eat regular vegetables but on this night bitter herbs…" — The Talmud.

Children are remarkable. They are honest and rarely hold back their thoughts and feelings. They observe their surroundings, ask questions, and observe some more. They look for rhyme, reason and clarity. What if we tried to see the Passover Seder from the eye of the child? To walk beside them as they discover this part of Jewish history, instead of simply inform them of what is it that we think or assume that they need to know about Passover?

Last year while sitting in a Kindergarten class as the children were learning about Passover, one of the children turned to me and told me that he is so scared of Passover. “Scared of Passover? Why would you be scared of Passover?” While the moral of the story is one of the great Jewish leadership that was found in Moshe, and the incredible journey of the Jews from Egypt to Israel, the rest of the story is actually quite scary—especially in the eyes of the child. Locusts. Blood. Death of the first born. Goodness! This did not at all resemble my childhood memories of the fondness I had for Passover. This year, it is my goal to have that child and his JJEP peers find a similar joy in the holiday as I did.

My google searches did not disappoint. Allow me to share one of the resources that I stumbled upon. The following is an excerpt from a seven-part guide by Rabbi Zoe Klein (the rest can be found here www.angelfire.com/pa2/passover/passover-for-kids.html):

Preparing the Passover table• Include a Tzedakah box on the table.• Yemenite Jews line the edge of the table all around

with leaves of Romaine lettuce. The lettuce is then used for Maror.

• Use maps of Egypt, Israel, and the Sinai desert as place mats.

• Put markers and crayons out on the table,

and make them all the same color. Encourage people to draw or jot down questions, ideas, and thoughts in the Hagaddahs. Write the year on the inside cover of the Hagaddah in the color pen that was used that year. In later years you will be able to enjoy looking back and seeing what people thought or doodled in years past.

• Decorate the table with frog bath-toys.• Put sand on the table.• Let the children sit near the leader instead of far

away.• Get out your entire seder plate collection, and let

everyone have their very own at the table!• Some people, especially vegetarians, use a

roasted beet (because it "bleeds") instead of a shankbone.

• For something totally different, sit on the floor in a circle with pillows, more like the Roman symposiums after which the seder was originally modeled.

Part 1: Kadesh - First Cup of Wine and Kiddush• Have an empty cup in the middle. Have everyone

add a little from their own cups to the middle cup. This cup then will be Elijah's cup, and everyone will have shared with Elijah from their own.

• Pour the wine or grape juice for each other, each person pouring for the person to their right, to give a sense of sharing and elegance.

• Have the younger participants pour everyone's glasses, playacting as if the adults are the Egyptians and the children are the Israelites serving them. For the second cup of wine, have the adults serve the children!

• Make the evening also a "Kosher Wine Tasting" event, and sample a different kind of wine or grape juice for each cup.

For the rest of the ideas, please visit the website listed above. Don’t forget to share with me how it is that you added joy and celebration to your children’s Passover experience. Feel free to do so on JJEP’s Facebook page.

Wishing everyone a Chag Kasher Ve’Sameach! (Kosher and Happy Holiday!)

Adding Joy to Your children’s Passover Experience


Communicating with Young Children

Learning to Listen from Mr. Rogers

Mimsie Leyton Family Center [email protected](412) 621–6566 x127


In just a few months, Rodef Shalom will posthumously honor Fred Rogers with the Pursuer of Peace Award. Mr. Rogers was an educator, Presbyterian minister, songwriter, author, and of course, the TV host of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. In the heyday of his television career, I was training to become and

early childhood professional and later raising two now adult children. What I learned from him greatly impacted the way I think about communicating with children, both professionally and personally. In an age of juggling very busy schedules and relying on state-of-the art technology for receiving and sharing information, it can be a challenge to slow down and really talk with our kids. But the truth is, the “old fashioned” ways of communicating are still best. Here are some lessons learned by example from the master:

Actively listenListening is a vital part of establishing respectful relationships. It acknowledges a child’s right to be taken seriously, helps adults to understand his interests, feelings, and concerns. Listening involves all the senses. Young children have limited vocabularies. Because receptive language develops before expressive language, they understand language before they master speech. Pay attention to the non-verbal cues: body language, facial expression, and tone of voice. These will give you clues to the feelings below the surface. Remember, crying is also a form of communication!

A helpful technique is to repeat or paraphrase what a child says to you. In addition, asking open ended questions shows that you are really listening and that you are trying your best to understand their perspective or point of view. Allow your child sufficient time to finish what she is trying to say. She may need a little more time to put her thoughts into words.

Body languageChildren can tell when you are honestly interested in what they say and do. Bend down to their level and maintain eye contact. They can see your facial expression too, and when you are not towering over them, you are giving a very clear signal that you

want to see and hear what they have to say. Use a gentle tone of voice and a soft touch. It helps children know that important issues can be talked about without fear of criticism or blame. Try to avoid impatient body language like eye rolling, foot tapping, or sighing. Although it’s not always easy, patience pays off.

Build up positive self esteemPositive, encouraging words help children to feel confident and competent. Genuinely acknowledge their efforts and accomplishments. While praise (e.g. “What a beautiful picture you drew”) can make them depend on the judgment of others to feel good about themselves, encouraging words help them evaluate their own competencies positively (e.g. "You really put a lot of interesting detail into your drawing”). Try not to be too quick to correct mistakes. Trial and error are a part of every child’s life.

Connecting with others is at the heart of communication. It’s one person understanding what another wants understood. In the words of Fred Rogers, “Listening and trying to understand the need of those we would communicate with seems to me to be the essential prerequisite of any real communication. And we might as well aim for real communication.”

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from the archivesRemembering Those who Came Before

Martha Berg [email protected](412) 621–6566 x131

When William Frank, David Strasburger, and Emanuel Reis purchased a lot on Troy Hill in 1847, they were probably more focused on the immediate needs of their tiny Jewish community than on making history, but the organization they founded, Bes Almon Cemetery Association, became

the first of Pittsburgh’s Jewish communal institutions. It lasted until 1906 when, for financial reasons, it petitioned to have Rodef Shalom Congregation assume the care of the then 2.5-acre cemetery. William Frank’s infant children were among the earliest burials in Bes Almon, and most of the approximately four hundred twenty burials there between 1847 and 1906 reflect surnames of early Rodef Shalom member families. After Rodef Shalom established West View Cemetery in 1880, many remains were removed from the Troy Hill cemetery to new family plots at West View.

In 1850, the top ten causes of death in the United States were tuberculosis, dysentery/diarrhea, cholera, malaria, typhoid fever, pneumonia, diphtheria, scarlet fever, meningitis, and whooping cough.* Now, most of these diseases can be prevented by inoculation or treated with medication, and by 2000 the top five causes of death in this country had shifted to heart disease, cancer, stroke, lung disease, and accidents.* What must it have been like for families in those early days to suffer the deaths of so many small children by communicable diseases and to gather so often for funerals of loved ones in that remote cemetery on Troy Hill?

Our lives are very different now, but we can relate to theirs by looking at the details recorded in the Bes Almon Interment Register, the earliest document we have in the Archives. Some of the first entries, from the 1840s and 1850s, are in German; the shift to English parallels the members’ increasing acculturation and comfort with American English. In a somewhat inconsistent manner, a succession of unknown recorders documented names, ages, causes of death, and inter-relationships among the early families. It is a sad memorial act to learn the scant details of the short lives of those “buried in infant row” -- killed by croup, diphtheria, accidental poisoning, teething, and, in the case of one child of 2 months and 26 days, just “exhaustion.” Sometimes the infants of women who died in childbirth did not survive, and both were buried on the same day.

Among adults who died of natural causes, typical ones are consumption, progressive asthma, typhoid, bronchitis and gastritis, with an occasional “general debility” or “old age” noted for persons in their sixties or seventies. Suicides were surprisingly frequent, and accidental deaths from falls, burning with kerosene, or drug overdoses claimed some young adults. Jacob Brunn died of his wounds in the Civil War Battle of Williamsburg in 1862. One woman died in 1903 of “somnambulation [sleep-walking]. Walked out of window.” And in 1901 an unusual occupational hazard in a Washington PA brewery claimed the life of a fifty-year-old worker: he was overcome by gas while working inside a vat of beer.

Apart from dramatic cases like these, most nineteenth-century Americans died at home, cared for by their family members, with doctors coming in for house calls. By 1906, the last death recorded in the Bes Almon register occurred at West Penn Hospital. Throughout the last half of the 19th century, there are occasional notations that the cost of some burials was covered by the Hebrew Benevolent Society at the request of Abraham Lippman. Reading the details of these deaths is difficult, but this faded old burial register also gives us some insight into the lives of these Western Pennsylvania Jewish pioneers.

*Information from the Reuben Fleet Science Museum

Bes Almon Cemetery


A Seder that Speaks to Each Generation

Anne [email protected](412) 621–6566 x179

The Diverse Haggadot of Lippman Library


In the Introduction to The Open Door: a Passover Haggadah, editor Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell writes “The Haggadah is the essential Jewish travel guide, leading each generation on a journey from the past to the future.” The key phrase in this thought is each generation. For many of us each year we tell the story of our

exodus from slavery to freedom, the principle story of our people, by reading the same text once again. There is comfort in opening the familiar Haggadot around the seder table and knowing what is going to happen next. On the other hand, that familiarity can also lead to dullness. And can one retelling of the exodus really lead each generation on this journey?

The first Haggadah was printed in Guadalajara, Spain in 1482. Of course, since that time thousands of different versions have been produced. While we want to use our familiar haggadot for a variety of reasons, we can take advantage of the many different editions of the story that are available to add something new to our seder each year and to make the experience engaging and educational for each generation.

Lippman Library has a diverse and interesting collection of Haggadot that can serve this purpose. We have some with outstanding illustrations and some with beautiful alternative readings. There are several that focus on families with young children. We have women’s haggadot, a holistic haggadah, a multilingual haggadah, a Hillel haggadah and many more.

New to the collection this year is The Bronfman Haggadah written by Edgar M. Bronfman z”l and illustrated by his widow Jan Aronson. With a very creative text that weaves writings from a wide variety of sources and stunning accompanying artwork, this is a delight to read. Bronfman takes some liberties with the order of the seder – for example, inviting Elijah at the beginning rather than towards the end of the seder, to honor the guest, and continuing the story to the receiving of the commandments at Mt. Sinai. Also there is very little Hebrew, and some alternative blessings are used. Clearly this is a very unique and personal Hagaddah, and it is well worth a look.

For the month preceding Passover there will be a display of Haggadot and other seder resources in the library. Please stop in and peruse the collection. You may find a new element for your seder that will help to make the seder experience speak to each generation.

2014 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winners

Each January the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) announces its Sydney Taylor Book Awards. The awards are given to new books for children and teens that exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying Jewish life. The awards memorialize Sydney Taylor, author of the classic All-of-a Kind Family series.

For younger readers, the award was given to The Longest Night: a Passover Story by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Catia Chien. Written in verse, Snyder describes the days leading up to the Israelites' flight from Egypt, told from the perspective of a young slave girl. Chien’s beautiful watercolors bring the horrific experience of slavery to life in an age-appropriate manner.

For older readers, The Blessing Cup by Patricia Polacco won the award. The Blessing Cup is a prequel to Polacco’s The Keeping Quilt, which won a Sydney Taylor Award in 1988. Here Polacco tells the story of a china tea set that Polacco’s ancestors brought with them to America when they fled Czarist Russia in the early 1900s. One cup became an anchor for the family and a symbol of love through the generations.

For teens, the winner was The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World’s Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb. The Nazi Hunters is a thrilling account of the mission by an elite team of Israeli spies to capture Adolf Eichman sixteen years after the end of World War II. This story for middle school and YA readers is based on Bascomb’s adult bestseller Hunting Eichman.

In addition to these award winners, the AJL also names honor books and notable books. You can find the complete list of recommended titles at www.jewishlibraries.org/main/Portals/0/AJL _ Assets/documents/awards/stba/STBA2014AwardList.pdf Or visit Glick Library to browse our display of Sydney Taylor winners!

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Family Snow Tubing

Holding Each Other’s Hand

As We All go out from Egypt Together

Helene Kessler BurkeProgram and Youth [email protected](412) 621–6566 x130


As we begin to prepare for Passover, the theme of redemption and the commandment to recount the story of our ancestors’ journey to freedom out of Egypt- to view myself and all of us sitting at the seder table as if we had actually gone out of Egypt is ever present in my mind. There is also an element of

spiritual redemption in this moment. The Jews faced many transitions – they were physically freed, but they also needed to free themselves from mental slavery, from slave mentality as they moved forward to find their spiritual place. The following poem reminds me of this idea:

Leaving EgyptThe night is so darkand I am afraid.I see nothing, smell nothing,the only reality—I am holding my mother’s hand.

And as we walkI hear the soundsof a multitude in motion—in front, behind,all around,a multitude in motion.

I have no thought of tomorrow,now, in the darkness,there is only motionand my mother’s hand.© Merle Feld, Finding Words, URJ Press 2011

I have read a few interpretations of the poem. One is that perhaps the poet imagined herself leaving Egypt as a child; or others have said that perhaps the poem refers to an adult, helping to guide an aged parent. I personally relate to both—I held my mother’s hand (and still do!) for support. And I appreciate the opportunity now to help my mother, children, and those around me to get through transitional moments.

We all have had moments of transition that are both daunting and happy times. There are many ways that our Rodef Shalom community is here to “hold our hands” through these moments. We are here to offer each other support in times of sadness, to cheer each other on and share in milestones, to learn together and find our spiritual selves.

The poet Merle Feld had a tradition for many years to call old friends on the eve of Passover with the sentiment "I'll be looking for you as we all go out from Egypt tonight." I look forward to calling many of you during this Passover season, to connect and reconnect and see how we too, can share our moments.

Tzedakah Spaghetti Dinner


governance

Welcome New Development Director

Steven D. Bram, MSSA, FTAMurray Klein Executive [email protected](412) 621–6566 x119

I am pleased to inform you that I have recently hired a new Development Director, Ariel Armstrong. Ariel had been our development intern over the last several months and she has impressed me as well as others who have worked closely with her regarding her abilities in development. She began her new duties toward the end of January and had the opportunity of being oriented by Dottie for two full weeks. Ariel is taking night classes currently at Chatham University in the MBA program and is expecting to graduate in 2015.

I am hoping that you will have the opportunity soon to meet Ariel and welcome her aboard. I am excited by this new hire as we go from strength to strength.

With best wishes,Best Wishes to Dottie Silberman in her retirement! And many thanks for the

mentorship shown as the torch is passed to our new director, Ariel Armstrong.

Congregational First Seder

Monday, April 146:30 p.m.

Join us for the first night’s Seder. Attending will be guests from

the Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh

who assist refugees relocated to our area.

RSVP at www.RodefShalom.org

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brotherhood

In the Shoes of the HungryRichard MeritzerBrotherhood President [email protected](412) 404–7609

We have been discussing food issues a great deal at Brotherhood. We have been talking about the Sandwich on Friday’s that go to the East End Cooperative Ministries lunch program, the bologna that goes to UPMC Behavioral Health (the former Renaissance Center), and contributions to the Squirrel Hill (formerly Kosher)

food pantry and the ground beef we give to East End Cooperative Ministries. The common thread is always how grateful the recipients are. How much the food means to them.

We can barely imagine what it would be like to not have enough food to eat. To ration what food you have so it lasts through the week or the month. We are so used to just going to the store to pick up what we need, and yet there are people in our midst that have to go without... that go to bed hungry... for whom the East End Cooperative Ministries lunch program or Jubilee Kitchen is the only decent meal they may get that day.

So as we sit and enjoy our Seder and the freedom to worship as we want, we might think of those for whom this would be an incredible luxury. Spend a minute thinking about those not at a table. And what we can do to make their lives a little better.

Elaine RybskiSisterhood [email protected]

Resolution in Memory of Mildred Rubenstein

sisterhood

The Board of Directors of Rodef Shalom Sisterhood and its members record with great sadness our sudden loss of Mildred (Midge) Rubenstein on October 4, 2013. We lost a vital member of our Sisterhood whose past accomplishments continue to resonate in our memories.

Midge (as everyone called her) was a past Trustee of the Temple, a great leader as President of our Sisterhood, and a Board member of Women of Reform Judaism, Riverview Ladies Auxiliary, and National Council of Jewish Women. She especially loved the Biblical Botanical Gardens, where she often served as a docent.

We remember her energy and commitment in establishing the duplicate bridge group, sponsored by Sisterhood, which has grown each year to be one of our biggest sources of income. She put forth the same energy in establishing the yoga class. Whatever she did was as a proud and vital member of the Jewish community.

She played tennis, bridge, yoga -- you name it, she was there either as an active participant or a supporter. She was most proud of her two children, Carol and Mark, and her four grandchildren -- two of whose weddings she had recently attended. And, as usual every year, she had cheered on her son and his wife as they ran in this year’s Pittsburgh Great Race.

She was a dear and close friend to many of us -- we will deeply miss the place she filled for everyone who called her “friend.”May her memory be for a blessing.

Respectfully submitted, Marion Damick


developmentDottie SilbermanFormer Development [email protected](412) 621–6566 x178

Walking in the Shoes of our Predecessors

A History of Generosity & Dedication

Imagine walking in the shoes of a Rodef Shalom congregant in 1907. At the turn of the century, women’s legs were rarely exposed and feet were only glimpsed when a lady sat down. Wealthy women wore dark silk stockings and handmade supple leather shoes and boots with pointed toes and a 2-3 inch heel.

Shoes for men were mostly over the ankle boots. Toe cap, lace up boots in black, gray, or brown were the most common for everyday wear. Formal occasions called for formal boots with white uppers (spat style) and buttons on the side.

Let’s take a walk–By 1907, Rodef Shalom Congregation had outgrown two buildings: the first at Penn Avenue and Sixth Street and the second at Hancock Street (now Eighth Street) downtown. Rodef Shalom had completed the third and current building. The property was acquired for $60,000 with the mandate that the construction cost was not to exceed $150,000. The burgeoning Congregation had the wisdom to engage a celebrated architect, Henry Hornbostel, who would create a grand structure that would accommodate the wave of Jewish immigrants of the early 1900s.

Even with the sale ($150,000) of the former building, the congregation was in debt as the completion cost was $250,000. At the request of Dr. J. Leonard Levy, the new building was not dedicated until 1917, when the debt had been retired. (Tragically, Dr. Levy died three days after the final payment had been made.) At Dr. Levy’s funeral, Rabbi Stephen S. Wise commented:

“Almost the last earthly tidings to gladden your rabbi’s heart was the report of the generosity of the membership of the Congregation at its annual meeting—in cancelling the last item of indebtedness and thus setting the Temple free.”

There have been many obstacles along the way since our chartering in 1856: The Civil War, two World Wars, and the Great Depression. Threatened with closing at the advent of the Great Depression and with banks refusing to lend money, the leadership asked the congregation to pay outstanding dues in order to meet payroll. The members heeded the plea and our doors remained opened.

In 1937, the Depression was winding down and the Congregation’s financials were improving. On October 3, 1937, a fund raising campaign was launched to raise funds for an auditorium to be

named Levy Hall and a small chapel to be named the Josiah Cohen Chapel. On October 31, 1937, the committee had raised $325,000, ($285,000 was pledged in one evening) and the cap on the project was $338,000. This construction would be the first in the Jewish Community to come in under budget at $336,716.

Let’s fast forward and walk in our own shoes–Women’s shoes of the day might include Israeli sandals, stiletto heels, wedges, flats, crocs, orthopedic, ancient Greek, or athletic. Men’s shoes could include sneakers, oxfords, golf, running, wing tips, penny loafers, and boots.

While the styles have changed dramatically, the Rodef Shalom tradition has not, although gone are the second day of observance,the wearing of hats, the use of German, men not seated with women, etc. In 2014, we continue to “walk the walk.” As did our turn-of-the-century counterparts, we encourage inter-faith relations, assume leadership roles in the community, promote and encourage adult education, emphasize religious education for our children, recognize the importance of family and social justice, and foster international peace.

At the dedications of the current and previous buildings, it was noted that the newly completed facilities linked the past with the present and focused on the aspiration of the congregation’s future filled with advantages. The objectives of the physical spaces were defined by the changing needs and the times. Always and always, our predecessors were concerned with preserving the past and protecting the future.

As Rabbi Stephen S. Wise noted in1917, we "recognize the generosity of the congregation" and we thank them for their incredible foresight, their generosity of time and treasure, and their caring. Let us follow in their footsteps as we continue their journey to safeguard our proud heritage and responsibly prepare for the future.

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donations & endowments

BERKMAN FAMILY CENTERIn honor of:Mimsie Leyton’s son Andy Smith engagement to Allison

Horowitz by Phyllis & Phil FeinertJennifer Satler becoming the youngest judge in

Allegheny County by Linda & Steven Smiga

In memory of:Ellen Jane Landay by Sylvia Landay

BIBLICAL BOTANICAL GARDENDonation by:Diane BeckermanSusan & Stuart BeckermanHoward Berger Charlotte CohenJudith & Jonathon Erlen Hanna GruenHannah & Marvin Kamin Annette & Joel Kranich Jeannette MedgausNellie Lou Slagle Susan & Peter SmerdJanet & John Spear Rowna & Stewart Sutin

Speedy recovery to:Dr. Morton Goldstein by Sandie & Bob BrandHanna Gruen by Dorothy A. Grinberg, Shirley Rapport Rita Seltman by Gwen Miller

In honor of:Eleanor Goodman’s 90th birthday by Arlyn GilboaMalcolm Levy’s birthday by Dorothy A. Grinberg Gwen Miller’s special birthday by Audrey Lazar Lois & Milton Michaels by Marian Michaels Ross Harrison’s 60th birthday by Gregory Campbell &

Christine WoodsBette & Howard Rom’s wedding anniversary by Marsha

& Alan Bramowitz

In memory of:Helen Blumberger by Carl J. Arbes, Helen Erzen, Pamela

& Richard Feinstein, Mary Fritz, Lillian Peters, Jean & Paul Reznick, Carol Robinson & Jeff Markel, Louise Platt, Donald & Sylvia Robinson, Stephen Robinson, Marlene & Tom Rush, Val Schreck

Marjorie Goldfarb’s father, Leonard Morris, by Hanna Gruen

Ruth Herrmann by Ruth Wintner Richard Lippe by Charilee Levy Marjorie Goldfarb’s father, Leonard Morris, by Barbi &

Hal Mendlowitz Mildred Rubenstein by Hope Leyton, Jan M. Levinson,

Paulette & Gary Stout Barbara Shore by Elaine & Rick LamplAbben Simon by Ruth Wintner Sidney Steingart by Louise & Maurice Baruth

Bernard Sweer by Louise & Maurice Baruth Robert Wolf by Elaine & Rick Lampl

BIBLICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN FUND / POSNER & MOLLOY PROFESSIONAL ARCHIVIST FUND

In memory of:Richard Lippe by Audrey Lazar

BROTHERHOOD FUNDIn honor of:Richard Meritzer’s birthday by Sabina & Peter

Rosenfeld

BROTHERHOOD YAHRZEIT FUNDIn memory of:William F. Adler by Rita Gould Anne Albert by Susan McQuillanKarl Albert by Susan McQuillan Samuel J. Amdur by Dorothy A. Grinberg Stuart Arnheim by Kathy ArnheimStuart Arnheim by Nancy & Bob Rosenthal David Alan Bachman by Ruth BachmanLeonard Beldner by Susan Beckerman Gertrude Berenfield by Eric Kruman Mayer Berenfield by Eric KrumanJames Blum by Ruth BachmanAnne Elizabeth Busis by Cynthia Shapero Esther Busis by Sylvia & Sidney BusisElaine Cohen by Nancy & Bob Rosenthal Dorothy Kamin Englert by Daniel KaminNancy Faberman by Barbara Rackoff, Nancy & Bill

Rackoff Nancy Weinberg Faberman by Barbara Rackoff Charles Morton Fineman by Jean FinemanMark Fischer by Shirley Cantor Leonard Fleegler by Lois & Gary Weinstein Lillian A. Friedberg by Joan B. Friedberg Simeon A. Friedberg by Joan B. FriedbergBen Fischer by Elise L.R. FischerJames A. Frank by Susan & Tom Lippard Abe Goddy by Carol Tobin Lewis Anna Gold by Barbara Sachnoff MendlowitzAlison Beth Goldman by Marilyn Goldman Lee Goldman by Marilyn Goldman Evelyn Azen Gotlieb by Helen Azen Phyllis B. Green by Mr. & Mrs. Sanford Berman Evelyn Greenberg by Janice G. Rosenberg Richard Grinberg by Sylvia & Sidney BusisMorris Haber by Judy Sheffler Madlynne Harris by Malcolm HarrisBernice Herzog by Jacki & Jeff HerzogMarvin Herzog by Jacki & Jeff HerzogHelen & Alex Honig by Hannah Kamin Lloyd M. Horne by Clarice Horne Harvey Horowitz by Barbara Horowitz Elizabeth & Hyman Kalovsky by Clarice Horne Samuel Kamin by Marvin Kamin Anna L. Kann by Bobbi & Richard Kann Evelyn J. Kann by Bobbi & Richard KannNathaniel R. Kann by Bobbi & Richard KannVigdor W. Kavaler by Mina Kavaler

Contributions



Clara Cooper Kline by Debra Demchak Marilyn M. Kramer by Elliott KramerAlvin Lichtenstul by Susan Wolf Sadie & Harry Liebling by Pauline L. Michaels Alvin Lippard by Susan & Tom LippardEva Turk Lundy by Maxine & Stephen Fisher Arthur Maharam by Gladys Maharam Julius Mazer by Marjorie Mazer Stanley Medwin by Stacy LevinNorma Barker Michaels by James A. Michaels Rose & Louis Michaels by Pauline L. Michaels Irving Mitchell by Leslie & Robert MitchellJames Molloy by Anne Molloy David Oppenheim by Shirley OppenheimKatherine Palm by Jeanne Meth Herbert Platt by Miriam Platt Gordon L. Rosenthal III by Marcia RosenthalOscar Saperstein by Janet Slifkin Norman H. Schlesinger by Beatrice SchlesingerNorman H. Schlesinger by Caryn I. Schlesinger Norman H. Schlesinger by Sally & Lanny Seed Estheretta M. Shore by Sherman Shore William Silk by Mr. & Mrs. Richard Silk Jerry T. Silverman by Marjorie SilvermanRobert B. Smith by Nancy T. Smith Lois Somers by Keith SomersNathan Stalinsky by Gladys Maharam Anna Swartz by Marilyn GoldmanCharles Swartz by Marilyn Goldman Ralph Swartz by Marilyn GoldmanRose Tabor by Adeline G. Tabor Irvin H. Tapper by Nancy T. SmithBess Idel Thomas by Teri & Barton Cowan Sidney Robin by Carol Tobin Lewis Joseph Tracht by Leslie & Robert Mitchell Lawrence Weizenbaum by Norman Weizenbaum Harry Yamron by Charlotte Pasekoff

WALTER ELLMAN SOCIAL ACTION FUNDIn honor of:Janet Hirshberg’s 90th birthday by Renie EllmanEvelyn Sapper’s 90th birthday by Renie Ellman

In memory of:Norman Cohen’s mother by Renie Ellman Harvey Zeve by Renie Ellman

END OF YEAR APPEALDonations:Joan & Bernard Bloch, Charlotte Bluestone, Sylvia &

Sidney Busis, Dean Damick, Ada Davis, Edward Dober, Phyllis & Philip Feinert, Jean Fineman, Sylvia Fischer, Joan Friedberg, Dorothy Grinberg, Marcia Gumberg, Herbert Halsband, Clarice Horne, Barbara & James Klein, Phyllis Klein, Stuart Kline, Phyllis Kramer, Marjorie Landay, Marcia Levaur, Frances Levin, Samuel Levine, Carol Tobin Lewis, Linda & Richard Marcus, Hannah Matthews, Linda Melada & Arthur Levine, Tszshan & Jeff Naftal, Shirley Rapport, Susan Ross, Arline Schwartz, Mona & E. J. Strassburger, Marilyn & Norman Weizenbaum, Ruth Wintner, Toby Wolken

RICHARD A FINEGOLD FAMILY PRESCHOOL FUND

In memory of:Dr. Richard Lippe by Marian Finegold Manny Miller by Marian Finegold Dr. Paul Pretter by Marian Finegold

FRANCINE GELERNTER HOLOCAUST FUNDIn memory of:Myron Savage by Marcia & Mel Solomon

GLICK CHILDREN’S LIBRARYIn honor of:Edith Scheiner’s special birthday by Hope Leyton

HUNGER ACTION FUNDIn memory of:Harvey Zeve by Ann & Richard Roth

VIGDOR W. KAVALER SCHOLARSHIP FUND In honor of:Patti Berman’s birthday by Mina KavalerDr. Barry Kart’s special birthday by Mina KavalerLois Levy’s birthday by Mina Kavaler Nancy & Richard Simon’s 64th wedding anniversary

by Mina Kavaler Beatrice Schlesinger’s birthday by Mina Kavaler Sigrid Wecht’s special birthday by Mina Kavaler Shirley Weitz’s birthday by Mina Kavaler

In memory of:Harold Lasser by Mina Kavaler, Madelain Tauberg Manuel Miller by Mina Kavaler

RUTH AND BERNARD LEVAUR CONTEMPORARY LECTURE SERIES

In memory of:Ruth & Bernard Levaur by Marcia Levaur Ruth & Bernard Levaur by Barbara & Don Werner &

familyMarjorie Goldfarb’s father, Leonard Morris, by Marcia

Levaur

LIPPMAN LIBRARY FUNDIn memory of:Bernard Sweer by Deanie & Randy Robinson

MUSIC FUND In memory of:John Wolf by Shirley & Sidney Stark, Jr.Harvey Zeve by Shirley & Sidney Stark, Jr.

RABBINIC DISCRETIONARY FUND Donation:Richard & Joan Meltzer

In honor of:Rabbi Aaron Bisno by the Berkman Foundation,

Susan & David Kaplan, Ann Lippe, Silverman Family, Susan Wolf, Florence Zeve

Rabbi Sharyn Henry by Valerie Monaco, St. Edmund’s Academy

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RODEF SHALOM CONGREGATION FUNDDonation by:Marcus Aaron IIThecla & Jay EgerJonathan KaminJoanie & Sam Kamin Joel KatzRebecca O’Connell Caryn Rubinoff & Craig Dunham In appreciation of:Rodef Shalom Congregation’s activities for the public

by Selma P. Ryave

In honor of:Baby naming of Roxanna Adler by Lawrence Adler &

Judy BrodyBaby naming of Jacob Matthew Carlson by Francine

& Howard Weiss Lois & Milton Michaels’ 60th anniversary by Edie

Blattner Ann Roth by Judith Weiss

In memory of:Helen Blumberger by Ellen & Jerry, Sara, Dan Esrick Marjorie Goldfarb’s father, Leonard Morris, by Cheryl

& Michael Kahn Vilya Kurtysh by Jules Kurtysh Arnold Lazarus by Ruth Rubenstein Harvey Zeve by Corinne & Seymoure Krause, Ruth

Rubenstein, Cissy & Bob Stone ALEX SEED MEMORIAL FUNDIn memory of:Alex Seed by Janet & Lee Beerman, Carol & Myles

Berkman, Joan & Bernard Bloch, Marsha & Alan Bramowitz, Janice & Marvin Dash, Sandie & Bob Brand, Izzy & Herb Chernoff, Ruth & Kenneth Cohen, Darrell Goddard, David Green, Judy Hadley, Diane & Dale Harrison, Martha Hunter & Michael Elmer, Steven Kaltman, Eileen & Edward Kitces, Eileen & Nicholas Lane, Randee & Bill Leppe, Hope Leyton, Harold Marcus, Linda Melada & Arthur Levine, Moldovan family, Janie & Edward Moravitz, Debbie & Mark Pechersky, Susan & Joseph Rikk, Ilene & James Ross, Jr., Jack Stephens, Keith Studdard, Pamela & Erik Wagner, Wendy Weiner & Rabbi Charles Rabinowitz, Benjamin Roth, Adi Rapport & John Spiegel & Ruthie & Gale, Roni & Howard Semins, Debra Weiner & Paul Symczak, Stacey & Robert Wettstein

Manny Miller by Pearl Brostoff, Betty & Ed Shuman

SOL RUBEN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDSpeedy Recovery to:Michelle Bisno by Sol Ruben

SISTERHOOD FLORAL ENDOWMENT FUNDDecember 2: In memory of the birthday of beloved

mother and grandmother, Sara J. Singer by Dr. & Mrs. Barry Kart & Lauren Kart

December 5: In memory of Lillyann G. Parker & Hyman Parker by their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren

December 6: In fond memory of Irene Jacob by Rodef Shalom Sisterhood

December 7: In memory of beloved mother, Mrs. David J. Levenson by Edgar L. Levenson

In memory of beloved father, Jerry T. Silverman, by Marjorie, Stephen and Jane Silverman

December 11: In memory of the birthday of Sam B. Morris by Claire Morris, children and grandchildren

In memory of beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Norman H. Schlesinger, by Beatrice Schlesinger and family

December 12: In honor of the birthday of my daughter, Ginny Shenkan, by Paula Ohringer

December 14: In memory of beloved husband, Stanley M. Rosenbaum, and beloved son, Robert Alan Rosenbaum, by Lois A. Rosenbaum

December 17: In memory of beloved husband and father, Dr. Joseph R. Sugerman, by Jean P. Sugerman

December 20: In memory of my parents, Esther Wool Greenberg and Samuel Greenberg by Anna R. Greenberg

December 21: In memory of beloved sister and aunt Florence M. Rosenberg by Shirley Katz and Marjorie Silverman

December 28: In memory of beloved mother Anna R. Lynch by Mrs. Beatrice L. Cohen

December 30: In memory of Lillian Feinert Golden, beloved mother of Audrey N. Golden

January 1: In honor of the birthday of my daughter Margie Ungar by Paula Ohringer

January 5: In memory of my beloved parents Bernice & Marvin Herzog by Jeff Herzog & Lynn Gorman

January 13: In memory of Dr. Raymond Stept by his loving wife and children

January 17: In memory of Vigdor W. Kavaler by Mina, Kelly and John David Kavaler and Marti and Barry Fischer

In memory of beloved parents Maurice and Irma Schoenberger by Eleanor L. Schoenberger

January 25: In memory of beloved sister Bertha Louil by Anna R. Greenberg

January 27: In memory of the birthday of my beloved husband, Murray C. Thaw, by Cecyl M. Thaw

SISTERHOOD PULPIT DECORATIONSDecember 20/21: In memory of Lillian Adlow

Friedberg by Joan B. Friedberg December 27/28: In honor of Arlene and Arnold

Roberts 60th wedding anniversary by Reid, Theresa, Max and Drew Roberts

January 3/4: In memory of beloved husband, father, and great grandfather, Samuel G. Marcus by Violet Marcus

January 24/25: In memory of beloved mother, Gertrude Gruen, by Hanna Gruen

In memory of Rose Tabor by Adeline G. Tabor


Donations & Endowment Contributions To:_______________________________Address:___________________________ Fund Name:________________________In Memory of:_______________________ In Honor of:________________________Donor:____________________________ Address:__________________________ Minimum contribution–$10Prayerbook with bookplate–$36Mail with check, payable to Rodef Shalom Congregation, to the Temple.

Sisterhood Remembrance Fund To:______________________________Address:__________________________ In Memory of:______________________ In Honor of:________________________ Donor:____________________________ Address:__________________________ Library Fund–$5*Glick Children’s Library–$15**Lippman Library–$25**Restoration Fund–$10* *minimum**single volume with bookplate Mail with check, payable to Rodef Shalom Sisterhood, to the Temple.

Sisterhood Pulpit Decorations It is a custom for individuals and families to sponsor Shabbat pulpit flowers to celebrate a simcha or remember a loved one. For questions, call Chana Brody at (412) 782–5806. Date:_____________________________ In Memory of:______________________ In Honor of:________________________ Donor:____________________________ Address:___________________________ Minimum contribution–$40 Mail with check, payable to Rodef Shalom Sisterhood, to the Temple office.

Brotherhood Yahrzeit Reminders Name of Deceased:__________________ Relationship:_______________________ Date of death (M/D/Y):________________ Name:____________________________ Address:__________________________ To receive annual yahrzeit reminders, mail this form to the Temple, Attn: Brotherhood Yahrzeit Committee.

Don’t forget you can make your own donation online at www.RodefShalom.org/donate

How To Donate

SISTERHOOD REMEMBRANCE FUNDIn honor of:Frederick Amstey’s birthday by Ruth Wintner Marvin Amstey’s birthday by Ruth WintnerAdam Bisno’s birthday by Ruth Wintner Edna Judd’s birthday by Ruth WintnerSylvia Landay’s birthday by Ruth Wintner Lois Levy’s birthday by Phyllis & Bill Katz Miriam Plesset’s birthday by Ruth Wintner Stuart Rubin’s birthday by Ruth WintnerSusan Weis’ birthday by Jean Yagoda Esther Winikoff’s birthday by Ruth WintnerHarold Wintner’s birthday by Ruth Wintner Lisa Wintner’s birthday by Ruth Wintner

In memory of:Yahrzeit of Riva Amstey by Ruth WintnerHarold Binstock by Sandy & Larry RosenCharlotte Cholock by Ruth Wintner Bea Lichter’s birthday by Ruth Wintner Naomi Louis by Sandy & Larry Rosen Yahrzeit of Ethel Ruben by Ruth Wintner Yahrzeit of Lila Sampson by Ruth WintnerBessie Schulman by Ruth Wintner Bridget Wintner’s birthday by Ruth Wintner Gladys Wintner’s birthday by Ruth Wintner Yahrzeit of Louise Wintner by Ruth Wintner

JOAN & MARVIN TANZER MEMORIAL FUNDIn memory of:Sanford Baskind by Marvin Tanzer

IRVING & JACQUELIN WECHSLER GALLERYIn memory of:Gerry Herwald by Jacquelin Wechsler Audrey Lenchner by Jacquelin Wechsler Bob Sendall’s mother by Jacquelin WechslerJohn Wolf by Jacquelin Wechsler

DONATIONS TO BIBLICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN & ROBERT H. & SUSAN L. WOLF FUND IN MEMORY OF ROBERT WOLF

By Barbara & Otto Abraham, Alma Balter, Jane Berkey, Joan & Bernard Bloch, Marsha & Alan Bramowitz, Judy Brody & Lawrence Adler, Bernita Buncher, Ruth & Kenneth Cohen, Gene & Robert Dickman, Rita & Paul Glosser, Tracey Goldblum, Sandra Golding, Marcia & Gordy Kanofsky, Reda & Bertram Kossis, Symoine Laufe, Charilee Levy, Marsha & Bernie Marcus, Hugh McGough, Richard Meritzer, Lois & Milton Michaels, Netzer Charitable Foundation, Marla Perlman, Barbara Richman, Millie Rogow & Bob Weinthal, Nancy & Bob Rosenthal, Louisa & James Rudolph, Abby & Reid Ruttenberg, Janet Schindler, Cissy & Bob Stone

YOUTH EDUCATION & ACTIVITIES FUNDSpeedy recovery to:John Spear by Marjorie Greenberger

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Sunday March 16 11 a.m. — 2 p.m.Free Admission! Free Play! Fun for All Ages!

Purim Carnival

in their shoes

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