Volume 22, Issue 4 May — June 2020 Iyyar, Sivan, and Tammuz 5780 אור חדש על ציון תאיר A new light will shine on Zion Congregation Beth Shalom 5915 Beacon Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 412.421.2288 don’t forget to visit www.bethshalompgh.org IN THE KNOW In the Know .................................................... 2 CONGREGATION BETH SHALOM 5915 Beacon Street • Pittsburgh, PA 15217 A Beth Shalom Update ................................. 3 www.bethshalompgh.org 412.421.2288 A Message From Our President ................... 4 Clergy and Staff Rabbi Seth Adelson .........................................................Senior Rabbi Words of Kedushah ....................................... 5 Kenneth A. Turkewitz ................................. Interim Executive Director Rabbi Jeremy Markiz ................. Director of Derekh & Youth Tefillah Hilary Yeckel ..........................................................Director of the ELC Marissa Tait ...............................................Director of Youth Programs Walking the Derekh ...................................... 6 Lonnie Wolf ............................................................ Cemetery Director Rabbi Larry Freedman ...................................................J-JEP Director Beth Shalom Youth Zone .............................. 7 Executive Committee Debby Firestone .....................................................................President Kate Rothstein .............................................Executive Vice President Growing Through the ELC ............................ 8 Alan Kopolow ................................................................Vice President Jordan Fischbach .........................................................Vice President Dan Eisner ..............................................................................Secretary Fred Newman ......................................................................... Treasurer Learning with J-JEP ....................................... 9 David Horvitz .............................................. Immediate Past President Emeriti and Scholars Facilities Update ......................................... 10 Rabbi Mark N. Staitman .......................................... Rabbinic Scholar Stephen E. Steindel, D.D ..............................................Rabbi Emeritus Moshe Taubé .............................................................. Cantor Emeritus Amir Pilch F.S.A. .......................................Executive Director Emeritus Security Update .......................................... 11 Fern S. Moscov .........................................Preschool Director Emeritus Board of Trustees Membership Update .................................. 12 Steve Albert David Horvitz Connie Pollack Ria David Joseph Jolson Todd E. Rascoe Mitchell Dernis Michael Jolson Bruce Rollman Dan Eisner Rhoda Judd Kate Rothstein Cemetery Update ...................................... 13 Julian Elbling Rona Kaufman Betsy Schwartz Debby Firestone Judy Kobell Mindy Shreve Jordan Fischbach Alan Kopolow Evan Stein Legacy Circle Update ............................... 14 Ira Frank Aviva Lubowsky Paul Teplitz Chris Hall Elisa Recht Marlin Lou Weiss Tammy Hepps Aaron Morgenstern Michael Yoffee Alan Himmel Fred Newman Elinor Young Artist’s Reflection ........................................ 15 Past Presidents Benei Mitzvah .............................................. 15 Norton Freedel Harvey Robins Ira M. Frank Harriet N. Kruman Julian Elbling Connie Pollack Alan Greenwald Barry J. Palkovitz Stefi L. Kirschner Marianne Silberman Judy Kornblith Kobell Howard Valinsky Humans of Beth Shalom ............................. 16 Milton Eisner Jay L. Fingeret David Horvitz Yale Rosenstein Steven H. Schwartz Our Congregational Family ....................... 18 Auxiliary Presidents Ira Frank ...............................................................................Men’s Club Shavu’ot Schedule ..................................... 22 Judy Kornblith Kobell ...........................................................Sisterhood Elana Kolko ...................................................................................... USY Staff Directory .............................................. 23 2 Congregation Beth Shalom • www.bethshalompgh.org • 412.421.2288 OUR LEADERSHIP A Beth Shalom Update Ken Turkewitz, Interim Executive Director The Mishpachtenu has been on a regular At this time, ELC administrators will prepare for schedule of being produced every three summer camp to begin as scheduled on June months, roughly corresponding to the seasons 16. However, this is contingent on public health of the year. Our “spring” issue covered March, officials’ recommendations and the safety of April, and May. When we put these issues staff, campers, and families. together, we start gathering input about a ELC classes and activities continue to function month and a half prior to the periods they online, through Zoom, to the best of our ability, cover, to allow for composition and layout, given the respective ages for each classroom. editing, and production. Hence, the most Kol hakavod to all of our teachers who have recent issue has content that was produced been remotely engaging our children and in late January. Needless to say, our world has moving them forward in their development. changed significantly since then, as has much of the content from that spring issue. We are We are continuing to provide Derekh therefore going off-book, and producing this programming using Zoom. While some programs Mishpachtenu which covers the months of May were initially postponed or cancelled, we’ve (redux) and June. now adjusted to our new normal and have found ways to do most of our Derekh activities. This Mishpachtenu, put together very quickly, may not have all of the columns from all of the Daily, holiday, and Shabbat services are also people you’re used to seeing. It will, however, using Zoom. They can all be found on Zoom link update the information for May (now that https://zoom.us/j/896828166. we’ve pivoted to a more remote/digital way of With so much happening on Zoom, and the operating, at least temporarily), and give you prevalence of “Zoom Bombing” (unwelcome some updates on the synagogue from groups characters joining Zoom sessions to share we don’t typically hear from. It also allows us a undesirable content), we have tweaked our means of communication to those people who Zoom parameters over the first few weeks of get their information via print media instead of use, to avoid undesirable effects. In addition, via the network. all religious service offerings are held with all As this article provides an update on our participants (except the service leader) on situation in the synagogue, some of this may mute, and services during Shabbat or Yom Tov be duplicative to many of you, and some now have the chat capability turned off. We may even be out-of-date by the time this gets also have a moderator on duty for each service. published. These extra measures not only help prevent the nefarious characters from participating in * * * unwelcome ways, but also enhance the quality The building is currently closed for all general of our Shabbat and holiday services. Though functions indefinitely, contingent upon public we’d rather be together in person, we’ve found health officials’ guidance and local and that the remote Zoom offering for services has Commonwealth directives. This means no resulted in a higher participation level, making it religious service gatherings in the building, no easy for many (not everyone, unfortunately) to meetings, no programming. This includes closing participate. the facility for Early Learning Center (ELC) activities through at least the end of the current school year (June 11). Congregation Beth Shalom • www.bethshalompgh.org • 412.421.2288 3 OUR LEADERSHIP We are now beginning planning to have an A Message From Our President online video and audio Annual Spring meeting, on the originally scheduled date of May 26. Debby Firestone, President More information on this will be forthcoming. Though the building is mostly unused, most of our During this most employees have found ways to work remotely. extraordinary time, And the maintenance staff is continuing the the business of running upkeep of the building, including getting to our shul has continued some backlogged projects. Regardless the at full speed. I am level of contribution that each employee has privileged to participate been able to give during this crisis, the Beth in a ZOOM meeting Shalom leadership has decided to keep staff each week which employed and fully paid. As of this writing, that includes all presidents commitment is in place through at least May 31; of the conservative and the Board of Trustees will evaluate further as we reform congregations in the greater Pittsburgh get closer to this date. area. It is reassuring to know we are not alone in our troubles. We all face the same concerns: We will continue to provide updates on our connecting with our members, reaching out to decision making as the situation with the check on their health and well being; preparing COVID-19 virus progresses. a budget in a time of great financial stress, * * * working day and night to secure funding from the Paycheck Protection Program; monitoring the As for the COVID-19 virus itself, here in Allegheny well-being of our staff and employees; planning County, we’ve been doing relatively well, for an on-line annual meeting; seeing to ongoing compared