Mourner's Kaddish Makes Front Page Pittsburgh Is Where I Lived
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Editorials ..................................... 4A Op-Ed .......................................... 5A Calendar ...................................... 6A Scene Around ............................. 9A Synagogue Directory ................ 11A JTA News Briefs ........................ 13A WWW.HERITAGEFL.COM YEAR 43, NO. 10 NOVEMBER 9, 2018 1 KISLEV, 5779 ORLANDO, FLORIDA SINGLE COPY 75¢ Mourner’s Kaddish makes front page Post-Gazette Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s cover on Nov. 2, 2018. Hane Grace Yagel (JTA)—The Pittsburgh is part Hebrew and part The stars now hanging in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh were painted by children from a Manhattan Post-Gazette, the largest Aramaic, is to be recited synagogue, but more are coming from the survivors of other mass shootings. newspaper serving the Penn- Friday—the first Shabbat sylvania city’s metropolitan since the massacre, the Daily area, printed a part of the Beast reported. Stars of Hope brings comfort to Jewish mourner’s prayer On Twitter, historian Aaron in Hebrew as its front-page Astor wrote: “The Jewish headline. Mourner’s Kaddish is one of The first four words of the most important prayers Pittsburgh with help of trauma survivors the Mourner’s Kaddish were of all. This was a very mov- By Arielle Kaplan and strength. One, painted yellow with five “This is how you bring hope and heal- printed on Friday’s front page ing gesture by the Pittsburgh Ben Sales red hearts at its points, reads “Love.” ing back, to let them know that there’s as a tribute to the 11 people Post-Gazette to post it as the Another—green, blue and pink—says good and there’s compassion and people killed last weekend in a shoot- headline.” PITTSBURGH (JTA)—In the middle of “life.” A third, painted in red and blue care,” said Jeff Parness, the founder of ing attack at the city’s Tree of Jodi Kantor, an investiga- the day on Tuesday, above a growing pile stripes, has a variant of the same word Stars of Hope, who drove here from his Life synagogue, allegedly by a tive journalist for The New of wilting flower bouquets and sympathy in Hebrew: “Chai.” home in New York City following the far-right extremist. The words York Times, wrote that the cards, five wooden, five-pointed stars Other stars hang on telephone poles shooting. mean “may His great name be unusual headline is “The ulti- hung on a signpost in front of Tree of and building frames. A row of 11, in “People want to do something tangible, exalted and sanctified.” mate tribute to the victims. A Life Congregation, where 11 Jews were plain white with black lettering, carry but what do you do in a tragedy like The same prayer, which statement that Jews belong.” gunned down three days before. the names of the victims. this?” he asked. “You can’t bring people Similar stars hang around the world at The stars come from a project called back. [But] you can hug them with love sites of other mass shootings known now Stars of Hope, which organizes com- and you can express your compassion by the shorthand of the cities where they munities to paint stars like these for through art.” Pittsburgh is took place: San Bernardino. Orlando. victims of disasters. The stars are then The stars now hanging in Squirrel Newtown. Parkland. hung in the affected communities, and Hill, the diverse Jewish neighborhood Now they hang here, brightly colored tend to stay up even as other memorials and carrying messages of comfort and are cleared away. Hope on page 14A where I lived By Lee Chottiner briskly to their next appoint- ments. Women push strollers Despite mixed reactions, Trump visits LOUISVILLE, Ky. (JTA)— heavy with kids. Fliers for On Saturday, the front line in this Jewish event or that are the struggle to save and per- taped to street lamps and shop Pittsburgh days after synagogue shooting petuate Judaism ran through windows. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And there are the syna- By Jackson Richman I know a little something gogues. Like everywhere, about that front line. Born synagogue life is in jeopardy (JNS)—Despite mixed re- in Pittsburgh, raised in her as Jews increasingly reject actions, U.S. President Donald suburbs, an adult living on organized religion. Still, it is Trump arrived in Pittsburgh’s the North Side and East End impossible to walk a couple Squirrel Hill neighborhood of the city, I am—with apolo- blocks in Squirrel Hill without on Tuesday afternoon in the gies to my new hometown seeing a shul. They’re in old aftermath of a gunman kill- in this city—a Pittsburgher houses, stately temples with until I die. stained glass windows or As the editor of The Jewish buildings, like Tree of Life, Chronicle of Pittsburgh for constructed along modern 13 years, ground zero for my architectural lines. One con- coverage was Squirrel Hill, gregation, according to urban the Pittsburgh neighbor- legend, started life in a man- hood where Tree of Life*Or sion whose previous owner’s L’Simcha synagogue, the wish was that a Jew never scene of Saturday’s deadly own it. That was the benign shootings by an anti-Semitic anti-Semitism we were used gunman, is located. to until Saturday’s brand left Squirrel Hill is an upscale, us all scarred. I know Tree David Aaronson/Twitter multi-ethnic neighborhood. of Life*Or L’Simcha very U.S. President Donald Trump huddles in prayer outside the Tree of Life Synagogue with Bistros, cafes and trendy well. My great-uncle Her- Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, Rabbi Jeffrey Myers and first lady Melania stores line Murray and Forbes man Halpern, a giant in the Trump, as the president’s daughter, Ivanka, and her husband and senior adviser to the avenues. Schenley Park, with Conservative movement of his president Jared Kushner look on. its wide, shady lanes tying the day, was the rabbi there years universities to prewar homes, ago, when it was just Tree of ing 11 people and injuring six secretary Sarah Huckabee adviser Stephen Miller and attracts cyclists and runners Life. I reported on a succes- others at the Tree of Life*Or Sanders; and White House Treasury Secretary Steven and picnickers. L’Simcha Synagogue. deputy chief of staff for com- Mnuchin, all of whom are It is simply a beautiful place Pittsburgh on page 14A The visit comes as the com- munications Bill Shine. Jewish. to live and be. munity buried the first of the Also accompanying the Additionally, Israeli Ambas- But everywhere are remind- victims on Tuesday. president were his daughter, sador to the United States Ron ers that Squirrel Hill was, and The president was accom- Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law Dermer was on the ground, is, the heart of Pittsburgh panied by his wife, Melania; and senior adviser Jared Kush- Jewish life Bearded men chief of staff John Kelly; press ner, as well as senior-policy Trump on page 15A in kippot and fedoras walk PAGE 2A HERITAGE FLORIDA JEWISH NEWS, NOVEMBER 9, 2018 World’s largest rabbinic gathering to honor victims of Pittsburgh massacre Bentzi Sasson Rabbis attending the International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries (Kinus Hashluchim) in Brooklyn, N.Y. last year. Last week, the 10 rabbis days after the horrific anti- ture of how we are part some- from professionals and col- college campuses, ensuring ever. His teachings continue of the seven metro Orlando Semitic shooting in Pitts- thing global and the fastest leagues with years of expe- a lasting impact on the next to be a guiding force as a new Chabad centers joined 5,600 burgh that left 11 dead and growing Jewish movement,” rience. The topics covered generation. generation of both Jews and rabbis and communal leaders as the Chabad-Lubavitch said Rabbi Yanky Majesky of run the gamut of their They continue the legacy non-Jews seeks to positively from all 50 U.S. states and movement marks nearly 10 the Chabad of North Orlando. concerns: combating anti- of the Rebbe, Rabbi Men- change the world for the more than 100 countries, years since the murder of “On a personal level, my Semitism; counseling and achem M. Schneerson, of better. hailing from as far away as Rabbi Gabi and Rivky Holtz- siblings and classmates are guiding congregations in the righteous memory, who The conference will include Laos and Angola, Ghana berg, directors of Chabad- Chabad rabbis all over the aftermath of the Pittsburgh spearheaded a global Jewish a memorial for the victims of and Uzbekistan, at the In- Lubavitch of Mumbai, in world, this is a great chance attacks; synagogue security; revival after the Holocaust. the Pittsburgh Massacre. In ternational Conference of the 2008 terrorist attacks in to catch up and of course the opioid epidemic; mental Universally known simply as Orlando, the Pittsburgh Mas- Chabad-Lubavitch Emissar- Mumbai. learn best practices from health; stemming the tide the Rebbe, Rabbi Schneer- sacre was commemorated ies (Kinus Hashluchim) in “All year we are building each other.” of assimilation; counsel- son is considered the most with a Memorial Service and Brooklyn, N.Y. and strengthening our local The rabbis—each em- ing troubled relationships; influential rabbi in modern Mitzvah Campaign in honor The annual event, the Jewish communities, it is bracing multiple roles and inclusion; and a conference history. Although he passed of the victims, on Monday largest Jewish gathering in extremely inspiring to come responsibilities—explored within the conference for away 24 years ago, the Rebbe’s night, Oct. 29, at the Chabad North America, came just together and see the big pic- relevant issues, and learned rabbis who serve students on legacy remains as vibrant as Center in Maitland.