September 9, 2022 | 13 Elul 5782
Candlelighting 7:21 p.m. | Havdalah 8:18 p.m. | Vol. 65, No. 36 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
$1.50
NOTEWORTHY LOCAL New evidence revealed in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting case
Prosecutors say Gab posts indicate motive
Rabbi Amy Bardack
Photo courtesy of Rabbi Amy Bardack
Page 2
LOCAL
Maggie Feinstein moderates a discussion on trauma informed care for extremism survivors during the Eradicate Hate Global Summit 2021 on Oct. 20, 2021, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh. Photo by Lindsay Dill
Getting to Know: Kate Kim
Eradicate Hate Global Summit returns to Pittsburgh By David Rullo | Staff Writer
The journey of a dedicated Jewish professional
Page 3
LOCAL Batik can’t be beat
Israeli artist comes to Fair in the Park
Page 13
M
ichele Rosenthal never expected that she would have a prominent role in the fight against antisemitism and hate. That changed nearly four years ago when her brothers Cecil and David Rosenthal were murdered in the Tree of Life building on Oct. 27, 2018. Rosenthal became determined to do what she could to prevent other families from suffering the same pain and grief her family endured. Like Rosenthal, Laura Ellsworth felt compelled to act after the massacre at the Tree of Life building, which left 11 people dead and six seriously injured, including four first responders. Ellsworth is a former candidate for governor of Pennsylvania and an attorney with the law firm Jones Day. As first partnerin-charge of the firm’s Global Community Service Initiatives, she leads the firm’s rule of law initiatives around the world — in 43 offices on five continents — which includes a hate crime task force that represents victims pro bono. Ellsworth, along with her friend Mark Nordenberg, chancellor emeritus of the University of Pittsburgh, wanted to ensure
that Pittsburgh would be remembered for the way it responded to the attack at the Tree of Life building rather than the massacre itself. Their response was to create the Eradicate Hate Global Summit. More than 600 in-person and 1,000 online participants attended the inaugural three-day conference last year, uniting experts and leaders from around the world dedicated to eradicating all forms of hate-fueled violence and implementing effective solutions for change. Rosenthal, a former community relations manager for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was one of the opening speakers at last year’s summit. This year, her role is different, as she brings her sports expertise to help combat hate. The idea that sports could be an avenue to battle prejudice, bigotry and violence had its genesis last year. Alice Wairimu Nderitu, the United Nations special adviser on the prevention of genocide, spoke at the 2021 summit and was impressed with the event. She called it “one of the most intriguing projects she’s seen anywhere in the world,” Ellsworth said. “She wanted the U.N. to stay really close to it.” Please see Summit, page 10
Rabbi Amy Bardack reconstructs career as spiritual leader of Dor Hadash By David Rullo | Staff Writer
R
abbi Amy Bardack was ready for a new challenge after leaving her role as director of Jewish life at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh in March. Bardack told the Chronicle then that she would seek a pulpit position, saying: “It happens once every 20 years when there are not enough rabbis for the jobs. There are going to be jobs unfilled.” It turns out Bardack’s remarks were prescient. On Aug. 31, she announced on Facebook that she was the new rabbi of Congregation Dor Hadash. “I found out they were looking and assumed they had hired someone,” Bardack said. “Then in early May, I ran into [Dor Hadash member] Dan Leger, and he said, ‘Amy, will you please consider being the rabbi at Dor Hadash?’” After her initial conversation with Leger a slow process began with the Reconstructionist congregation housed at Please see Bardack, page 10
Page 11
Senior Living special section
lordn/ adobe stock