February 13, 2026 | 26 Shevat 5786
Candlelighting 5:35 p.m. | Havdalah 6:36 p.m. | Vol. 69, No. 7 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
City controller Rachael Heisler inducted into White Rose Society
NOTEWORTHY LOCAL A closer look at Israel
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Groups attempt to force BDS initiatives in Pittsburgh By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer
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of StandWithUs. Paris has witnessed Heisler fight for the Jewish community — battling two attempts to have the city divest from Israel, and advocating more broadly for the Jewish community, with whom she has many deep relationships. In fact, Heisler attended many Shabbat dinners at Hillel JUC while a student at Pitt. When Paris spoke with The White Rose Society and learned that she and Rubin could design the ceremony themselves, holding it at the university seemed like a natural fit. “I felt that it would be really powerful to do on campus,” Paris said. “[Heisler] has been a tremendous ally to the Jewish students and has really found her place as an ally of the Jewish community in college.” Rothstein had already invited Heisler to attend Chabad’s Shabbat dinner. Paris and Rubin decided that would be the perfect opportunity to present her with the rose. They didn’t, however, count on it being one of the coldest days in the recent history of the city.
fter its failed attempt to force the city of Pittsburgh to divest from Israel, the Pittsburgh chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is trying a new tack to boycott and isolate the Jewish state. At the end of January, Pittsburgh DSA launched the “No Appetite for Apartheid” campaign. Part of a multi-city program, the campaign “promotes the boycott of food products that are produced in israel, are culturally-appropriative, and/or are made by mega-conglomerates that financially uphold the Zionist occupation of Palestine,” according to Pittsburgh DSA’s Instagram page. And while the group claims it has already collected pledges to avoid Israel products from 250 consumers and from seven local stores — mostly in the East End — those numbers may be suspect. One store listed in the initial rollout, Bloomfield’s Baby Loves Tacos, told the Chronicle that it was a “huge mistake” to sign onto the campaign. In an email, owner Zack Shell said that the restaurant previously donated to several nonprofits that provide free meals to those in need, including “the group of people who brought this to us.” Shell said the restaurant was in the middle of its lunch rush when organizers stopped by asking if Baby Loves Tacos carried items from a list of products. The restaurant did not carry the food on the list. Baby Loves Tacos signed onto the campaign, but Shell admits they “didn’t realize what exactly this was.” When the nature of the campaign was brought to their attention, Baby Loves Tacos representatives asked to have its name removed from the list, something
Please see Heisler, page 14
Please see Boycott, page 14
New JCC program fosters dialogue LOCAL
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Evolving leadership
Meet Hadassah’s Ellie Greenwald Page 3
NATIONAL
p Julie Paris, Rachael Heisler, Abby Rubin and Rabbi Shmuli Rothstein
Photo courtesy of Julie Paris
Who is a Zionist?
By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer
R Survey says it’s complicated Page 4
LOCAL Life post-Oct. 7
Dark comedy comes to Pittsburgh Page 16
achael Heisler went to Chabad at Pitt for a Jan. 30 Shabbat dinner expecting to talk with students about her experiences as a friend of the Jewish community and her work as Pittsburgh’s city controller. But when she opened the door to the Chabad house and saw her friends Julie Paris, Abby Rubin, Rabbi Shmuli Rothstein and hundreds of University of Pittsburgh students, she knew something different was happening. “Rabbi Shmuli said there’s a special announcement. At that point, I hadn’t put everything together, so I was very confused,” Heisler recalled. “And then I realized what was happening and I just started crying.” Unbeknownst to Heisler, her friends had nominated her for membership in The White Rose Society, an organization that honors non-Jewish individuals who have become “beacons of hope for the Jewish people.” They used a public dinner to surprise her with the award and present her with her rose. “There’s no one more deserving,” said Julie Paris, Mid-Atlantic regional director
Education
Special section begins on p.7
MR / Adobe Stock