February 20, 2026 | 3 Adar 5786
Candlelighting 5:43 p.m. | Havdalah 6:43 p.m. | Vol. 69, No. 8 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
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Jerry Guttman’s tale of resilience
East End Food Co-op board advances advisory vote on removing Israeli products
HISTORY
By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer
Hillel JUC and Federation launch Israel trip to train student advocates
NOTEWORTHY LOCAL A survivor’s story
Page 3
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Cars and chaos
pathways to study about and visit Israel, Campus Ambassadors offers a unique opportunity to “engage with Israel in a highly sophisticated and meaningful way,” he said. Given its ability to provide students with “knowledge and fluency regarding Israel’s diversity, participants will return to campus strengthened in their Jewish and Zionist identities while having the practical tools to share with the Jewish and non-Jewish campus community.” Pitt freshman Danielle Yakhnis, 18, said the training has brought together students ranging in age and background. What they share, however, is a commitment to engaging in Jewish life on campus. “We all do activities surrounding Judaism,” she said. “I see a lot of them at Chabad. We go to Shabbat dinners together.” Yakhnis said she was drawn to the program’s potential for delivering insight
he East End Food Co-op’s board of directors has approved a motion creating an advisory referendum asking its members if “Israeli sourced products” should be removed from the grocery store. The 5-3 vote in favor of the non-binding referendum was preceded by a vote on a binding referendum asking members the same question. The motion for a binding referendum failed in a 6-2 vote. Both votes were taken at a Feb. 16 board meeting. The board’s president, Tom Pandaleon, voted in favor of both referendums and said the board will work with a “sense of urgency” to “structure the nature of the advisory referendum.” EEFC members, he said, “should look forward to hearing from us fairly soon,” adding that some follow-up should be expected by the next board meeting. The Feb. 16 board meeting followed a Feb. 9 special virtual meeting of EEOC members during which five people spoke in favor of the binding resolution and five spoke against it. That meeting was not open to the public. During the Feb. 9 meeting, Hope Anne Nathan, a member of the Jewish community, spoke against the referendum. Nathan has been a member of the co-op since the early 90s, is a former employee of the co-op and served on the store’s board of directors. She said that despite the board’s attempts to create a welcoming atmosphere at the virtual meeting, those in favor of the referendum would “thumbs down” speakers
Please see Hillel, page 10
Please see Co-op, page 10
Resourcefulness leads to results Page 4
LOCAL The unlikely journey of Rabbi Udren p University of Pittsburgh students gather at Hillel JUC during a Campus Ambassadors meeting. Photo courtesy of Hillel JUC By Adam Reinherz | Senior Staff Writer
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From Monroeville to Beit El Page 5
LOCAL Judy Robinson’s newest book
Art and poetry Page 15
program designed to alter college life in Pittsburgh is taking students to Israel. The Campus Ambassadors program, led by Hillel JUC with support from the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, will train 10 University of Pittsburgh students to become peer educators and advocates on campus. Oakland-based workshops operated by Federation staff — which began weeks ago — are intended to equip students with the “knowledge, skills and confidence to return to their campuses and speak out against antisemitism and anti‑Zionism,” David Knoll, Federation’s associate vice president of public affairs, said. Dan Marcus, Hillel JUC’s executive director and CEO, touted the program as a “transformative and important” opportunity for students. Though college students have multiple
Event Planning
Special section coming Feb. 27
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