April 3, 2026 | 14 Nissan 5786
Candlelighting 7:27 p.m. | Havdalah 8:27 p.m. | Vol. 69, No. 14 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
14th Ward Democratic Committee controversy envelops upcoming elections
NOTEWORTHY LOCAL Hazamir plays Lincoln Center
The voice of Jewish teens
A organization that “operates to protect the rights and wellbeing of Jews in the United States,” according to its website. Committee member Marie Norman took the debate online, creating a post on Facebook that read in part: “The Beacon Coalition, a single-issue organization and PAC, has recruited 31 (!!) new candidates to run for the 14th Ward’s 82-seat committee. Most are running to replace sitting committee members.” Norman said her concern with the Beacon Coalition stems from the group’s backing of Republican politicians, specifically state Rep. Valerie Gaydos and the state’s Attorney General Dave Sunday. Jeremy Kazzaz, Beacon Coalition’s executive director, said the organization supports candidates that most closely align with the group’s mission. “We spend a lot of time, and our research team time spends a lot of time, evaluating folks for how they fit into our rubric that is clearly set out in all our materials for how we judge candidates — how they combat antisemitism, stand up for our constitutional democracy and protect America as a pluralistic nation.”
federal grand jury has charged six men with violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, obstructing justice and conspiring to obstruct justice. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti on March 30 and stem from a September 2024 attack on a Jewish male in Oakland. The seven-count indictment named as defendants Muhammed Koc, 27, of Pittsburgh; Omar Alshmari, 28, of Monroeville; Abraham Choudhry, 22, of Monroeville; Emirhan Arslan, 24, of McKees Rocks; Ali Alkhaleel, 19 of Pittsburgh; and Adeel Piracha, 22 of Murrysville. The victim, a University of Pittsburgh student, was attacked leaving Phat’s Bar near Semple and Ward streets, a studentheavy area, according to Rabbi Shmuli Rothstein, director of Chabad House on Campus-Pittsburgh. Rothstein said the attackers noticed a Star of David on a chain worn by the victim. The men shouted, “Free Palestine,” “F--- Jews” and other antisemitic remarks before assaulting the student, according to Rothstein, who has been in regular contact with the victim. After the antisemitic comments were made, Koc and Alshmari attacked the victim, according to the Department of Justice, causing physical pain, a split lip and headaches. Both Koc and Alshmari are charged with aiding and abetting one another and willfully causing bodily injury to the victim because of the individual’s actual and perceived race and religion.
Please see Committee, page 10
Please see Attack, page 10
Food, faith and football
Image courtesy of iStock
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PASSOVER Passover books for kids
“Matzah Pizza” and more Page 16
Six men charged with hate crime, obstructing justice for attacking Jewish Pitt student By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer
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LOCAL
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By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer
D
oes Pittsburgh’s 14th Ward Democratic Committee have a Jewish problem? While committee members likely will insist it does not, tensions have surfaced over a recent slate of candidates — many of whom are Jewish — who filed to run for committee seats, sparking questions about inclusion and fairness. The 14th Ward includes Swisshelm Park, Squirrel Hill, Regent Square, Point Breeze, Park Place, North Point Breeze and Duck Hollow. The debate began with an email to committee members from 14th Ward Chair Liz Healey. The email included the names of 31 candidates “opposing current committee members and for candidates who are running in districts where we helped to recruit and support committee candidates for open seats.” Echoing a proverbial curse, Healey concluded her email by writing, “We certainly live in interesting times.” Rumors soon began circulating that many of those candidates were encouraged to run by the Beacon Coalition, a non-partisan
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