March 31, 2023 | 9 Nissan 5783
Candlelighting 7:25 p.m. | Havdalah 8:25 p.m. | Vol. 66, No. 13 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
NOTEWORTHY LOCAL Representing communities Lenda volorei Jewish ciendi non re nus in the commonwealth
10/27 survivors and families prepare for three-month trial
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Local organizations offer food and resources for Passover
Pennsylvania’s first Jewish Legislative Et odictiumqui andae amusam Caucus quistium si de net voloritat
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NATIONAL LOCAL An inspiring story of Jewish Civil Ovit, ommodi remos ero War soldiers
p A memorial outside the Tree of Life building in 2018
By Toby Tabachnick | Editor
I Battlefield seder memorialized in FodictiumquiWest aut entis andae asimuss Fayetteville, Virginia
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LOCAL FOOD Minto volupta ssimim Taking dessert to the next level
One-bowl Passover brownie cake Lenda nus dolorum re pro mi, cuptati ntibus.
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t’s not going to be easy for Howard Fienberg to rearrange his life so that he can be in court during the trial of the man accused of murdering his mother, Joyce Fienberg, and 10 other Jews in the Tree of Life building. But he’s committed to making it work. “It’s important for me personally because I’m representing my family, my large extended family,” he said. “And I try to keep that in mind at all times when I’m dealing with anything related to this.” Survivors and family members have waited 4½ years for justice to be served regarding the Oct. 27 massacre. Those killed were: Jerry Rabinowitz, a member of Congregation Dor Hadash; Richard Gottfried, Daniel Stein and Mel Wax, members of New Light Congregation; and Joyce Fienberg, Rose Mallinger, Cecil and David Rosenthal, Bernice and Sylvan Simon, and Irving Younger, members of Tree of Life Congregation. Daniel Leger, of Dor Hadash, and Andrea Wedner, of Tree of Life, were both shot and seriously wounded, as were four first responders. The trial is expected to begin with jury selection on April 24 and run most weekdays for about three months. Survivors and family members of victims will have to make major life adjustments to be present in court for that length of time. Fienberg, a lobbyist living in a northern Virginia suburb, will not only be separated from his immediate family while in Pittsburgh, but
Photo by Jim Busis
he will have to find ways to manage his work obligations. He assumed he could bring his laptop to an overflow room in the federal courthouse and work from there, but then learned that electronics are not permitted in the overflow room. “So, I am going to be bringing massive amounts of printouts of things I need to work on,” he said. “And my boss has already agreed that she’s happy to take care of getting all of my work transcribed. So, my work habits are going to change.” Some of his work will have to “go on hold,” he said. “In the meantime, I suspect I will be putting in work in the evenings while I’m in Pittsburgh.” The shooter is charged with 63 criminal counts, including hate crimes resulting in death, and discharge of a firearm to commit murder. He has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution is seeking the death penalty. In a court filing last week, the prosecution and defense agreed to a summary of the indictiment, including that the defendant “is said to have made statements about his desire to ‘kill Jews’” while in the building. For Fienberg, showing up at the trial is “important as a Jew” in standing up against antisemitism. “That’s the issue,” Fienberg said. “That’s the reason why, at the next level, it’s important for us to bear witness — and we’ve been waiting for that justice to be served for a long time.”
p Passover seder Photo by Adam Baker via Flickr By Adam Reinherz | Staff Writer
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s Passover nears, area organizations are working to ensure that every community member can celebrate the holiday with dignity. The JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry was recently in contact with local synagogues to convey how easy it is to access food and other resources, especially for Passover, said the Food Pantry’s director, Matthew Bolton. “We don’t ask for names,” he said. The only information the Food Pantry wants to know is if synagogues “have anybody who is struggling this time of year and simply to tell us how many households, how many people per household, and we will pull Passover food for them.” In addition to partnering with synagogues, the Food Pantry works with individuals “who may not be as connected to the Jewish community,” he said. Whether they live in Pittsburgh or outside the greater area, “we’ve told them they can come here for Passover food and that we have caseworkers on staff who can connect them to other resources available.” Bolton said JFCS counselors are readily available and cited the organization’s commitment to offering “relief through food
Please see Trial, page 10
Happy
Passover!
Maglara / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Please see Passover, page 10