July 26, 2024 | 20 Tammuz 5784 S
Candlelighting 8:22 p.m. | Havdalah 9:26 p.m. | Vol. 67, No. 30 | pittsburghjewishchronicle.org
NOTEWORTHY LOCAL LendaRabbi volorei ciendi non re nus Meet Joshua Feigelson
Julie Paris fights antiZionism and antisemitism with a passion for Israel and Jewish community
Spirituality leader comes to Pittsburgh Et odictiumqui andae amusam Page 2 LOCAL si de net voloritat quistium
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Shufuni brings music and conversation inspired by Oct. 7 to South Hills
Page X Valuing connections across the globe
LOCAL Ovit, ommodi remos ero
Shufuni will perform at Beth El Congregation of the South Hills on Aug. 1.
A chat with Partnership2Gether’s new director in Israel LOCAL
By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer
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Mel Brooks’ comedy classic revived Fodictiumqui aut entis andae asimuss
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StandWithUs Mid-Atlantic Regional Director Julie Paris at a Squirrel Hill vigil in support of the hostages being held by Hamas Photo by Jonathan Dvir By David Rullo | Senior Staff Writer
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CLO brings “Young Frankenstein” to Pittsburgh LOCAL
Photo courtesy of Shufuni
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Playing music and supporting soldiers Lenda nus dolorum re pro mi, cuptati ntibus.
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Ukrainian band performs at Original Pittsburgh Winery Page 17
ulie Paris thought she was done with Judaism after her bat mitzvah. Shortly after reciting the last blessing, the Fox Chapel native and Tree of Life Congregation member looked at the rabbi and said out loud what many 13-year-olds are quietly thinking: “I’m done with Judaism now, right? It’s done. I did it.” Paris is the Mid-Atlantic regional director of StandWithUs, an international, nonpartisan education organization that supports Israel and fights antisemitism. She is a familiar sight to anyone in Pittsburgh who has attended a rally in support of Israel, or the hostages still held in Gaza, since Oct. 7. She routinely is interviewed by media, speaks at educational events and works behind the scenes or hosts programs to combat antisemitism. Despite her frenetic schedule, Paris didn’t have a deep connection to Israel while growing up, though she was proud of being Jewish, she said. Paris’ parents ensured that she and her
brother were raised with an understanding of their Jewish heritage. They attended Hebrew school at both Tree of Life and a satellite campus near their home. Paris’ mother was one of the founding members of Adat Shalom and a former chair of a Hadassah chapter. Paris also spent a lot of time at her grandmother’s house in Squirrel Hill, learning the rhythm of Jewish life in the neighborhood. Her passion for Judaism, though, was ignited as a teen when she attended BBYO meetings. Those tentative steps led to a full immersion in the organization, including traveling to Cleveland on weekends and staying with other BBYO families, as well as participating in the organization’s conventions and its CLTC (Chapter Leadership Training Conference) one summer. “That was the beginning for me,” Paris said. “I was like, ‘This is fun.’ I credit BBYO for being my first introduction into Judaism as joy. That really spoke to me.” If BBYO was the initial spark, Paris said a Please see Paris, page 10
All About Pets
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ara Marcus didn’t know she would become a concert promoter when she traveled to Israel as part of the Martin Pearl Israel Fellowship. And yet, that’s what happened. Marcus spent the last few weeks worrying about things that kept famed concert promoters like Bill Graham and Rich Engler up at night: venues, backlines, microphones, even how many people have signed up to attend a show. For her day job, Marcus is the chief development and marketing officer of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh. While in Israel, Sara Sless, assistant director at the JCC association’s center for Israel engagement, told her about Shufuni, a group of musicians she was booking in the United States. “We discussed them coming to Pittsburgh,” Marcus said, “and it was a no-brainer.” Shufuni is a group of young musicians from Otef Aza, in the Gaza Envelope, who began performing together in 2022 to offer different types of events and platforms to expose the public to the music of Israel’s southern communities. On Oct. 7, Shufuni lost members of the Please see Shufuni, page 10 nataba/Adobe Stock