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AJM shines light at First Fridays on Penn

Posted by Todd Smith on February 10, 2016

Unblurred: First Fridays on Penn is a monthly event sponsored by the Penn Avenue Arts Initiative. It is a chance for folks to come check out amazing art and meet the artists and the gallery owners. For last week's Unblurred, the JCC's American Jewish Museum partnered with artist Lori Hepner to create a series of interactive workshops that will evolve as an exhibition over the next month at Assemble, a community …

Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. Will Knock Our Socks Off at Big Night

Posted by Roberta Levine on February 4, 2016

Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. has invoked Frank Sinatra more than once to sing his way through adversity. As a West Virginia boy transplanted to the violent streets of Detroit, where, he says, “you could lose your life in a fight on a basketball court,” he’d calm down his buddies by singing Fly Me to the Moon. ”They would bust out laughing,” he says. “They thought …

Squirrel Hill Celebrates the Chinese New Year

Posted by Todd Smith on February 3, 2016

Chinese New Year celebrations began Monday and for the next couple weeks -- it's a 15-day celebration -- a multitude of events celebrating Asian culture and diversity will take place around Squirrel Hill. This is the Year of the Monkey, which is the 9th animal in the 12 animal cycle. People born in the Year of the Monkey include 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968. The Chinese New Year, also known as the …

Repair the World: Living the Value of Tikkun Olam

Posted by Justin DeCarlucci on January 22, 2016

Tikkun Olam or to “Repair the World” is a continuing theme through different movements in Judaism. In all of these, a common thread has to do with the universal value of taking responsibility for the welfare of others. Like the Dao of eastern philosophy states, “Love the world as yourself; then you can care for all things.” And the revered 12th century rabbi and physician Moses Maimonides, "Whatever I want for myself, …

Beverly’s Birthdays Spreads Cheer Across Pittsburgh

Posted by Todd Smith on January 14, 2016

One of my best birthdays was a party I had at the JCC. I spent that day with my friends swimming, playing basketball and deck hockey. After three hours of non-stop activity, we congregated in Room 301 to eat kosher pizza (remember Yacov's?) and cake. Of course, presents! I still remember it like it was yesterday. When I first heard about Beverly's Birthdays in Next Pittsburgh's article, 5 People Making Pittsburgh a Happier Place, the …

Are there any mentschen on the grid-iron?

Posted by Rabbi Ron Symons on January 11, 2016

You and I have heard it described as 'our generation's immaculate reception'. What happened on Saturday night in Cincinnati electrified Pittsburgh. I saw the game slipping away from the Steelers throughout the 4th quarter to only be surprised with the victory. Victory wasn't the only thing slipping away. Morality slipped away too. Marc Hardin described it well: ...Call the late and fateful penalties and all of the …

PJ Library: Creating Community All Around Town

Posted by JCC Pittsburgh on January 6, 2016

How many books does it take to grow a community? PJ Library, a Jewish family engagement program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh in partnership with the JCC, seems to have come up with the formula. In December, PJ Library reached a huge milestone: 1,000 children in the Greater Pittsburgh area are now active subscribers. The milestone caps a growth of 38% in the past year. Expansion has not only occurred in the …

CreativeMornings: Breakfast of Creatives, in the town of Champions

Posted by Todd Smith on December 22, 2015

Our Pittsburgh community is full of creative minds. The CreativeMornings monthly lecture series, a short talk and breakfast that's free and open to all, offers a chance for us to share ideas. This month's CreativeMornings theme is Time and the December event was held at the Hill House, which formerly was home of the JCC. The name Irene Kaufmann Settlement is visibly inscribed on the facade. It was my first time visiting this beautiful structure, …

I am Not Done SCREAMING!

Posted by Rabbi Ron Symons on December 21, 2015

Will you SCREAM with me about HATE SPEECH and how it can lead to HATE ACTION? Elie Weisel teaches us: One of the Just Men came to Sodom, determined to save its inhabitants from sin and punishment. Night and day he walked the streets and markets protesting against greed and theft, falsehood and indifference. In the beginning, people listened and smiled ironically. Then they stopped listening; …

Countdown to our 10th Big Night

Posted by Roberta Levine on December 17, 2015

If our past Big Night events have anything to tell us about what to expect at our special 10th anniversary Big Night on April 2, it’s that you never know what you’ll encounter when you arrive. You might be greeted by hippie protesters (2011: Peace, Love and the IKCs) and when you walk in the door, get stared down by Men in Black (2010: Party with …

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P 412-278-1975

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