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Cheesecake – The Taste of Shavuot

Posted by Roberta Levine on May 15, 2023

Holidays, especially Jewish Holidays, are not the best time to enforce a weight loss diet. Take Shavuot, which this year begins on the eve of Thursday, May 25. For reasons that some attribute to parsing of Jewish law and others, to a tradition that evolved amongst Eastern European Jews, dairy - cheese and one of its sweetest uses, cheesecake - is a Shavuot treat. And so, a …

The Secret to a Sweet Passover: Matzo Brittle

Posted by Roberta Levine on March 20, 2023

I used to joke that I chose our synagogue because I liked the cookbook. There was some truth to that although as far as recipes go, the very best one was not in the book. Every year, some of us volunteered to do a mass bake of Matzo Brittle to sell to members, using a recipe that I believe was handed down from our rabbi's …

“Borcas” — Grandma Cele’s Beet Preserves

Posted by Roberta Levine on March 20, 2023

Another Passover Recipe My husband's Grandma Cele often talked about making her Passover specialties for her sons - carrot candy and something she called "borcas." I did not grow up in a home with Old Country food traditions, so I had no idea what she was talking about. After she'd passed away and I wanted to continue the family tradition, I asked around to find a recipe …

JCC PGH Leadership Succession 2023

Posted by JCC Pittsburgh on March 10, 2023

The Board of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh is pleased to announce a planned executive leadership succession at the agency, effective September 1, 2023. Longtime JCC and community leader Brian Schreiber will assume a new role at the JCC as Chief External Affairs Officer & Special Advisor to the CEO after serving nearly 25 years as the agency’s President & CEO. The JCC’s Chief Program …

Close up: Anna B. Heldman

Posted by JCC Pittsburgh on March 8, 2023

On this International Women's Day, the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh recognizes Anna B. Heldman, a pioneer in human service and important part of our history. The JCC comes from a rich history as a settlement house that began in the Hill District in 1895. Miss Heldman joined the staff of the Columbian School and Settlement on October 1, 1902. The story of her 38 years of service …

Make a Meal of Hamantaschen!

Posted by Roberta Levine on February 28, 2023

Don't get me wrong; we LOVE traditional hamantaschen. Yiddish for "Haman's pockets" and also interpreted in old legend as Haman's three-cornered hat, some of us consider these delectable sweet pastries as a way to get back at Haman, the villain in the Purim story in the Biblical Book of Esther. To commemorate his downfall, we eat his hat! Miriam Szokovski, in an article on unique hamantaschen recipes a couple of …

An Evening with Yankees Pitcher Scott Effross

Posted by Annie Schroeder on January 25, 2023

Having a space to openly talk about all things baseball, his Jewish identity, and mental health is a top priority for New York Yankees Pitcher, Scott Effross. Effross and his wife Brittany have chosen Pittsburgh as their home in the off season because they fell in love with its charm after she attended Duquesne University. Being a native of Twinsburg, Ohio, also meant the two would …

It’s about the oil

Posted by Roberta Levine on December 8, 2022

I'd been making latkes for many years before I finally realized something about this food tradition: Chanukah is the oil holiday - a celebration of miraculous oil that lasted 8 days. For me, good latkes are a small miracle too. Over the years, I've learned a few tricks to making (what I think are) the best latkes. The recipe: Joan Nathan's from her classic book, The …

8 Nights of Light: A Chanukah Menorah Infographic

Posted by JCC of Greater Pittsburgh on December 1, 2022

The menorah is perhaps one of the most widely recognized symbols of Jewish culture and is the centerpiece of the Chanukah celebration. But how much do you really know about it? We’re sharing the fast facts you need to know about the Chanukkiah – from its history and meaning to the logistics of lighting yours – because it’s so much more than just a candelabra!

Bake the Best Challah!

Posted by Roberta Levine on September 10, 2022

I contend that this recipe, shared many years ago at an NCJW meeting by Charlotte Sadofsky, is the best challah recipe, ever. It has all the eggs, oil, honey and sugar to make it the richest of all challahs. I add cinnamon for brightness and use lots of seeds - sesame and poppy - to coat. I usually stick to a simple 3-strand braid, but if …

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