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Who is The Greatest JCC Basketball Player Ever?

Posted by Todd Smith on March 2, 2016

Two years ago, Arthur Pitt, my Harry B Davis Coach growing up, sparked the greatest JCC Basketball (Facebook) debate ever. 681 comments by former players, coaches and kids who grew up at the JCC. Who is the best basketball player ever from the Squirrel Hill neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Dan Florian Jimmy Wedner Josh Marks Jordan A. Marks (sorry Jordy), Joshua Schachter, or Freddy Rabner? // // Posted by Arthur …

Creating Chutz-Pow

Posted by Melissa Hiller, Director of the American Jewish Museum on February 15, 2016

Artist Marcel Walker illustrates Superheroes of the Holocaust I recently visited the studio of artist Marcel Walker, one of the illustrators behind Chutz-Pow: Superheroes of the Holocaust. Chutz-Pow is a graphic novel series developed by the Holocaust Center that focuses on civilians during the Holocaust who resisted Nazi ideology and risked their safety by coming to the aid of victims. Marcel and I had just met at …

Community Spotlight: The Wilson Group

Posted by Roberta Levine on February 15, 2016

Community and Philanthropy Key to The Wilson Group's Success The Wilson Group LLC functions as much more than a vendor of workflow solutions. With a commitment to Western Pennsylvania as a locally owned and operated company, its Golden Rule to treat customers the way we would want to be treated, and a record of giving back, this fast-growing young firm is truly a partner in the community. …

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 …

I’m Thinking of Spring

Posted by Rabbi Ron Symons on January 24, 2016

Even as we dig our way out of our first (and hopefully last) major snow storm of the winter, I am thinking about SPRING. After all, Tu biShvat begins on Sunday, January 24 at sundown. If you have cabin fever and want to bring spring into your world, might I suggest three things: Plant a tree in Israel! No need to wait for your next trip, just click …

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, …

What Have We Been Up To On the J Line?

Posted by Carolyn Gerecht on January 22, 2016

At J Line, we often recognize a reflection of our own lives, and most pressing questions, in the stories we encounter – in the text, in film, in humor, and even in Hebrew. (And we even enjoy ourselves while doing so!) Under the guidance of Ronit Pasternak, our Hebrew students learn Hebrew as a modern language. In early January, advanced students began discussing the concepts of …

May I tell you of PFC Nathan Hilu?

Posted by Melissa Hiller, Director, American Jewish Museum at the JCC on January 21, 2016

Turns out that 90 year-old artist Nathan Hilu, based in New York’s Lower East Side, has Pittsburgh roots. No Hilus remain in the area, however, so the name is unlikely to have a ring of familiarity. Hilu, the subject of American Jewish Museum’s upcoming March exhibition, is an enigmatic character who draws ferociously with any medium he can get his hands on. His writing (drawn memoirs) …

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