This past week offered a powerful reminder of what it means to live up to our agency’s middle name: community.
Last Saturday, our South Hills JCC had the honor of welcoming approximately 200 members of the local Haraza community for a joyful celebration of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, alongside Nowruz, the Persian New Year. It was a beautiful expression of hospitality, cultural pride, and connection as well as an opportunity to open our doors wide and celebrate alongside our neighbors in a spirit of shared humanity.
On Tuesday evening, our Center for Loving Kindness and Civic Engagement, in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, brought our community together for a distinctive Passover Tapas experience. The evening unfolded through shared small plates, personal storytelling, and thoughtful dialogue at each table. Participants reflected on the Passover narrative and its continued relevance today, especially in the face of rising antisemitism. By incorporating voices and insights from multiple faith traditions and community perspectives, the gathering encouraged meaningful exchange about how empathy and intentional relationship-building can counter hate, affirm dignity, and deepen our collective commitment to one another.
And on Wednesday, we launched our Israel engagement series, Come Curious. Leave Wiser., with a compelling conversation featuring Bret Stephens and Jeremy Ben-Ami, moderated by Adam Teitelbaum. Together, they explored the foundational pillars of bipartisan support for the U.S.–Israel relationship, while grappling with the emerging challenges it faces in an increasingly polarized political environment – both in the United States and in Israel. The dialogue was dynamic and thought-provoking, shaped by the speakers’ depth of experience and differing points of view, and modeled the kind of thoughtful, respectful discourse the JCC strives to foster. /
Taken together, these three moments reflect who we are at our best: a place that welcomes our neighbors, honors and shares in a variety of traditions, and creates brave spaces for learning and conversation, especially around complex and sometimes divisive topics. At a time when it can feel easier to turn away from one another, these gatherings remind us of the power, and responsibility, we each carry to lean in, listen deeply, and engage with openness and curiosity.
Wishing you and your families a Shabbat shalom,
Jason
