Jeff Finkelstein

dining table

Annual Meeting FEDTalks were Powerful and On Point

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, September 6, 2019 / 0 Comments

It was a fantastic but emotionally challenging Annual Meeting last night. Our FEDTalks addressed personal healing, healing for the helpers and communal healing after a tragedy.

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8-21-2019 One-Year Commemoration of October 27th Update

New Federation Board Helps Ensure Community Well-Being

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, August 30, 2019 / 0 Comments

While serving as a Board member should be taken as an honor, it also comes with incredible responsibility. Last night, our Federation Board convened for nearly four hours to better understand their roles as fiduciaries of our organization.

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white shoes

Community Gearing Up for Commemoration and New Connections

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, August 23, 2019 / 0 Comments

I want to call your attention to an article in the Post-Gazette this week about the community’s one year commemoration of what happened on October 27th. The day provides each of us with the opportunity to do what may be personally meaningful: Torah study, hands on volunteering, prayer, attending the gathering, or not doing any of these things.

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JPRO 2019

Partnerships and Collaboration Build Trusting Relationships

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, August 9, 2019 / 0 Comments

Our Federation established a theme after the October 27th shooting: “Stronger Together”. I know that when organizations work together on common goals, we achieve more.

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Stronger Together

ReJEWventated in Toronto

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, August 2, 2019 / 0 Comments

The reach of our work is profound. I feel so lucky to have been part of this year’s Cabinet retreat because it reJEWvenated me.

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road

Finding Our Way

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, July 19, 2019 / 0 Comments

As we were driving along a curvy, single lane road, we passed a sign that we were entering Newtown, CT and Sandy Hook. My heart sank.

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One Happy Camper

Happy Campers Make Happy Memories

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, June 28, 2019 / 0 Comments

As I watched this Friday night magic and even more magic on Saturday, I couldn’t help but think about the One Happy Camper program funded locally by the Papernick Family with additional support from the Jewish Federation’s Centennial Fund for a Jewish Future.

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Lobby

An Extraordinarily “Normal” Year

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, June 14, 2019 / 0 Comments

This is an incredibly resilient community that is working on our healing while keeping up with our normal “stuff”. That normal “stuff” is made possible, in large part, by your support of our Community Campaign. Thank you!

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Tikkun Leil Shavuot

Community-wide Tikkun Leil Shavuot

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, June 7, 2019 / 0 Comments

Late night of study – taking place tomorrow (Saturday) night. Be there! No reservations required! Free cheesecake! Amazing learning with high quality and diverse classes!

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2019 Yom Haatzmaut Celebration with David Broza on Lag BaOmer

Unity, Not Uniformity

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, May 24, 2019 / 0 Comments

We strive for a diverse community that can come together to work on the big issues facing our people and be supportive and understanding of one another, even with those with whom we differ.

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Fragments of Memory 5-7-2019 Yom HaZikaron Ceremony

Making the World a Better Place–Community Campaign Back on Track

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, May 10, 2019 / 0 Comments

Lighting a torch at the Yom Haatzmaut (Israel Independence Day) celebration in Jerusalem opened me up to new experiences and introduced me to new individuals making a difference in Israeli society.

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Yom HaZikaron Torch Lighting|

Pittsburgh’s Secret Sauce

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, May 3, 2019 / 0 Comments

Pittsburgh’s Jewish community is being recognized for both our tragic losses and our incredible resilience.

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Stronger Than Hate Day Declared April 10 2019

Being Present in a Moment of History

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, April 12, 2019 / 0 Comments

The Jewish Federation’s Community Relations Council (CRC) invited all the family members of those who were killed and those who were injured along with the leadership of the three congregations to join us on a Federation arranged bus to and from Harrisburg to participate in an historic joint session of the House and Senate.

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Stand with New Zealand Mulims

Breaking All the Right Records

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, March 22, 2019 / 0 Comments

Because we did little work on the Campaign from October 27th through the end of 2018, we are behind in pace, but are beginning to catch up.

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Al Noor Mosque

May War and Bloodshed Cease

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, March 15, 2019 / 0 Comments

Last night I drafted my Shabbat message and this morning I decided I couldn’t send it.  When I woke up this morning to the horrible news from New Zealand with 49 people slaughtered for just practicing their religion, I knew it couldn’t be business as usual. Federation is opening a mailbox to collect donations to […]

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First Responders Thank You. Concert by Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers and Scott Blasey of The Clarks. Photo by David Bachman.

Thank You, First Responders

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, March 1, 2019 / 0 Comments

Jewish Federation put on a program to honor and thank all the first responders, including health care, Fire, EMS and others who did all they could on October 27th to protect and care for the worshipers in and around the Tree of Life Building.

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partnership

True Partners

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, February 15, 2019 / 0 Comments

That evolution of our relationship with the people of Israel has shown itself in the response to October 27th.

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Mayim Bialik|Bari Weiss

Mayim Bialik in Pittsburgh & Pittsburghers in Florida

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, February 8, 2019 / 0 Comments

An Evening with Mayim Bialik Beginning on Saturday, February 9th, Federation will hold a week of incredible programs. That night, our Young Adult Division is hosting a campaign event featuring Mayim Bialik, the actress from The Big Bang Theory and Blossom. Bialik is a proud Jew with a strong commitment to the State of Israel. […]

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Mayim Bialik|Bari Weiss

Finding the Right Question

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, February 1, 2019 / 0 Comments

Wherever I go, people keep asking me, “how are you”? I know they are inquiring because of the intensity of the Federation’s work post October 27th and they are deeply sincere and caring by asking about my personal state. I appreciate the thoughts, yet I am completely uncomfortable with the question. Yes, all of us […]

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2000 Technology Drive

Exciting New Possibilities

By Jeff Finkelstein / Friday, January 25, 2019 / 0 Comments

Our Federation offices officially opened in our new location at 2000 Technology Drive on January 2nd. They are bright, open and are structured in a way to promote increased collaboration between and among our different departments. I know many of you will have the chance to see the facility when you next attend a meeting […]

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