Shabbat Shalom

I recently spent just under a week in Israel, primarily to participate in the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) Board of Governors meetings alongside my fellow JAFI and Federation Board member, Michael Milch. Upon arriving at Ben Gurion Airport and walking down the ramp toward the exit—where just two years ago the walls were plastered with posters of the missing hostages—I was struck to see only a handful remaining; those who we now know are no longer alive.

After hearing the news last night—at the close of Yom Kippur—about the deadly attack in Manchester, I felt compelled to put some thoughts into writing.

Last week, I stopped at Staples in Natick, MA, to recycle several old cell phones my parents had stored away in their basement. As I walked into the store, I noticed the number of children with their parents, arms full of supplies, shopping for the new school year. For the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, back-to-school season is also one of the busiest times of the year.

The Hebrew phrase that most closely expresses “showing appreciation” is Hakarat HaTov.

As we reach the peak of summer—and with the close of our 2025 fiscal year and the start of 2026—it feels especially fitting to pause and offer Hakarat HaTov, which literally means “recognizing the good.” At its heart, it’s about showing gratitude.

Here’s what I experienced over just the past week—an unforgettable reminder of the depth, reach and urgency of our work together.

So much of what emanates from the Federation focuses on combating antisemitism and enhancing security for our Jewish community. I’m incredibly proud of our work in both areas. But it’s worth asking: why do we focus so heavily on this space? The answer is simple: so, we can live rich, meaningful Jewish lives. That’s where Tikkun Leil Shavuot—our annual night of study—comes into play.

I have a secret to share with you: Our community is remarkable—creative, passionate and dedicated. But even the most vibrant communities can continue to grow and learn. 

Purim is one of the most joyous holidays in the Jewish calendar. We celebrate by reading the Book of Esther and reveling in the festive spirit, especially for children. As I sat in my synagogue last night listening to the Megillah, I was struck by the joyful chaos—kids in costume running around, making noise and fully embracing the Purim spirit.

Although I’ve never met him, I’ve written and spoken about Alon Ohel with the media. He is the face I hold in my mind when I think of the Israeli hostages. On Sunday, the media reported that Alon is still alive.

This week, I’m handing the forum off to Emma Renfrew, our Women’s Philanthropy & Engagement Manager, as she discusses her time in Cuba.

Life today seems to have our Jewish community constantly moving from one issue, crisis or challenge to another.

You can volunteer to be part of our security strategy at Federation which includes the Virtual Block Watch, an initiative that allows residents and businesses with doorbell or security cameras to support our community safety efforts.

It’s been a difficult few years in Pittsburgh given the shooting in 2018, the pandemic, the trial for the shooter, the war in Ukraine and the war in Israel. It’s moments like the ones I had over the last week that remind me what our Federation is all about: creating a Jewish community where everyone feels included, supported and inspired.

In the last few weeks, a lot of tremendous achievements occurred for our Pittsburgh Jewish community.

I couldn’t be prouder about how our Federation has demonstrated strong, focused leadership these last few weeks.

At our recent staff picnic, I asked my colleagues to help remind me of what we (our donors, volunteers, partner agencies and staff) accomplished in the face of unbelievable challenges during the fiscal year that ended on June 30th.

Truthfully, you cannot fully comprehend what has happened since the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023 without being in Israel, so I’m not going to attempt to share everything. Instead, here is just one story. The single person’s story formed a thread that traveled with us from the north to the south to central Israel.

Instead of a longer, cohesive message, I have a few thoughts to share ahead of the next week.