Thursday night marks the beginning of Shavuot, the holiday when we celebrate the Jewish people receiving the Torah. Torah and Jewish learning have long been central to the endurance and vitality of our people.

Enabling high-quality Jewish learning is one of the core goals of our Federation. One important way we support Jewish day schools and preschools is through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. Funds raised through this effort provide critical scholarships for families who qualify, making it possible for more children to participate in Jewish education within a strong Jewish framework. This week, we were proud to distribute over $3 million to our schools. These are dollars secured in addition to our 2026 Community Campaign, which also supports a wide range of formal and experiential Jewish education opportunities.

As I mentioned above, Shavuot begins Thursday night. Each year at this time, I find myself returning to one of my favorite traditions in the Pittsburgh Jewish community: our annual community-wide Tikkun Leil Shavuot. This special program brings to life the custom of late-night study in honor of the holiday. What makes it truly unique is the way it brings together a cross-section of our Jewish community—people of all backgrounds learning from rabbis and teachers of all traditions.

This kind of inclusive, community-wide learning experience is something truly special here in Pittsburgh. The evening begins at 10:00 PM at the JCC in Squirrel Hill, followed by three 50-minute sessions that continue through 1:00 AM. You can check out the lineup of 21 different sessions at Tikkun Leil Shavuot.

I hope you’ll join us for cheesecake and spend the evening learning and connecting with new people.

From the youngest members of our community to our most senior, expanding access to Jewish education is at the heart of our Federation’s work. Shavuot is the perfect time to celebrate that commitment.

Shabbat Shalom,
Jeff

To learn more about how you may be eligible to redirect your Pennsylvania taxes to scholarships for children in our Jewish day schools, visit jewishpgh.org/explore/eitc.