Every year, for the last several, I have looked forward to writing this week’s Shabbat message about our communal Tikkun Leil Shavuot (the night of study that took place on Tuesday evening at the JCC).  This program, run by the Agency for Jewish Learning with support from the JCC and the Federation, shows what our Pittsburgh Jewish community is all about.  Eating dairy on Shavuot is a tradition, so using the Baskin-Robbins slogan about ice cream, all “33 flavors” of Jews were present studying with Rabbis and teachers from all of our religious movements in one place at one time.

Community coming together.  

Our newly reconfigured Community Relations Council (CRC) held its first Delegate Assembly meeting last night.  The Delegate Assembly is populated by the volunteer Chairs/Presidents from approximately 60 organizations and synagogues throughout our region representing different religious and political beliefs.  The goal of the Assembly is to provide a forum where we can try to build consensus around issues that are important to the entirety of the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish community to be able to speak with one voice.

One of our shining star new programs in the community is the Jewish Federation Volunteer Center.  All of you, as donors to the Federation, should feel great about supporting this new effort.  I also want to thank our friends and partners at the United Way for their support.

I asked Jenny Jones, our Volunteer Center Coordinator, to write about the impact of the Center in her own words:

In modern sociological literature about the American Jewish community and Jewish continuity, much has been written about the fact that young Jews today have multiple identities.  A young person can be a vegan, heterosexual, biking, movie watcher, parent and a cultural Jew where being Jewish is just a part of what makes up the individual.