A couple months ago, I was invited to a private gathering where I got the chance to speak with Sen. Dave McCormick. We started talking about the Tree of Life synagogue’s $75 million rebuilding project. When I mentioned the budget, he raised his eyebrows. “Seventy-five million dollars?” he repeated, with the same quiet astonishment I’ve heard echoed in conversations all across Pittsburgh.
That moment stuck with me — and it helped shape the article I published this Sunday in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which questions what it means to prioritize memory over continuity, and whether Jewish philanthropy should be more focused on education and community life.
Here’s a short excerpt:
“Convincing others not to hate Jews has largely failed. But the recipe to remain strong and to flourish as a people has been with us for over 3,000 years — and that is to teach Jews why being Jewish is worth holding onto.”
“There have been many moments in history when Jewish continuity was at risk, and yet, somehow, we pulled through. The common denominator wasn’t a campaign, a memorial or a moment of global sympathy. It was Jewish education.”
You can read the full article here (note: it’s behind a paywall). I’ll be posting the full piece here next week for subscribers, along with a reflection on what’s changed — and what hasn’t — since it was published.
This was such an important piece and glad you wrote it. When I think what $75 million could do for Jewish education in Pittsburgh - it seems like such an opportunity lost. We have so much positive to share. Thank you for writing this.