Coming together: Jewish, Chinese communities set to celebrate Lunar New Year
For two weeks in February, Pittsburgh Jewish and Chinese communities will jointly celebrate the Lunar New Year. Activities planned include martial arts and dance and music performances at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh in Squirrel Hill as well as a parade on Murray Avenue.
Spearheading the collaboration is Jewish Family & Children’s Service.
“JF&CS is looking forward to being a partner in bringing Pittsburghers together to celebrate Squirrel Hill’s incredible international diversity,” said Jordan Golin, chief operating officer at JF&CS. “Many people think of Squirrel Hill as the ‘Jewish neighborhood’ of Pittsburgh, but Squirrel Hill is also home to a growing and diverse Asian population, so it’s only fitting that we should come together to host this important and exciting cultural celebration.
“The Asian community, and specifically the Chinese-Asian community, has been growing significantly in Squirrel Hill over the past decade. They are a pretty substantial part of the community.”
In acknowledging the increased Asian eateries and residents in Squirrel Hill, Golin said that JF&CS wanted to welcome its new neighbors.
“[We’re] looking to get to know our neighbors a little better and celebrate our diversity,” he said. “[We] thought it was important for the Jewish community to get behind [our] Chinese neighbors and celebrate our community.”
Also known as the Spring Festival, the Lunar New Year is celebrated at the turn of the lunisolar Chinese calendar. The event has great significance in the Chinese community and was accordingly chosen as an appropriate time for the Squirrel Hill celebration.
“It’s a very important event,” said Golin.
A partnership, like the one planned throughout February, has never occurred before, he added. “These two ethnic communities have never really collaborated on any significant project in the past; {it] seemed like a good opportunity to work together and celebrate together.”
Although JF&CS is leading the efforts, Golin credited the community with enabling the partnership.
“This is an idea that is actually generated from different people in the community,” he said. “We all had been talking for some time to do something with our Chinese neighbors, and it was a lot of back and forth conversations, and we got a lot of energy when we started talking with the Chinese community. There just seemed to be some synergy.”
Along with JF&CS, the following are serving as organizers and partners of the Lunar New Year celebration: Uncover Squirrel Hill, the Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center, the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition, NextGen:Pgh, the Organization of Chinese Americans (Pittsburgh Chapter), the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, Carnegie Public Library, the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Chinese School, the Confucius Institute at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Asian Studies Center.
For two weeks in February throughout Squirrel Hill, the Lunar New Year and Chinese culture will be celebrated with various acts. Between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the JCC in Squirrel Hill, observers can enjoy live performances from Pittsburgh Taiko Drumming, the Organization of Chinese Americans’ Cultural Youth Ensemble, Silk Elephant Thai Dragon and Steel Dragons acrobatic lion dancers.
On Sunday, Feb. 21 from 11 a.m. to noon, the Lunar New Year Parade will travel across Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill. Beginning at the intersection of Phillips and Murray Avenues, the parade will head up Murray Avenue toward Forbes Avenue and eventually end at Darlington Street. The parade will include costumes, music, marching bands and traditional Chinese and Thai dragons, according to JF&CS.
Golin also expects participation from local politicians including Mayor Bill Peduto and Councilmen Corey O’Connor and Dan Gilman.
While many have praised JF&CS’s efforts to collaborate, Golin has heard some complaints.
“We’ve gotten some questions from people about having a parade in the winter, but there are cities that have very vibrant activities outdoor in the winter,” he said. “In Pittsburgh, we tend to hibernate a little. We’re hoping other organizations will have more winter activities in the city.”
Adam Reinherz can be reached at adamr@thejewishchronicle.net.
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