Metro Briefs April 28

The Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives at the History Center and the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh invite the community to “The Gift of Art: Exploring Community Through Art and Jewish Wisdom,” a conversational-style program in the History Center’s new exhibition, “The Gift of Art: 100 Years of Art from the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Collection.”

The JCC’s Rabbi Ron Symons, senior director of Jewish Life, and Melissa Hiller, American Jewish Museum director, will guide a dialogue in the gallery space that incorporates selected objects and considers the narratives they generate about community and the ways that relating to the objects with Jewish wisdom can impact understanding of community in the 21st century.

The program will be held twice, Friday, April 28 and Wednesday May 3 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visit heinzhistorycenter.org to purchase tickets.

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The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh invites the community to participate in the Butterfly Project, an international initiative aimed at remembering the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust by painting butterflies in their memory. All butterflies painted will be displayed during the Holocaust Center’s Butterfly Project Pittsburgh Exhibit, which will open at the Center in the fall. This event is free and for participants and families with children older than 10.

Events will be held on Sunday, April 30 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 826 Hazelwood Ave. and Wednesday, May 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Contact Christina Sahovey at csahovey@hcpgh.org or 412-939-7289 to register.

The Charlie Chaplin movie, “The Great Dictator,” will be screened at The Tull Family Theater, a nonprofit, independent cinema in Sewickley, on Tuesday, May 2.

The movie brought political commentary of Adolph Hitler and his persecution of Jews to the big screen, with the script being written in 1938 as Germany was annexing what then was part of western Czechoslovakia. The movie put Chaplin, a British citizen living in the United States, in the sights of the House Committee of Un-American Activities. Chaplin made four more movies after this.

The Tull Family Theater screens Hollywood classics on the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. and international classics on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m.

Visit thetullfamilytheater.org for more information.

Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JF&CS) has partnered with Jewish Residential Services (JRS) to present a critical information session for the parents and family members of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and these individuals themselves. At issue is the funding stream for care of those individuals once they turn 18. Michele O’Toole, regional director of the Office of Developmental Disabilities and featured speaker, will explain these changes.

In the recent budget put forth by Gov. Tom Wolfe, there is a $26.2 million dollar allocation for the care of those with intellectual disabilities and autism. There are suggested changes to this program, including changes in eligibility, housing opportunities in the community based on personal choice, more inclusive job settings, and more avenues of support for families.

The plan also states that these funds will be used to provide employment and community services to 820 special education graduates who have intellectual disabilities and autism. These are changes promote inclusion in the community for those with disabilities. 

This event will take place on Wednesday, May 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Ave.  A light dinner will be provided from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Reservations are requested.

RSVP at akarabin@jrspgh.org or contact JRS at 412-325-0039.

The Kollel Legacy Circle Event will be held on Tuesday, May 9 at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 535 Smithfield Street. Hors d’oeuvres will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7:30 p.m. A dessert reception will follow the program. There is a $50 charge.

Guest speaker Howard Tzvi Friedman will speak on “The State of U.S.-Israel Relations.”

Legacy Circle committee hosts are Chuck and Judy Perlow and Zev and Lieba Rudolph. Co-chairs are Philip and Leah Milch and Emanuel and Judi Kanal.

Contact Stacie Stufflebeam at 412-420-0220, ext. 212 or stacie@kollelpgh.org for more information and to purchase tickets.

Pittsburgh 10 + Friends, an Art for a Cause exhibit of new work by the Pittsburgh 10+ artists, will open Thursday, May 11 and run through Friday, June 30, at the Berger Gallery in the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, Robinson Building, 5738 Darlington Road, Squirrel Hill. The exhibit is free and open to the community during regular JCC hours.

The exhibit includes 12 professional artists with exhibition experience. The works are contemporary in character and run the gamut from abstract expressionism to realism, and represent unique perspectives, including painting, photography, fiber, mixed media and more. Participating artists are: Pittsburgh 10 member artists Zivi Aviraz, Robert Bowden, Lila Hirsch-Brody, Kathy DePasse, Joel Kranich, Mark Panza, Phiris (Kathy) Sickels, David Sparks, Susan Sparks, Dirk VandenBerg and Francine VandenBerg and David Watts.

All works presented by the artists in this exhibit are original and for sale. A percentage of all sales will go to the JCC to support the Zola Hirsch Special Needs Fund and other JCC arts programming.

The opening/artists reception will be held Thursday, May 11, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A series of four artist/gallery talks, each one featuring three of the participating artists, will run from 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. on May 16, May 23, June 6 and June 13.

Contact Sybil Lieberman at 412-697-3514 or slieberman@jccpgh.org; or Pittsburgh 10+ Susan Sparks, 724-575-0210 or suzi.sparks@gmail.com for more information.

Pittsburgh School for Choral Arts (PSCA) Chamber Choir presents “Voices of Hope” on Saturday, May 13 at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, 5121 Westminster Place.

Throughout history, artists and musicians respond to horrors with hope through music, art and literature. The PSCA concert program will include “Anne Frank: A Living Voice” by Linda Tutas Haugen. Inspired by the writings of the Holocaust victim and heroine, Haugen’s music captures Anne’s innocence, positive voice and authenticity.

For a Pittsburgh premier, the program will also include “Cantata 2000” by Jackson Berkey. Guest conductor Mark Anderson of The Pittsburgh Camerata leads the Chamber Choir in their final season performance.

Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 senior citizen and $5 child. Tickets will be sold at the door and at Showclix.

Visit pghchoralarts.org for more information.

Beth Shalom’s Adult Education Committee invites the community for a talk by David Bear, editor of “Willful Blindness, a Diligent Pursuit of Justice,” on Wednesday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. This book presents the case for Charles J. “Zeke” Goldblum, the son of Beth Shalom’s longtime rabbi, Moshe Goldblum, who was convicted for a murder in 1977.

“Willful Blindness” re-examines the infamous murder, along with its subsequent prosecution and convictions through the eyes of different observers. In addition to detective reports and personal recollections, there are analyses by noted forensic pathologists. All reach the same conclusion: Goldblum has spent 40 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. In addition, “Willful Blindness” reveals new evidence that proves not only was Goldblum wrongfully convicted, but by whom.

RSVP at freezeke.com/may-17-presentation.

The Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team (PAART), a not-for-profit organization that provides air and ground transportation for at-risk dogs, cats and other animals, assisted the Humane Society of the United States with transporting 95 dogs and 31 cats from overburdened animal shelters in Puerto Rico. PAART met the animals at Ft. Lauderdale International Airport on Saturday, April 8. The organization used two pilots and its Piper Saratoga airplane and four teams of more than 25 volunteers to transport the animals by landplanes (climate-controlled vans and trailers) and to shelters for adoption in several cities, including Pittsburgh. Drivers logged a total of 9,500 miles to complete the mission and more than 50 hours of round-trip driving over a four-day period. The project is part of HSUS’ Humane Puerto Rico program.

Since its founding five years ago, PAART has brought more than 5,000 animals from danger to safety.

The Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team was co-founded by Jonathan Plesset and Brad Childs of Pittsburgh. Visit nodogleftbehind.org for more information.