Metro Briefs August 30

JPN, Pittsburgh’s young Jewish professionals network, will host its first happy hour of the season, Monday, Sept. 10, 5:30 p.m., at Cohen & Grigsby, P.C., 
625 Liberty Ave., Downtown.

JPN provides members with opportunities to connect with other business professionals and take advantage of Jewish learning and community service opportunities. It also is a giving society, and members are expected to make a minimum commitment of $1,000  — $365 for young adults age 45 and under — to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s 2013 annual campaign.

There is a charge to attend. Contact Jessica McClelland at 412-992-5210 or jmcclelland@jfedpgh.org for more information.

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Jewish Residential Services and Jewish Family & Children’s Service will host a workshop on “Self-Determination and the Transition to Adult Health Care,” Wednesday, Sept. 5, 6:30 p.m. at Jewish Family & Children’s Service, 5743 Bartlett St. in Squirrel Hill.

This free workshop features Dr. Jonathan Pletcher, a pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist who has worked extensively on ways to prepare and support individuals with disabilities and their families before, during and after the transition to adult-oriented health care systems. Pletcher will present ideas and methods that he has developed through his practice, such as managing changing health care providers, identifying the right adult-oriented provider and navigating the many changes to the health care and insurance systems. The workshop will be preceded by a light pizza dinner at 6 p.m. and is co-sponsored by ABOARD.

Contact Shani Lasin at 412-325-0039 or slasin@jrspgh.org for more information.

Parkway Jewish Center, Wilkins Township, will host Congregation Emanu-El Israel, Greensburg; Temple B’nai Israel, White Oak; and Temple David, Monroeville to observe selichot, a service that introduces the liturgical and musical themes of the High Holy Days, Saturday Sept. 8.

The evening will begin at 7 p.m. with dessert and a presentation of “God In The Box” (godinthebox.com). Director Nathan Lang writes in his blog, “ ‘God In The Box’ is a documentary film, which explores the mystery and controversy behind what God looks like and means to us as Americans in the 21st century.

A havdala service will begin at 8:40 p.m., followed at 8:50 with a participatory selichot service prepared and led by Rabbi Barbara Symons, Rabbi Sara Rae Perman, Cantor Rick Berlin and Rabbi Paul Tuchman.

Parkway Jewish Center, located at 300 Princeton Drive, welcomes the entire Jewish community. Contact the Parkway Jewish Center office at 412-823-4338 for more information.

Pittsburgh Area Jewish Committee will sponsor the new South Hills Christian-Jewish Dialogue, Thursday, Sept. 13, noon, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, 311 Washington Road, at noon.

The topic will be “Faith,” presented by Rabbi Howard Stein and Father Brian Noel; the program will include study of Jewish and Christian texts.  The regular monthly conveners are Father Brian Noel, Rabbis Mark Mahler, Alex Greenbaum and Howard Stein and Reverend Jim Gilchrist.

PAJC’s Christian-Jewish Dialogue will also meet Thursday, Sept. 6, at Congregation Beth Shalom at noon.  The topic of the upcoming session is “Religion and Politics.”  Presenters include Dan Gilman, chief of staff for City Councilman Bill Peduto. Jewish and Christian texts Deuteronomy 17:14-20 and Mark 12:13-17 will be studied.  The regular monthly conveners are Rabbi Jamie Gibson, Father Radu Bordeianu and Rabbi Michael Werbow.  

The program is free to the public. Contact the PAJC office at 412-605-0816 or pajc@pajc.net for more information.

The Holocaust Center of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh is producing a 30th anniversary book that celebrates the work of the Center over the past three decades.

A release party, by invitation only, is set for Thursday, Sept. 6, 5:30 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers in Oakland.

The book recounts stories of 30 people (29 regional survivors, and one victim whose memory is honored), by featuring photographs, narratives and quotes from interviews with survivors.

Jewish Family & Children’s Service Career Development Center will offer job seekers 18 workshops in September.

Some of the workshops include: The Art of Networking, Sept. 4; Maximizing Tax Returns Using Credits, Sept. 10; Foundations of Money Management, Sept. 13; Advanced Interviewing, Sept. 19; and Franchising as a Career Option, Sept. 20. Monthly LinkedIn for Beginners, LinkedIn Advanced, AARP WorkSearch 40+, Networking Club and Job Seeker Support group workshops will also be held.

Registration is required and can be made at careerdevelopmentcenter.org. Call the Career Development Center at 412-422-5627 for more information.

Chabad House on Campus will hold it’s 24th anniversary celebration, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 7:30 p.m., in the William Pitt Union ballroom at the University of Pittsburgh. Lou Weiss is the honorary chairman of the event.

Rabbi Yoni Katz, a native Pittsburgher, will speak on “Empowering This Generation.” Katz created a website for Jewish youth, 11213.org, which covers Jewish topics with relevance to meet the challenges of Jewish identity today.

The Myer and Ann Cohen Service Award will be given to Dr. Joel Pomerantz, a Chabad House alum.

Chabad House on Campus serves Jewish college students at the University of Pittsburgh, CCAC, Duquesne University, Chatham University and other area campuses.

The event is open to the community. Visit chabadpgh.org to make a reservation or email office@chabadpgh.org.

Temple Sinai will host a barbecue and open house, Friday, Aug. 31, for people interested in its Mostly Musical Shabbat. 

The casual barbecue, and opportunity to meet current members will begin at 6 p.m., followed by a Special Mostly Musical Shabbat at 7 p.m.

While Mostly Musical Shabbat usually occurs on the first Friday of the month, not the last, this will be a special Shabbat. Rabbi James Gibson, soloist Sara Stock Mayo and the Temple Sinai Band will provide an informal alternative to Shabbat celebration.

There is no fee for the barbecue, but those interested should contact Nicole Mezare, program director, at 412-421-9715, ext. 120, or nmezare@templesinaipgh.org by noon Friday.