For more than two weeks, members of the Pittsburgh Jewish community have taken to social media to share their concerns about the Jewish Aging Association’s plans to offer non-kosher food options at Weinberg Terrace and AHAVA Memory Care.
On August 23, these community members met in person and were outlined in a letter to residents and families on August 7 from JAA President and CEO Mary Ann Foley and Chairman Lou Prang. discussed the changes listed.
Weinberg Terrace will continue to serve kosher meals, but will be prepared at JAA’s main campus on JHF Drive and double-wrapped for delivery to the personal care community on Bartlett Street. Kosher residents are given the option to sit in an area separate from where non-kosher food is served.
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More than 30 JAA resident friends and relatives, former JAA employees, and representatives of Pittsburgh’s Vard Halabonim gathered at the Squirrel Hill Branch of the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh to share their frustrations and come up with ideas for delaying or deterring the new policy. provided. , the JAA says it won’t be implemented until Sept. 7.
After opening remarks by organizers Karen Gusky and Julie Lizi, Vaad member Rabbi Isroel Rosenfeld addressed the attendees.
The rabbi spoke about how important it is for communities to come together. While acknowledging the JAA’s new plans, he said that having a senior housing facility in Pittsburgh that serves kosher food should be something that many people across the country should take note of, and that communities will capitalize on that reputation. said it was possible.
Rosenfeld said the potential to grow the community by bringing Jews from across the country to Pittsburgh, as well as provide a better education about the importance of Kashrut, solved the cost issue that contributed to the JAA’s decision. suggested that it might help to
“Maybe if we can make it better, that’s the answer to making it more affordable,” he says.
Rosenfeld explained that Vard’s rabbis were unaware of the JAA’s new food policy until the decision was made to serve non-kosher food.
“We’ve been working with them since they told us what they were going to do, and we’ve done our best to keep what they can agree on as much as possible,” he said. said. “From our point of view, there is no question that it needs to be kosher and acceptable.”
Rosenfeld urged meeting attendees to contact the JAA to express their dissatisfaction with the policy.
Rabbi Eli Seidman, the JAA’s former director of pastoral care, said the decision was a “fait accompli” when the JAA spoke with Vard.
“I don’t know what I can do to change their minds,” he said.
Saidman said it might be worthwhile to add members to the boards of the JAA and the Greater Pittsburgh Jewish League whose views reflect those of the conference attendees.
One of the attendees had his views heard throughout the night, asking whether the federation would participate in the JAA’s discussions and what would be the greater impact on the community.
Some pointed out the JAA’s lack of transparency.
Gusky said he contacted the organization but was not provided any information prior to the meeting.
Vaad member Rabbi Simon Silver said the food was Vaad certified and packaged and sealed instead of being served fresh because the JAA did not want to pay for two mashgiachs (inspectors). said it would be. One person works where the food is prepared and the other where the food is prepared. Topped and served.
He suggested that might be a place to find a middle ground.
“If we can come up with some way to convince people to eat a second serving of Mashgia, three times a day, at each mealtime, in each dining area, while overseeing the provision of kosher food, that would solve the problem.” he says
There was some tension when Ellen Rothemann said the JAA had already made the decision and had no intention of changing it before implementation. She said she believed the decision was based on JAA’s financial situation.
“It’s been about nine years since my job at the federation and since I retired, but this has been part of the discussion at JAA since I worked there, and long before that. “Be mindful,” she said, because health care costs are skyrocketing and the main concern is providing health.
Rothemann said the focus should be on deciding what to do next.
“I think they’ll be happy to hear some ideas that this might need to be made more palatable to preserve as much dignity as possible. But this is not going to happen.” Let’s see,” Rothemann said.
Many people objected to Rothemann’s opinion. In fact, one attendee suggested hiring a lawyer to see if there were any legal options that could force the JAA to delay action and ultimately reverse its decision.
A woman who identified herself as the former executive director of Weinberg Terrace said the JAA was sensitive to criticism and that the association’s leaders were aware of the debate going on in the community.
“This is not really an agreement,” she said. “If we raise our voices and tell them what we really want, what we really need, and that the Orthodox community is growing, it has a lot of power.”
No JAA or federation representatives were present at the meeting.
After the meeting, Adam Hertzman, the federation’s director of marketing, told Chronicle that while the federation’s donations to community campaigns do not make up a large portion of the JAA’s budget, the organization’s unrestricted funding allows the JAA to meet its immediate needs. He said he can flexibly respond to .
“The Jewish Federation-JAA relationship has also greatly increased the impact of donations, such as the $17 million in HUD funding that the Jewish Federation helped secure for the renovation of New Riverview,” he said.
Federation president and CEO Jeff Finkelstein said the federation will continue to maintain public events kosher and under the supervision of the Vard, but Jewish institutions and congregations will continue to do so. said they recognize the importance of making their own decisions for those they serve.
“Judaism believes in respect for mothers and fathers, so we believe that consideration for the elderly in the community is very important,” he said. “As a result, the Jewish Federation will continue to support the JAA as one of its core partner institutions.”
In a prepared statement released after the meeting, Vard said he was saddened by the JAA’s decision to “withdraw its historic pledge to support Kashrut within the facility” and ensured fresh kosher food. said it would continue its commitment to provide the public with everyone who wants it.
“The choice to offer non-kosher due to budgetary concerns is neither acceptable nor consulted to us,” the statement reads. “We recognize that other institutions of the Jewish community will recognize our longstanding commitment to Kashrut as a statement of inclusiveness to all members of the Jewish community and, more importantly, as a principled affirmation of responsibility. We expect and hope that we will continue to maintain our collective commitment to ‘the organization that represents the Jewish community in upholding the standards of Jewish law and tradition. ”
Vaad said it has sent a letter to the JAA asking it to postpone the implementation of the new food policy until it meets with local residents and addresses their concerns. PJC
David Rullo can be reached at [email protected].
