Introduction: Noah Schoen is the community outreach associate for the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh, where he works to strengthen the Center’s approach to dismantling antisemitism and the injustices of today. In 2019 he co-founded Meanings of October 27th, an oral history project that interviewed over 100 Jews and non-Jews about their life histories and reflections on the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.

Breakout sessions:

The weekly Torah portion: Danielle Kranjec will lead a study session on Parshat Vayera, which is the Torah portion this week and was also the Torah portion being read on October 27, 2018. Kranjec is associate vice president of Hillel International’s Center for Jewish and Israel Education/Meyerhoff Center. A nationally recognized relational educator, Kranjec served as the Senior Jewish Educator at the Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh for eight years before joining the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Inspired by her work to elevate the voices of Jewish women and others marginalized by the tradition, her colleagues at Hillel International coined the eponymous Kranjec Test to determine the inclusivity of source sheets.

Talmud: The Pittsburgh Daf Yomi Chevra is an informal cohort of Pittsburghers who have been studying the entire Talmud according to the international “Daf Yomi” calendar since the current cycle began in January 2020. They will be leading a group session on Tractate Kiddushin, which looks at ancient religious marriage practices.

“The Amalek Imperative: Transforming Trauma into Triumph”: Dr. David Brent is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Epidemiology, and Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry. He will show how our current understanding of the impact of trauma on memory formation and tools for resilience can also be found within well-known Torah stories.

Music: Cantor Toby Glaser and Musical Director Don Megahan of Rodef Shalom Congregation will lead a musical session on piano, looking at the development of the liturgy and melodies in the Yizkor memorial service.

Poetry: Valerie Bacharach writing has appeared or will appear in: Vox Populi, The Blue Mountain Review, EcoTheo Review, Minyon Magazine, One Art, The Ilanot Review, Poetica, and Northern Appalachian Review. Her chapbook Fireweed was published by Main Street Rag in 2018 and her chapbook Ghost-Mother was published by Finishing Line Press in 2021. She has been nominated twice for a Pushcart Prize. Her writing touches on family, Jewish life, and ideas of forgiveness and remembrance.