Rodef Shalom

One Week After Tree Of Life Shooting, Jews And Non-Jews Gather For Saturday Services

By • Nov 3, 2018
Sarah Boden / 90.5 WESA

Jews and non-Jews gathered Saturday at Rodef Shalom, a reform synagogue in Pittsburgh, one week after a shooting at nearby Tree of Life where 11 people were killed.

Usually, services are held in Rodef Shalom’s small chapel, but this week the synagogue used its larger sanctuary. More than half of the 1,100 seats were filled.

Squirrel Hill Residents Continue To Navigate The Surreal Scene In Their Neighborhood

By • Oct 31, 2018
Katie Blackley / 90.5 WESA

From the corner of Forbes and Shady avenues in Squirrel Hill, you can spot a Chinese restaurant, a dentist, and a dry cleaner, as well as an all-Kosher Dunkin Donuts. It’s a busy commercial district which is full of foot traffic, even on a weekday morning.

“Stand Clear of the Closing Doors” at ReelAbilities Film Festival

By Essential Pittsburgh • Oct 30, 2014
Stand Clear of the Closing Doors / Facebook

The second annual ReelAbilities Film Festival is taking place in Pittsburgh, focusing on movies telling the stories of people with disabilities.

We'll talk with director Sam Fleischner and Jesus Sanchez-Velez who stars in the film "Stand Clear of the Closing Doors." The movie won a Special Jury Prize at the Tribeca Film Festival and has played at film festivals around the world.

President Taft at Rodef Shalom

By Heather McClain • Mar 26, 2013
Wikimedia

  On May 29, 1909, a Shabbat, President William Howard Taft became the first American President to speak  from the Bimah of a Jewish Congregation while in office. The Rodef Shalom Congregation, in Pittsburgh played host to the touring President. Archivist Martha Berg joins us to talk about Taft's visit to Pittsburgh and the importance of his speech.