January 8, 2008
Speaker: RABBI DANIEL YOUNG, Associate Rabbi
“Rodef Shalom, the oldest Jewish Congregation in Western Pennsylvania and the largest Reform congregation in the area, was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1856, though its origins go back to the late 1840s. Originally comprised mainly of German Jews, the Congregation grew as Eastern European Jewish immigration to the area increased. Members of Rodef Shalom have been instrumental in the development of Pittsburgh’s cultural, civic and Jewish institutions. Through their writings and organizational leadership, our rabbis, including J. Leonard Levy (1901-1917), Samuel H. Goldenson (1918-1934), Solomon B. Freehof (1934-1966), Rabbi Emeritus Walter Jacob (1966-1996), and Mark N. Staitman (1997-2003), have contributed to the national and international development of Reform Judaism.”
Information from the Rodef Shalom website.
Squirrel Hill Historical Society 