Annual Members Meeting

President's Annual Remarks to the Congregation- 17MAY2010

We had a good meeting at the shul on May 17. Aside from typical annual reports on finances, membership, etc., the Board approved funding the completion of the social hall renovations. More about that in a separate post. More significantly perhaps, the Board approved a motion to invite women to receive aliyahs. I know that a number of you didn't understand why there was such a lengthy debate over this issue, but it's now decided and we can move on to other matters. The following is the text of my formal remarks at the meeting.

Yesterday, Debbie and I, and Jack and Gerrie Ketler attended the unveiling of the grave markers for Lynn and Stan Roth. And we are reminded that Stan lived almost his entire 90 years here and that Lynn was active here since her and Stan were married during WWII and she moved to Carnegie. Last week we celebrated the 90^th birthday of one of our very active members, Mr. Bob Adler, who continues to amaze me with his energy and vitality. He called me today and said he was feeling a little under the weather; he apologized for not being here this evening, but that he expects to be here for services on Wednesday and Thursday for Shavuos. These occasions can’t help but to remind us that our congregation is aging. Our “younger” members are in their 40s and 50s. Our average member is around 70 years of age. It should go without saying that this can’t continue indefinitely.

The congregation passed a policy change tonight that may cause us to attract some younger members, although it must be pointed out that we did not make this change simply as an advertising gimmick. None the less, with each generation there are changes in attitudes, and it is not something that can be ignored. Recently, former first lady Laura Bush made some poignant remarks regarding a controversial subject, gay marriage. She said she does not object to it, and that this was a matter that her and President Bush argued and disagreed over. But she added that in the big picture it really doesn’t matter what George and she thought, because most younger people are ok with it, and therefore it’s just a matter of time until it becomes the law of the land. She’s seems to me a very insightful woman and although it appears that she didn’t consider it appropriate to voice her opinions while her husband was president, perhaps now we will get to hear more from her.

So here in the shul we have recognized that most younger people (and many older people as well) are ok with women getting aliyahs. We should not be embarrassed or distressed over this. We just need to recognize that it is what it is. The key is not what decisions we make, it’s how we make them. Here in this shul, we make our decisions in thoughtful and respectful ways. We respect our elders, but we also invite our youngsters to speak their minds. We listen to everyone; really listen. We are empathetic; we feel what others are feeling and earnestly attempt to understand what they understand because that’s how a congregation should behave. There are some congregations that don’t behave that way. But they aren’t Carnegie. Many of our members are related, but even those who aren’t literally family members, you are part of our havurah, our congregation, and you will be treated like family. This is ultimately what our shul has to offer to prospective members, love and respect, like family. If it seems that we are stuck in the past, maybe it’s because we respect our elders. But at the same time our elders listen to the youngsters too. And so we are capable of changing and moving forward. We will just do so in a respectful and thoughtful manner.

And may we continue on for another hundred and twenty years.

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The Carnegie Shul Prepares for the High Holidays and Celebrates More Than a Century of Tradition

By Rick D'Loss • September 11, 2025

Carnegie, PA – September 11, 2025—The Carnegie Shul , founded in 1896 and incorporated in 1903, remains a cornerstone of Jewish life in the South Hills. As the oldest congregation in the region , it reflects more than 125 years of history, resilience, and community spirit. High Holy Days Services: A.J. Edelman Returns High Holy Days services at the Carnegie Shul will be held on September 22–24 for Rosh Hashanah and October 1–2 for Yom Kippur . The complete schedule is available at www.thecarnegieshul.org/high-holy-days . This year, services will once again be led by A.J. Edelman, a figure beloved by the congregation. "A.J. has been with us for about 8 years. He is a treasure that we have now," said Rick D'Loss, President of the Carnegie Shul. Edelman is renowned for his historic achievement as the first Orthodox Jewish athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics, inspiring many through his dedication to balancing athletic excellence with religious faith. His leadership and spirituality continue to enrich the community, making his annual return as shaliach tzibur a highlight of the Shul's holiday observances. A History of Faith and Community The Shul's roots stretch back to its founding families, including the Shermans, Millers, Wilks, Klees, and many others. "Starting in the late 1800s, Markus Sherman held services in his home," explained D'Loss. He led the formation of the congregation and organized the first high holidays services in 1896. We didn't even have a building; the first holiday services were conducted in the Husler building, the present home of the Carnegie Historical Society." The congregation was incorporated in 1903 and built a shul on Broadway St. "When a fire destroyed that shul in 1934, it was decided not to rebuild on that small lot because the congregation was still growing," recalled D'Loss. A new and much larger synagogue opened on Lydia Street in 1937. Leadership Across Generations Over the years, leadership has passed through many dedicated families and has been sustained by many other families and members. "In addition to the Sherman family, the Wilk family provided three generations of shul presidents. D'Loss recalled, "Ike Peresman and Jean Perlman served as Treasurers for more than 70 years between them. Stanley Roth served as Secretary from around 1947 up until 2005 and passed in 2009. He was a huge figure in the congregation and we referred to him as Nusi , the Hebrew word for "prince"." D'Loss said Dr. Larry Block, a retired professor from Duquesne University, continues to play a vital role. "He is an incredible, knowledgeable guy who has dedicated so much of his time and effort to this congregation over the past 40 years," said D'Loss. He was and still is a scholar. We rely on him for his knowledge of Torah and tradition. He's in his 80s and leads Torah study for us every week." A Unique Congregational Identity The Carnegie Shul is known for its strong traditions, welcoming nature, and independence. "We have not had a rabbi here since 1978, when Stanley Savage moved on to another shul. The congregation is unaffiliated. The term indie minyan is in vogue these days, but we've been an indie minyan for 50 years." The Shul has an open-door policy for High Holidays. Most congregations limit High Holiday services to just their members, but in the history of the Carnegie Shul, we've never restricted admission. "It's a pretty amazing testament to our place that people come, donate, and join because they appreciate what we offer and they want us to stay open. But their attendance and participation are their most important gift— a gift to both themselves and the community. The congregation is certainly smaller than it was in previous generations, but the ner tamid is still burning in Carnegie," D'Loss said.