A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY I’ve got nothing. So this week I’m in a bit of a conundrum. There is lots going on from a Jewish perspective (we conclude the Book of Exodus, we are about a week away from Purim) and the Parsha – Pekudei – is pretty repetitious. A few weeks ago, Moses is commanded by… Read More
Sunday Funday The snow did not stop the fun on Sunday Funday! This past weekend, FC was full of builders who helped create Lego carousel kits and a robot with Girls of Steel from CMU. Members loved following steps to build moving carousels and used teamwork to construct and build the robot together. Ariel drew a fun tiger on his rainbow scratch crown… Read More
A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY This week’s Parsha, Vayakhel, contains the actual production of the Tabernacle. Yes, several weeks ago (Teruma) contained the exact instructions of how it should be done and this week contains the exact details of the Jewish people, directed by Moses, fulfilling those instructions. Why? The Torah does not include anything extra and can… Read More
Game Club We spent our last Game Club of the 23-24 program year playing Pittsburgh BINGO and making our own board game characters out of clay. We finished the day with a game of Sticker Stalker and a snack bar. Thanks to our members who devised and launched Game Club, as well as everyone who attended and made it a… Read More
A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY This week’s Parsha is a rough one. It should have been simply a purely positive and momentous event on the Jewish calendar – the giving of the Torah – with its culmination in Moses’s returning to them with the entire backstory if you will. Instead, what took place was a grave error and… Read More
Look through our 2022 and 2023 Friendship Circle memories and see what we have been up to!
Friendship Circle Tribute Book 2023December 20, 2024
This week’s Parsha (Vayeishev) continues the drama between Joseph and his brothers. Joseph was his father’s favorite which instilled jealousy among his brothers (shocker), culminating in their desire to kill, then ultimately scheme to fake his death and sell him to slavery in Egypt. We learn how they plotted to kill him until Reuben, the oldest of the brothers, convinces… Read More
December 19, 2024
Teen Challah Bake Teens from The Friendship Circle, The Beacon, The Second Floor at the JCC, BBYO, and NCSY gathered last Thursday night for our annual Teen Challah Bake event! Teens enjoyed playing get-to-know-you bingo and getting their hands dirty making the dough. Don’t worry – we wore aprons! Everyone made two challot with their favorite toppings and enjoyed spending time with… Read More
December 13, 2024
A WEEKLY TORAH THOUGHT FROM RABBI MORDY This week’s Parsha (Vayishlach) concludes Jacob’s time with his “dear” brother-in-law Laban, having amassed a large family, cattle, wealth and an overall sense of maturity. The portion begins with Jacob meeting his brother Esau for the first time since fleeing him two Parshas ago; he’s heard that Esau is bringing 400 soldiers to… Read More
