Visit Rodef Shalom for an introduction to the oldest and largest Reform Jewish congregation in Western PA. Learn about its founders, who settled in Pittsburgh in the late 1840s. Tour its majestic sanctuary, designed by Henry Hornbostel, and in use since 1907. Get a good look at magnificent stained glass windows by the Willet Studio and Hermann Schladermundt. Learn how later building additions reflected the expanding activities of the congregation. After the official tour, visit the adjacent Biblical Botanical Garden, a restful oasis designed as a replica of ancient Israel and featuring plants mentioned in the Bible or with Biblical names.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Martha Berg is the Archivist for Rodef Shalom Congregation and has done extensive research into its history. She has also worked as an archivist for the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center and for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Free parking available in the lot behind the building; enter from Morewood or Devonshire. 71B and 71D buses stop at Fifth and Morewood.

• Photo ID is required.

• Restrooms are available.

• Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available.

• Photography is allowed.

Additional events you may be interested in:

Visit Rodef Shalom for an introduction to the oldest and largest Reform Jewish congregation in Western PA. Learn about its founders, who settled in Pittsburgh in the late 1840s. Tour its majestic sanctuary, designed by Henry Hornbostel, and in use since 1907. Get a good look at magnificent stained glass windows by the Willet Studio and Hermann Schladermundt. Learn how later building additions reflected the expanding activities of the congregation. After the official tour, visit the adjacent Biblical Botanical Garden, a restful oasis designed as a replica of ancient Israel and featuring plants mentioned in the Bible or with Biblical names.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Martha Berg is the Archivist for Rodef Shalom Congregation and has done extensive research into its history. She has also worked as an archivist for the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center and for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Free parking available in the lot behind the building; enter from Morewood or Devonshire. 71B and 71D buses stop at Fifth and Morewood.

• Photo ID is required.

• Restrooms are available.

• Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available.

• Photography is allowed.

Additional events you may be interested in:

Visit Rodef Shalom for an introduction to the oldest and largest Reform Jewish congregation in Western PA. Learn about its founders, who settled in Pittsburgh in the late 1840s. Tour its majestic sanctuary, designed by Henry Hornbostel, and in use since 1907. Get a good look at magnificent stained glass windows by the Willet Studio and Hermann Schladermundt. Learn how later building additions reflected the expanding activities of the congregation. After the official tour, visit the adjacent Biblical Botanical Garden, a restful oasis designed as a replica of ancient Israel and featuring plants mentioned in the Bible or with Biblical names.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Martha Berg is the Archivist for Rodef Shalom Congregation and has done extensive research into its history. She has also worked as an archivist for the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center and for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Free parking available in the lot behind the building; enter from Morewood or Devonshire. 71B and 71D buses stop at Fifth and Morewood.

• Photo ID is required.

• Restrooms are available.

• Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available.

• Photography is allowed.

Additional events you may be interested in:

Visit Rodef Shalom for an introduction to the oldest and largest Reform Jewish congregation in Western PA. Learn about its founders, who settled in Pittsburgh in the late 1840s. Tour its majestic sanctuary, designed by Henry Hornbostel, and in use since 1907. Get a good look at magnificent stained glass windows by the Willet Studio and Hermann Schladermundt. Learn how later building additions reflected the expanding activities of the congregation. After the official tour, visit the adjacent Biblical Botanical Garden, a restful oasis designed as a replica of ancient Israel and featuring plants mentioned in the Bible or with Biblical names.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Martha Berg is the Archivist for Rodef Shalom Congregation and has done extensive research into its history. She has also worked as an archivist for the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center and for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Free parking available in the lot behind the building; enter from Morewood or Devonshire. 71B and 71D buses stop at Fifth and Morewood.

• Photo ID is required.

• Restrooms are available.

• Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available.

• Photography is allowed.

Additional events you may be interested in:

Go on a guided tour of Western Pennsylvania's most active mosque and find out "what goes on in there!".

Learn about the Pittsburgh Muslim community, how mosques are traditionally designed, and the varieties of worship and functions that take place within our walls. After our building tour, guests are taken back in time as they listen to a story from the life of the Prophet Muhammad summarizing the Islamic religion. Imam Chris will then open the floor for all your inquiries about the community and the faith.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Imam Chris Caras is finishing his 4th year as the religious director of the ICP. Imam Chris is a convert to Islam originally from Peoria, Illinois. He studied Arabic, Islamic Law and Theology in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia before becoming an imam. Chris' wife is an accomplished Quran recital instructor, and they have 3 children together.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: 4100 Bigelow Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

• Photography is allowed. 

• A restroom is available. 

• There are parts of this tour that are not wheel-chair accessible. 

• All visitors MUST wear modest "church clothes" attire when visiting the Islamic Center. For men, ideally this would be trousers and polo shirt for men.

  For women, a maxi dress, long skirt or trousers and long-sleeved shirt that completely covers the chest. Hat or scarf would be preferred for women, or you may try on a hijab and for a selfie photo with us.

• Be prepared to remove your shoes near the end of the tour before entering the prayer hall.

• Street parking is available

Additional events you may be interested in:

Go on a guided tour of Western Pennsylvania's most active mosque and find out "what goes on in there!".

Learn about the Pittsburgh Muslim community, how mosques are traditionally designed, and the varieties of worship and functions that take place within our walls. After our building tour, guests are taken back in time as they listen to a story from the life of the Prophet Muhammad summarizing the Islamic religion. Imam Chris will then open the floor for all your inquiries about the community and the faith.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Imam Chris Caras is finishing his 4th year as the religious director of the ICP. Imam Chris is a convert to Islam originally from Peoria, Illinois. He studied Arabic, Islamic Law and Theology in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia before becoming an imam. Chris' wife is an accomplished Quran recital instructor, and they have 3 children together.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: 4100 Bigelow Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

• Photography is allowed. 

• A restroom is available. 

• There are parts of this tour that are not wheel-chair accessible. 

• All visitors MUST wear modest "church clothes" attire when visiting the Islamic Center. For men, ideally this would be trousers and polo shirt for men.

  For women, a maxi dress, long skirt or trousers and long-sleeved shirt that completely covers the chest. Hat or scarf would be preferred for women, or you may try on a hijab and for a selfie photo with us.

• Be prepared to remove your shoes near the end of the tour before entering the prayer hall.

• Street parking is available

Additional events you may be interested in:

Go on a guided tour of Western Pennsylvania's most active mosque and find out "what goes on in there!".

Learn about the Pittsburgh Muslim community, how mosques are traditionally designed, and the varieties of worship and functions that take place within our walls. After our building tour, guests are taken back in time as they listen to a story from the life of the Prophet Muhammad summarizing the Islamic religion. Imam Chris will then open the floor for all your inquiries about the community and the faith.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Imam Chris Caras is finishing his 4th year as the religious director of the ICP. Imam Chris is a convert to Islam originally from Peoria, Illinois. He studied Arabic, Islamic Law and Theology in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia before becoming an imam. Chris' wife is an accomplished Quran recital instructor, and they have 3 children together.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: 4100 Bigelow Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

• Photography is allowed. 

• A restroom is available. 

• There are parts of this tour that are not wheel-chair accessible. 

• All visitors MUST wear modest "church clothes" attire when visiting the Islamic Center. For men, ideally this would be trousers and polo shirt for men.

  For women, a maxi dress, long skirt or trousers and long-sleeved shirt that completely covers the chest. Hat or scarf would be preferred for women, or you may try on a hijab and for a selfie photo with us.

• Be prepared to remove your shoes near the end of the tour before entering the prayer hall.

• Street parking is available

Additional events you may be interested in:

Go on a guided tour of Western Pennsylvania's most active mosque and find out "what goes on in there!".

Learn about the Pittsburgh Muslim community, how mosques are traditionally designed, and the varieties of worship and functions that take place within our walls. After our building tour, guests are taken back in time as they listen to a story from the life of the Prophet Muhammad summarizing the Islamic religion. Imam Chris will then open the floor for all your inquiries about the community and the faith.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Imam Chris Caras is finishing his 4th year as the religious director of the ICP. Imam Chris is a convert to Islam originally from Peoria, Illinois. He studied Arabic, Islamic Law and Theology in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia before becoming an imam. Chris' wife is an accomplished Quran recital instructor, and they have 3 children together.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: 4100 Bigelow Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

• Photography is allowed. 

• A restroom is available. 

• There are parts of this tour that are not wheel-chair accessible. 

• All visitors MUST wear modest "church clothes" attire when visiting the Islamic Center. For men, ideally this would be trousers and polo shirt for men.

  For women, a maxi dress, long skirt or trousers and long-sleeved shirt that completely covers the chest. Hat or scarf would be preferred for women, or you may try on a hijab and for a selfie photo with us.

• Be prepared to remove your shoes near the end of the tour before entering the prayer hall.

• Street parking is available

Additional events you may be interested in:

The Beth Hamedrash Hagadol - Beth Jacob Synagogue, located at the edge of the Hill District, at 810 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, is the last remnant of Pittsburgh's all but vanished Jewish community of the Hill District. Richard Brean, a member of the synagogue, will lead you on a tour of the sanctuary, the fifth building that has housed the congregation since its founding in 1873. The oldest Orthodox congregation in Pittsburgh, the congregation will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2023, and Rich will explain its centrality to Jewish life in the Hill and the Americanization of its immigrant Jewish community.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Rich Brean received his MPA-UP from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs in 1973 and remained on campus for two years as an Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and a preceptor in the Politics Department. He entered Harvard Law School in 1975 and, upon graduating in 1978, began a forty-year career with the United Steelworkers International Union’s Legal Department in Pittsburgh, retiring as USW General Counsel in 2018. Rich has been active for a number of years in the Princeton Alumni Association of Western Pennsylvania and is currently PAAWP President and Co-Chair of its Alumni Schools Committee. He has twice served on the Alumni Council, initially as a member of CORA and currently as Chair of the Committee on Nominations. A proud alumnus of Kenyon College, Rich was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2019 by Kenyon for his contributions to the American labor movement and USW, as well as his efforts to increase the enrollment of students from public urban high schools at the College. Rich and his wife, Karen Markison Brean, an architect and planner, are proud parents of Molly Brean ’13, who, proving that miracles do happen, recently moved from London to Pittsburgh to accept a job at Duolingo. One of Rich’s many hobbies is lecturing about the history of the Jewish Hill District, and last year he delivered two lectures at Rodef Shalom Congregation, which are available at the Rodef Shalom website. Rich has been a member of Beth Hamedrash Hagadol since 1987.

Ira Frank, the president of  Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Congregation will be on-site as well to welcome you.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Synagogue, 810 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

• Restrooms are available.

• Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available.

• Photography is allowed .

DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh follows CDC guidelines for the safety of our ticket holders; in addition, we do require a mask for entry to any building that requires a mask be worn--regardless of vaccination status.

Additional events you may be interested in:

The Beth Hamedrash Hagadol - Beth Jacob Synagogue, located at the edge of the Hill District, at 810 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, is the last remnant of Pittsburgh's all but vanished Jewish community of the Hill District. Richard Brean, a member of the synagogue, will lead you on a tour of the sanctuary, the fifth building that has housed the congregation since its founding in 1873. The oldest Orthodox congregation in Pittsburgh, the congregation will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2023, and Rich will explain its centrality to Jewish life in the Hill and the Americanization of its immigrant Jewish community.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Rich Brean received his MPA-UP from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs in 1973 and remained on campus for two years as an Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and a preceptor in the Politics Department. He entered Harvard Law School in 1975 and, upon graduating in 1978, began a forty-year career with the United Steelworkers International Union’s Legal Department in Pittsburgh, retiring as USW General Counsel in 2018. Rich has been active for a number of years in the Princeton Alumni Association of Western Pennsylvania and is currently PAAWP President and Co-Chair of its Alumni Schools Committee. He has twice served on the Alumni Council, initially as a member of CORA and currently as Chair of the Committee on Nominations. A proud alumnus of Kenyon College, Rich was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2019 by Kenyon for his contributions to the American labor movement and USW, as well as his efforts to increase the enrollment of students from public urban high schools at the College. Rich and his wife, Karen Markison Brean, an architect and planner, are proud parents of Molly Brean ’13, who, proving that miracles do happen, recently moved from London to Pittsburgh to accept a job at Duolingo. One of Rich’s many hobbies is lecturing about the history of the Jewish Hill District, and last year he delivered two lectures at Rodef Shalom Congregation, which are available at the Rodef Shalom website. Rich has been a member of Beth Hamedrash Hagadol since 1987.

Ira Frank, the president of  Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Congregation will be on-site as well to welcome you.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Synagogue, 810 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

• Restrooms are available.

• Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available.

• Photography is allowed .

DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh follows CDC guidelines for the safety of our ticket holders; in addition, we do require a mask for entry to any building that requires a mask be worn--regardless of vaccination status.

Additional events you may be interested in:

The Beth Hamedrash Hagadol - Beth Jacob Synagogue, located at the edge of the Hill District, at 810 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, is the last remnant of Pittsburgh's all but vanished Jewish community of the Hill District. Richard Brean, a member of the synagogue, will lead you on a tour of the sanctuary, the fifth building that has housed the congregation since its founding in 1873. The oldest Orthodox congregation in Pittsburgh, the congregation will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2023, and Rich will explain its centrality to Jewish life in the Hill and the Americanization of its immigrant Jewish community.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Rich Brean received his MPA-UP from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs in 1973 and remained on campus for two years as an Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and a preceptor in the Politics Department. He entered Harvard Law School in 1975 and, upon graduating in 1978, began a forty-year career with the United Steelworkers International Union’s Legal Department in Pittsburgh, retiring as USW General Counsel in 2018. Rich has been active for a number of years in the Princeton Alumni Association of Western Pennsylvania and is currently PAAWP President and Co-Chair of its Alumni Schools Committee. He has twice served on the Alumni Council, initially as a member of CORA and currently as Chair of the Committee on Nominations. A proud alumnus of Kenyon College, Rich was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2019 by Kenyon for his contributions to the American labor movement and USW, as well as his efforts to increase the enrollment of students from public urban high schools at the College. Rich and his wife, Karen Markison Brean, an architect and planner, are proud parents of Molly Brean ’13, who, proving that miracles do happen, recently moved from London to Pittsburgh to accept a job at Duolingo. One of Rich’s many hobbies is lecturing about the history of the Jewish Hill District, and last year he delivered two lectures at Rodef Shalom Congregation, which are available at the Rodef Shalom website. Rich has been a member of Beth Hamedrash Hagadol since 1987.

Ira Frank, the president of  Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Congregation will be on-site as well to welcome you.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Synagogue, 810 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

• Restrooms are available.

• Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available.

• Photography is allowed .

DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh follows CDC guidelines for the safety of our ticket holders; in addition, we do require a mask for entry to any building that requires a mask be worn--regardless of vaccination status.

Additional events you may be interested in:

The Beth Hamedrash Hagadol - Beth Jacob Synagogue, located at the edge of the Hill District, at 810 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, is the last remnant of Pittsburgh's all but vanished Jewish community of the Hill District. Richard Brean, a member of the synagogue, will lead you on a tour of the sanctuary, the fifth building that has housed the congregation since its founding in 1873. The oldest Orthodox congregation in Pittsburgh, the congregation will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2023, and Rich will explain its centrality to Jewish life in the Hill and the Americanization of its immigrant Jewish community.

TOUR HOST BIO:

Rich Brean received his MPA-UP from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs in 1973 and remained on campus for two years as an Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and a preceptor in the Politics Department. He entered Harvard Law School in 1975 and, upon graduating in 1978, began a forty-year career with the United Steelworkers International Union’s Legal Department in Pittsburgh, retiring as USW General Counsel in 2018. Rich has been active for a number of years in the Princeton Alumni Association of Western Pennsylvania and is currently PAAWP President and Co-Chair of its Alumni Schools Committee. He has twice served on the Alumni Council, initially as a member of CORA and currently as Chair of the Committee on Nominations. A proud alumnus of Kenyon College, Rich was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2019 by Kenyon for his contributions to the American labor movement and USW, as well as his efforts to increase the enrollment of students from public urban high schools at the College. Rich and his wife, Karen Markison Brean, an architect and planner, are proud parents of Molly Brean ’13, who, proving that miracles do happen, recently moved from London to Pittsburgh to accept a job at Duolingo. One of Rich’s many hobbies is lecturing about the history of the Jewish Hill District, and last year he delivered two lectures at Rodef Shalom Congregation, which are available at the Rodef Shalom website. Rich has been a member of Beth Hamedrash Hagadol since 1987.

Ira Frank, the president of  Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Congregation will be on-site as well to welcome you.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Synagogue, 810 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

• Restrooms are available.

• Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available.

• Photography is allowed .

DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh follows CDC guidelines for the safety of our ticket holders; in addition, we do require a mask for entry to any building that requires a mask be worn--regardless of vaccination status.

Additional events you may be interested in:

So Much History in Such a Small Synagogue: Congregation Poale Zedeck

Built a century ago, the fourth home to one of Pittsburgh's longest-lasting Orthodox Jewish congregations, Poale Zedeck synagogue, represents generations of Pittsburgh Jewry -- and many facets of regional history. This is a rare insider tour not to be missed!

TOUR HOST BIO:

Abby Mendelson, PhD, has been a writer, editor, and educator for nearly 50 years. He published both fiction and nonfiction works on a variety of topics, and taught writing and literature at universities and colleges throughout the Pittsburgh area. A novelist and short-story writer, he is also the author of numerous Pittsburgh-related books, including Arena: Remembering the Igloo, Pittsburgh: A Place in Time, Pittsburgh Prays: Thirty-Six Houses of Worship, Pittsburgh Born, Pittsburgh Bred, and The Pittsburgh Steelers Official History. As a journalist, he has written on countless subjects in a wide variety of publications, local and national, print as well as electronic.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: 6318 Phillips Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217

• Photography is allowed. 

• A restroom is available with wheelchair accessibility.

Additional events you may be interested in:

So Much History in Such a Small Synagogue: Congregation Poale Zedeck

Built a century ago, the fourth home to one of Pittsburgh's longest-lasting Orthodox Jewish congregations, Poale Zedeck synagogue, represents generations of Pittsburgh Jewry -- and many facets of regional history. This is a rare insider tour not to be missed!

TOUR HOST BIO:

Abby Mendelson, PhD, has been a writer, editor, and educator for nearly 50 years. He published both fiction and nonfiction works on a variety of topics, and taught writing and literature at universities and colleges throughout the Pittsburgh area. A novelist and short-story writer, he is also the author of numerous Pittsburgh-related books, including Arena: Remembering the Igloo, Pittsburgh: A Place in Time, Pittsburgh Prays: Thirty-Six Houses of Worship, Pittsburgh Born, Pittsburgh Bred, and The Pittsburgh Steelers Official History. As a journalist, he has written on countless subjects in a wide variety of publications, local and national, print as well as electronic.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: 6318 Phillips Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217

• Photography is allowed. 

• A restroom is available with wheelchair accessibility.

Additional events you may be interested in:

So Much History in Such a Small Synagogue: Congregation Poale Zedeck

Built a century ago, the fourth home to one of Pittsburgh's longest-lasting Orthodox Jewish congregations, Poale Zedeck synagogue, represents generations of Pittsburgh Jewry -- and many facets of regional history. This is a rare insider tour not to be missed!

TOUR HOST BIO:

Abby Mendelson, PhD, has been a writer, editor, and educator for nearly 50 years. He published both fiction and nonfiction works on a variety of topics, and taught writing and literature at universities and colleges throughout the Pittsburgh area. A novelist and short-story writer, he is also the author of numerous Pittsburgh-related books, including Arena: Remembering the Igloo, Pittsburgh: A Place in Time, Pittsburgh Prays: Thirty-Six Houses of Worship, Pittsburgh Born, Pittsburgh Bred, and The Pittsburgh Steelers Official History. As a journalist, he has written on countless subjects in a wide variety of publications, local and national, print as well as electronic.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: 6318 Phillips Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217

• Photography is allowed. 

• A restroom is available with wheelchair accessibility.

Additional events you may be interested in:

So Much History in Such a Small Synagogue: Congregation Poale Zedeck

Built a century ago, the fourth home to one of Pittsburgh's longest-lasting Orthodox Jewish congregations, Poale Zedeck synagogue, represents generations of Pittsburgh Jewry -- and many facets of regional history. This is a rare insider tour not to be missed!

TOUR HOST BIO:

Abby Mendelson, PhD, has been a writer, editor, and educator for nearly 50 years. He published both fiction and nonfiction works on a variety of topics, and taught writing and literature at universities and colleges throughout the Pittsburgh area. A novelist and short-story writer, he is also the author of numerous Pittsburgh-related books, including Arena: Remembering the Igloo, Pittsburgh: A Place in Time, Pittsburgh Prays: Thirty-Six Houses of Worship, Pittsburgh Born, Pittsburgh Bred, and The Pittsburgh Steelers Official History. As a journalist, he has written on countless subjects in a wide variety of publications, local and national, print as well as electronic.

TOUR STARTS/ENDS: 6318 Phillips Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217

• Photography is allowed. 

• A restroom is available with wheelchair accessibility.

Additional events you may be interested in: