Names in English and Hebrew (phonetic):
Carolyn Slayton (Cryndle Miriam)
Seth Glick (Catriel)
Arthur Glick (Tzvi Moshe)
Reuben Glick (Reuven Yaakov)

Where were you born and which places have you lived?
Carolyn: All four of us were born at Magee-Women Hospital, so we're all native Pittsburghers. Seth and I actually grew up on the same street, and we didn't meet until I was done with college. I was 21 and he was 23.

Was this one of Pittsburgh’s long streets that you two grew up on?
Carolyn: It was Northumberland, so yes, it's a pretty long street. We lived about three blocks from each other. I was on Northumberland where it intersects Inverness, and Seth lived on the block with the fire station, between Murray and Shady. We also both went to Allderdice — he was two years ahead of me. But we didn't meet until my last night of college.
Seth: Of course, after we met, we quickly realized that we knew a lot of people in common. Carolyn did BBYO with my younger sister and cousin, and I went to school and played soccer with her cousin. We're pretty sure that we were both at his Bar Mitzvah party in 1998.

So where did you two finally meet?
Carolyn: We met at a bar in Oakland. Seth’s friend Yoni Steinberg [son of Beth Shalom congregants Terry and Kenny Steinberg] dragged Seth out to meet a bunch of AEPhi girls. And while Yoni did not end up marrying a sorority girl, Seth did.
Seth: I really did not want to go out that night, but I'm glad that Yoni convinced me to get out of the house.

How long have you been members of Beth Shalom?
Carolyn: Seth grew up at Tree of Life, and I grew up at Beth Shalom. So Beth Shalom has always been my spiritual home. In terms of when Seth and I joined Beth Shalom and became official members, that happened maybe three years ago? I don't even remember. Time has no meaning these days. So maybe we joined after our first son was born, when he was one or two years old. Let's go with that. Around 2017.
Seth: It's one of the few, small ways that we were a mixed marriage, so to speak — the other being our split allegiance to Mineo's and Aiello's. Growing up, I didn't have a ton of friends who went to Beth Shalom, but I always remember being super jealous that they had a basketball court in the building.

Is your family involved with Beth Shalom's Early Learning Center?
Carolyn: Yes, our older son went to ELC, and our younger son is currently there now. And my position on the Board's Executive Committee is Vice President of Youth, so as part of that, I'm on the ELC Committee.

When did you join Beth Shalom's Board?
Carolyn: About a year ago, in May of 2023.

So it sounds like the Executive Committee has some age diversity?
Carolyn: It does. I'm the youngest member of the Executive Committee, and I'm in my mid-30s.

In terms of joining the congregation, were there any other reasons — beyond ELC — that the synagogue was a good fit for all of you?
Carolyn: Definitely. Beth Shalom was the obvious choice for us because it has a lot of young adults, a lot of families, and a strong sense of community.
Seth: We are committed to the Conservative movement and typically find ourselves in the center on a lot of Jewish issues. We feel comfortable at Beth Shalom because it is the shul that best aligns with our values.

Okay, so to switch gears, what food connects you to feeling Jewish?
Carolyn: I'd say pastrami sandwiches. We keep Kosher, so that's a very special treat to go to New York to the 2nd Avenue Deli, somewhere that has a kosher deli where we can eat meat. Having pastrami sandwiches just feels very Jewish. Especially with pickles and pickled tomatoes.
Seth: The usuals: Lox and bagel is the ultimate comfort food; brisket reminds me of holidays and family; Passover meatballs remind me of being a kid in my grandparents' house; pickles make me think of our kids, because they eat them like Cookie Monster eats cookies.

If you could be a fly on a wall in Jewish history, where would you want to land and why?
Seth: Great question! A ton of answers come to mind . . . but I'd probably have to go with Poland and Eastern Europe between the world wars. Times were tough, obviously, but I would love to be around the incredible amount of avant-garde literature and art that came out of those important cultural centers. My second answer would be the writers’ room of Seinfeld.
Carolyn: I don't know where I'd want to land right now. We're definitely living in a huge part of Jewish history at this moment in time . . .

What books, films, or shows do you find yourself recommending?
Carolyn: Seth and I just finished watching the HBO Max series Tokyo Vice that we really liked. But every time I bring it up, I feel like nobody else has heard of it! It's loosely based on historic events from the 1990s. It's about Jake Adelstein, an American journalist, who ends up going to Japan and reporting on all these Japanese gangs.
Seth: I recommend that everyone should read The Emigrants by W. G. Sebald, and also sign up for the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives’ weekly e-newsletter by director Eric Lidji.

Last question, for your kids: What is your favorite thing about being Jewish?
Arthur, age 6: I don't know . . . Challah I guess.
Reuben, age 4-and-a-half: Being with my family and friends and love.