Volunteer Awards Brunch - Sunday, April 6, 2025

Please join us for a Champagne Brunch as we honor this year's recipients.

Scroll down for honoree photos and complete bios.

Registration is required. To register online, complete form below. You can also donate online, please complete the form below. The deadline to RSVP is Thursday, March 27, 2025.

Questions? Contact us at info@bethshalompgh.org

Lester A. Hamburg of the Year Award Honoree

Jay was born to Florence and David Fingeret on August 26, 1941. He lived in Coraopolis with his parents and three siblings, Judy, Buzz and Susan until 1952, when his parents moved to Squirrel Hill, seeking a Jewish community for their family. From that time forward, he has been part of Beth Shalom. Jay attended Hebrew school and was a Bar Mitzvah at Beth Shalom in 1954. He graduated from Taylor Allderdice in 1959 and went on to earn a BA, an MBA, and a JD from the University of Pittsburgh. Seeking to serve his country, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served proudly from 1964-1967, including a tour in Vietnam. After returning from Vietnam, he met his wife, Ilene, and they have been married for almost 57 years. Together they raised Jonathan, Lisa and Marjorie, and have added two wonderful sons-in-law, Danny and Alon, and hopefully a soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Margo, and six grandchildren, five of whom are here today. The sixth is a sophomore at Northwestern University.

Jay served on Beth Shalom’s Board of Directors from 1991-2005 and was President of the Congregation from 2003-2004. He continues to be an active member of the shul, currently leading morning minyan on Wednesdays. He also served on the Board and was President of JRS, now known as the Branch. Jay has practiced law since 1971 and has specialized for many decades in the areas of elder law, estate planning and estate administration. He has dedicated his life to his family, helping others and serving his community.

Nathan E. Snader Distinguished Service Award Honoree

Fred Newman moved to Pittsburgh from Greensboro, NC, with his wife Linda, in 2016, to be closer to his eldest son Jeffrey, daughter-in-law Linda Lee and grandchildren Maya and Zev.  Fred’s immediate family also includes sons Daniel (Atlanta area) and Simon Newman (Nashville), as well as their wives Julie and Lisa and grandchildren Gabe, Avi, Sophie and Liam. 

Fred has been active in a number of Jewish institutions, having served as Treasurer of the Jewish Community Center of Asheville (NC), Treasurer and Vice President of Beth David Congregation of Greensboro NC, Treasurer of Jewish Family Services of Greensboro and the BJH Foundation for Senior Services. 

Fred has also been active in secular non-profit institutions.  For 20 years he served, along with Linda, as Special Needs Volunteer co-chair for numerous Greensboro Coliseum events, including over a dozen ACC Men’s basketball tournaments, almost twenty ACC Women’s Tournaments and two National Figure Skating Championships.  He and Linda also created and served the Co-Chairs of the Special Needs Spectator program for the Wyndham PGA Tournament held in Greensboro.  Since 2016 Fred has served as a Red Cross volunteer, checking all contributions made to chapters in the Greater Pennsylvania area (60 Counties) to ensure they are credited properly.

Fred earned a BA in Government from Claremont McKenna College in California and a Master of Public Affairs from Western Carolina University.  Fred has worked professionally with non-profit agencies since 1968, initially working as a VISTA Volunteer with poverty programs in Fayetteville and Hendersonville North Carolina. He worked for 30 years with the United Way Asheville-Buncombe County and the United Way of Greater Greensboro.  He then worked for 10 years as Vice President of Welfare Reform Liaison Project in Greensboro, a program that provided a route to gainful employment for low wealth individuals.  He still works part-time with Mount Zion Baptist Church of Greensboro. 

Fred served as a Supply Sergeant in the United States Army Reserves for over 20 years.  He also was an adjunct instructor in the UNC-Greensboro Master of Public Affairs program for 20 years and was able to use his expertise to secure grants that significantly upgraded Congregation Beth Shalom’s physical security.

Fred served as Treasurer of Congregation Beth Shalom from June 2019 through May 2023 and currently serves on the Finance Committee and the Budget Subcommittee.

Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle Volunteers of the Year Award Honoree

Robin Halpern

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Robin Halpern and her family became members of Beth Shalom in 1967, when she was just 11 years old. Beth Shalom has been more than just a place of worship for her family—it has been a cornerstone of their lives. Within its walls, she has celebrated many milestones, from her Bat Mitzvah to her wedding, and later, watching her children experience the same traditions.

As the oldest of four siblings, Robin was inspired by the relationships she had with those younger than her, which fueled her desire to pursue teaching. She attended Duquesne University and received an undergraduate degree in elementary and special education, and then attended the University of Pittsburgh and earned a master’s degree in special education.

After graduating, Robin took a role in the family business taking on the role as office manager and bookkeeper, a position that gave her the flexibility to be available and present for her three children, Jeffrey, Michael and Debra. She still had her passion for education, and would take on tutoring clients in mathematics.  

When Robin’s parents passed away, she found solace in the community, Beth Shalom. She found comfort in her family's memories and continued attending the morning service after the Shiva period was over. 

After retiring two years ago, Robin became more involved in volunteer activities, embracing every opportunity to support her community and engaging in Jewish life. When needed, Robin was always willing to lend a hand from stuffing mailers, to putting together purim bags, being on the Havurah Committee, or helping in the kitchen to prepare the breakfast for the morning minyan. She also became a devoted and active member of Sisterhood, serving as the Corresponding Secretary, ensuring that messages of support and kindness reach those who needed them.Robin lives by the values of tikkun olam, jumping in when she can to do her small part of giving back to the community. Her selfless commitment to helping others is evident in everything she does. From the synagogue’s kitchen to committee meetings, from organizing to supporting, she embodies the true spirit of volunteerism—finding joy in being needed and making a difference wherever she can.

Daniel M. Plaut Youth Service Award Honorees

Hannah Adelson

Hannah Adelson is a senior at Allderdice High School. At Dice, she is heavily involved with the Jewish Student Union and Dice Theater. In their current musical production of "9 to 5", Hannah is playing the role of Roz. Come see the last show today, April 6th, at 2 pm in the Allderdice Auditorium! Outside of school, Hannah participates in HaZamir, the international Jewish teen choir as a soprano and the Teen Leader of the Pittsburgh chapter. She recently performed with HaZamir at Carnegie Hall. She is grateful to be a part of a thriving Jewish community at Beth Shalom.

Aviv Diamant

I’m Aviv, and I’m a Pittsburgher born and raised. I attended ECS for elementary/middle school and am currently a senior at Allderdice High School. My journey in the Jewish community began when I became a member at Beth Shalom, which I joined after attending Temple Sinai for several years.

In 9th grade, I joined USY, which marked the beginning of my deeper involvement in Jewish life. Over the years, I’ve taken on leadership roles, serving on the Board in both 10th and 12th grades in the SA/TO (Social Action and Tikkun Olam) position. This position gave me the opportunity to plan and participate in initiatives that brought positive change to the community. I’ve also been fortunate to participate in the Diller Teen Fellows program, an experience that helped me grow personally and as a leader. Additionally, I’ve been involved in my school’s Jewish Student Union, where I’ve continued to expand my knowledge and contribute to the growth of Jewish life in Pittsburgh.

Outside of my community work, I have a variety of interests that keep me busy. I love cooking, experimenting with food, Wrestling for my school's team, and spending time with my dogs.