The Hebrew word “mitzvah” translates to “good deed.” On Sunday, Feb. 16, over 200 professional and student athletes from around Pittsburgh performed a mitzvah at the Beth Shalom Men’s Club Annual Sports Luncheon.
The annual event services special needs community members of all ages and faiths and coincides with Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month in the United States.
According to a press release by the Beth Shalom Men’s Club, the event is held in “an effort among Jewish organizations and communities worldwide to raise awareness and foster inclusion of people with disabilities.”
Pitt redshirt first-year quarterback Eli Holstein was one of the six Pitt football players in attendance for the annual sports luncheon.
“[The event] helps us connect with the community on a personal level,” Holstein said. “When we are out there on the field we can’t interact with them as much, but when we are out here, they get to see a different side of us that is not the athletes, but as a person.”
Holstein and other athletes had the opportunity to serve over 250 guests with disabilities, which included Max Steinberg, son of Kenny Steinberg, a volunteer for the luncheon and member of the synagogue. The Steinbergs have attended the event for the last 15 years.
“When you see the expression on [the kids’] faces — the smiles when they interact with so many of the volunteers that come here … When you see that, that’s all [anyone] needs to see to know how important [the event] is,” Kenny Steinberg said. “This is a really good day for them.”
Pitt All-American redshirt junior middle blocker Bre Kelley participated in activities like trivia and arm wrestling throughout the afternoon.
“It was fun. I just love having conversations with everyone,” Kelley said. “Getting to see how all these athletes genuinely love their town — I just love to see that.”
WTAE Pittsburgh Action News 4 news anchor and sports director Andrew Stockey has emceed the event every year he has been available since the 1990s.
“There’s maybe no event in the town that I can think of where [student athletes] have an opportunity to come together in one event socially and talk about what they do or maybe make connections and friendships,” Stockey said.
Ira Frank, the president of the Beth Shalom Men’s Club, put on the event along with coordinator the Sports Luncheon Committee. Frank knows the work that went into putting on such a special day and the impact it has for not only the attendees with disabilities but also for the volunteer athletes and surrounding community.
“We have wonderful volunteers from the synagogue that come and work. It takes a lot to put this many people in this room,” Frank said. “It’s nice to see some of the students who have never been in a synagogue or may not ever again be in a synagogue again in their life to come in here in today’s world of antisemitism — the Tree of Life being three blocks away, and everything else [happening in the world and on college campuses] — it’s just a nice, warm feeling.”
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