The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle was honored this week by StandWithUs at a community reception that drew a crowd of more than 300 community members — Jewish and non-Jewish — celebrating SWU’s work in fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel.

The Chronicle received the Lion of Truth in Journalism Award at the Sept. 9 event, held at Rodef Shalom Congregation. Two local students were also honored for their work in confronting antisemitism and defending Jewish identity: Miriam Levari, who graduated in June from Hillel Academy; and Harrison Romero, a senior at the University of Pittsburgh. Levari was a SWU Kenneth Leventhal High School intern during the 2024-2025 academic year. Romero is a former SWU Emerson Fellow at Pitt.

Julie Paris, Mid-Atlantic regional director of SWU, introduced the evening’s programming by describing the challenges Pittsburgh’s Jews have faced since Oct. 7, 2023.

“Imagine this,” she began. “You’re the parent of a 10-year-old child with a Jewish last name, who comes home from camp and tells you that a counselor told her that Jews and Israelis are murdering and starving Palestinians.

“Imagine you’re a student at a university, running for a position in student government, and other students are encouraging people not to vote for you because you’re a Zionist.

“Imagine you’re the only Jewish teacher in a local school district who has students wearing keffiyehs only in her classroom, and scrawling “Free Palestine” on only her assignments and tests.

“Sadly, these are not fictitious examples,” Paris continued. “They are real-life incidents that our community members have faced in just the last few months, and all of them turned to StandWithUs for help.”

She described the surge of antisemitism and anti-Zionism as “a national emergency.”

Paris spoke of the Chronicle’s dedication to truth before presenting its award.

“In a time when ‘facts’ seem optional for far too many in the media world, the PJC has remained steadfast in its commitment to responsible journalism,” she said. “They have consistently pushed back against narratives that demonize and delegitimize, while also giving voice to the complex issues that shape our lives.”

The night’s keynote speaker was Luai Ahmed, a 31-year-old Yemeni journalist and content creator. He grew up in the capital of Sanaa, where he was indoctrinated with antisemitic ideology. In conversation with Rona Kaufman, an associate professor of law at Duquesne University, he told attendees how he overcame his prejudices after moving to Sweden at the age of 20, where he befriended some Jewish students and realized that the dogma drilled into him as a youth was dangerous and wrong. He is an ardent supporter of women’s rights in Muslim countries and an advocate for Israel and the Jewish people.

The evening brought together Jewish and non-Jewish allies, including clergy members, politicians and leaders of communal organizations.

Paris chronicled SWU’s recent accomplishments, including facilitating a “Combating Antisemitism” training for law enforcement and university administrators across Pittsburgh; launching a legal and volunteer effort to defeat a protentional BDS referendum along with community partners Beacon Coalition and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh; co-sponsoring community events of remembrance, including a vigil to mark one year since Oct. 7, 2023; and “fighting to ensure the Jewish story is told and that Israel isn’t demonized in the new Ethnic Studies curriculum” in Pittsburgh’s public schools.

“In 2024, the ADL recorded an astonishing 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the United States,” Paris said. “This represents an 893% increase over the past 10 years. In Pittsburgh alone, there have been 232 incidents reported to the Jewish Federation’s security team, a 16% increase over this time last year, when these numbers were already at an all-time high.

“These statistics aren’t just numbers,” she stressed. “They are part of a campaign of a relentless rise in hate that is impacting every one of us. It’s why our work to educate and empower is more critical now than ever before. We are witnessing our narrative being skewed, our story being stolen, and our pain being weaponized.

“In response, we have been relentless.” PJC