Rabbi Sam Weinberg

Every Minute Counts 

Hi Elan, thanks for taking take to answer my questions.  I know this is a long time in the making so buckle up.

When did you attend Hillel? 2nd through some of 6th grade 

Share a favorite memory or two with our readers? My favorite memory is actually my first memory of Hillel Academy. My family just moved to town and I was this little kid in a new school who didn't know anyone. So, we walked into the main lobby area with that really weird mural of Jewish History. I remember looking at it and wondering why someone was pouring water on someone's head with a horn and why a large group of people were leaving a big burning building. I was 7 years old on the first day of school with everyone running around in an unorganized panic - I really wasn't very comfortable.

Mrs. Aronson (yes, THE Mrs. Aronson) grabbed some kid who was walking by and said "Mikey, this is Elan who is going to be in your class, please show him around." Of course, classic Mikey Butler, knew everyone and everything about the school and he made me feel at home. I'll never forget that. 

Mikey Butler, what a guy, #DayByGloriousDay!

What organizations are you currently involved in? Great question, I'm glad you asked. I am the administrator of the world renown Bima Chat and I am the Vice President of Kether Torah - our Shul only needs one. 

For the benefit of our readers, can you explain Bima Chat please. It is so hard to explain what Bima Chat truly is and encompasses. It essentially is an exclusive and extremely entertaining non-stop conversation centering around Pittsburgh Sports and Mount Lebanon 8s. Yearly membership consists of supporting either the Penguins, Pirates, or Steelers at home AND on the road. 

How did Hillel Academy prepare you for the future? "I used to love the stories from Tanach Morah Chana used to tell us. Since then I have always been a big Parsha guy. Also, Ms. Oz used to have us do "Wordly Wise"" which totally taught me to do grammar good. " 

Share some info about your family. I've been in a long term relationship with a Pittsburgh girl named Chayala since 1995. She enjoys long romantic walks in the moonlight and air conditioning. She's awesome. We have a 7-year-old son named Zishe who is currently in Morah Chana's class at Hillel. He loves Pittsburgh sports, washing machines, and Metallica. Our daughter Aviva is three and is in Morah Leah's class. She knows how to sing Happy Birthday in Hebrew, currently loves My Little Pony, and is mentally addicted to Frozen. Both kids refer to me as "Deedah" because when Zishe was a baby he got Daddy backward and I loved it. Aviva got Deedah backward and tried calling me Daddy but I immediately corrected her. That's a true story. 

What do you do in your free time? I have a black belt in trash talking so I do a lot of that. Specifically with regards to fantasy sports. Just ask Rob Davis.

I bet Mr. Rob Davis wishes he was an alumni at this point.  He will just have to take up with you on the Yahoo Chatroom.  

Hillel Trivia - How many combined wins do the middle and high school basketball teams have? That's easy, 38. 

Interesting, how  did you come  up with that number? Great question, I'm glad you asked. The Gematria of Hillel is 65 and I assumed the average age of the combined teams amounts to 13.5. Take that 13.5 and multiply it by 2 (since there are 2 teams) and you get 27. Then I used the calculator feature on my smartphone and subtracted 27 from 65 leaving me with 38. #math 

Did you have a favorite teacher? Who was it and why? I loved Rabbi Adler - he always saw the potential in me especially when I did not. 

Share with us what it is like to have your children attend the school that has done so much for you. I'm not going to give the same answers as everyone else about how incredible my experience was. To be honest Hillel was in bad shape while I was there. My class was miserable and eventually disbanded and I HAD to leave to attend Lubavitch. However Hillel has changed. There is energy and excitement. The kids are being educated at an advanced level. My kids shock me on a weekly basis with how much they are learning at this school. I truly feel like the administration cares about my kids. I am in no way proud of what Hillel was but I am a tremendous fan of what it has become and where it is going. 

What kind on learning do you take part in during the week? I always make sure to review the Parsha. Otherwise I enjoy learning either Gemara or in depth Holidays via Skype with former Hillel Alumni Moshe Isaacson. 

How do you instill learning and love of Torah in your home and in your children's lives? Zishe is so inquisitive and is constantly asking questions. I try to make it a point to explain WHY we do the things that we do. 

Based on your car front license plate and the fact that you wear Bucco sweat bands, you are a huge Pirates fan. What's it like being a fan now that they have been winning? I remember when the Bucs were amazing. Barry Bonds was skinny, our catcher was fat, and Andy Van Slyke was my favorite player. Times were different then because we never saw American League teams and didn't have as much access to the highlights that we have now. The All Star game was exciting and not stupid. My childhood memories just seemed pure before the big contracts and the rampant scandals. With that being said, I've waited my whole adult life for competitive baseball and I'm soaking it in. Bima Chat was created for that very purpose. 

You are one of our safer drivers, at least in the arrival line. Can you offer some advice for the parents who are struggling a bit? Yeah. Drop off is hectic. It's not a secret. Beacon is a busy street to begin with and it's frustrating to see parents in tunnel vision mode when dropping off their kids. Stop with the U-turns already.  It's not safe. Take the extra 2 minutes and 38 seconds to around the Block.

Would you be willing to help us out in Aug/Sept to help reinforce these rules? Absolutely. Just get me a walkie-talkie and a megaphone. 

We will order a custom made one right now!

What do you do for a living?  I'm the Regional Manager for AMO Management. This makes me responsible for overseeing about 350 apartments / houses throughout the Pittsburgh area. Sometimes I have to show places, handle customer service when things go wrong, and yell at College Students for acting like idiot College Students. Our places are relatively high end and the Pittsburgh market is flourishing. 

What makes Pittsburgh great?  Pittsburgh is awesome. There are so many aspects that many Yinzers and Yinzettes don't even know about. For example, check out the Mexican War Streets or take your kids to the fountain at the PPG plaza on a hot day. PNC Park is gorgeous and just getting there can be fun. You can take the train, walk over the bridge, take the boat, or park in the lots and tailgate for a while. I love a long Shabbos where you can chill with the upper Waldron Street crew and then go to Frick Park and watch kids zoom down a legendary big blue slide on cardboard boxes. I would also have to say that one of my favorite parts of Pittsburgh is how our community gets along so well. The 3 Jewish schools had a combined Lag B'Omer gathering, we don't have the politics that other communities must contend with, and as a whole we aren't judgmental based on how religious and how financially successful we are. The only thing that is traditionally frowned upon here is if someone is a Browns fan. #shoutouttokraut #dropsthemic

I agree.

Share something with our students you wish someone had told you when you were in school? I was always told to calm down and to pay attention. I wish someone would have told me to be patient.

Hillel Trivia - Which current Hillel parent played on the 1993 Pittsburgh Maccabi soccer team? I am not positive but here are my 3 guesses: Ariella Weinberg, Lenny Plotkin, or Eric Greenfield.

I think it is safe to say we can still use this question.  

Nice try! Looks like we will continue asking alumni that trivia question. 

Thanks for your time and have a wonderful Shabbos and as always, Go Bucs!