Rotunda programming is on pause during winter months. Check back soon for spring and summer events!
Projects
Past Programs
We Remember: A Musical Memorial
Honoring Transgender Day of Remembrance
Thursday, November 20 @ 7:00pm
Featuring Cantors Kalix Jacobson, Jordan Goldstein, + Ze’evi Tovlev
“Raising the Roof on the Rotunda”
A Celebration of Community and Culture
hosted by the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation
The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation’s bold vision for revitalizing the historic Rotunda took a major step forward on May 15 as more than 330 community members gathered for Raising the Roof on the Rotunda, a vibrant celebration of art, culture, and community. The event raised $94,000 to help transform the former B’nai Israel Synagogue into a new hub for creativity, youth programming, and neighborhood gathering in Pittsburgh’s East End.
Held inside the awe-inspiring Rotunda, the evening was emceed by artist and advocate DS Kinsel, who welcomed guests with energy and gratitude. “You’re standing inside a building with deep roots in this neighborhood and huge potential for what’s next,” he said, following a high-energy performance by the WACONGO Drummers and Dancers.
Guests enjoyed a rich mix of live music, dance, and visual art previewing the creative programming envisioned for the space. T.J. Harris of Harris Event Group brought the event and space to life by seamlessly handling DJing, lighting, audio, and announcements, creating an atmosphere that kept the energy high and the evening flowing. Students from Urban Academy Charter School, which formerly occupied the site, performed a stirring string ensemble in a tribute to youth empowerment.
BOOM Concepts artists Cue Perry and Takara Canty created live paintings flanking the stage, as the evening unfolded with performances by jazz guitarist Ken Karsh, mezzo-soprano Sara Stock Mayo, and the dynamic Steve Vance Pop Trio Violins.
Los Sabrosos Dance Co. closed the night with a joyful participatory performance under the Rotunda’s soaring dome.
The event also honored two civic leaders. Robert M. Jones Jr., President and CEO of Brothers and Sisters Emerging (B.A.S.E.), was recognized for decades of grassroots mentorship. State Senator Jay Costa was honored for his advocacy and investments in neighborhood development.
Check out the Articles about the Event from The Jewish Chronicle and WESA
Two days of Sephardic
(Jews from the Balkans, Spain, Turkey, and Greece)
Music, Food & Culture with
Musician Sarah Aroeste & Chef Susan Barocas
February 7 & 8, 2025
A wonderful weekend filled with a community Kabbalat Shabbat, Sephardic dessert cooking class, and Sephardic culture program with music, food and storytelling.
About Savor: The connection between music and food is at the heart of Sephardic culture and tradition. The two sensory experiences have survived in their unique forms, despite the Spanish Inquisition, Balkan Wars, the Holocaust and more. Song and food have united Sephardic Jews in their diaspora and have connected them through shifting centuries and borders. Savor works to do the same today, through creating cultural experiences for communities across the country.
Art Fence
In partnership with BOOM Concepts, The Rotunda Collaborative is currently displaying original artwork by local artists along the construction fencing at 327 N Negley Ave. Artists chosen from the community, along with students at Dilworth Elementary school, a local K-5 Arts magnet, created works about the dynamic nature of the neighborhood and visions for its future. The project aims to enhance the streetscape, demonstrate community connection, and be used to cultivate conversations with and within the community. Using the fencing as a public art space initiates community enhancement and engagement in a space typically dedicated to self-promotion.
Drive by our beautiful art fence to see these and the other artists’ work in person!
