By Andrew Guckes and Jillian Diamond
Fish Fry Season!
When Lent rolls around each year, families come together and traditions are renewed. For many Catholic families abstaining from meat on Friday—and for some Christian families whose churches follow the practice—one tradition that is beloved above all else is the fish fry. Heat up the oil and start making batter, or, if you would prefer a no-mess option, dig into one of the many options for purchasing flaky fish fry in the area. A few favorites include The Warren, in downtown Pittsburgh, Penn Brewery’s Northside location, Allegheny Elks Lodge #339 and the Elliot West End Athletic Association. Each have takeout available and are open on Good Friday!
For late-night feasters, The Warren has its fish fry sandwich or platter available until midnight. Penn Brewery, the city’s oldest brewery, is known for its tasty fish, making it a good go-to. At the Elks Lodge or Elliot West End Athletic Association, you’ll find a real community feel: volunteers, homemade food and lots of smiles and greetings. Regardless of what you want from your fish fry vendor during Lent, amid churches, restaurants and community organizations, you can find a place that works for your family’s location, budget or schedule using this map of local fish frys: codeforpittsburgh.github.io/fishfrymap.
Tree of Life Synagogue Exhibit Raises Awareness, Honors Community
The Tree of Life synagogue shooting shocked the Pittsburgh area in 2018, and to this day remains the deadliest antisemitic attack in the United States, claiming the lives of 11 victims and injuring an additional six people. A traveling exhibit centering on the attack, “Lessons from the Tree of Life: Lighting the Path Forward,” recently debuted at the University of Pittsburgh’s University Club Library March 27 and will be on display through April 25.
The exhibit aims to educate area residents about antisemitism, but also to show how the community came together in the wake of this tragedy. “Lessons from the Tree of Life” is separated into four chapters: one about the shooting, one featuring items mailed to and displayed outside the synagogue in the aftermath, one about Tree of Life’s new building—which will be built on the same grounds as the original—and a final chapter about the broader history of antisemitism in America.
The exhibit was created by The Tree of Life, an antisemitism awareness organization established following the Tree of Life shooting, in collaboration with the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives at the Heinz History Center, which provided many of the items featured in its second chapter.
Throughout the month of April, several events are scheduled to take place at the exhibit. These include a “Songs of Resilience” remembrance concert, a panel of survivors and victims’ family members and a lecture about some of the gifted items in the exhibit.
Following its run in Pittsburgh, “Lessons from the Tree of Life” will be displayed in Cleveland, Ohio, from May through August, New York City during the fall and Miami, Florida, in spring 2026.
The exhibit’s creators are hopeful that it will continue traveling to other cities so that it can continue to educate people about antisemitism in America.
“If we don’t travel to other cities, then how does the next generation start to learn?”
Maggie Feinstein, executive director of the 10.27 Healing Partnership, told CBS Pittsburgh in a March 21 story about the exhibit’s opening. “And I hope when it travels to other cities people can look and remember 10/27 and think these vulnerable and holy people did not deserve to die this way ever.”
Learn more about the exhibit and upcoming events at treeoflife.org
New at the Carnegie Science Center: Desert Elephants
Come see some of the most powerful and intelligent creatures in the world on a giant screen for a new 3D (or standard 2D) showing of “Desert Elephants” at the Carnegie Science Center.
Pittsburgh’s largest screen at the Rangos Giant Cinema began showing this family-friendly, 45-minute film last month, which will be available through September. The film follows Little Foot, a 1-month-old elephant, as she travels the African desert searching for food and water with her family. There are a finite number of desert elephant herds in the world, making this film a great way to expose children to a species that needs more attention and support. Their journey is unique and will amaze viewers both young and old. The film shows the year-long process of Little Foot mastering the use of her trunk. It also shows how the herd’s matriarch uses her seemingly super-powered ability to locate small sources of water and predict when a dust storm is coming from 100 miles away.
Tickets are $10 tickets for the general public and $8 for Carnegie Science Center members. For more information or tickets, visit carnegiesciencecenter.org.
