HAKOL - November 2023

The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community

www.jewishlehighvalley.org

| Issue No. 470 | November 2023 | Cheshvan/Kislev 5784 AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION EST. 1977

A TIME TO UNITE 600 gather after Hamas attacks to mourn, pray and stand with Israel Page 4

Personal reports from our friends in Israel Page 9

Gaza Q&A

by Robert Wax

Page 6

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A TIME TO LAUGH See our Sukkot holiday coverage on pages 24-25

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#BRINGTHEMHOME More than 1,400 murdered, 4,800 injured, 224 held captive. More than 8,000 rockets launched and 500,000 Israelis displaced from their homes. The deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust and the worst terrorist attack in Israel’s history.

Young people at a music festival. Children hiding in their rooms. Parents and grandparents sitting at home on the Jewish Sabbath.

People waiting for the bus.

All executed by the hands of those that wish to see Israel and Jews wiped off the face of the earth forever.

For the past few weeks, we have watched with horror as the scenes in Israel unfold, experiencing a range of emotions. Like so many of you, I have been glued to the television with a heavy heart and tears in my eyes. It has been hard to focus on anything else after learning of the horrific attack on our beloved Israel. For me, most disturbing is the barbaric and torturous disregard for human life and humanity and the abduction of innocent civilians, including babies, young children and the elderly, dragged into Gaza. I know you are sad, angry, afraid and heartbroken as we continue to watch the devastating news reports that tell of the depravity of Hamas, the terrorist perpetrators. We must be vigilant in our demand to bring home all of the hostages. During these times, it is our strong sense of community that continues to be the light amid the darkness.

So many personal stories of assaults of innocent civilians. Together we pray for

families torn apart. We pray for the young people at a music festival in the desert blindly attacked, their whole lives changing in a moment.

As we come together to support the people of Israel, we extend our gratitude to the Israel Defense Forces for their efforts to protect Israeli citizens and restore security to the region. We stand in solidarity with the people of Israel and express our unwavering support for their right to defend themselves against these heinous attacks.

We pray for the safety of all Israel.

May the people of Israel find strength and comfort during this difficult time.

To those that carried out these cowardly acts and to their supporters: You will not win.

We will not be scared into silence.

We aren’t going anywhere. We are Here for Good.

The Jewish people will not be intimidated in the face of terror. We are here to reaffirm that the Jewish Federation and its partners will do all that they can to stand with Israel and help our brothers and sisters who have been affected by this latest war.

We are especially appreciative of our elected representatives and their strong support at this critical time.

We have been in constant contact with our partners on the ground in Israel as well as with Jewish Federations of North America. And, we couldn’t mobilize without YOU, our dedicated volunteers and lay leaders.

Golda Meir once said, “I

never did anything alone.

Whatever was accomplished in this country was accomplished collectively.”

That sense of the collective is more important now than ever before. Showing your support for the only Jewish state in the world should fill you with a sense of pride, not only in yourself, but in our community. The collective strength of the Israeli people, with the support of Jews around the world, means that Israel will not only survive this but thrive after. There will be dark days ahead, but we will get through this because we have no other choice. It is the strength of the Jewish people that our enemies have never understood and vastly underestimated.

We know that the needs will be great, and we will be there for the people of Israel just as our Jewish Federation was there when we stood tall together in 1967 and 1973, and when we were resolute throughout both intifadas, suicide bombings, countless rocket attacks, stabbings and other acts of terrorism and violence.

We were there then, and we will be there again and again and again and again.

Our Jewish community will not give up our commitment to the people of Israel.

We have opened an Israel Emergency Campaign, led by Israel and Valeska Zighelboim, and so far we have raised $450,000. Please help us reach our goal of $1,033,000 by donating now, so that our brothers and sisters in Israel know that we are there for them.

The Lehigh Valley-Yoav Partnership Park in Blessed Memory of Mark L. Goldstein We gratefully acknowledge those individuals who have offered expressions of friendship by requesting that trees be planted in the Mark L. Goldstein Friendship Park, a Yoav-Lehigh Valley Partnership Forest.

IN HONOR SHEILA BUB In celebration of your 80th birthday Sylvia & Sam Bub & Family SHIRLEY FRIEDLANDER In celebration of your 100th birthday Robi, Don, Paul and Malia Barga IN MEMORY RENEE BRANDOW (Mother of Louanne Spielman) Linda and Neil Dicker BURTON (BURT) SCHLOSSBERG (Father of Michael Schlossberg) Aaron Gorodzinsky and Jennie Schechner

BUZZY SCHULWOLF (Father of Neil, Gary and Andrew Schulwolf) Arlene and Richard Stein BENJAMIN (BEN) WEINBERGER (Father of Elizabeth Levy, Julie Hettleman and Joseph Weinberger) Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein Linda Rosenthal – Morning Gratitude Arlene and Richard Stein

TO ORDER TREES, call the JFLV at 610-821-5500 or visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org.

Operation Swords of Iron, the Israel Emergency Campaign, was launched immediately to provide critical dollars that are being deployed to help those hardest hit by this attack through our partners in Israel: the Jewish Agency for Israel, the JDC, the Israel Trauma Coalition, United Hatzalah, Yashar LaChayal and our Partnership2Gether community of Yoav, situated just beyond the Gaza envelope. If you are able to, I encourage you to make a donation using the QR code below or by calling the Jewish Federation at 610821-5500.

We join with Jewish communities worldwide in calling for unity in the face of this crisis and hope that the international community will mobilize against terrorism and work toward a peace-

ful resolution in the region.

We pray for the safe release of those being held in brutal captivity, a swift resolution to this crisis and a full restoration of security in the State of Israel.

With sincere appreciation for your kindness, your generosity and your strong support.

Be strong, hold fast and let us strengthen one another.

HAKOL STAFF CARL ZEBROWSKI Editor CHARLENE RIEGGER Director of Marketing HAKOL is published 11 times per year for the Jewish communities of Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and vicinity by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS Submissions to HAKOL must be of interest to the entire Jewish community.

HAKOL reserves all editorial rights including, but not limited to, the decision to print any submitted materials, the editing of submissions to conform to style and length requirements, and the placement of any printed material. Quotes may be edited for grammar and clarity. Articles should be submitted by e-mail or presented as typed copy; “Community Calendar” listings must be submitted by e-mail to hakol@jflv.org or online at www.jewishlehighvalley.org. Please include your name and a daytime telephone number where you can be contacted in the event questions arise.

We cannot guarantee publication or placement of submissions.

MAIL, FAX, OR E-MAIL TO: JFLV ATTN: HAKOL 702 N. 22nd St. Allentown, PA 18104

WILLIAM THOMPSON Digital Marketing and Graphic Design Associate DIANE McKEE Account Representative TEL: 610-515-1391 hakolads@jflv.org

JFLV EXECUTIVE STAFF JERI ZIMMERMAN Executive Director AARON GORODZINSKY Director of Campaign & Security Planning DENISE AHNER Director of Finance & Administration JULIA UMANSKY Director of Gift Planning & EITC LEE SOLOMON Director of Community Engagement ROBBY WAX JFLV President WENDY EDWARDS Office Manager GINGER HORSFORD Donor Services Associate

Phone: (610) 821-5500 Fax: (610) 821-8946 E-mail: hakol@jflv.org Member American Jewish Press Association

All advertising is subject to review and approval by The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley (JFLV). JFLV reserves the right to decline, withdraw and/or edit any ad. The appearance of any advertising in HAKOL does not represent an endorsement or kashrut certification. Paid political advertisements that appear in HAKOL do not represent an endorsement of any candidate by the JFLV.

JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY MISSION STATEMENT

In order to unite, sustain, and enhance the Lehigh Valley Jewish community, and support Jewish communities in Israel and around the world, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is dedicated to the following core values: • Supporting Jews in need wherever they may be.

• Supporting Israel as a Jewish homeland.

• Supporting and encouraging Jewish education in the Lehigh Valley as a means of strengthening Jewish life for individuals and families.

• Supporting programs and services of organizations whose values and mission meet local Jewish needs.

To accomplish this mission the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is committed to the following operating guidelines: • Raising and distributing funds to support the core values.

• Developing Jewish leaders.

• Building endowments to support implementation of core values.

• Committing to ongoing Jewish community strategic planning.

• Fostering cooperation among organizations and community building.

• Evaluating all decisions with respect to fiscal responsibility.

• Identifying unmet needs and investing in community initiatives to help get them started.

• Coordinating and convening a community response as an issue or need arises.

• Setting priorities for allocation and distribution of funds.

• Acting as a central address for communication about events, programs and services of the Jewish community as a whole.

Approved by the JFLV Board of Directors on November 15, 2000

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 3

Stand with Israel Prayer Vigil brings together 600

Photo by Donna Fisher for LehighValleyNews.com

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

Six hundred people filled the Allentown JCC’s Kline Auditorium to standing-roomonly for the Stand with Israel Prayer Vigil on Tuesday night, October 10.

“I remember coming here 5 years ago after the Tree of Life attacks,” said Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Schlossberg in reference to the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, “and while we were all in mourning, it was so gratifying to see so many people together, and not only this many Jews, but this many members of the broader community as well, and you can find comfort and solace in that.”

There was a fittingly solemn air to the gathering of the Jewish community and its supporters in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. There were many prayers. And there were passionate messages via video from our elected officials.

Here was a community coming together for a communal hug, to unite in support of one another and Israel

as they mourned the losses in the terrorist attacks. They also had in mind the losses still to come as attacks continued and the Israel Defense Forces responded.

Robby Wax, president of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, which organized the event, thanked the crowd for coming. “There’s a line past security out to the street, which is overwhelming,” he said.

Community rabbis led the way for most of the evening, taking to the stage to give personal messages and say or sing prayers. Rabbi Moshe Re’em of Temple Beth El quoted renowned Holocaust survivor Eli Wiesel on the perils of indifference. “For the person who is indifferent,” said Wiesel, “his or her neighbors are of no consequence and therefore their lives are meaningless.” Re’em concluded that those gathered in the auditorium were the opposite. “We are here tonight to attend this vigil because we are not indifferent,” he said. “We care and we care very deeply.”

Allentown Mayor Matt

Tuerk and many other local officials attended the vigil.

“It’s important to me that our residents that are connected to Israel know that they are supported thoroughly in the City of Allentown and that they’re cared for and they’re loved,” Tuerk said.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania and Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania all sent videos. Wild said she initially responded to the news of the attacks with disbelief, then horror, then fear, then anger. “How dare these terrorists target civilians — young, old, middle-aged, people who couldn’t walk, didn’t matter?”

“This has touched every Jewish family in America,” she said. “Unwavering bipartisan support of Israel is absolutely essential.” She said she will focus on rounding up that support in Congress: “I promise you that.”

Fetterman spoke with fire in his voice, and his comments about Hamas and Israel’s impending response brought rounds of roaring applause from those assembled.

regularly in Lehigh Valley Jewish community events mentioned seeing a lot of people they didn’t recognize.

Among the non-Jewish attendees in attendance were representatives of the Bethlehem Interfaith Group, the clergy organization founded in 2017 by Rabbi Michael Singer of Congregation Brith Sholom.

“BIG members came up to me at the vigil,” Rabbi Singer said. It was no surprise that they showed up to lend their support after the Hamas attacks of October 7.

“We founded BIG imagining what we could do to make the world better, to support one another, recognizing that we have a lot more in common

“I really want everyone there to understand one simple thing,” he said: “There is no daylight between our nation and Israel, and as a United States senator, I want you to understand that I will support whatever (action) is taken in order to defend Israel.”

Loud applause.

“I’m tired of hearing that Israel has the right to defend itself,” Fetterman continued.

“Of course they do. They’ve always had that. That’s inalienable.... They have the right to, and should, destroy

this organization and make sure everybody understands that we will not tolerate this kind of thing.”

More loud applause.

This was a night where both sorrow for Israel’s losses and rousing calls for its response in defense had legitimate places. And listening to people in the audience and to those on the stage, there was plenty of both.

The vigil ended with the singing of “Hatikvah,” the Israeli national anthem. Everyone packed in the auditorium stood in unity.

than we have that is different.”

Rick Dow from the Quaker Lehigh Valley Monthly Meeting was one of the BIG members in attendance. He said he also came to the vigil after the 2018 shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue and he felt the same sense of collective strength in the room this time.

“There is such a solidarity,” he said. “An odd and very sad observation is that the community seems to know all too well how to organize prayer for community anguish.”

Messages of condolence and support from the Lehigh Valley interfaith community have continued to come in to Rabbi Singer. “It’s been Muslims, Christians, Bahai,” he said, “people across the whole religious spectrum who as human beings are horrified by the atrocities that Hamas has perpetrated.”

Reactions to horrific incidents can easily slide downward to calls for revenge. But the Rev. Stephen Simmons, a retired Presbyterian minister and retired professor of theology at Moravian Theological

Seminary, said he didn’t see that at the vigil. “The speakers’ words throughout embodied a message of dignity, humanity and restraint in the face of horrendous evil,” he said.

“Prayers were raised for the innocent victims on all sides and for the preservation of hope in the face of despair.

“To our Jewish neighbors, please know that people of faith and goodwill continue to hold you in our hearts.”

Such support from the wider community is appreciated and can only help get the Jewish community through the difficult developing situation. “We’re not doing well,” said Singer. “There’s no way to sugarcoat it. And unfortunately there will be more suffering to come.

“In the end, we have to stand up to this evil. Everyone just wants peace. They want to go to work, spend time with their families.”

Non-Jewish participants come out to show their support

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

There’s no official count of how many non-Jeiwish participants s turned out for the Stand with Israel Prayer Vigil at the JCC on October 10. But the number was significant.

Some members of the Jewish community who participate

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Zighelboims head emergency campaign to aid Israelis

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

Early in the Stand with Israel Prayer Vigil on October 10, Israel and Valeska Zighelboim were announced as cochairs of the Jewish Federation’s Emergency Funds for Operation Swords of Iron campaign, collecting money to be sent directly to aid Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks.

Israel opened his rallying call for donations with a sobering description of the attacks.

“This is not a threat to Israel,” he said. “This is a threat to the Jewish people. An unprecedented attack has an unprecedented response.”

He told the audience it was hard for him to believe that he and Valeska, his wife, both natives of Venezuela, have been in the Lehigh Valley only about a dozen years.

Everyone in the community knows them, and they are well-regarded. Israel is a vice president on the board of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, and Valeska has volunteered in various leadership capacities at the Jewish Day School. The school honored them last December as Pillars of the Community.

So the Zighelboims are well positioned to connect with

members of the Lehigh Valley community to raise funds for the critical needs. “We know that the community will make a difference,” Israel said.

The campaign has already begun, raising well over $10,000 virtually overnight after the attacks. Fully 100% of all money collected will go to charitable agencies in Israel, with nothing taken out for expenses incurred.

Rabbi Michael Singer at Congregation Brith Sholom said he already spoke with people who want to help the cause. “I can tell you that even Israel and Valeska Zighelboim. at the synagogue, we’ve been toys. getting calls from people who Funding also goes to three want to contribute to the Fedother Jewish Federation parteration’s emergency fundraisners: United Hatzalah emering campaign,” he said. gency medical services; the Money collected through Lehigh Valley’s Partnershipthe emergency fund will go 2Gether partner region, Yoav; directly to help victims and and Yashar LaChayal, providtheir families. Most of the ing humanitarian support like distribution of the money toiletries and warm jackets to raised is handled by longtime, Israeli soldiers. trusted partner organizations The people of Israel need of the Jewish Federation: the your support now to help get Jewish Agency for Israel and them through this difficult its Victims of Terror Fund, time.

Visit jewishlehighvalley. making cash grants to sufferorg/swords-of-iron for more ing families; the Israel Trauma information and to make a Coalition, providing emotional donation. help and trauma care; and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, giving out food vouchers, medicine and

Wear a blue ribbon to support Israel

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is a partner in launching the Blue Ribbons for Israel campaign to encourage people to wear blue ribbons in support of Israel and the Hamas hostages and their families.

Everyone is encouraged to wear a blue ribbon and display a photo of yourself wearing the ribbon on social media. This public show of

unity brings together those of all nationalities, ethnicities, religions and generations to let Israelis know they are not alone during this dark time.

The Jewish Federation is distributing blue ribbons at its office in the Allentown JCC. You can also make your own following the simple instructions at blueribbonsforisrael. org. Visit that website for more information.

ISRAEL NEEDS YOU: OPERATION SWORDS OF IRON To address critical needs in Israel in support of Operation Swords of Iron, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley launched an emergency campaign, co-chaired by Israel and Valeska Zighelboim.

SCAN QR CODE OR VISIT THE LINK BELOW TO DONATE NOW! 100% of your donation will go directly to the relief efforts.

https://www.jewishlehighvalley.org/swords-of-iron HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 5

Federation Q&A: When will there be peace in Gaza?

By Robert Wax President, JFLV Board of Directors

The brutal atrocities on October 7 awakened many to the depravity of Hamas, the ruthless terrorist organization controlling Gaza. Since then, I have had countless conversations about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with members of our community. Like many of us in the Jewish community, I have been asked to explain the history of Israel’s relationship with Gaza, and I thought it would be helpful to provide some guidance for those who find themselves in similar circumstances.

What do the Palestinians want from Israel?

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most complex disputes in recent history. Israelis and Palestinians both hold legitimate claims to land. Unfortunately, the Palestinians have never chosen peace when it was presented. A peace process can never truly begin without a willing partner with whom the Israelis can negotiate. The Palestinians have consistently rejected any deal with Israel that does not include the Palestinians taking the land “from the river to the sea.”

For those unfamiliar with this phrase, it means that the Palestinians seek the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea (i.e., all of Israel). This is not a compromise position, but rather a call for the destruction of the State of Israel.

Has land been offered to the Palestinians in exchange for peace?

Yes, many times. The Palestinians have rejected every peace plan offered, choosing instead to pursue terrorism against innocent victims and call for the destruction of Israel. The Palestinians rejected: (1) the United Nations partition plan in 1947, (2) the U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194 land plan proposal in 1949, (3) the U.N. Security

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Council Resolution 242 land plan proposal in 1967, (4) the Menachem Begin/Anwar Sadat peace proposal in 1978, (5) the Yitzhak Rabin/King Hussein peace proposal in 1994, (6) the Ehud Barak/ Bill Clinton peace proposal in 2000, (7) the Ehud Olmert/George W. Bush peace proposal in 2008, (8) the John Kerry “contour for peace” plan in 2014 and (9) the invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump to join the Abraham Accords in 2019. Each of these plans would have created two states, one for Jews and one for Arabs.

What is the closest the Israelis and Palestinians have come to peace?

Many were optimistic the parties would follow a roadmap to peace outlined in the Oslo Accord signed by then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and international terrorist Yasser Arafat at the White House in 1993. Unfortunately, the Palestinians later rejected the roadmap and sent waves of suicide bombers into Israel.

In July 2000, then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered Arafat a peace plan in exchange for the end of his reign of terror. Arafat rejected

the proposal and refused to offer any counterproposal.

Rather, the Palestinians began a new wave of terror resulting in the murder of more innocent Israelis.

The same narrative played out in 2008, when then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered Arafat’s successor, Mahmoud Abbas, another broad peace proposal. Once again, the Palestinians rejected it and refused to discuss any concessions. More recently, the Barrack Obama and Trump administrations hoped to restart peace negotiations, but the Palestinians refused.

The lack of peace cannot be blamed on the lack of effort or interest by the Israelis.

Rather, the lack of peace is a direct result of Palestinian leaders showing no desire for it.

Does Israel “occupy” Gaza?

Following the Israeli withdrawal nearly 20 years ago, the Palestinians in Gaza have ruled themselves. No, Israel does not occupy Gaza. For those who aren’t familiar with the Gaza Strip, it is a small territory along the Mediterranean Sea, which previously included numerous Israeli villages. In 2005, then Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pursued a dif-

ferent approach to the peace process. Since the Palestinians still refused to come to the negotiating table, he required the unilateral evacuation of all Israelis from the Gaza Strip, so the Palestinians could control their own destiny there. Unfortunately, the people of Gaza elected Hamas, which the United States has recognized as a terrorist organization for 25 years. Because Hamas has regularly launched terrorist attacks from Gaza, including the horrific attacks on October 7, Israel has maintained heightened security along the Gaza border.

What is the role of the United Nations?

The U.N. has created more problems than solutions.

First, the U.N. is inherently biased against Israel.

The U.N. General Assembly approved 15 anti-Israel resolutions in 2022, versus 13 resolutions criticizing all other countries. Russia was the focus of six resolutions condemning its invasion of Ukraine. North Korea, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Iran, and the United States were hit with one resolution each. Since 2015, the General Federation Q&A Continues on page 7

This year, we will continue to reach out to those in need, find innovative ways to engage with our community and make sure GOOD grows at home, in Israel and around the world.

Because of your generosity GOOD continues to grow throughout our community.

For almost 70 years, Federation has been HERE FOR GOOD. And with your help, we’re not going anywhere.

Help us be #HEREFORGOOD Give your gift now. Visit

jewishlehighvalley.org/donate or scan the QR code.

FEDERATION IS HERE FOR GOOD. 6 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

WE HAVE BEEN FOR ALMOST 70 YEARS.

AND WE WILL BE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

Federation Q&A Continued from page 6

Assembly has adopted 140 resolutions criticizing Israel, mainly over its treatment of the Palestinians, its relationships with neighboring countries, and other alleged wrongdoings. Over the same period, it has passed 68 resolutions against all other countries.

Similarly, the U.N. Human Rights Council, which is charged with the mission of upholding human rights around the globe, has demonstrated significant bias against Israel. Despite including countries with problematic human rights behaviors as members, such as Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, China, Cuba, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela, the council passed more than 70 resolutions critical of Israel since 2006. During the same period, the council passed only seven resolutions critical of Iran. Israel’s human rights record is the only countryspecific standing-agenda item for the council and is discussed at every meeting.

What is UNWRA? The U.N. established the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in 1949 to aid the more than 700,000 Palestin-

Israel and the United States.

conflict. They compartmentalize people as “oppressors” What is the “Pay for Slay” and “oppressed.” Because Isprogram? rael has a strong military, and The Palestinian Authority since the Palestinian people ian refugees who fled their and Hamas pay families of are considered refugees by homes at the behest of Arab terrorists who murder inthe U.N., Israel is viewed as neighbors in advance of the nocent Israelis. Palestinian an “oppressor” by many on Israeli War of Independence.

Authority President Mahcampuses.

UNRWA is charged with moud Abbas and members of This characterization is using funds to implement patently untrue. If one conreforms and provide humani- his government defend these siders the entirety of the tarian aid to PalestinMiddle East, it is easy to ians. The United States see Israel surrounded by is the largest donor to “If the Arabs put down their Arab countries, most of UNWRA, contributweapons today, there would be which support the Palesing $344 million in no more violence. If the Jews put tinian people and oppose 2022. Unfortunately, down their weapons today, there Israel’s existence. Israel UNWRA has allowed would be no more Israel.” does not “occupy” Gaza, terrorist organizations but rather establishes a to use its facilities.

— Golda Meir z”l strong border to prevent UNWRA funds educaterror attacks by Hamas. tional materials used The Jewish people are by the Palestinians that payments, which currently not colonists who stole land include antisemitism and ininclude a $1,511 “success” from the Palestinians, but sight violence. UNRWA ambonus and a $353 monthly instead have lived there since bulances are used by Hamas stipend in perpetuity. In 2018, biblical times. Unfortunately, gunmen, and UNWRA Congress passed the Taylor many faculty and students employs Hamas members on Force Act, which reduced disregard these facts and its vast staff. Aid intended to economic aid to the Palestininstead support the view that assist the Palestinian people ian Authority until it ends the Israel is oppressing a weaker is routinely used to support terrorism in various ways, in- payment policy. Taylor Force, neighboring people. a 28-year-old U.S. Army It is truly upsetting when cluding the creation of terror veteran, was touring Israel in other minority groups on tunnels built to allow Hamas campus support Hamas and operatives to carry out terror- 2016 when he was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist. its terroristic activities. For istic attacks within Israel. example, if members of the Why is there so much hatred LGBTQ+ community attemptWho else funds Hamas? toward Israel on college cam- ed to live in Gaza, Hamas The Palestinian Authority, puses? would murder them. By comthe body that governs PalCertainly, antisemitism plays parison, Israel totally accepts estinians in the West Bank, a large role. In addition, and supports members of the provides funds to Hamas.

LGBTQ+ community.

The largest sponsor of Hamas many faculty and students view the world in black or is Iran. Iran and Hamas are white and refuse to acknowlDoes the Israel Defense longtime allies, with a shared Forces kill civilians indisgoal of destroying the State of edge the complexities of the

criminately?

Of course not. The IDF is the most precise military in the world, and it is more cautious about its targets than any other military in modern times. The IDF warns civilians before bombing in populated areas. It reviews each tactic available before proceeding. IDF soldiers who use excessive force are arrested and jailed. Compare that approach with Hamas, which hides weapons in schools and hospitals, routinely uses human shields to protect its terrorists, takes civilians as hostages, rapes women and beheads women and children.

Does Israel still want peace?

Of course. However, it is unlikely any time soon. As the late Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir famously noted, “If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel.” Israeli leaders yearn for a time when Palestinians and Israelis can live adjacent as peaceful neighbors. Palestinian leaders yearn for a future without Israel.

So, when will there be peace in Gaza?

As soon as the Palestinians want peace, rather than the destruction of the State of Israel and the Jewish people, there will be peace in Gaza.

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www.jewishlehighvalley.org/donate HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 7

YOAV CALLING!

Surely October 7 was science fiction

By Nurit Galon Partnership2Gether

Surely the following story is science fiction.

Surely it’s all lies made up by the Israelis.

Surely the Nazi era is long past.

Surely the kibbutzim and moshavim bordering the Gaza Strip have lived so long with the threat from bordering Arab extremist groups, and look how well they handle all the crises.

Surely the inhabitants of these communities are sleeping peacefully in their beds, enjoying the early hours of Shabbat.

No. There is no surely.

Never again.

families lived where, how many members in each family. This was a ramCelebrating page with only one aim: kill, rape, kidnap and torSaturday, October 7, 6 a.m. ture, from newborn babies Such loud bangs and to Holocaust survivors in booms! Who on earth is their 90s. making so much noise And the photos and this early on Shabbat, we videos. Whole families, think, irritated. And then loaded onto tractors and out of nowhere come the Jeeps and dragged off to alerts and warning sirens.

Gaza. Mothers holding baNot possible, we tell each bies, toddlers completely other. After all, we are not bewildered. near the Gaza Strip (as Finally, our soldiers arthough that would make it rived and slowly the unbeall right.) lievable became believable.

Thus began the ongoBodies all over, homes on ing nightmare. Much has fire and, at the same time, been written about what the questions. Could it be happened to the people possible that after the Yom and their homes — the Kippur War 50 years ago senseless and well-planned that once again we were murders of the settlers of taken by surprise? And all ages by the Hamas who at a huge price. Some 300 crossed the border with young people at a music detailed plans of which festival in the area were

IN HONOR WENDY AND ROSS BORN In honor of your granddaughter Lilah’s Bat Mitzvah Enid and Alan Tope BETH AND SCOTT DELIN In celebration of your son’s marriage Carol and Stewart Furmansky RONI AND TOM ENGLERT In celebration of your grandson Jackson’s Bar Mitzvah Diane and Gary Miller AMY GOLDING In honor of your new job at United Way Sheila Berg CAROLE LANGSAM In celebration of your Special Birthday Roberta and Jeff Epstein NATE SCHIFF In celebration of your Special Birthday Carole and Michael Langsam

shot down like animals, with few managing to escape.

Today Israel is a country in mourning for all our killed and wounded, kidnapped and missing. We fear for the missing and kidnapped, and our hearts go out to the members of their families who wait in a permanent state of dread and hope. How do you sleep at all?

We are immensely proud of our soldiers, men and women who daily are raising our morale, even though they are aware of the hard days in front of us. We will demand, when all this is hopefully over, that those responsible for our unreadiness will be called on to pay the price.

Above all, we desperately need the support of the world, which for the first

days was sympathetic but already is demonstrating against us. And we pray for the safety of Jewish communities around the world.

President Joe Biden’s speeches and visit were amazing and so supportive, exactly when they were needed. In our eyes it took courage for the president to come to a war zone and to speak out in our support. He also took the time to meet with each of the families of our kidnapped.

We are so lucky that we have our Lehigh Valley Jewish community behind us. We thank you for your support and want you to take care of yourselves.

Together we shall succeed.

AUDREY SOSIS In celebration of your Special Birthday Lota and Robert Post ARLENE AND DICK STEIN In celebration of your Special Birthdays Roberta and Jeff Epstein

Rachel, Howie, Penny and Micah Levin Randi and Donald Senderowitz Tama and Frank Tamarkin & Family Vicki Wax BENJAMIN WEINBERGER (Father of Elizabeth Levy, Julie Hettleman and Joseph Weinberger) The Bass Family Roni and Tom Englert Sally Kramer Media Works Randi and Donald Senderowitz Allison Winikoff Ziefert

IN MEMORY JULIE DWECK (Wife of Shep Dweck) Lenny Abrams, Beth and Cathy Randi and Donald Senderowitz EVA LEVITT (Mother of Marc Levitt) Jennifer Zulanch Oppenheimer BURTON (BURT) SCHLOSSBERG (Father of Michael Schlossberg) Wendy and Ross Born Richard S. Edley, PhD and the RCPA Staff Emily and Brian Ford Audrey Franko Suzanne Lapiduss

HELEN AND SOL KRAWITZ HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL FUND IN MEMORY ONNIE DEUTSCH (Mother of David Deutsch, Marci Hochner and Andrea Nof) Joan Lesavoy

We gratefully acknowledge those individuals who have offered expressions of friendship through recent gifts to the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation. The minimum contribution for an Endowment Card is $10. Call 610-821-5500 or visit jewishlehighvalley.org to place your card requests. Thank you for your continued support.

Dignity Grows Packing Party Sponsored by the Maimonides Society of the Jewish Federation of the

Thursday, November 2, 2023 6:30 PM at the JCC Dignity GrowsTM was founded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford’s Women’s Philanthropy.

You can Register Here!

8 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Personal reports from our friends in Israel The following members of the Lehigh Valley Jewish community and family; former community shlichim (Israeli liaisons); Israelis in the Valley’s Partnership2Gether region, Yoav; and other friends sent us these personal reports from Israel since the Hamas attacks of October 7.

JCC staff helped in collecting the reports.

COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FAMILY

What is hard to explain, though, is that the Jewish people have one soul. While I am worried about my son, personal friends and family in Israel, every child that is murdered is also my child.

Every Holocaust survivor taken hostage is my grandmother. Our anxiety and despair is not just for the people we’ve met, but for every Jew who is harmed. We weep with every mother that weeps and every child that calls fruitlessly for his mother.

Harry Fisher (left) with his wife, Amy, and son, Nathan.

Sam Iorio is greeted by his mom, Donna, on his return home.

Sam Iorio Iorio moved to Israel recently after signing his first professional basketball contract with Hapoel Altshuler Shaham Beer Sheva. Hamas invaded Israel the day before his first game. He was successfully evacuated back to the United States later that week.

I am happy to be home and I felt the support of our Lehigh Valley community immediately. It will take some time to understand all that I have witnessed. Hamas is pure evil that does not care about humanity. I pray for my brothers and sisters in Israel.

Debbie Derby Derby is the daughter of Ruth Derby. Her son and Ruth’s grandson Matan lives in Israel.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out, Jews and non-Jews, to offer their support and ask how Matan is doing. It means so much, coming from a family where my great-grandparents, many great-aunts and –uncles, and second cousins were murdered by Nazis.

Harry Fisher Fisher was in Bet Shemesh, 30 miles from Gaza, visiting his daughter on October 7.

Sunday, October 15 I’m truly flattered to hear from so many friends. It has been excruciating to find a way out of this nightmare. I feel like I have been living a made-for-TV movie. But this time, it’s for real. All of El Al’s U.S.-bound flights have been sold out for weeks, and a large number of European carriers are canceling their departures. The State Department is evacuating U.S. citizens by sea and plane.

Air Force planes and personnel are frantically rescuing foreign citizens. Thankfully, my wife and I found a pricey exit to Rome, where roughly 3,000 Israelis have already fled, some with just the shirts on their backs.

Thanks to the resourcefulness and friendship of former newsroom colleague Jeanne Bonner, I am receiving incredible logistical help from a number Jewish and nonJewish Romans. I’ll breathe much easier once the plane hits the runway.

As fate would have it, Monday is the 80th anniversary of the deportation

of the Roman Jews from the ghetto. The raid occurred in the ghetto district at dawn on October 16, 1943. Two days later, 1,022 Roman Jews (including 200 children) were sent to Auschwitz. Only 16 made it back to Rome alive: 15 men and one woman, Settimia Spizzichino. Numerous commemorative events are being held this week under the guard of the Italian army, and Italian President Sergio Mattarella will lay a wreath outside the historic Great Synagogue.

Here in Israel, Hezbollah and Iran are threatening to ignite World War III. While diplomats from around the globe intensely work to spare the region from imploding, American and Israeli military strategists are plotting their next moves in case Iran or Hezbollah horrifically elevates this war to the point of no return. We can only pray that diplomacy will prevail.

But Israel will not sit idle any longer while civilians are routinely attacked from thousands of rockets.

Thankfully, we did not hear sirens in Bet Shemesh this entire past Shabbat. But my nerves and mental state were on high alert, so it was almost impossible to focus on prayer while attack fighter planes roared overhead. The only other time in my life I came close to this degree of terror was in February 1971, when the Sylmar earthquake devastated Los Angeles.

For years, I worried what I would do if I was ever in an earthquake again, with my own children. I even dreamed about it. Ironically, it happened. Unbelievably, I was in the same bedroom when the Northridge quake rocked Southern California in 1994.

After living in Allentown for 10 years, we were all thrust out of bed while visiting my parents in North Hollywood.

We were all trembling as aftershocks continued for hours.

In recent years, I haven’t worried about earthquakes.

But I have worried a great deal about being present dur-

ing hostilities in Israel, where I have been frequently in the last 15 years. Over those years I’ve frequently been asked by friends and Lehigh Valley acquaintances whether I felt safe in Israel. Categorically, my answer always was: I always feel safer walking Israel streets at night than many neighborhoods in Allentown. Furthermore, the worst antisemitic event in American Jewish history was the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue massacre in 2018 while I was sitting comfortably in a Tel Aviv apartment.

So how do I feel now?

To be sure, no one wants or can afford to live in terror.

No innocent civilians should ever be hurt or killed in any kind of conflict. This is not Israel’s plan or wish. But for those persons who feel Israel should not seek to destroy an evil group of terrorists committed to this tiny country’s extinction, I ask you, if you were the prime minister of this tiny little country, what would you do? My prayer is that no innocent souls will be harmed. I fully respect the right of anyone to practice their faith. I enjoy and respect citizens from every culture.

But make no mistake about it, this conflict is not about land.

It is about Jewish hate.

If the current State of Israel was not the world’s

only Jewish nation, there would be no bombs or wars.

There would be no atrocities such as the horrific slaughtering of women, children and elderly. Sadly, antisemitism is raging worldwide. The Jews, once again, are being blamed for all the world’s ills. Yet, tiny Israel (roughly 2% of the Middle East’s land mass) is being threatened again.

Never again?

COMMUNITY SHLICHIM

Rotem Bar Bar was shlicha in 2018-20.

I wish I could be more optimistic, but I am not.

These are the darkest and hardest days we’ve known. I am not OK and I don’t think that there is one person here who is. It’s terrifying to think Reports from Israel Continues on page 10

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 9

Reports from Israel Continued from page 9

how fragile life is and what cruelty we are facing. Every phone call and name that is published is terrifying. Sleeping is terrifying. Leaving the house is terrifying.

Physically I am safe and am doing what I can to help, but I am one of the lucky ones. I was not injured and none of my family members have been injured. Very, very lucky, and I understand that.

We are all near safe rooms and taking safety measures.

My brother was called up for reserve duty and has been near the northern border (with Lebanon) since Sunday.

Other family members, good friends and coworkers are also placed on the borders all around the country, and we are praying for their safe return.

On a better note, the Israeli people are united like nothing I’ve ever seen and ready to fight back and do anything we can to fight this! People here are really heroes and it’s heartwarming to see the people unite after months of polarization. This unity and commitment of the people is the light in this darkness.

Meidan Keidar Keidar was shlicha in 2011-13.

My family, my country and I are seeing the worst violence we have ever experienced living in Israel. Palestinian terrorists are murdering, raping and abducting our people. I am sitting here, terrified, thanking God it wasn’t me, but knowing all too well it could have been.

They abducted babies!

Who abducts a 6-month-old baby? Who rapes, murders and then publicly displays naked raped bodies as a token of victory? Who murders 85 year old grandparents in cold blood? Monsters.

Think about going to Coachella and having it interrupted by gunmen killing hundreds, capturing others

and forcing you to flee for your life. Think about terrorists breaking into your house, pulling your children from their beds and stealing them away to a foreign country.

Think about seeing a video of your best friend, begging for her life, as she is forcibly carried into a terrorist’s house.

This is madness. This is terror. These are our lives.

So no, I don’t want to hear how you are looking for peace, how you understand “both sides.” It’s like saying that you want peace with Osama Bin Laden while the Twin Towers are falling, like you understand the Boston Marathon bomber. There are not two sides to this war.

There is nothing that justifies these terrorists’ wanton disregard for human life. Our lives. We are real! This is happening and you cannot look away or hide under the cover of moral equivalency. You must stare evil directly in the face and have the courage to say, “No, this is wrong, and we will not abide it!”

I have two 6-month-old twin boys and a 3-year-old girl. We are just lucky this happened in Gaza and not Southern Lebanon. This could have been us. It could have been anybody.

Don’t let them win. Embrace us. Love us. Let them know their crimes will not be tolerated.

OUR PARTNERS IN YOAV

Hezy Reuven Reuven, a member of the Partnership2Gether committee, visited Allentown last year.

I am serving in reserve duty in these difficult days for us as a country, doing everything possible to try to create logic in the madness.

The intention is that after the war we will live in a peaceful

10 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

and reasonable community, but right now we must explain to Hamas who is strong and who will win. I have no doubt that we will win, despite the painful price that the people of Israel have paid and are paying.

Thank you again for the support and concern. We hope to meet again soon and return to the routine of friendship and happiness.

Tali Halyoun Halyoun was part of a delegation visiting the Lehigh Valley in 2020.

The situation in Israel is not pleasant at all. Everyone is sad and angry. We would like to see Hamas wiped off the face of the earth. Crying a lot when hearing the testimonies of the survivors. Collecting a lot of equipment for the soldiers in the field. Today we started thinking about respite activities for the children at home. Poor people all day on screens. It’s not fun.

Nevertheless, we will remain encouraged and hold out for the privilege of seeing the Israel Defense Forces defeat Hamas. I’m glued to the TV most of the day, and the rest of the time I’m in the kitchen baking or cooking.

Full of cakes and cookies.

Our son Ido is in the army, and he is in Hevron (a city in the West Bank), not in the south. Jacob is in command of the emergency center where all the bodies and the dead are concentrated. He returns every day late at night. And his experience is really difficult. All the families who are looking for their loved ones come there to look for them. Alon goes on police duty and his wife stays with my sweet grandson at home.

Our daughter Rotem goes

to work in the kibbutz and comes back to sleep at home with us. The girls are also a host family for them, as the boarding school is closed and not ready to receive them. So they are at home with me.

Not boring here at all.

We love you very much and I hope peace will return to us soon.

Right now I am in a kibbutz far away from the fighting. I am trying to help out wherever I can. In lots of places the workers have been called up to the military (for reserve duty) and they need volunteers.

I thank the Lehigh Valley community for their support.

A big hug to everyone.

Noam Crème Crème was summer shaliach in 2021.

I am all good right now.

Thank you for reaching out and for your support. It gives us a lot of strength to hear from you and from everyone.

Last Saturday morning, I was called up for reserve duty to the army in an area next to Gaza. All is fine right now.

We will get through this!

Shmulik Gutman Gutman is the head of security for Kibbutz Beit Nir. Thank you very much for the support. I really appreciate and thank you for your concern. I am in the army service to guard the kibbutz along with several other members of the community.

It’s very tense, but many people are helping one another to get through these terrible days. Instead of spending time with our amazing child who survived cancer, we are forced to face the war.

CAMP JCC ALUMNI

Shani Kalmanovich Kalmanovich was an Israeli teen and summer shlicha in 2018, 2022 and 2023.

Thank you for your warm words of support. My family and I are in a safe place. It’s hard to describe the feelings we are having these days.

Noa Kafri Kafri was an Israeli teen in 2023.

My 9-year-old brother Nir and I have been having a continuous sleepover at the bomb shelter in my house.

Most of my cousins have been sent to fight. Thankfully they’re all safe.

I’ve been trying to keep my mind off everything. I deleted most of my social media, and I mostly read and play board games with my brothers and friends. Today I felt a bit homesick, which is weird to say because I’m home, but I’ve been missing the Lehigh Valley more and more. I even wore my camp shirt today.

All in all, my family and I are safe, and I’m so thankful for all the love I’ve been getting from everyone back in Allentown.

Reports from Israel Continues on page 11

Reports from Israel Continued from page 10

Ori Shoshan Shoshan was an Israeli teen in 2023.

My brother, sister, dog and I have been together all day long for almost a week.

The situation in Israel isn’t easy for anyone (except my dog, who thinks that sitting in the bomb shelter is a good time to play with everyone).

All of my family is at home and I’m so thankful that everyone is safe. For now, I’m trying to stay away from the news and do some volunteer work in my community with our little kids and helping to organize donations for the army.

I’m so thankful for you all in Lehigh Valley and miss you all so much.

Yogev Gordon (rear) and Ori Mayan (left) with their host family parents, Matt and Tracy Sussman.

Yogev Gordon Gordon was an Israeli teen in 2019.

October 10 This is not my usual kind of email, but then, these are not our usual times.

First I want to thank all of you for your concern and messages of support, which are very important and encouraging to us. I am sure you receive ongoing information from the media, but I would like to share with you the last few days since the war started.

Last Saturday at 6:20 a.m. in Galon we were awakened with the warning alert. My friend Vered was staying with me and she asked what is happening. As I have no safe room, so we went into

our walk-in cupboard and waited for the all clear.

And then we began to get phone calls both from people in the kibbutz and friends and family, all of whom were stunned at this surprise attack and how it could have been a surprise. As the day wore on, we were all glued to the TV, which did a remarkable job of informing. Slowly the picture became clear. Hundreds of Hamas terrorists broke through the security fence dividing the Gaza Strip and our border kibbutzim, and began killing and slaughtering and kidnapping, including babies and grandparents, wiping out whole families and razing kibbutzim to the ground.

It was virtually a pogrom, and in the next two days, the Hamas attackers were largely wiped out, though there are still some suspected to be roaming the country.

The casualties are enormous, and once again there is TV coverage of the almost daily funerals.

So we continue to listen for warning alerts, run to the safe rooms and shelters, and pray that this vicious war will end. At some point after this happens, there will be many enquiries, and hopefully those responsible will be punished.

With the family, apart from the worry and fear involved with running in and out of the safe rooms, all is well, though in Israel everyone knows everyone, and as the lists of dead are published, every day is filled with sorrow. As is usual in times of stress and danger to the country, Israelis put aside their differences and work together, volunteering wherever necessary, sparing no effort to help those in need. To a certain extent, a certain normality can be felt — shops opening, transport starting up. But schools are still closed, universities too, and at this point it’s not too clear when they will reopen.

President Joe Biden’s speech was like a shot of adrenalin, and the support of the Jewish communities around the world, while not surprising, is very, very welcome.

I can’t share with you so

much information about our status and my position (in the army) because it is classified.

The Hamas attack was horrible. Both Ori (fellow 2019 Israeli teen Ori Mayan) and I have been called up by the army to fight. Hamas is brutal and inhuman. Our families are safe, and we are going in and out from the fighting zone. There is nothing we need right now, but we appreciate your support. We hope to see our friends in the Lehigh Valley again soon.

Ori Mayan Mayan was an Israeli teen in 2019.

We are doing good. We keep fighting and defending the citizens of Israel. Unfortunately, I cannot send a current picture or video for information security reasons.

Thank you very much for your support and worry.

AND ONE MORE FRIEND

Arad Rodrigues (right) with Gavriel Siman-Tov (left) and Jared Sussman (front center) in the Lehigh Valley.

Arad Rodrigues Rodrigues spent six weeks in the Lehigh Valley as a friend of 2020-22 community shaliach Gavriel Siman-Tov. First things first: I am fine and safe. Second, thank you for thinking of me and sending your support and the positive energy you always have.

Unfortunately, a close friend of mine and his significant other were among the victims of the terrorist attack on the music festival, so I am still processing everything.

The most bizarre thing about the situation, in my opinion, is that families and friends of missing persons are hoping their loved ones have been taken hostage, as the other option is way worse. Other than that, given that I am close to Tel Aviv in the central district, it is quieter than in the south, so we try to stay strong and keep “business as usual” between the alerts as much as we can.

JFS offers counseling The devastation unfolding in Israel has filled us all with sadness and compassion for the innocent victims. Many in the community have personal connections to family and friends who are visiting or living in Israel during this unimaginable time.

Feelings of fear and helplessness are natural under such horrific circumstances. JFS professional staff and resources are here for the community. While JFS cannot eliminate all pain and worry, we can provide support.

• JFS offers supportive open spaces to allow individuals and families to share their feelings and fears with trauma-informed clinicians. You are not alone.

• JFS suggests setting boundaries to avoid media overload. Setting time limits for reading and

watching the news is recommended.

• JFS can provide tools on how to speak with children who are struggling.

• JFS can locate Hebrewspeaking therapists to support Israelis through the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies.

There is so much to take in and sometimes it helps to not process it alone. This is a time when as a community, we must embrace one another and find the strength to cope.

We join Jewish communities around the world in standing in solidarity with the people of Israel.

For more information or to schedule an individual appointment, contact Debbie Zoller at 610-821-8722 or info@jfslv.org.

JCC collecting stories and messages The JCC invites you to visit the lobby at the Hammel Campus to reflect on the current situation in Israel.

Please share your messages and pictures for people you know in Israel. You may also submit your stories, messages and videos electronically at https://form.jotform.com/ JCCLV/israel-communitycheck-in or scan the QR code to the right.

SECURITY TOWN HALL MEETING MEETING Tuesday, November 7 • 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Temple Beth El

Join us for a Security Town Hall meeting with Tim Brooks, our Regional Security Advisor from the Secure Community Network. Learn about his new role and ask any questions you might have.

Registration is required.

Scan the QR code or visit jewishlehighvalley.org/calendar or call 610.821.5500

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 11

Israel crisis proves Federations vital, expert says

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

Five days after Hamas attacked Israel was both a terrible time and a perfect time for the top donors of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley to come together for the Major Gifts Dinner to kick off the 2024 Campaign for Jewish Needs.

“This was a sad week,” said veteran political journalist Jonathan Tobin, guest speaker for the event, “maybe the saddest of our lives.”

In one sense, that made it a good time for community members to gather, sit down and talk, and share a meal. As Robby Wax, Federation board president, said, “The pain that we’re suffering is too much to bear individually.”

It also was a good time for the donors to hear an expert speak about Israel and about the critical importance of Jewish Federations leading the response of American Jews to the crisis there.

Tobin, a longtime reporter and founder and editor in chief of the U.S.-

based news service the Jewish News Syndicate, told the audience about how talk among American Jews after the attacks focused on whether their younger generations could respond to an embattled Israel as their elders had to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Jewish Federations have been considered “oldfashioned” for some time, Tobin said. Even Wax admitted that in his younger days, he wondered, “What do we need the Federation for?”

Tobin explained that Jewish America isn’t what it used to be. “We are more diverse and we are less religious,” he said. A lot of Jews don’t feel a kinship with Jewish institutions.

“Most importantly,” he continued, “they lack a sense of ‘Jewish peoplehood.’”

Yet here were American Jews of all ages and backgrounds wondering how to respond to the current situation. Jews who do not personally remember the Holocaust, who do not personally remember

the bygone wars, who do not know what it’s like to live in a world without a Jewish state were suddenly shaken from their ignorance of the past.

“I have to believe that there are a lot of people who just bumped into history,” Tobin said. “The vacation from history is officially over.”

He said that Federations need to lead the way in this crisis, as they have done many times in the past.

“If Federations had gone away,” he said, “then tonight we would be meeting to reinvent Federations.”

And it’s not just about fundraising, he said. “It’s about building a community again. We need community more than at any time in our adult lifetimes.”

Some donors asked him what was the goal in Hamas attacking Israel on October 7, and what happens next? His immediate answer was short and simple: “It wants to destroy Israel and it wants to kill Jews.”

He also offered something a little more nuanced, after pointing out that President Joe Biden’s state-

ments have been “pitch perfect” so far. “They believe this is politically good for them among Palestinians,” Tobin said.

“They believe that at some point, Biden will tell Benjamin Netanyahu to stop.

It’s up to Jewish Democrats to speak up. They have influence in this White House, unlike, say, Jonathan Tobin, editor-in-chief of the past White House.”

JNS.org. their own contributions to The military effort the 2024 campaign. A comagainst Hamas must mon theme among their continue until the job is pledges was to increase the finished, Tobin told the amount of their 2023 donadonors. “The only way tion, while giving a similar it ends is for them to be defeated and for them to be amount to the Federation’s Emergency Fund for Operseen as defeated,” he said.

“My dad was in the 8th Air ation Sword of Iron, started Force. He bombed German to help Israeli families affected by the current crisis. cities to rubble. The only Donors pointed out that way Germany became a while the emergency fund sane nation is because the fills new urgent needs, the Nazis were defeated.” needs met by the annual After Tobin finished campaign remain as essenanswering questions, Wax concluded, “Talk about the tial as ever.

The night’s final words right speaker at the right came from Vicki Wax, cotime.” chair of the 2024 campaign: The last part of the eve“When this is over and ning’s program was major Israel wins, and we know donors standing up to talk they will, we are all going about the Federation and to Israel!” their personal reasons for donating to it, about Israel and to offer pledges for

610-882-8800 embassybank.com

12 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Scenes from the Major Gifts Dinner

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 13

WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY

‘We all know we’re targeted,’ author tells Lions, Poms

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

It was a sobering coincidence that just two days before Hamas terrorists attacked civilians in Israel, author Liza Wiemer stood before the Lions and Pomegranates of the Jewish Federation at the Fischmann residence to talk about antisemitism and the potential consequences of letting it go unchecked.

Her presentation focused on her 2017 novel “The Assignment,” which is based on a real-life antisemitic incident in Upstate New York. A high school teacher there gave his students homework to put themselves in the role of a Nazi at the top-secret Wann-

see Conference in January 1942 to discuss the Final Solution. “What the students were asked to do was to pretend to be one of 15 Nazi leaders and support either exterminating Jews, or work camps, ghettos and sterilization,” Wiemer told the October 5 Lion of Judah and Pomegranate gathering to launch the Federation’s 2024 Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs.

“Four out of five Jews who were murdered by Nazis were murdered after that meeting,” she told the group.

“Maybe it’s not such a good idea to pretend that we’re Nazis.”

That happened to be precisely the thinking of the fictional students on whom

14 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

the novel’s two protagonists are based. The assignment they received had been given to classes for five years, yet these two teens were the first to protest — and then to experience a backlash to their protest from fellow students, administration and members of the school community. The actions read like something out of Nazi Germany.

Wiemer almost literally stumbled onto the Oswego story that she developed into the novel. Invited to the town in 2017 to talk at a bookstore about a previous work of hers, she met Jordan, the inspiration for one of novel’s protagonists, and heard the full story about the assignment. Wiemer later wrote an

article on the incident that Jewish newspapers across the country picked up. Her friend told her, “You were born to write the book.”

While visiting Oswego, Wiemer went to a museum devoted to making people aware of the mostly Jewish refugees who fled Europe to come to the United States during World War II. There were 982 of them, 982 out of 3,000 who tried to board the ship to cross the Atlantic. The U.S. Army barracks in Oswego was their destination — the only place in America that accepted European refugees.

Being permitted to stay in the States was about the only way the refugees were treated well. Enemy prisoners of war,

meanwhile, 425,000 of them, lived in welcoming conditions all over the country. “All of those POWs had incredible freedom in comparison to the refugees, who were kept in this army barracks,” Wiemer said, naming just one of the mistreatments they experienced. “They were kept behind barbed-wire fences.”

Is it possible that antisemitism didn’t play a role in this treatment? And just how prevalent is antisemitism today? As the recent Blue Square campaign to make people more aware of antisemitism made clear, although Jews make up only about 2% percent of the U.S. Lions and Poms Continues on page 15

Lions and Poms Continued from page 14

population, they are the victims of a majority of all religious hate crimes.

“We all know we’re targeted,” Wiemer said. But we don’t all know just how much. “The numbers are staggering, but they do not at all convey the reality,” she explained. So many hate crimes go unreported.

At the root of the problem is that so many people accept lies and hateful beliefs that they’re exposed to. “Eightyfive percent of Americans surveyed believe at least one Jewish trope,” she said. She offered the example “Jew them down” as a common expression for haggling for a lower price. This plays into

the antisemitic trope of Jews being fixated on money.

Spreading tropes like this, conspiracy theories and other twisted thinking is as easy these days as talking into a cell phone and pushing a button. A social media platform’s algorithms can then help a post reach an audience of thousands. “Lies spread six times faster than the truth,” Wiemer pointed out.

She warned the Lions and Poms to pay attention to what their children and grandchil-

dren are up to online. “We’re seeing memes and TikTok videos that are racist and antisemitic,” she said. And kids are not hitting the report button to alert the platforms to investigate. “They’re so desensitized to this.”

Jeri Zimmerman, the Federation’s executive director and a Lion of Judah, wrapped up the night with a personal anecdote of children and antisemitism. Kids are impressionable regarding what they see in the real and online

Mitzvah project beautifies JCC entrance

world. But people they love and respect make impressions on them too.

She talked of overhearing her 8-year-old grandson tell a friend that grandparents will buy you “anything you want.” But his grandparents won’t get him a pair of Kanye “Ye” West’s Yeezy Foam Runner shoes. “‘They won’t buy those because they’re by Ye, and he hates Jews,’” Jeri said he told the friend. “That’s what he heard from me.”

By Charlene Riegger Director of Marketing A dozen members of the Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy, including board president Laurie Wax, came to the JCC on Thursday, October 19, for a mitzvah project called Mums and Muffins.

Project cochairs Miriam Zager, Gia Jones, Fay Kun and Ilene Ringold rallied the women to beautify the JCC by planting mums on either side of the front stairs.

Before the planting, Zager addressed the group, saying that while the war in Israel is of course top of mind for everyone and donating to the emergency campaign is important, local mitzvah projects help those who need it and bring people together during this difficult time.

She ended the meeting portion of the event with the prayer for the State of Israel.

Then, the women set to work digging up the weeds and dead plants by the JCC stairs and planted more than a dozen mums and a few decorative kale plants.

The results look fantastic!

WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY

SAVE THE DATE!

h a k u n a Ch ! y t r Pa at the JCC

Tuesday December 5th, 2023 6:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.

Registration is Required

SEE YOU THERE! jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/hanukkah-party-2023 HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 15

'War kitchen' turns out 2,000 meals a day for Israelis Israel21c

Lilienblum Street, in the heart of Tel Aviv, is eerily quiet for a Friday morning. Most stores are closed and there’s little movement of cars or people.

Yet a flurry of activity can be seen through the large glass windows of the Asif Culinary Institute, a foodie magnet for gallery talks, exhibitions, artisanal deli items and its restaurant, which often hosts local and international chef popups.

Today, the street entrance is shut and the only culture

on display is a poster announcing a nonexistent exhibition on food advertising.

Since just over a week ago, when the country suffered what is now referred to by many as Israel’s 9/11, Asif has been transformed into a "war kitchen," producing 2,000 meals a day.

“We responded from the first day of the war as soon as we got information about the urgent need to feed soldiers, the injured in hospitals and displaced families from the south,” Gil Ackerman said between firing off instruc-

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tions to volunteers.

The owner of event catering company Gilgul Culinary Productions, Ackerman contacted Asif CEO Chico Menashe to organize the joint operation, which is part of a greater effort by dozens of Tel Aviv restaurants.

Ha’Achim, a restaurant on Ibn Gvirol Street, is the logistics hub from where all the meals get dispatched, some as far afield as Eilat.

Even the usually thorny issue of kashrut (Asif does not have kosher certification) was dealt with overnight. The Tel Aviv Rabbinate provided emergency kosher certification and a supervisor comes to Asif daily to assure kosher culinary practices are being adhered to.

What’s the drill?

At midday when ISRAEL21c visited, volunteers were hard at work around long trestle tables packing meals into containers.

Asif Chef Erez Pinchas praised them: “Regular workers usually come in around 10 minutes late. These volunteers even come a few hours early. Everyone knows someone in one way or another that has been affected by the war and they are keen to do their bit.”

Today the meal sent out will be eaten over the Sabbath. Hamin (a traditional

stew that is slow-cooked overnight and incudes meat, beans, potatoes and barley) is the primary dish.

“We make the menu choices not only for physical nourishment but also as comfort food for the soul. We know hamin gives a feeling of home,” said the chef, who ran the Aba restaurant in Cape Cod for over 20 years before coming back to Israel two years ago.

At other times choosing the menu is not that easy as raw materials are often randomly donated.

“Some days we can get 80 kilo of fish and 200 kilo of eggplant and have to plan the menu around that. Also there isn’t only one chef in the kitchen. We have a quite a number volunteering and so there is lots of debate. By 10 at night, when we see what we have for the next day, we will often rewrite the menu at least seven times.”

Another chef volunteering is Tel Avivian Tsila Sipro. She shared that despite 14 years in the restaurant business, she is here to do anything that is needed “from cooking to washing the floors.”

Sipro said she was impressed that despite having 15 chefs in the large, open Asif kitchen at times, they put their egos aside and are just “going with the flow and

making it tasty even though it may not be true to their culinary style.”

At one of the other tables, Adi Aloni, who works in marketing for a high-tech company, is dishing up chicken schnitzel, grilled eggplant and a sauce of red pepper aioli.

She admitted it’s been easier to volunteer here than stay home and think about what’s going on. “It’s almost like therapy.”

Asif, the Hebrew word for harvest, was established as a nonprofit joint venture between Tel Aviv’s Start-Up Nation Central and New York City-based Jewish Food Society.

Naama Shefi, who founded the Jewish Food Society in 2017, raised over $30,000 for the emergency Asif kitchen at a fundraiser held at Chelsea Market last week.

She said we are witnessing is an “unprecedented civic movement, both in scale and efficiency.… Left, right, secular, religious – the people are united, resilient and honestly, are nothing short of astonishing.”

Asif CEO Menashe was also proud also of the response of the nation in these trying times and said it is a true display of Am Yisrael Chai (the Nation of Israel Lives).

ISRAEL NEEDS YOU: OPERATION SWORDS OF IRON To address critical needs in Israel in support of Operation Swords of Iron, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley launched an emergency campaign, co-chaired by Israel and Valeska Zighelboim.

SCAN QR CODE OR VISIT THE LINK BELOW TO DONATE NOW! 100% of your donation will go directly to the relief efforts.

https://www.jewishlehighvalley.org/swords-of-iron 16 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

New project combats Israel hate on social media NoCamels

A new Israeli initiative is helping social media users to identify and report posts that are harmful or contain false information as well as share content in support of the country as it enters its third week of war against Hamas in Gaza.

Millions of inflammatory and antisemitic posts have been circulating on social media platforms since October 7, when Hamas terrorists killed over 1,400 people in an attack inside Israel and abducted more than 200 others into Gaza. A significant amount of that content is misinformation designed to persuade people that Israel carried out crimes it did not commit, experts say.

TrendTrack – born out of an existing program to provide social groups with public data – presents a real-time list of pro- and anti-Israel content that is trending on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. This allows users to monitor relevant posts, without forcing them to search for the content themselves.

The volunteer monitors go to the TrendTrack website and choose to view content from one of the three social media platforms. The website provides links to each relevant post and the account that posted it so that users can either like and share or report it.

The project was developed by the Bright Initiative program, which provides public bodies, nonprofit organizations and academic institutions with freely available web data to help tackle pressing social issues.

Both Bright Initiative and TrendTracks are pow-

ered by Netanya-based Bright Data, the world’s largest data collection platform, which gathers massive amounts of publicly available information from around the world.

The TrendTrack lists of posts are compiled using Bright Data’s technology, which trawls the three social media platforms for specific keywords and hashtags related to Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

Dana Mazia, general manager of the Bright Initiative, said he believes that people who use TrendTracks are crucial to helping Israel promote its message as it battles Hamas.

“We’re trying to take this data that we have to help both organizations and people like you and I play an active role in promoting Israeli advocacy during the war,” Mazia said. She said that spending just five minutes a day on the TrendTracks website can help promote Israeli advocacy and make a real difference.

And though she cannot divulge much information about the initiative’s internal analytics, Mazia said that TrendTracks already has been successful at removing harmful posts, despite being live for just a little over a week.

Over the course of a single night, she said, the platform was able to detect 80,000 inflammatory posts on Instagram alone.

Identifying and removing content on social media that is hateful or contains false information is becoming more and more crucial, Israel advocates say, especially as antisemitic hate crimes have continued to soar worldwide with the onset of the war.

In London alone, police recorded a 1,353% increase in antisemitic offenses in October compared to the same period last year. Antisemitic incidents have also been The TrendTrack website not only presents a real-time list of trending anti- and pro-Israel posts, reported but also informs users once a problematic post has been successfully removed. in Vienna, Paris, New York and bono to a number of orgameaningful contribution – Sydney, as well as other nizations, although Mazia alongside the other social Western cities. Beyond declined to divulge which. media users and impactthis, said Mazia, promotSome of these organizaful organizations who flag ing pro-Israel content on tions, she said, are using hateful and misinformed social media is as crucial this data to root out the posts about Israel and supas reporting the disinforsources of misinformation port positive content. “We mation and hate speech online, while others are believe that this is our way in order to ensure that the using it for intelligenceto help win the war,” said country maintains support gathering purposes.

Mazia. around the world.

Bright Initiative, said The war will not end in Mazia, believes that the near future, she pointTrendTracks can make a ed out, and the world’s attention will be drawn more to the plight of Palestinian civilians in Gaza as Israel continues to press Hamas in the coastal enclave. “We need to know that the world understands our situation and gives us their support to protect ourselves,” said Mazia. “For that reason we want to put the right voices out there, which means to like, comment and repost content that is supportive.”

She added that sharing and promoting pro-Israel content will also encourage the creators of the original content to continue to do so, and even spur on others who so far have been hesitant to voice support for Israel. “We need to keep the cycle going and help them to help us,” Mazia said.

The data gathered by the TrendTracks platform is also being provided pro

2023-2024 DIRECTORY

JFS @ H ME HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 17

Competition Competition Ramps Ramps UpFor ForNew NewWith JHoops JHoops Season Season ECE Celebrates RoshUp Hashanah Some Sweet Guests ByBy Heather Heather Lavin Lavin

By Jackie Weiss

Additionally, the students had the Program Program Director Director opportunity to smell a honeycomb Early Childhood & Jewish and learn how honey is made!

Education Coordinator TheThe 2023-2024 2023-2024 season season begins begins in in The honeybees collect nectar from mid-November mid-November with with practices practices andand flowering plants and bring the Our ECE students had a sweet games games starting starting in December. in December.

WeWe nectar back to the hive. Once the second week of school! For Rosh areare recruiting recruiting for for teams teams in grades in grades honeybees are back in the hive, Hashanah this year, a couple of our 1-2,1-2, grades grades 3-4,3-4, andand grades grades 5-6.5-6. the nectar is stored inside the ECE classes gathered in the gym WeWe areare always always looking looking for for coaches coaches for a special honeybee presentation empty combs made of beeswax. andand volunteers volunteers to help to help us make us make thetheThe honeybees then flap their (minus the bees). program program a success. a success.

Practices Practices taketake wings very quickly to remove the Dr. Robbie Roeshman, a master place place during during thethe week, week, with with games games beekeeper for 35 years, along with excess moisture. Afterwards, the on on Sundays Sundays both both at home at home andand away. away. honeybees make a wax to create his wife, Adrienne London, are Whether Whether they they areare newnew to the to the sport sport a seal over the honeycomb for beekeepers in the Lehigh Valley. or are or are looking looking to play to play with with friends, friends,protection. Finally, beekeepers The presentation was a fun and With With thethe opening opening of winter of winter JHoops JHoops is the is the perfect perfect opportunity opportunity harvest the honey by collecting the interactive experience with props, programs programs we we willwill alsoalso bring bring back back for for your your child child to get to get in the in the game. game. honeycomb frames and scraping off beekeeping supplies, a honeybee our our popular popular JHoops JHoops Jr. classes.

Jr. classes.

OurOur teams teams willwill once once again again be be the wax cap that seals the honey. song, and a waggle dance! The Both Both Pre-K Pre-K andand Kindergarten-aged Kindergarten-aged competing competing in the in the Rising Rising Stars Stars The frames are then placed in an students enjoyed pretending to be athletes athletes willwill have have thethe opportunity opportunity Basketball Basketball League, League, in both in both boys boys extractor to spin honey out of the bees and buzzing around the gym. to be to introduced be introduced to basketball to basketball andand andand girls girls leagues. leagues.

AllAll teams teams must must comb. After the honey is extracted, The students learned that learn basic basic skills. skills.

These These practices practices have have a required a required minimum minimum number number itlearn is strained to remove any honeybees get all their food from are are once once a week a week and and include include in- inof players of players to run. to run.

OurOur time time in the in the remaining wax or other particles. flowers and the food consists of house house recreational recreational scrimmages. scrimmages. league league for for thethe 2022-2023 2022-2023 season season After straining the honey, it is time wish all of you a happy and healthy nectar and pollen. Afterwards, the To register register or for or for more more waswas a huge a huge success, success, giving giving ourour to To bottle, label, and bring it to you! new year. If you’re looking for a students had the opportunity to information information about about JHoops JHoops visit visit teams teams opportunities opportunities to play to play (and (and How does honey connect to the sweet way to celebrate, local honey look at a container of nectar and a lvjcc.org/JHoops. lvjcc.org/JHoops. win) win) in ainleague a league thatthat fitsfits ourour High Holidays? Because eating is available all year round at the container of pollen. The students players’ players’ skills. skills.

Stay Stay tuned tuned for for ourour apples and honey is a tradition on Game Preserve Apiary, which is now know that nectar is a liquid home home game game schedule! schedule!

Rosh Hashanah, of course! We located at 4542 Game Preserve and pollen looks like dust.

Road, Schnecksville, PA 18078.

Contact Dr. Robbie Roeshman and Adrienne London at 610-360-4191 or 13beekeeper@gmail.com for more information.

Stagemakers StagemakersBrings Bringsthe theSpooky SpookyThis ThisFall Fall ByBy Heather Heather Lavin JSeals IsLavinBack, Making a Splash This November Program Program Director Director

instructed by qualified coaches.

By Jodi Lovenwirth Stagemakers Stagemakers Youth Youth Theater Theater Our participants will also get to Aquatics Director welcomes welcomes both both new new and and returning returning The Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley stands by the State of Israel. We stand by thecompete many brave who fight againstsoldiers other JCC swim performers performers to our to our stage stage as we as we teams in the Mid-Atlantic region, Every duringWe latestand fall, the for Israel’s right to exist and for the freedom of Jewish people around theyear world. by the many families whose loved present present TheThe Addams Addams Family Family Young Young including Baltimore, Harrisburg, aquatics center at the JCC comes ones were murderedare orare kidnapped, and those whose lives have been forever changed as a result of the unprovoked attacks from @ Part. @ Part.

Performances Performances Thursday, Thursday, Hill, and Delaware. These alive with smiling faces, cheering the Hamas9 terrorist organization, for the loss of livesCherry on both sides of this war.

November November at97atp.m.

7 p.m. and and Sunday, Sunday, which bears full and complete responsibility exciting competitions consist of children, and blooming friendships.

Together with Jewish members, we stand up It’s against terror, forand theaway rapidmeets, dismantling November November 12 12 at our noon at noon andand 4 p.m.

4and p.m. atnon-Jewish at home leading of swimhatred season,and featuring theand pray thethe JCC JCC ofinfrastructure the of the Lehigh Lehigh Valley.

Valley. terrorist and progress toward peace. up to the championship meet in JSeals Swim Team! This year To To joinjoin in on in on thethe funfun andand celebrate celebrate Delaware, where the swimmers is going to be packed with team thethe work work of this of this great great castcast andand crew, crew, get to show off their swimming building parties, swim meets, and manager manager Tessa Tessa DeJesus DeJesus andand Madison’s Madison’s philosophy philosophy is “process is “process from his his beloved beloved wife, wife, Morticia.

Morticia. lots youyou cancan cheer cheer them them on on in person in person in infrom abilities and hard work. of ruach (spirit). For anyone over over product.” product.”

In Stagemakers In Stagemakers costume designer Kayla Stokes, Stokes, Everything willwill change change for for thethe November.

November.

Wednesday Wednesday Addams, Addams, Everything Tocostume have designer some funKayla throughout who doesn’t know what the JSeals hashas ledled a cast awe cast of over ofhave over 40 various 40 middle middle productions, performers performers spend whole family family on on thethe fateful fateful night night isproductions, thethe ultimate ultimate princess princess of darkness, of darkness, whole season, will about, we are more thanspend just afar far the more more time time learning learning and and building building and and elementary elementary school school students students they hosthost a dinner a dinner for for Wednesday’s Wednesday’sswim hashas grown grown up up andand fallen fallen in love in love they parties including a holiday party, team, we are a family. This through through physical physical rehearsals rehearsals thatthat “normal” “normal” boyfriend boyfriend andand his his parents. parents. a show a show than than they they do do performing performing it it with with a sweet, a sweet, smart smart young young man man pizza party, and the coveted Dipis a place for swimmers to build Jeff Fleischaker Eric Lightman in front in front of an of audience. an audience.

While While the the have have challenged challenged them them to improve to Director Director Madison Madison William, William, from from a respectable a respectable family family whom whom N-Disco, which is scheduledimprove for their skills while they grow their JCC President Executive Director their their skills skills as performers as performers and and with choreographer choreographer Marcell Marcell stage stage performance performance is the is the ultimate ultimate herher parents parents have have never never met. met.

SheShe with January 13, 2024. Mark your castcast friendships. This close-knit group members. members. goal, goal, it isitall the is share the rehearsal rehearsal process Mackenzie andand musical musical director director of confides confides in her in her father father andand begs begs himhimMackenzie calendars, you won’t want to miss friends theirprocess love of For For tickets and more more information information that that gives gives performers performers experience experience Mackenzie Lynch, Lynch, have have taken taken notnot to tell to tell herher mother. mother.

Now, Now, Gomez GomezMackenzie oftickets myand proudest moments swimming while cheering on their it! One visit visit lvjcc.org/stagemakers. lvjcc.org/stagemakers. andand opportunity opportunity for for growth. growth.

This This as these young young performers performers on on a a Addams Addams must must do do something something he’she’s these Aquatics Director is not only teammates and watching them creative creative team, team, including including stage stage journey journey throughout throughout rehearsals. rehearsals. never never done done before– before– keep keep a secret a secret watching the swimmers earn their progress throughout the season. trophies and medals, but watching The 2023-2024 JSeals season these children become a family begins on November 27.

Registration is now open for the Each member has the opportunity JSeals 2023-2024 season. For more to practice up to three times a information, call the JCC at 610week to build their swimming 435-3571 or visit lvjcc.org/JSeals. skills. Practices will consist of clear, concise, proven workouts,

18 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

610.821.8722 | www.jfslv.org

Local College Hillels Lafayette Hillel

By Jenna Herzog, 2024 Lafayette Hillel President Lafayette Hillel is a local school-centered organization that recognizes the importance of engaging with the greater Jewish community. Tikkun Olam is a value we regard highly, and Lafayette Hillel has been pleased to work with Jewish Family Service throughout the years. We have supported JFS with letterwriting events for local community members, food preparation on Super Sunday, and are excited and looking forward to our leaf-raking event in November!

As Amanda Friedman, Lafayette Hillel Vice President of Programming and Class of 2025, notes: “Partnering with JFS made me feel a very strong connection to the greater Jewish community since on

campus we typically don’t get to work with Jewish communities beyond Lafayette. We were so excited to further build this relationship and get to support JFS!” Lehigh Hillel

By Rabbi Steve Nathan The students of Lehigh Hillel have worked with Jewish Family Service through the years and participate in programs as a way of giving back to the community.

Preparing food for Mazel Meals has helped us feel connected, even from Bethlehem. We have made soup for Shabbat, Hamantaschen for Purim and are planning to bake cookies for the Hanukkah meals in December.

Currently, we are collecting food and other non-perishable items for the JFS food pantry.

We will also be raking leaves for older adults, together with Muhlenberg

and Lafayette Hillels, in November.

Fighting food insecurity is one of the themes of the Lehigh Office of Jewish Student Life. We hope our Hillel students and office’s student staff will plan future events to support JFS in meeting the needs of Lehigh Valley residents.

Muhlenberg Hillel

By Rachel Scheer, 2025 Social Action Co-Chair Muhlenberg Hillel has been a longstanding proud partner of Jewish Family Service. Some of our past projects include baking honey cakes for High Holiday goody bags, making cards for the Send-A-Card program, and preparing food for Mazel Meals. We also have the pleasure of hosting Tikvah House residents for Shabbat services and dinner once a month.

Some of the values that guide our work at Muhlenberg Hillel include Kehillah (community) and Ahavat Am Yisrael/Ahavat HaBeriyot (Love of the Jewish People/Love of All Humanity). Our work with JFS is an example of how we stay true to these goals. Muhlenberg Hillel is committed to our work with the greater Jewish community through JFS.

Volunteer Spotlight: Marge Carroll Marge Carroll has been involved with JFS for many years. A devotee of coupons, she finds great values around town, and has been donating personal care items to the Community Food Pantry since 2019.

When Marge retired from the Lehigh Valley Educators Credit Union in 2022, she began volunteering regularly with JFS. Marge packed boxes for clients during the period that JFS was not able to operate the pantry in-person. She is

now a shopping assistant to clients who come to the food pantry for their monthly appointment.

Marge also volunteers for the Mazel Meal program each month. “Everyone who volunteers at JFS is friendly and kind,” she says. “They go above and beyond to help people.”

Marge has always enjoyed working with the public and hearing people’s stories.

“I like volunteering because it’s very rewarding to help people in need. I was brought

up to see the good in people. I want to give as much as I can and make a difference.”

JFS staff shares what they are thankful for.

We thank those individuals who have graciously supported Jewish Family Service by sending tribute cards: IN HONOR

WENDY AND ROSS BORN In honor of the Bat Mitzvah of granddaughter Lilah Susan and Larry Berman Ellen and Phil Hof MARILYN BRAUNSTEIN Amy McCoy DANNY COHEN In honor of receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws degree Carol and Bob Wilson LISA AND ANDREW ELLIS In honor of the Bat Mitzvah of daughter Lilah Ellen and Phil Hof

MARLENE AND ARNAN FINKELSTEIN In honor of 60th Anniversary Sue and Sy Traub LEONARD KORNET Penny Kornet

IN LOVING MEMORY

ELIZABETH BERGSTEIN (Aunt of Bill Bergstein) Chelsea Karp Sarah Morse Robin and Alex Rosenau Rachel and Andy Shurman Debbie and Leon Zoller

MORRIS JALAZO (Father of Carrie Glazier) Carol and Bob Wilson MILTON LEVIN Marc Levin EVA LEVITT (Wife of Lawrence Levitt, beloved mother and grandmother) Rabbi Allen and Toby K. Juda Aimee Stewart Carol and Bob Wilson Debbie and Leon Zoller MANA YITZHAK (Husband of Elvira Mana) Amy and Harry Fisher

CAROLE MARDER (Mother of Alice Notis) Rabbi Allen and Toby K. Juda LILLIAN NISSENBAUM (Mother of Ed Nissenbaum and Marc Nissenbaum) Carol and Bob Wilson MICHAEL NOTIS (Husband of Cooky Notis, Father of Mark Notis) Carol and Bob Wilson Debbie and Leon Zoller SPENCER PARNESS (Husband of Karen Parness) Bill Bergstein

MARK SILVERMAN (Beloved husband and father) Barbara and Fred Sussman SHEILA TOPOLSKY (Wife of Saul Topolsky, Beloved Mother and Grandmother) Teresa and Tony Di Biase Elizabeth and David Lischner Carol and Bob Wilson BENJAMIN WEINBERGER Mark Notis

A wonderful way to share your thoughtfulness with family and friends, the minimum contribution for a JFS Tribute Card is $18.

Visit www.jfslv.org/give to place card orders. Questions? 610.821.8122. Thank you for your continued support.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 19

be here only a few weeks at most. As demic as built-in play demic as built-in playmates and friends. we’d be here only a few weeks at most. As we’d we’d be here o the pandemic continued, we made deci- The JDS has enabled JDS has enabled that relationship to the pandemic continued, we made deci- sionThe the pandemic – they chec after decision to establish roots and strengthen sion after decision to establish roots and build strengthen check in on eachon other sion after deci the playground an a life here –inthey Pennsylvania. on theit playground and love to each build a life here in Pennsylvania. build life her in theahallways.

When came time for Joseph, ourseeother five-year-old son, to get into older for When it came Joseph, our now other in the hallways.

It’sback a joy to see thechildren Whencare it ca JDS is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of the time Lehighfor Valley Evelyn is always so p an early childhood education program, now five-year-old son, to get back into older children care for the younger ones. now five-yearJDS is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley JDS is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of theintimate, Lehigh and Valley the welcoming, warm en- the “big kids” helps h Evelyn atis JDS always so proud when one of an early childhood education program, vironment an early child was an obvious place pack at the end of th the welcoming, intimate, and warm en- forthe “big kids” helps her with her backwelcoming us to turn. The administration and talks the about his “rea at the end of the day, and Joseph vironment at JDS was an obvious place staffpack vironment at J worked tirelessly to adhere to ever- stantly!

By Joanna Powers enough to be able to get when tasked with answerchanging guidelines from the CDC and One of the major for us to turn. The administration and talks about his “reading buddy” confor us to turnt Interim Head of School out of bed in the morning pressing questions still make the magic of school very real a devotion to the deve staff worked tirelessly to adhere to ever- stantly! staff worked ti confident students wh for its students.

Joseph FLOURISHED ing knew that they were from his students about One of the major tenets of the JDS changing is changing guidelines from the CDC and guid Day to day life is filled in this environment, and now that he’s in to meet the world. Th Hyman blessed. the historyByofMegan the devotion the development of bright, stillMiddle make the magic of school very real hisathird still make representative of the our year asto a student (kindergarten!) with joys and frustrations.

Our hearts were broken East and how the confident students who are well prepared for situation its students.

Joseph FLOURISHED for its students Sadly, our chapter in he loves the dynamic and joyful learnhe decision parents make about For every thrill derived and we felt helpless. What developed. Andinabsomeet thehe’s world. more this environment, and now that he’s this environ toin a close.

For profe ingtoexperience had This there. couldn’t I’ll never being where to send their children forin By Megan Hyman By Megan Hyman from a success, or even a could we possibly do? lutely everyonehis feels better back to Ta when he came to recite the are moving school is often of the(kindergarten!) most stressful forget representative ofhome our experience. third year as aone student his third year short grocery store check sion of the school full Pledge of Allegiance and knew all the and difficult.

Will the school strike the The answer was, to a after a hot lunch from our chapter is comhe loves theyead he decision parents make about he loves the dynamic and joyful learn- heSadly, decision parentsin Allentown make about community that Amy words to the Hatikvah at three years old! out line, there are just as right balance between quality of educasmall extent,where in ourtostuSunshine even if he’s had there. I’ll never ing to a close.

For professional reasons, ing experience ing experience send theirthechildren for cafe, where to send their children for we This year, his sister Evelyn was able and volunteers have cr tion and overall child development? How many, if not more stumdents. Our teachers’ is eaten while backoftothe Texas the concluforget he came home for to recite the forgetThe when h school is often job one of thethat mostlunch stressful school often one mostatstressful us forever. friends to are joinismoving the three-year-old program with willwhen our child fit in? Luckily our fambling blocks put in our every day on the school encouraging to sion of the school year.

Our love for the full Pledge of Allegiance and knew all the full Pledge of andbeginning difficult. Will strike the students and difficult.

Will the school strike the ily, in a period of great uncertainty, the the same teachers and several younger a family through theA paths. You’re late to an community that Amy Golding, herand staff, words tothe thetoHatikvah three years old! words the mH we knowtothese siblings of herbetween brother’s class.

She Octoberright 9th was to create please redecorate decision choose the at Jewish Day School balance between quality of not educaright balance quality of was educaappointment. The cofwill bring us joy for yeh very shy at first, but quickly overcame of Lehigh Valley was the easiest “yes!” volunteers have created will stay with This year, his sister Evelyn was able This year, tion and overall child development?

How tion and overall child development?

How a safe haven for our JDS floor of the lunchroom For any parent that and truly gets ready for school with we’ve ever said. fee spilled. A Lego is left us forever. made as to join the three-year-old program with to join thegrap thr will our child fit in? Luckily for delicious our fam- pea will our child fitThe in? friendships Luckily forwe’ve our famchildren, where normalcy with soup.

We arrived in Allentown in late March enthusiasm. The school has supported sion of where to send y in the wrong place at a family through the school will remain same teachers and several younger the same teac ily, insoothed a period worof great uncertainty, ily, in a period of great uncertainty, the and routine We have athe longthe way to go 2020 with a 2-year-old son, Joseph and her love of art, singing, and she’s made in the Lehigh Valley, the wrong time. A typo wechoose know these memories madeanhere of her brother’s class. She was siblings support of her decision to choose the Jewish Day Schoolandsiblings decision to theWe Jewish School ries, age-appropriate lesuntil hearts souls even theand sweetest friends.

LOVEDay getting extremely 4-month-old daughter, Evelyn.

Having is made in an important will bring us joy for years to come. very shy at first, but quickly overcame very shy at fi of Lehigh Valley was the easiest “yes!” of Lehigh Valley was the easiest “yes!” from the uncertainties updates and photos on the Class Dojo flown in from Dallas, Texas to be closer sons calmed fears, and near healing and every email. Your phone screen our daily lives, and th app throughout the day. to family (Adam’s parents, Dr. David and For any parent grappling with the decithat and truly gets ready for school with that and truly we’ve ever said. we’ve ever said. knowledgable, loving care news notification does not mententhusiasm. to instill a love oT Our kids became extremely close durMrs. SusanThe Hyman who have lived in Al- We cracks. Aggravation often sion of where to send your child to school enthusiasm. school has supported We arrived in Allentown in late March arrived in Allentown in late March givers provided comfort. cause immediate concern. inginthe stage ofwethe pan- theishJDS lentown 50 years), assumed builds on itself, until you thequarantine Valley, found love of for art,nearly singing, andwe she’s made her love of ar 2020 with a 2-year-old and 2020 with aLehigh 2-year-old son, Joseph and values.

Our students were able to son, But,Joseph in our ownher small way, an extremely supportive place, a refuge the sweetest the sweetest f wish you hadn’t gotten 4-month-old daughter, Having 4-month-old daughter, Evelyn.

Having spend their time with our Evelyn. we have made progress at friends. We LOVE getting from the uncertainties that we all face in updates and photos on the Class Dojo updates and p flown in from Dallas, Texas to be closer flown in from Dallas, Texas to be closer out of bed that morning. staff, of all backgrounds the JDS. We have always our daily lives, and the perfect environapp throughout the day. app throughou to family (Adam’s parents, Dr. David and to family (Adam’s parents, Dr. David and Until October 7th unand origins, including our been a family, far more ment to instill a love of learning and JewOur kids became extremely close durOur kids be Mrs. Susan Hyman who have lived in AlMrs. Susan Hyman who have lived in Alfolded, and then none of heroic Israeli teachers, and than being coworkers, or ish values. ing the quarantine stage of the paning the quara lentown for nearly 50 years), we assumed lentown for nearly 50 years), we assumed that mattered. At all. see first hand the strength students, or parents, or We left school on October guage that my kids have – only bec Editor’s note: On Saturday, February 4, JDS parand fortitude of people grandparents.

As the dev6th in a flurry of Sukkot very important because we have the a ent Anastasiia Zavodnyk, was invited to be a guest dedicated to the astation builds our bond with their roots, which I hadn’t in m speaker at Refugee Shabbat at Temple Beth El. excitement hoping for a children’s well being, grows stronger, and help and support made us confiden Here are her remarks. carefree weekend full of approach our JDS 70th give us all a reason to regardless of their own we rise up with Israel here, in the US! celebrations and relaxAnniversary Evening peservere, and maybe suffering. They logged as the of allforofeverySo, what is of the difference betwee So, who is the refugee?

It’srecipient me. I can’t speak ation. No homework or Tribute, to be even to laugh at a andheld otheron people who came here as one, only for myself and my family.

But let my story be into live classes with their our hopes, prayers, and sons at why we came. something that can show the for general picture. tests over a holiday December 2nd 7:30 pm I love Ukraine, it fantastic third grade joke. teachers Israel dreams peace and guage that have – only because ofchildren you. and It is Editor’s note: On Saturday, February 4, in JDS par-from Editor’s note: On Saturday, February 4, my JDSkids parof my The beginning of 2022 It was a happy time for me. weekend, just family time I have never been more at Temple Beth El (jdslv. many past gene the very first dayI to excalm.

A package brimming very important because we have the ability to reconnect ent Anastasiia Zavodnyk, was invited to be a guest ent Anastasiia Zavodnyk, was invited to be a guest my husband’s family. We miss our h had a beautiful house near Kyiv, capital of Ukraine. I and a little more sukkah org/tribute), Ichildhood. am eagerYourwe never thoug convinced that our roots, Lehigh Jewsih heartfelt February 2022 a garden full with of fruitcolorful, trees and berry bushes.

I had with their speaker at Refugee Shabbat atperience Temple how Beththe El.had speaker at Refugee Shabbat at Temple Bethwhich El. I hadn’t in myfore dwelling. Hopefully joys to be surrounded by our Valley Jewish community we simply didn’t want to opening own cafe and people rise abovegreat ourplans – I was cards andmyletters created help and support made us confidentinginabroad, our presence Here are her remarks.

Here are herbakery remarks. would be many and agcommunity’s comforting to holding each satisfied with our lives and happy in store, I was settingwith up a passion big greenhouse plant many is devotedhere, enemies. andtosincerity in the US! theagain.

US because it was the best opti vegetables there. My children went to great preschool other close through joy gravations few despite the embrace once Our students fami- by our students is currentSo, speak what for is the difference betweentheme as a refugee So, who is the refugee? It’s me. I can’tOur speak for every-and So, who is the refugee? It’s me. I can’t everymost and afterschool smart classes. My daughter started to and sorrow. Nearly 300 of rainy weather. celebration will be difficult. tem- It was hard, and i asbe much back ly on its way to IDF and other people who came here as immigrants? one, only for myself and my family.lies Butgave let myjust story one, only for myself and my family.

But let my story be because of usualReaimmigrant’s difficu go to ballroom classes at the best dance school in the We returned school pered by the reality of different our culture, find us attended the first to picture. our teachers. Teaching Israeli sons why we came. I love Ukraine, it’sent my home, home something that cantoshow the general something thatgreat can show the general picture. language, area. My husbandsoldiers had a veryand important role schools with onThe October 9th in differnewpast world, but it will give holiday collaborative local documents, impossible life wit opportunities in the biggest energy company of my children generations of my and beginning of a2022 It was acan happy for me.career The beginning It was a happy time forand me.many be atime treasured distracto share our support and inof 2022 ent world, to a house different impossible life without a credit scor Ukraine.

We used to invite our friends to our little parus all a chance to make event presented by Jewish my husband’s family.

We miss our home a lot.

And beI had a beautiful near Kyiv, tion capital of Ukraine.

I I had a beautiful house near Kyiv, capital of Ukraine.

I and shift of focus love. We can’t end the war ficulty iswill not being allowed to go out ties at home, used to see our parents when we wanted organizations in Easton, reality.

Our brothers and sure our children fore February had a garden full of fruit trees andaway berry from bushes.the I had had garden full of fruit trees and berry bushes.2022 I hadwe never thought about emigrathorror disbut we hope to abring even for people, who decide to come he to. It was really a very great period of life; I was truly sisters in Israel had en- my own always have abecause safe place to Bethlehem, and Allening abroad, we simply didn’t want to,big wechoose were great plans – I was opening cafe by andthe bakery great plans – I was opening my own cafe and bakery played media. the slightest cheer to those goal, who to live here an happy. dured the unimaginable call their home away from The satisfied JDS was blessed ourmany lives and happy in Ukraine.

We chose store, I was setting up a big greenhouse plant many store, I was setting a big greenhouse towith plant How to can a Prek teacher, who facing the worst thing to make this “American dream And then, on 24th of are February, all was ruined.

The uptown. and there there. was no in went host this very special the because it washome. the best option all,hard butforalso vegetables Myend children to great vegetables there. children went toUSgreat preschool it isof very us, refugees, force started. And experiences what did we know OnlyMy to even withpreschool familywar members of about theirwar? lives. evening we needed to shut all lights, because our terheart is still at our home with our history WW2 from books and movies…and some horsight.

We would give any- Myhiding May we all find our Community Sukkot the most difficult.

It was hard, and it is hard.

Not only and afterschool smart classes. daughter started to and afterschool smart classes.

My daughter started to from terrorists and At the JDS, we are one, ritorial defense was looking for hiding russian soldiers.

I somehow, parents, houses and gardens. And on rible stories from our grandparents.

We decided to stay, thing to be back to the daybest bombings, way back, to a because of usual immigrant’s difficulties such as differgo to ballroom classes at the dance schoolkeep in the go to ballroom classes at the best dance school in the Dinner.

Less than a week from and now, as always, our becausesmilit was our home.

We thought that our village realized that I couldn’t stand any more. I couldn’t pre- our life here more like at home (thro to day issues thathad slowed ent600 language, different culture, finding job,grocery getting all area.

My husband a very important role with area.

Mywith husband a very important role with great day when a short later nearly commuing when hergreat little iseven one Is- had tend as nothing serious was happening and it was safe versations, care and support). Becaus wasstudent now a target community for the enemy and if they would local documents, lifefeelwithout a car, almost career opportunities in the biggestdoes energy income. career opportunities in themembers biggest energy company in tostore us down before. We’d line gives us joy and things are not m nity tofor kids.

Thecame worse for me impossible was let then day most important We to heard rael. storiesWe fromcry our grandparents who enough ancompany elaborate dance their tears and impossible life without a credit score, but the real Ukraine. walk We used to invite our friends to our little parUkraine.

We used to invite our friends to our little parhappily shoeless a coffee spill causes our gether for the awe inspirfear, to feel war.

It’s not what children should feel, not will never ever filldifyour heart and so remembered a time when their homes were under ocHebrew music or anare crushed by their grief. they are enough old towe understand everything and ness andUS. happiness. cupation during WW2 so we kind of at could guessused how tountil ficulty is not being allowed to go out of the Maybe ties at home, our parents when we wanted ties home, see our parents when wanted across a gymused fulltoofsee Lego frustrations.

Bimhairah, biing Prayer Vigil for Israel other shares his toys with But the future of Judaism, notgreat be hurt by for it. Iof want myI children to beyameinu happy, to be(speedily, I want a big, huge thank it could be in our case. But we were very very people, who decide to come here,So, who has itsaylike to. It was veryall great period of life; IHow was truly to.are Itwrong, was a very period life; was truly bricks to really makeathis intoour at the JCC. The event took a friend. useful a the children, ourreally confident and have strong and healthy mental health. to all of you!

I am grateful for the ab wrong.

Because in village aren’t many people – it’s difbig goal,As who choose todays), live here and can stand everyhappy.Everyone fortunate happy. stop.

Amen. myI asked breath away. we middle school teacher responsibility, and they my husband to leave our home. day, in a safe, beautiful and ambitious ficult to feels feel panic.

We heard sounds of missile strikes, So, thing to make this8th “American dream” came true, but And then, on 24th of February, all was ruined. Thethe house was shaking every time, butAnd then, on 24th ofWeFebruary, ruined. left on 7thall of was March and onThe of March rus- grateful to all of you, for listening to personally I really it is very hard for us, refugees, forced migrants, who’s war started. And what did we know about war? Onlyfelt it on the second week, end of war started.

Andtowhat didcame we know sians* to ourabout house. war?

They Only occupied all village, porting my family and Ukraine. I be February.

I needed wedaughter neededtotodoctor. shut all we lights, because ourmen, ter- raped evening we friends, needed to lights, beca heart is still ataour with our history WW2 from books and movies…and some hor-take evening history WW2 from books and movies…and some killed women, stole lothorofhome things, ruin our end soon,neighbors, thatshut I canall finally see my ho my youngest So, were going houses… itI lasted 4 weeks.

So, itto was nothing like And occufriends neighbors.

But I, asrussia all U there. defense It wasn’t was far but we rible needed to go through ritorial looking forstories hiding russian ritorial defense wasand looking for hiding parents, houses and gardens. only your help made rible stories from our grandparents. We decided to stay,by car from our soldiers. grandparents.

We decided stay, pationpreduring WW2… it was worse, much worse. fatal February, in pre-war createdstand as a part country realized which that Iwas couldn’t anyitof more.

I couldn’t thatinI that couldn’t stand more. day Ic our lifethat here more like atrealized homeAnd (through relations, con-any because it was our home. We thought that our villagea checkpoint because was our home.

We thought our village our land, in our home; happy, confid protection actions. There I saw real soldiers, guns, bul- it is still. and wasenemy safe and tend Because as nothing serious happening and versations, care would and support). at the end was of the was now a target for the enemy and even if they would tend as nothing serious was was happening now a target foritthe even if they Now we are here. And we are very lucky, because we days, full of ambitious plans. lets laying on the ground, tanks for the first time in my for kids.

Theexhibition, worse foritWe me letmet then feel with enough formaterial kids. The worse for me was to dayvery most things are things, they come. We heard stories from our grandparents wholife. enough come. heard from our grandparents who people big important open hearts full of love not and And it wasn’t museum was was real to lifestories fear, But to feel war.

It’s not what children should feel, not fear, to feel war.

It’s not what will never ever fill your heart and soul with love, kindremembered a time when their homes were under oc-situation. remembered a time when their homes were under ocof capital shou on p worst was that something just fly above kindness, people who helped us with so many things. *I use little letter insteadchildren untiland they areI heard enough to understand everything and until they enough old toand understand ness and happiness. cupation during WW2 so we kind of could guess howmy head WW2 so we kind of Day could guessJewish howCommunity People from Jewish School, of arethis people anymore it’s even hard eve for m then andold feltcupation shot near during me. It was Lehigh Jewish enough because theymy have done and are still h It scared to death, I never felthappy, notdrone. be hurt by it. me I want children be to Valley, be not bethank hurt by it.one Iwhat want children to be So,wrong, ICommunity want very to sayCenter. a big,Not huge you more time it could be in our case. But we were wrong, very veryenemy itmycould be ever intoour case.

But we were very words to describe how we for confident it. And this ability theyhave aretohumans at alland to me.healthy And because before. Next very scaryBecause for me. The confident and weeks havewere strong and healthy mental health. and strong mei to all of grateful you!–I it’s amare grateful for the be here towrong. Because in village aren’t many people – it’s dif-like this wrong. in village aren’t many people difenemy soldiers were closer and closer to our village. At great opportunity to know Jewish traditions and lan- highlight it as my relation to them. leave So,ambitious I asked my husband to leave day, in safe, beautiful place, the US. I’m our home. ficult to feel panic. We heard sounds of missile strikes, So, I asked my husband to ficult to our feel home. panic. We heard sounds of amissile strikes, and We left on 7th of March and onwas 8thshaking of March We left on 7thstory, of March and on 8th of to all of you, for listening to my for supthe house was shaking every time, but personally I really the house everyrustime, grateful but personally I really They occupied village, sians* came to our They occupied myI needed family and I believe thathouse. war will felt it on the second week, end of February. I needed to sians* came to our house. felt it on the second all week, end of porting February. to Ukraine. stole lot of things, ruin our killed men, raped women, endSo, soon, finally see my home and hug allstole my a lot of thin take my youngest daughter to doctor. So, we were going killed men, raped women, take myayoungest daughter to doctor. wethat wereI can going was nothing houses… lasted 4 weeks.

So, it was nothin I, as allitUkrainians, still stay by car there. It wasn’t far but we needed to go through houses… it lasted 4 weeks.

by So, car itthere.

It wasn’tlike faroccubut we friends needed and to goneighbors. through But worse, much And in pation during WW2… it was fatalofFebruary, days, when we were onworse, much a checkpoint which was created as a part of country pation during WW2… ita was checkpoint whichworse. was created asthat a part countryin pre-war it is still. oursoldiers, land, inguns, our home; confident in the coming protection actions. There I saw real soldiers, guns, bul- it is still. protection actions. There I saw real bul- happy, Now we are here. Andlets we laying are very becausetanks we for Now we are here. And we are very lucky, days, ambitious lets laying on the ground, tanks for the first time in my onlucky, the ground, thefull firstoftime in my plans. open full of love and life. And it wasn’t museum exhibition, it was real life met people with very biglife.

Andhearts it wasn’t museum exhibition, it was real life met people with very big open hearts full us with many helped *I use little instead of kindness, capital on people purpose. who I don’t respectus with so m situation. But worst was that something just fly above kindness, people who helped situation.

But so worst wasthings. that something justletter fly above People from Jewish Day School, Jewish Community of People from Jewish Day School, Jewish Co this people anymore and it’s even hard for me to call them people, my head and then I heard and felt shot near me. It was my head and then I heard and felt shot near me. It was Center.

Not enough Jewish Center. becauseI what have and are Valley, still doing doesn’tCommunity look like enemy drone. It scared me to death, I never ever felt Lehigh Valley, Jewish Community enemy drone.

It scared me to death, neverthey ever feltdone Lehigh are for it.weeks And this to describe howI grateful they are humans at allThe to me. words And because it is my story, want to we are for like this before. Next weeks were very scary for me. The words to describe how grateful like this we before.

Next were very scary for me.

Jewish traditions and langreat opportunity to know Jewish traditio highlight it as village. my relation enemy soldiers were closer and closer to our village. At great opportunity to know enemy soldiers were closer and closer to our At to them.

20 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

The JDS family is one with Israel

Why JDS? Why JDS? Why JDS? T

T

T

Who is the refugee? It’s me

Who is the refugee?

WhoIt’s is the me.refug

Am Yisrael Chai!

I have stared at this blank page for a long time.

Words often fail to capture the depth of emotion we feel when confronted by such terrible loss and fear of the unknown. Heartbroken, angry, anxious and mourning all at the same time. Yet, there is another emotion that is also present and powerful: Defiance. As Jews we have seen the most despicable evil thrown at us generation after generation. We have borne the brunt of humanity’s darkest inhumanity.

And yet even staring into the abyss we have refused to surrender. Despite genocides, pogroms, persecution, vile conspiracy theories and exile, we continue to be the reminder of humanity’s conscience — the People of the Book bringing a “light unto the nations.” We will not back down, now or ever. Our strength is drawn from

God, our Jewish tradition and our bonds that link one generation to the next and each of us collectively to each other.

We are once again witnesses to the depths of depravity and evil — a world view of “tohu va’vohu” void and chaos and “hamas” corruption and violence fueled by hatred and indifference for life. Against this world view we bring to bear the Torah, the Divine word, which creates the foundation of moral character and sets creation, holiness, order, civility and dignity as its pillars. Today each of us must help to strengthen those pillars. Our sages teach that each letter of the Torah mystically corresponds to a member of the Jewish people. Each of us is necessary and needed.

Each of us is a beating heart of Torah, a reflection of the Divine light, a reminder of the very love that God intended for our world.

In past ages when we were physically unable to defend ourselves, we were still defiant. We held fast to our Jewish tradition, never giving in, continuing to observe our faith, add to its creative vitality and pass it to the next generation with

If you know a Jewish teen who is leading a community service project, let them know that the Helen Diller Family Foundation is accepting applications and nominations for its annual Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards.

Every year the foundation hands out 15 awards of $36,000 each that the young leaders can use to advance their project to repair the world or further their own education. The project can be related to the environment, social justice, access to education or any number of other issues.

Teens applying or being nominated for a Tikkun Olam Award must be 1319 years old on January 5, 2024, identify as Jewish, live in the United States, not be getting paid for their work on their project, be filling a leadership role in the project and have not received an award during the years 2019-2023. Their community service must be a single, impactful project

that the teen created or made a substantial contribution to over time. It must make an impact on a specific issue, geographical region or community (Jewish or broader).

As an example of the sort of leader and project that could win the award, Daniel Zahn, son of Alice and Bruce Zahn of Allentown, won the 2018 grant for F.O.R.M. (Future Opportunities Reached

by Mentoring) Consulting, which he created with another teen at the Pennsylvania State University. F.O.R.M. recruited college students for oneon-one mentor sessions to help prospective students from underserved communities get accepted to college. Mentors helped the prospects write admission essays and find out about available scholarships. Partnering with half a dozen high schools, the project helped more than 100 applicants get accepted to colleges across the coun-

By Rabbi Michael Singer Congregation Brith Sholom

an eternal hope for a better future. We continue this still today, but now we add a State of Israel, where the citizen soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces rise to defend their own mothers, fathers, grandparents, children, neighbors and our world. We too have a role to play in this moment of Jewish defiance — we must raise our voices in prayer, support and moral clarity.

We must stand united in resilience and hope, lifting one another when we feel overwhelmed and exhausted. We need to turn to the wealth of our Jewish faith and observance to help renew and sustain us. We will still celebrate new births, b’nei mitzvah, weddings and holidays in song, dance and a glass raised l’chaim! We are a people who respond to God’s commandment to cherish life by sharing our blessings with others, caring for one another and our planet, and extending acts of kindness to all. We should send both financial and spiritual aid to Israel (i.e., the Jewish Federation Emergency Fund) and redouble our efforts to learn Torah, pursue justice and increase the vibrancy of Jewish life here by continuing to open our doors to

Jews and others seeking community and connection.

In this moment of loss and mourning, we recall the tremendous hole in our hearts left by the millions of our people who have through the ages been murdered because they were Jews. They gave the ultimate sacrifice for the sanctity of God’s name (Kiddush haShem). As of this writing we now add 1,400 sacred souls to our eternal memory. May their memories always be a blessing. We also pray together for the safe return of those held hostage. May they be reunited with their families and friends quickly and healed in wholeness of body, mind and spirit.

As for us, the task is clear. While evil seeks to divide, destroy, desecrate and warp the human mind and heart, we must not waver in our resolve and strength to counter with unity, creation, love and hope. Not only for the sake of our people, but for the sake of all people. While our people wage physical war against evil, we too must wage war against the hate, intolerance, moral corruption and injustice that plagues our community and our larger society.

We are the Jewish people, both ancient and eternal, chosen to carry the hope of generations past and generations yet to come.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Apply for teen tikkun olam awards try.

Nominations for teens to receive the award are due December 22 and applications by January 5, 2024.

Visit www.dillerteens.org/ nominate to nominate and www.dillerteenawards. org/apply to apply.

The awards are given by the Helen Diller Family Foundation, which is based on Jewish values and committed to engendering respect for all people, building bridges between cultures and embracing Jewish community diversity with racial, ethnic and religious differences. Supporting programs around the world with a focus on education, science and arts, the foundation invests in Jewish teens to create experiences that strengthen Jewish identity and leadership abilities.

Semifinalists for the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards will be announced in March 2024, finalists in April. Winners will be notified in June.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 21

140 race in KI’s annual Harvest 5K, raise $8,000 More than 140 participants ran or walked the course in Allentown’s Cedar Park for Congregation Keneseth Israel’s 9th annual Harvest 5K on Sunday morning, October 15, raising about $8,000 for Allentown’s Central Elementary School.

Mayor Matt Tuerk gave the opening speech, Central Elementary School Principal Rebecca Bodnar thanked the participants and volunteers, and KI Rabbi Shoshanah Tornberg welcomed everyone who came out.

KI’s religious school helped run the event along with kids, parents and staff from Central Elementary; KI congregants; and even a dog lovers group (friendly dogs were welcome to attend).

Mark Ayers won the race for the second straight

year. A few other event superlatives: youngest finisher—Eric Soulsby, 6 years old; farthest state represented—Virginia; farthest place represented, Canada.

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KI Rabbi Installation Weekend

Congregation Keneseth Israel invites the community to join in celebrating the installation of Rabbi Shoshanah Tornberg as its spiritual leader and teacher.

The weekend of celebration will begin with Erev Shabbat services and Rabbi Tornberg’s formal installation on Friday, November 17, at 7:30 p.m., followed by a celebratory Oneg Shabbat. Officiating the installation will be Rabbi Tornberg’s friend and colleague Rabbi Leah Doberne-Schor.

On Shabbat morning, November 18, there will be a weekly Torah study at 9:30, followed by Shab-

bat Out of the Box, making hamsas to be hung around the building as a reminder of KI’s gratitude for G-d’s protection as the congregation sets out on this new phase of its journey together. The morning of learning, reflection and community will end with a light brunch.

The congregation will gather again on November 18 at 5:30 p.m. to celebrate Havdalah, to be inspired and entertained by renowned Jewish storyteller Noa Baum, and to enjoy dinner together. All ages are welcome to attend.

On Sunday, November 19, with gratitude for the joys the congregation is

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experiencing at this time, its religious school students and their parents will engage in a special mitzvah project aimed at bringing joy to the lives of Jewish Family Service clients by creating birthday bags for the Community Food Pantry.

Rabbi Tornberg, raised in the Reform movement, grew up mostly in Kansas City and Toronto. She was ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 2006 and earned her master’s degree in Hebrew letters there. She also earned a master’s in Jewish education from the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at the Los Angeles campus of HUC-JIR. She has served communities in Steubenville, Ohio; Tustin, California; Brooklyn and Albany, New York; Sacramento, California; and the Philadelphia area. She loves to dance, hike, read, do yoga, play with her dogs, ride her bike and spend time with her family: David, Elie, Ruthie, Elijah and Ezra.

Visit kilv.org for more information and to register to attend events.

New workshop aims to revitalize legacy giving

By Julia Umansky Director of Gift Planning and EITC

Professionals and volunteers from area Jewish organizations and agencies and synagogues gathered at Temple Beth El on October 11 for a brand-new workshop on legacy giving hosted by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.

Led by Dena Kaufman, community consultant for the Life and Legacy program, the workshop, part of the Life and Legacy Plus program, focused on the question “What if you could get legacy gifts without spending any additional time, energy or money?”

Energy in the room was high as each organization’s team worked to identify ways they could integrate legacy

giving into their organization’s mission and fundraising approach with little to no extra effort.

While participating Lehigh Valley agencies, organizations and synagogues have secured over 570 legacy commitments with an estimated value of $11.2 million, there is still work to be done to ensure legacy giving becomes the norm in our community. We can help ensure our community’s future by ensuring that individuals, from holiday and event attendees to board members and staff, are engaged with organizational missions and with how legacy gifts impact the future.

Legacy giving is for everyone, and advocates for legacy giving can be found at all levels.

If you are involved with a local Jewish organization that has an interest in endowment

building and maintaining a healthy legacy portfolio, I leave you with these key takeaways: • Normalize legacy giving wherever you can. This includes adding legacy information to general marketing material and annual campaign information.

• Expand your concentric circles of who is assisting and invested in your mission.

• Mention legacy giving at every opportunity and ensure legacy donors are visible to the greater community.

• Barriers to enter a legacy Dena Kaufman speaks at the workshop. gift are much lower than you an individual interested in legacy programs visible and might think, and legacy gifts expand community outreach. making a legacy gift and/or result in increased annual getting involved with comIf you are involved with campaign giving. munity legacy efforts, please an organization, agency or In order to continue the reach out to Julia Umansky at synagogue that has not been successes of the first five the Jewish Federation at 610involved with the Life and years of the Life and Legacy 821-5500 or julia@jflv.org.

Legacy program but want program, it’s important that to learn more, or if you are we honor our donors, keep

Shoah survivor visiting KI to discuss antisemitism

By Sean Boyle Congregation Keneseth Israel

Tova Friedman, Holocaust survivor and author of “The Daughter of Auschwitz,” will front a panel at Congregation Keneseth Israel on Sunday, November 12, to discuss antisemitism and prejudice.

Friedman was born in Poland in 1938 as Tola Grossman. In 1939, after Adolf Hitler invaded Poland, she and her family were forced into ghettos and labor camps.

At age 5, she was sent with her mother to Auschwitz, while her father was sent to Dachau. Her mother helped hide her in the infirmary as the Nazis were evacuating the camp ahead of the advancing Soviet army, which led to her being liberated at age 6, one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz.

She and her parents immigrated to the United States when she was 11, and that was the first time she realized there were children who experienced normal childhoods during World War II. She eventually married one of the first boys she met in her new class and went on to become a therapist. For many years, she was the director of Jewish Family Service of Somerset and Warren Counties, while still serving as a therapist.

She began speaking in public about the Holocaust in the early 1990s.

With the help of her grandson, Friedman is on TikTok under the name TovaTok, answering questions posted by the public, primarily targeting Gen Z. That came about because her grandson was frustrated by the low-quality Holocaust lessons he was given in school and began to record her to help educate his peers.

They now have millions of viewers.

With the help of Malcolm Brabant, a British freelance journalist who has worked for the BBC and PBS, Friedman wrote her biography, “The Daughter of Auschwitz: My Story of Resilience, Survival and Hope.” Released in 2022, the book details her life during the Holocaust and the reunion with her father and his surviving family, as well

as their leaving Poland and eventual immigration to the United States. It also covers her adult life, including living in Israel with her young children and husband during the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and how re-traumatizing it was to experience war as an adult caring for her own young children.

Since Friedman was so young during the Holocaust, her memories, though vivid, are supplemented by testimonies from her parents and other survivors. Her father was selected to be one of the Jewish police in her hometown ghetto and later recorded many of the things he witnessed and was forced to perform.

Let’s Play Books in Allentown will offer “The Daughter of Auschwitz” for sale at the event. Friedman will sign copies after the panel discus-

sion.

The event is open to the public, and a light brunch will be served. Tickets can be purchased online or at the

door for $5.

RSVP to attend at kilv.org or by contacting John Perry at jperry@kilv.org. Order at letsplaybooks.com.

Paid for by Susan Wild for Congress

Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving I wanted to express my gratitude for the Jewish Community that has been so supportive of me over the years.

Representing the greater Lehigh Valley's Jewish Community in Congress has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I am so grateful to have your support. I look forward to continuing to serve our community in Congress. I’ll keep working in a bipartisan manner to improve the lives of everyone in the Lehigh Valley. That includes addressing the challenges burdening our manufacturers and employers and the unique issues facing our healthcare providers and hospitals.

GET INVOLVED AND CONTRIBUTE:

WWW.WILDFORCONGRESS.COM PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 23

PJ Library and JDS families celebrate Sukkot PJ Library and Jewish Day School families gathered at JDS on Thursday morning, September 28, for a Sukkot celebration. They made their own mini sukkahs, ate an assortment of treats and, of course, listened to a PJ Library story.

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Some of the sukkahs spotted in the Valley Sukkot falls every year during the autumn harvest season. At the same time, sukkahs start cropping up in various spots in the community. And families start gathering in them for meals. Here are a few sukkahs.

Isaac, Lydia and Abe Hof visit Bubby and G-Pa’s (aka Ellen and Phil Hof’s).

At the Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley.

Michael, Rebecca and Joshua Kolpon in their yard in Coopersburg.

In the Heller family’s backyard in Allentown.

At the Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley.

At Muhlenberg College Hillel.

At Muhlenberg College Hillel.

For a Special Simcha At the Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley.

3 SOCIAL HALLS PLUS PATIO SPACE STATE-OF-THE-ART KOSHER KITCHEN BRING IN A KOSHER CATERER OR USE OUR IN-HOUSE STAFF ADA COMPLIANT VENUE

At Muhlenburg College Hillel.

WEDDINGS ® BAR/BAT MITZVAHS BRIDAL SHOWERS ® ANNIVERSARY PARTIES CORPORATE EVENTS ® BIRTHDAY PARTIES

Temple Beth El

1305 SPRINGHOUSE ROAD, ALLENTOWN Melanie May, Simcha Coordinator 610-435-3521 | melanie@bethelallentown.org At Lehigh University Hillel.

At Lehigh University Hillel.

COME SHINE WITH US AT GLOW BOWLING! Strike up some fun with your peers!

Adults only!

Scan to Register!

SATURDAY

18

NOVEMBER

7:30 P.M.

Registration Fee: $18 Per Person Registration is required

Unlimited pizza, wings, soda. Vegetarian and kosher options will also be provided.

Steel City Bowl

1770 Stefko Blvd.

(Lower Level) Bethlehem, PA 18017

QUESTIONS? Reach out to Lee@jflv.org!

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 25

Relieve Unnecessary Pain Stop pain Feel better Sleep better Destress Recharge Learn how you can benefit from holistic therapies, natural medicine and a healthier lifestyle.

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150 gather at Pinemere Camp to dedicate Ufberg chapel More than 150 Pinemere Camp alumni, families and others gathered at the camp in the Poconos on October 1 to dedicate its new Mickey and Eileen Ufberg Chapel and celebrate the opening of its new rec hall and outdoor amphitheater.

The highlight of the event was the dedication of the new chapel, overlooking Pinemere’s lake.

Built where the original Pinemere chapel once stood, the new chapel is designed to bring the entire camp together, to take advantage of the beautiful nature surrounding it and honor the camp’s history.

The chapel is named in honor of Mickey Ufberg z”l and his wife Eileen Eileen Ufberg and family.

Ufberg. The Ufbergs have been committed leaders former assistant director, of Pinemere their entire rabbinical student and lives. Their children and nephew of longtime camp grandchildren have all director Bob Minor. Aftercalled Pinemere Camp wards alumni and camp home, and for many years families got to explore Mickey served as the the new buildings, take camp doctor, ensuring pictures with old plaques safe and healthy Jewish that had been rehung and summer camp experiences participate in the Pinemere for generations of camptradition known as Sing, ers. Without the Ufbergs’ led by alumni of different support and leadership, generations. Guests were this project most certainly invited to stay for lunch, would not have happened. to tour other new projects Those who came to the at the camp and to enjoy celebration attended the the beautiful fall day.

Sukkot service led by Gabe As the event concluded, Minor, Pinemere alum, several alumni stayed

Your child is multi-dimensional. So are we.

We give your child more to explore...in school, in their world, and in themselves.

Visit our three campuses and find out more at moravianacademy.org.

late into the afternoon, continuing to sing and celebrate as the sun went down, sharing memories of Pinemere’s 81-year history and enjoying the view from the Mickey and Eileen Ufberg Chapel.

OUR EMAILS,

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PS-Gr. 8 • 610.868.4744 • Bethlehem

Gr. 9-12 • 610.691.1600 • Bethlehem

26 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

jewishlehighvalley.org/ email-sign-up or scan the QR code

AI preserves stories of Hamas massacre survivors NoCamels

On October 7, Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip struck homes and communities in the south of Israel, murdering over 1,400 people and dragging hundreds of civilians – including women, children and the elderly – into the coastal enclave as hostages.

A new website is using artificial intelligence to collect, document and share the traumatic and heartbreaking testimonies of the survivors of the massacre to ensure that what happened to them and their loved ones is never forgotten.

The Iron Lions website, developed by Israeli startup AI21 Labs, uses the company’s AI writing assistant tool to not only translate the testimonies from Hebrew into English, but preserve the tone and tenor of the original narrative, something that is often lost in translation.

For while thousands survived the brutal attacks, as Israeli troops readied to enter the next phase of the war and battle Hamas in Gaza, they feared the world’s focus is beginning to turn from them and what they endured.

Tehila Afota, strategic communications manager at AI21 Labs, said the startup has altered its Wordtune writing tool, which is normally used to rewrite text or personalize writing with a joke or a statistical fact, in order to record the memories of the survivors.

“We made tailored improvements and customizations specifically for the translation of October 7 testimonies, in order to deliver the correct and contextualized meanings, such as military terms and kibbutz names,” said Afota.

The website has already received hundreds of firsthand testimonies, ranging from accounts of the massacre of 260 people at the Nova music festival, to stories from survivors recounting their last interactions with loved ones who were killed or taken hostage.

“The website serves as a comprehensive platform for collecting, documenting, and sharing the testimonies of October 7 victims,” Afota said.

Each testimony is reviewed and verified by startup staff and volunteers before it is published on the Iron Lions website.

One testimony relates what happened to Adi

Neve, who attended the Nova festival with her husband Itzik and narrowly escaped death at the hands of Hamas terrorists. She and her husband lay in a bush for four hours, pretending to be dead, until Israel Defense Forces arrived to rescue them.

“I turned my head to the road and saw everything,” she said in the testimony.

“Three girls were kidnapped, put in vans, and one on a motorcycle.

“I saw how they made sure to kill people in cars, how they burned cars, cars with people inside,” she continued. “A teenager who looked like a little boy kept shooting with an Uzi machine gun at everyone who was fleeing.”

Nikita Somrov, a survivor from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, relates the terror of barricading himself with his wife and his 4-year-old son Aviv in their safe room for nearly 12 hours as terrorists stormed his community.

“Messages in the kibbutz WhatsApp group starting coming one after the other: I hear screams in Arabic outside my window; someone is trying to open my door; I have terrorists inside my house; please send soldiers asap; please they have been here for 10 minutes and are trying to break into our safe room; send help, save us please!!!”

He adds: “My wife and I took turns guarding the door handle by holding it up, knowing that this

An October 7 memorial in Ashdod, which reads, “We will not forget and we will not forgive.”

(Wikimedia Commons)

was our last line of defense.

We tried to keep our kid entertained as much as we could so he wouldn’t sense our fear.”

Iron Lions website has made it easy to share a snapshot of such testimonies on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook.

These snapshots include a single, powerful statement from each story, as well as the name of the person and whether they were at one of the communities close to the Gaza border or at the Nova music festival in Re’im.

The testimonies are being publicized not only by individuals who want to increase awareness of the attacks, but also by public bodies and organizations.

Testimonies have already been shared by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, and Stand­ WithUs, a high-profile Israeli nonprofit that educates people about the country and combats antisemitism, hate and misinformation.

AI21 Labs is asking more

survivors to submit testimonies to Iron Lions, in order to help the families of the kidnapped procure evidence for future international war crimes investigations and lawsuits under judicial bodies like the International Court of Justice in Hague.

The startup also aims to translate the testimonies into more languages, including Spanish and

French, to reach a wider international audience.

“As an Israeli-established company, we feel it’s imperative to contribute our technology to encourage the world to take action,” said Afota.

“So that these crimes against humanity do not go unrecognized.”

JFS is collecting new (tags on) winter coats for local boys and girls in kids’ sizes 2T through 18, and adult sizes for teens.

NOW THROUGH DECEMBER 1, 2023.

3 Easy Ways to Give: 1. Purchase coat(s) and place in collection point boxes or drop off at the JFS office.

2. Purchase coat(s) online and ship to JFSLV at 2004 W Allen Street, Allentown, PA 18104.

3. Make a donation of any amount toward purchasing coats in this year’s drive at jfslv.org and select “Coats & Cocoa” in the fund dropdown.

Also accepting hot cocoa mix, of course.

Please contact Chelsea Karp at info@jfslv.org or 610.821.8722 with any questions.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 27

JOIN US!

JFLV Women FOR ISRAEL Meidan Keidar, former Shlicha, as well as our partners in Yoav will share their stories from Israel.

Volunteer to make bracelets in support of the Israel Emergency Campaign and in solidarity with Israel.

Come write letters to Israel Defense Forces soldiers and their families.

Register for or Sponsor this event by scanning the QR code, or by visiting the link below!

Bracelets will be available to pick up at the event.

Event location TBA.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12

Federation thanks Champion sponsor Firstrust Bank The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley thanks Firstrust Bank for becoming a Champion sponsor for its 2023-2024 Here for Good campaign.

Based in the southeastern region of Pennsylvania, Firstrust was founded at the height of the Great Depression by Samuel A. Green under the name First Federal Savings and Loan of Philadelphia. Green opened the first branch in South Philly in 1934. Firstrust is now a full-service commercial bank serving the Lehigh Valley,

Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.

The Green family still owns Firstrust, with Samuel having passed leadership to his son Daniel. Daniel’s son Richard J. Green is currently CEO and chairman of the board, and the bank is the largest family-owned financial institution in the region.

Since its beginning nearly 90 years ago, Firstrust has remained true to the same, simple mission: cultivate prosperity for customers, employees and the communities

it serves. It accomplishes this by listening to its customers, personalizing solutions for their needs and developing long-term relationships with them, often lasting for generations.

Firstrust says it is honored to have helped thousands of businesses achieve success in the region it calls home.

For help with your personal or business banking needs, visit the Firstrust Allentown office at 1402 North Cedar Crest Boulevard.

10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.

jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/ jflv-womens-philanthropy-for-israel

This is our moment to thank you, our volunteers, donors, legacy givers and community leaders for everything you do every day to make a vibrant Jewish Lehigh Valley

Community Chanukah Party Food served will be kosher under the supervision of Rabbi Re'em.

Scan the QR code or visit the link below to Register Sunday, December 10, 10 A.M. to 12 P.M.

Located at Temple Beth El

jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/community-chanukah-party 28 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Turkey Sala-di-da

By Sandi Teplitz Special to Hakol

Sometimes leftovers from a holiday dinner can become the star of the next day’s main course. This delicious salad is a textural wonder. It’s crisp, crunchy and creamy. Plus it’s beautiful on that still-made-up table. You can be versatile with the vegetables as well — feel free to add your faves to the mix.

Salad ingredients: 1 red onion, sliced 6 tablespoons kosher red wine vinegar 1 Italian baguette, halved, brushed with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with kosher salt, and placed under the broiler (watch it closely!) for 10 minutes on each side, then ripped into bite-size pieces 10 ounces mixed organic greens 2 cups frozen corn, defrosted 2 pounds cut up heirloom tomatoes 4 cups white meat turkey, cut up Dressing ingredients: 4 cups fresh basil leaves 3 chopped garlic cloves 4 tablespoons kosher red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Dressing technique: Mix everything except the oil in a food processor and pulse to chop.

Process to blend.

Assembly technique: Combine the greens in a large wooden bowl. Add corn, tomatoes, onion, turkey and bread. Add some of the dressing and toss.

Add more dressing as needed. Serve with chilled sparkling apple cider.

We are very thankful for local businesses who continue to support our mission with advertising and sponsorships. They are the people, companies and organizations that enrich us, feed us, keep us healthy, provide services for everyone, and invite us to shop big and small with them.

THANK OUR ADVERTISERS AND SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONS OFTEN!

ENRICHING US

HEALTHY US

SERVING OLDER US

SHOP US LOCAL

Allentown Art Museum America On Wheels American Technion Society Baum School Of Art Berman Center For Jewish Studies Goldenslipper Camp Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy Moravian Academy Muhlenberg College Dept Of Theatre & Dance Pinemere Camp State Theatre

Access Ability Comforcare Senior Services Country Meadows Retirement Communities

Advantage Nutrition & Wellness Children’s Healthcare Damany Center Gordon Pediatric Dental Green Hills Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Hakim Health Partners Lehigh Valley Center For Sight Lehigh Valley Health Network Lehigh Valley Pediatric Assoc Lisa Baas Healing Arts Medicine Mark Notis DDS St. Luke’s University Health Network

Art Gallery & Frame Shop BOUTIQUE-TO-GO Jane Roncoroni Fine Clothing Phoebe Floral Shop & Home Gallery

SERVING ALL OF US

Bachman, Kulik & Reinsmith Funeral Home Bender’s Home Maintenance Plus Cold Nose Lodge Creative Closets, Ltd. Daniels BMW Development Corp For Israel Bonds Embassy Bank For The Lehigh Valley Hof & Reid, Personal Injury Law Micro-Innovation, LLC Oakhurst Properties Provident Bank Regency Real Estate Larry Ginsburg SavingCerts Scherline Injury Law Style with Care

FEEDING US

Giant Food Stores Mizu Sushi And Hibachi Steakhouse Weis Markets

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 29

BOOK REVIEWS A grocer, a deaf Black boy and tikkun olam

“The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store,” by James McBride, Riverhead Books, 2023.

By Sean Boyle Congregation Keneseth Israel

Award-winning author James McBride’s recently released novel “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” is already an award-winning book and is on the short list of committees for many other book awards.

His novel is set mostly in the late 1920s and early 1930s on Chicken Hill in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, where immigrant Jews and African Americans live side by side in shared poverty and discrimination. The story begins in 1972 with state police

investigating the discovery of a skeleton found when digging the foundation for a new housing development and their questioning one of the last residents of the old Chicken Hill community.

As a hurricane comes and washes all the evidence and last potential witness away, McBride transports the reader back 47 years and introduces Romanian-born theater owner Moshe Ludlow, his worker and a reluctant leader of the Black community, Nate Timblin.

Moshe’s Pottstown-born wife, Chona, owns the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store in the heart of Chicken Hill, and Nate’s wife, Addie, helps Chona and runs the store on Shabbat and when

Chona is ill. With the success of Moshe’s theaters downtown, Chona is able to give extended lines of credit to her immigrant and Black neighbors. This kindness, as well as her lifelong friendships with the families of Chicken Hill, makes it natural that Chona and Nate’s family will be at the center of protecting a deaf Black boy from the state officials who wish to institutionalize him.

As the novel unfolds, McBride makes clear the bigotry, deceit and hypocrisy imposed on the Chicken Hill community by the white Christian residents in the region. As more is revealed about the relationship between the skeleton and the deaf child, and the roles Pottstown’s leaders

play, McBride shows that love and community is what sustains us after all.

Several of McBride’s characters have physical handicaps and highlight the many challenges in care and community acceptance during the 1930s. McBride originally wanted to set his story in Worcester, Pennsylvania, as an ode to Sy Friend, the retired director of the Variety Club Camp for Handicapped Children. McBride dedicates his book to Friend and thanks him for teaching him the meaning of tikkun olam. The land for the camp was donated by Jewish immigrants Leo and Vera Posel in the mid-1930s, and McBride was a counselor at the camp for four years when he was a stu-

educated Korean Jewish gamer and his American Jewish woman friend who collaborate on a business venture? It’s hard to find words for this 400-page book that redefines success as we traditionally have known it.

Sam Mazur, an atypical

video game designer, is the antihero. After an accident that left him with a disability and killed the member of his family closest to him, he becomes enchanted with a young woman who gets him through the recovery process.

With wellness comes the real-

ization that their commonalities contribute to exceptional circumstances that allow them to create a pattern of gaming previously unknowable to the rest of the gaming community. Along the way, they suffer heartache, loneliness, depression and the sort

Success redefined and redefined

“Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin, Knopf, 2022.

By Sandi Teplitz Special to Hakol

What can you say about a novel featuring a Harvard-

Thanksgiving

BINGO

Sunday, November 12 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Country Meadows Independent Living Allentown, PA Registration is appreciated.

Scan the QR code or visit jewishlehighvalley.org/calendar or call 610.821.5500.

Questions? Email abbyt@jflv.org

30 NOVEMBER 2023 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

dent at Oberlin College.

Highly recommended for ages 14-120. Guaranteed to win several more book awards and likely to become a classic.

Sean Boyle is Congregation Keneseth Israel’s librarian and serves as vice president, president-elect, of the Association of Jewish Libraries.

of platonic love that kindles their adventurous spirit. To put it in “gamespeak,” they grok each other and own the reader’s mind (i.e., “get,” as in understand, and “own,” as in control).

Culture and religion play a key role in this fascination with ambiguous success, the type that changes as life deals its series of ups and downs.

Author Gabrielle Zevin takes the opportunity to show us the upside of the fragility of relationships and explores the importance of independence, offering the reader the chance to see that intimacy does not necessarily have to be physical to be unforgettable.

No character in this book is minor. Each one, like every game piece, has a significant impact on the outcome. In the end, a loss can be a marker for the future, bringing with it a new perspective for tomorrow.

Sandi Teplitz provides a recipe for each issue of Hakol and regularly reviews books.

Community Calendar

To list an event in the Community Calendar, submit your information on our website, www.jewishlehighvalley.org, under the “Upcoming Events” menu.

All events listed in the Community Calendar are open to the public and free of charge, unless otherwise noted. Programs listed in HAKOL are provided as a service to the community.

They do not necessarily reflect the endorsement of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley. The JFLV reserves the right to accept, reject or modify listings.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 An Evening with Michael W. Twitty, author of Koshersoul 5:30 p.m., Iacocca Hall at Lehigh University Spend the evening hearing from Michael W. Twitty, culinary historian; Washington, D.C., food writer; and author of the 2022 National Jewish Book Award-winning “Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew.” A reception will follow. Free and open to the public. Registration is suggested but not required: docs. google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevmq 3Eo9q8GN3s8BRGSb6JPz9uil1IN59oy 9tgujeQUBa_ZA/viewform.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2 Dignity Grows Packing Party 6:30 p.m., JCC Join the Women’s Philanthropy for a mitzvah project that’s part of Dignity Grows, sponsored by the Maimonides Society of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley. Volunteers will pack totes with essential hygiene supplies to be distributed to women in need. Register at jewishlehighvalley.org/calendar.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7 Town Hall on Community Security 7-8:30 p.m., Temple Beth El Tim Brooks, regional security advisor for the Lehigh Valley community, will discuss what’s being done now and into the future to keep synagogues, Jewish agency facilities and other local places where Jews gather safe. Register at jewishlehighvalley.org/calendar.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12 Women’s Philanthropy Moms for Israel 10 a.m.-1 p.m., JCC Women’s Philanthropy volunteers will gather to make bracelets that will be sold so they can be worn in support of Israel. 100% percent of the proceeds will be distributed in Israel. Register or buy bracelets at jewishlehighvalley.org/ calendar.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12 Panel discussion on ‘The Daughter of Auschwitz’ 10 a.m.-noon, KI and via stream Tova Friedman, one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz and author of the bestselling book “The Daughter of Auschwitz,” will draw on her vivid memories when she fronts a panel at Congregation Keneseth Israel to speak against antisemitism and prejudice. A light brunch will be served. Tickets are $5. Register by November 9 at kilv.org/ event/panel-discussion-the-daughterof-auschwitz.html. Registrants can purchase tickets at that web page or pay at the door.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12 PJ Library and JFS Thanksgiving Bingo 3:30-5 p.m., Jewish Family Service Join PJ Library and Jewish Family Service for an intergenerational bingo gathering. Also make fall decorations for residents’ rooms. There will be crafts, snacks and of course a PJ Library story.

Register at jewishlehighvalley.org/ calendar.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13 Update on Israel Noon-1 p.m., via Zoom David Horovitz, founding editor of the Times of Israel, will brief the audience on the current situation in Israel and the Middle East. This is the second in

a series of briefings sponsored in part by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley. Register at jewishphilly.org.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17-SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19 KI Rabbi Installation Weekend Congregation Keneseth Israel Congregation Keneseth Israel invites the community to the installation of its new spiritual leader and teacher, Rabbi Shoshanah Tornberg, at 7:30 p.m. Friday. On Saturday there will be a Torah study at 9:30 a.m.; Shabbat Out of the Box, making hamsas, at 10:30; and Say Goodbye to Shabbat at 5 p.m., with all ages invited for snacks, Havdalah, a professional storyteller and dinner for $25 per person (ages up to 13 free).

On Sunday at 10:30 a.m., religious school children will prepare birthday bags and cards for clients of the Jewish Family Service Food Pantry as part of a Birthday-in-a-Bag Mitzvah Party. For more information and to register to attend, visit kilv.org.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18 Young Leadership Night Out! 7:30 p.m., Steel City Bowl Strike up some fun “glow bowling” with the Jewish Federation’s Young Leadership. Unlimited pizza, wings and soda. Vegetarian and kosher options provided. Registration required for $18 per person at jewishlehighvalley.org/ calendar (plus $4 for shoe rental to be paid at the alley). Adults only!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2 JDS Evening of Tribute 7:30 p.m., Temple Beth El The Jewish Day School will honor a group of supporters who have demonstrated their loyalty, dedication, commitment and generosity nearing 50 years.

Register at jdslv.org/tribute.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3 Advanced Practitioners: 21st Century Medicine 10-11:30 a.m., JCC Margo Lightman, a nurse practitioner with St. Luke’s Neurological Associates in Bethlehem, and Andrea Reich, a physician assistant with Advanced Dermatology Associates, will present this Maimonides Society Brunch and Learn. Open to the entire community.

No cost for Maimonides members and spouses; nonmember cost is $10 per person. Register at jewishlehighvalley. org/calendar.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5 Women’s Philanthropy Chanukah Party 6:30-8:30 p.m., JCC Come together to celebrate the light that Women’s Philanthropy brings to the community. And enjoy latkes! Open to all who have donated to the Federation’s annual campaign. Register at jewishlehighvalley.org/calendar.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10 JCC Community Chanukah Celebration 10 a.m.-noon, Temple Beth El Gather with the community to celebrate Chanukah. The party will be Israelthemed. Food will be served. Register at jewishlehighvalley.org/calendar.

ONGOING EVENTS 2ND SUNDAY OF THE MONTH Bnai Shalom cash bingo fundraiser 1-4 p.m., Congregation Bnai Shalom

Celebrate the beauty of Shabbat

or 610-972-7054 to sign up.

Doors open at 12:15 and games start at 1. There’s no game in October. For information email the synagogue office at office@bnaishalomeaston.org.

MONDAYS Yiddish Club 2-3:30 p.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley via Zoom Experience the joys of Yiddish via Zoom as part of “Adults at the J.” The group meets weekly to discuss topics like cooking, humor, music and all kinds of entertainment in the Yiddish language.

All are welcome to join this lively, weekly discussion. There is something for everyone no matter if you know a few words or are a fluent speaker. Enjoy fun, fellowship, stories and more. Participants Zoom in from 5 states. No cost.

Call 610-435-3571, ext. 501.

MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS Online Jewish yoga studio Mondays 11-11:45 a.m., Thursdays 4-4:45 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality Mindful body practices help us find shelter right where we are, in our bodies in this very moment. Join yoga teacher and IJS faculty member Rabbi Myriam Klotz or Cantor Lizzie Shammash as she guides you in an all-levels yoga and movement session informed

by Jewish spiritual teachings and designed to relieve stress as we increase awareness of breath and grounding through our bodies. Open to all, no experience needed. Sign up at jewishspirituality.org/get-started.

TUESDAYS Weekly Torah study 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality Rabbi Jonathan Slater will lead a weekly program: “Torah Study to Sustain The Soul,” aimed at addressing an aspect of spiritual life that will help us navigate this time of uncertainty and isolation.

Open to all, no previous knowledge needed. Sign up at jewishspirituality. org/get-started.

WEDNESDAYS Yoga with Miriam Sandler: Chair-Supported Yoga 1-2 p.m., Congregation Brith Sholom in person and via Zoom Be seated in a comfortable chair, preferably armless (folding works well).

Some standing poses holding onto the chair are offered, though students may choose to remain seated. Modifications are given. Open to the public in person and live stream available to all via Zoom. *$10 drop-in fee payable to Congregation Brith Sholom. For more information email mbserow@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAYS Torah Studies: A Weekly Journey into the Soul of Torah 7 p.m., Chabad of the Lehigh Valley in person and via Zoom Torah Studies by the Jewish Learning Institute presents Season One 5784, a 12-part series, in person and via Zoom. Cost is $54 for the course, including textbook. For more information, call 610-351-6511 or email rabbi@ chabadlehighvalley.com.

EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY Hadassah study group 12:30 p.m., via Zoom We discuss short stories from an anthology. Always welcoming new participants! Contact mjclaire@gmail.com

Shabbat & Yom Tov Candlelighting Times Friday, November 3 5:38 pm Friday, November 10 4:31 pm Friday, November 17 4:25 pm Friday, November 24 4:20 pm

Friday, December 1 4:18 pm Friday, December 8 4:17 pm Friday, December 15 4:18 pm Friday, December 22 4:20 pm

THURSDAYS Basic Yiddish class 4-5:30 p.m., JCC via Zoom Learn to read, write, speak and comprehend Yiddish. Textbooks from Yiddish Book Center available for purchase.

Contact 610-435-3571, ext. 501.

FRIDAYS Kol HaEmek 8:30-9:30 a.m., WMUH 91.7 Radio show with Cantor Kevin Wartell.

For information go to muhlenberg.edu/ wmuh.

3RD FRIDAY OF THE MONTH KI Shabbat B’Yachad 5:30-7 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel Art projects, songs, snack stories, prayer and dinner. Geared toward kids ages 5-10, but perfect for younger siblings too. RSVP at kilv.org.

SATURDAYS KI Torah Study 9:30-11 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel Join Rabbi Shoshanah Tornberg for a study session making sense of the week’s Torah portion. Enter the building through the 23rd Street door. For more information, contact Rabbi Tornberg using the form at kilv.org/form/contactrabbicall.

SATURDAYS Wisdom of the Talmud class After Shabbat Lunch and Schmooze, Congregation Brith Sholom Join Rabbi Michael Singer in a discussion about Jewish law, ethics, customs and history as found in the pages of the Talmud. The fall-winter class begins a new volume of the Talmud: “Mesechet Megillah.” Books are available in the synagogue office. No previous Talmud study required. For information email tammy@brithsholom.net or call 610866-8009.

DAILY Jewish Broadcasting Service JBS is a Jewish television channel featuring daily news from Israel; leading Jewish figures, issues and events of Jewish importance; call-in programs; Jewish studies; 92nd Street Y; live Friday and holiday services for those at home; children’s programs; films; music; books; and entertainment. jbstv. org.

DAILY Congregation Sons of Israel minyanim Shacharit on Mondays and Thursdays 6:30 a.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 6:45 a.m.; Sundays 8:30 a.m.

Congregation Sons of Israel welcomes all to the daily Shacharis and Mincha/ Maariv services, which are conducted in the main sanctuary of the synagogue.

Please check the synagogue at sonsofisrael.net for the weekly listing of the starting time for Mincha/Maariv. If you have any questions, call the synagogue office at 610-433-6089.

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY Daily online meditation 12:30 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality One of their master teachers will lead a live daily guided meditation. Join with people from around the world to share 30 minutes of Jewish mindfulness.

Open to all, no experience needed. Sign up at jewishspirituality.org/get-started.

Noon, 1:30, 5:30 and 7 p.m. daily except Sunday, 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., JCC

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 31

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