9 minute read
FROM THE DESK OF JERI ZIMMERMAN
Much appreciated
With Thanksgiving and Chanukah just behind us and year-end quickly approaching, I am reminded of the expression “an attitude of gratitude.” This is the notion of making it a habit to express thankfulness and appreciation in all parts of your life, on a regular basis. For both the big things and small things alike. On a regular basis, my young grandchildren delight in the activity of identifying their “thorns” and “roses,” giving them a moment to reflect on the days’ events and to share their challenges and express the things for which they are grateful.
Whether giving thanks to God or just feeling grateful in our own reflections, the expression an “attitude of gratitude” resonates with me on so many levels. First, I am thankful for family and friends who provide support and encouragement through good times and, sometimes, tough times, and for the many things that make dayto-day life so wonderful. I am also most appreciative of a community that demonstrates caring and compassion and a desire to welcome and engage its members.
In this edition of HAKOL, we take a moment to recognize the generous and valued support of sponsors and advertisers and all that they do to support our mission and community efforts. I hope you will join me in recognizing their ongoing support by patronizing their businesses. Together, we are HERE FOR GOOD, and we appreciate their generosity and community minded care.
I am also grateful to each one of you for your time, talent and financial support working to make our community a rich and vibrant one. It is our Jewish Community Center, our Jewish Day School, our Jewish Family Service, all of our synagogues and other organizations that enrich our Jewish life here in the valley. Despite COVID restrictions, all of our agencies have found interesting and creative ways of bringing programs to you. In addition to the HAKOL agency updates, I also call your attention to a new section in HAKOL bringing us the Good News from Israel – a reminder that we are blessed to be part of a global community.
Along with our organizations, our Jewish Federation, Foundation and affinity groups all work to provide opportunities to engage you in helping to make our community and the world a better place. A new project called Dignity Grows, the return of missions to Israel, initiatives like Life and Legacy Each One Reach One, Women Empowering Women, programs for New in the Valley, Men’s Night Out, Mitzvot in the Making and our Maimonides Society’s 35th anniversary are just a few examples of the upcoming diverse and exciting opportunities to celebrate in our community. I hope you will participate in any and/ or all of these initiatives, and please feel free to call me for more information.
How wonderful it is to be surrounded by you, as together, we address important and meaningful work each day. Please accept my sincere appreciation and thanks to each of you for inspiring me.
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 ALITZA HOCHHAUSER In honor of the upcoming anniversary of your Bat Mitzvah Bob Lembach ASA HOCHHAUSER In honor of being called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah
Bob Lembach AVI HOCHHAUSER In honor of the recent anniversary of your Bar Mitzvah
Bob Lembach WESLEY KOZINN In honor of your Special Birthday
Vicki Wax LINDA PIESNER In honor of the birth of your great granddaughter, Melody
Marilyn Claire
IN MEMORY BLANCHE ALGIM (Mother of Matti Sarfatti Hacarvi)
Jill and Jeff Blinder WALTER GOLDFARB (Brother of Harold Goldfarb)
Ronie and Don Barga
Carole and Michael Langsam SIMON GROSMAN (Father of Antonie Samuels)
Arlene and Richard Stein GIL LEVY (Husband of Michele Levy)
Carole and Michael Langsam
TO ORDER TREES, call the JFLV at 610-821-5500 or visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org.
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. 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 Phone: (610) 821-5500 Fax: (610) 821-8946 E-mail: hakol@jflv.org Member American Jewish Press Association
HAKOL STAFF
STEPHANIE GOODLING Editor/Marketing Associate
ALLISON MEYERS Marketing Project Manager & Senior Graphic Designer
DIANE MCKEE Account Representative TEL: 610-515-1391 hakolads@jflv.org
BAYLEY CARL Marketing & Engagement Associate
JFLV EXECUTIVE STAFF
JERI ZIMMERMAN Executive Director
TEMPLE COLDREN Director of Finance & Administration
AARON GORODZINSKY Director of Campaign & Security Planning AMY ZYLBERMAN Director of Community Development WENDY EDWARDS Office Manager
GARY FROMER JFLV President
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.
Eileen Ufberg recognized with Kipnis-Wilson/ Friedland Award
Eileen Ufberg has been chosen by Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley as our 2022 recipient of Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland award. The honor is awarded annually to one woman from each local Federation who has set a high standard for philanthropy and volunteerism in her community at the International Lion of Judah Conference.
“We are so fortunate to count Eileen amongst our community leaders. For more than 50 years, Eileen has been a guidepost to philanthropy and has quietly led a number of initiatives during that time,” said Jeri Zimmerman, executive director of Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.
Ufberg is an active member of the Federation and received the George Feldman Award for outstanding young leaders and for working on numerous campaign efforts. She is a past chair of the Women’s Division and was a board member of her synagogue. She was a member of the Federation's leadership development committee and Community Relations Council.
Ufberg has worked tirelessly and given generously to the Federation. In 2021, she was the recipient of the Pomerantz Award for her work on the Federation’s Annual Campaign. Together with her late husband, Mickey, z”l, Eileen co-chaired the community’s COVID Relief Campaign, enabling our agencies and synagogues to operate during the height of the pandemic.
Ufberg credits those who came before her, showing that the simple act of giving can make an impact— rippling into the future. She and Mickey, z”l, raised their five children in the Lehigh Valley, all of whom attended the Jewish Day School, and now their 16 grandchildren are following their example.
“We are fortunate to have Eileen in our community. She is warm, caring, with a great sense of humor and can always be counted on. She understands the meaning of philanthropy!” added Zimmerman.
Lions of Judah are women who are committed to a gift of $5,000 or more to the Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs. If you’re interested in learning more about Women’s Philanthropy, please contact Jeri Zimmerman at jeri@jflv.org.
Last month, Julia Umansky joined the Jewish Federation staff team as the new Manager of Planned Giving and EITC for the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation. Umansky served most recently in the non-profit world of animal welfare and adoption. In addition to creating and running exciting volunteer programs, she has experience in fundraising and grant-writing. Her skill set includes: team leadership, relationship building, volunteer management, customer service, project development and implementation, public speaking and presentations. Umansky will be responsible for working with the Endowment and Investment Committees and for administering and enhancing the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. She will also be included as part of the annual community campaign team.
Umansky earned a B.A. in Biology from Boston University with a focus on animal behavior and vertebrate zoology. Originally from Cleveland, she comes from a family deeply involved in their local Jewish community — her grandmother was the president of her sisterhood and her grandfather was the president of their temple. It feels natural, therefore, for her to become involved in the Lehigh Valley community now that she and her husband, Jonathan Markson, have moved from Brooklyn to his hometown of Allentown. They are big animal lovers, having a dog and three cats of their own, and are happy to be putting down roots in the Valley. Umansky is also an artist, working with acrylic and resin work, and is interested in Jewish mysticism.
Umansky is looking forward to sharing her experience and developing endowment opportunities within the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation.
