Hakol - December 2022

Rock in a hard place

Director joins Lions and Poms to screen her film on musicians in Sderot, Israel

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

“Rock in the Red Zone” is a choppy film. That’s not a criticism. The choppiness is exactly right for a film repre senting life in the Israeli city of Sderot.

A regular day for one of the musicians at the heart of this documentary might begin with a drive to work being interrupted by a siren warn ing of an incoming missile from Gaza, a sprint to a bomb shelter, and an anxious wait

for the threat to subside, and might end with a dinner date, and maybe another siren. The Lion of Judah and Pomegranate Society of the Jewish Federation of the Le high alley spread out inside Emmaus Theatre on November 14 to watch the documentary along with its writer, director and producer, Laura Bialis. The film is a poignant reminder, as the Federation’s 2023 Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs was beginning, of the importance of

the Federation’s continuing mission to help those in need.

“I haven’t watched the movie in years,” Bialis told the audi ence after the credits rolled.

“It’s hard to believe I lived that.”

A native of Los Angeles, Bi alis learned about Sderot from press clips a friend sent her in 2007, a time when Hamas and Islamic Jihad were firing rockets continually into the city from Gaza, a half mile away. When she found out that rock bands were using

Rock

in a hard place Continues on page 4

Pictured (left to right): Lee Solomon, associate director of development; Laura Bialis, writer, director and producer of “Rock In the Red Zone”; Jeri Zimmerman, executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

JFS celebrates 50 years of helping people in need

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

The Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley celebrat ed its 50th anniversary with a live-streamed commemorative event on Sunday, November 6.

There were timelines with milestones from the organiza tion’s history, commentary from current JFS leaders and volunteers, and memories from those who have worked with the agency in the past.

JFS has come a long way over those decades. Immedi ate past president Rabbi Allen

Juda talked about how the agency staff used to be one full-time person. Now there are 50 full- and part-time workers. On top of that are 90 to 100 volunteers. The JFS Food Pantry, he said, was “two shelves and a kitchen cabinet.”

The increased resources and personnel allow the agency to accomplish more than ever, especially in the last 10 years, since Debbie Zoller took over as executive director. Rabbi Juda said, “It’s extremely gratifying to see the agency grow its commitment

to excellence in every aspect, and the support we receive from the community.”

The service that put the early JFS on the map was the resettling of Russian immi grants in the Lehigh Valley. Beginning in the late 1970s, staff and volunteers helped refugees fleeing persecution in Russia find places to live and get jobs.

JFS enlisted doctors, dentists and others to pro vide healthcare and various services that the refugees required. Diane Silverman, resettlement coordinator from

1979 to 1994, reported great success with this. “I never had one single refusal when I called someone to participate in this program,” she said.

Staff and volunteers helped the newcomers find paid work too. “Many people went on to get very good jobs,” she said.

After the Soviet Union broke up, the program expanded, in 1996, to cover refugees from all over the for mer communist state. Marjorie Weiss, JFS executive direc tor from 1988 to 1998 said, “I could name about eight or nine countries that they came from.”

One of the other great successes in JFS history was the founding of Beth Tikvah House. Before that, there was no culturally Jewish facility for older adults who needed assistance to go to live in the valley.

Michael Leader, founder of Leading Nursing and Rehabil itation Center and now CEO of its successor, Country Mead ows, worked with Jewish

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Be the Light!

One for each night, they shed a sweet light to remind us of days long ago …

We are reminded of days not so long ago when anti semitism was less prevalent. While antisemitism has been on the rise in the United States, focusing on the digi tization of this vile prejudice is essential to stopping the spread of it.

We must continue to be vigilant. Through the Shine a Light initiative, we and our partner the Jewish Federa tion of North America draw on the inspiration of Chanu kah, the Festival of Lights, to encourage Jews and allies to speak up and send a mes sage that antisemitism, in all its modern forms, won’t be tolerated in our communities. Shine a Light is a compre hensive initiative to spotlight the dangers of antisemitism through education, commu nity partnerships, workplace engagement and community advocacy.

Antisemitism is a societal problem. Tolerating, mini mizing or denying it allows

hatred, scapegoating and conspiratorial thinking to erode our democracy. Ef fectively countering anti semitism requires all of us to speak up.

As we approach Chanu kah, we hope you will par ticipate with our community as we join others by taking pictures of your family/ friends proudly lighting the chanukiah (Chanukah can delabra) candles and shar ing the photos with us. The national Jewish Federation, in turn, will highlight the photos as part of a national initiative. We will also have resources available with ac tion steps to stand up against antisemitism. Please watch for more information so that you, too, can Shine a Light!

In addition, you are the light for your family and friends. You help them in times of need and comfort them in times of uncertainty. As we get ready to celebrate Chanukah, you can be that light for your extended Jewish family as well — in cluding the individuals and families who urgently need

your help now more than ever locally, in Israel and in 70 countries around the world. I encourage you to be a light for those who thought they’d never have to rely on others for assistance.

Federation-supported ini tiatives help make the world a better and brighter place, made possible by community efforts and donations. From caring for those in need to inspiring the next generation of young leaders, our An nual Campaign for Jewish Needs showcases the many ways that Federation-backed programming, and our com munity members, bring light to the world. Through our work together, we can shed a sweet light.

Through initiatives like the Jewish Family Service (JFS) programming celebrat ing 50 years, the Jewish Day School (JDS) 69th Evening of Tribute and Jewish Commu nity Center (JCC) enhanced programming, we continue to work hard to bring light to our community and to stay connected to provide community support to one

another.

This Chanukah, we ask you, our generous commu nity members, to add your light by making a gener ous gift to the Federation.

Through our 2023 Campaign for Jewish Needs, funds are provided to help our local agencies and synagogues with much-needed resources and for:

Caring for those in need:

• Providing food for those in need

• Counseling for families in crisis

• Supporting services for older adults

• Helping disabled indi viduals and their families

Building a vibrant Jewish community:

• Encouraging young read ers — PJ Library

• Making Jewish education and camp af fordable

• Teaching teens to stand up for Israel

• Connecting people to their heritage

Bringing people together:

• Providing volunteer op portunities to help others

• Traveling to Israel on missions

• Supporting our Partnership2Gether fam ily, Yoav

• Creating lasting friendships

Responding to emergen cies:

• Providing relief from Israel to Ukraine, and when local disaster strikes

This Chanukah, you are a light that heals. You are a light that brings relief in times of need. Thank you in advance for your generosity and for being the light that helps us to be Here for Good. Chag Urim Sameach!

HAKOL STAFF

EXECUTIVE STAFF

Mark L. Goldstein

IN HONOR

LISA AND BARNET FRAENKEL

In honor of being honored by the Baum School of Art Cooky and Mike Notis AARON GORODZINSKY AND JENNIE SCHECHNER

In honor of your marriage Marilyn Claire Margie and Jay Strauss VALESKA AND ISRAEL ZIGHELBOIM Thank you for all your help!

Aaron Gorodzinsky and Tessy Salsberg

IN MEMORY

ANNE KORNFELD

(Mother of Pam Walker)

Lisa and Barnet Fraenkel

RENEE SCHWARTZ

(Mother of Pam Silverberg) Lisa and Barnet Fraenkel

JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY MISSION

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

• 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

The Lehigh Valley-Yoav Partnership Park in Blessed Memory of

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.

Member American Jewish Press Association

Dignity Grows volunteers pack tote bags with essential supplies for women in need

By Eynav Dahan Community Shlicha

The Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation held its third Dignity Grows Tote Packing Party on November 2.

The turnout was excellent, with women from the Lehigh Valley community and Lehigh University sorority students volunteering their time to pack 150 tote bags full of essential supplies for women. The bags were donated to Jewish Family Service and SELF Women’s Reentry, two local organizations that help women in need.

Rachel Levin, chair of the

event, and Lee Solomon, the Federation’s Associate Director of Development, opened with short introductions. Jeri Zimmerman, the Federation’s executive director, spoke about the community and the importance of the Federation, emphasizing the making of a better tomorrow and many tomorrows to come.

Chelsea Karp, volunteer and grant development coordinator for JFS, described the work that the agency does for the Lehigh Valley community as a whole. She highlighted the contribution the Federation makes to JFS’s work.

Mitzvah

Rock in a hard place

(continues from page 1)

Vaknin, the film’s featured musician. Bialis adds, “That night I became Sderoti.”

Protesters take to the streets the next day, some 10,000 of them, demanding change. There’s a resiliency captured in this public display that stands for the film’s theme of strength in the face of opposition – resiliency of the musicians, of other Sderotis and of Israelis in general.

after the film ended, “a rocket landed on a car right next to my in-laws’. Just like random. It’s just the reality now.”

Bialis stayed in Israel but did return to Los Angeles for a while. She offered a startling commentary to audience members who had just witnessed all those troubling filmed scenes of Israel.

bomb shelters as clubs to perform their original music fusing Western and Eastern traditions, she headed there to start filming what would be released in 2014 as her fourth feature-length documentary. “Coming from LA,” Bialis says on screen, “I felt like I had gone back in time.” In a way, she had. When missiles target a place hundreds of times a year, as had been happening to Sderot since 2001, visible signs of progress tend to fade.

The definitive moment of Sderot as a city under attack comes after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pulls 10,000 Jewish settlers out of Gaza and the West Bank in 2008. The hope is that the concession will encourage peace.

It doesn’t work. Instead, the attacks get worse. One particular night, the scene turns especially surreal, with fires raging, people running and ambulance lights flashing. “It feels like it’s on TV,” says Avi

This time of heightened chaos and tragedy is juxtaposed against a particularly uplifting moment of joy and hope for Vaknin and Bialis. “Avi proposed to me in a bomb shelter,” Bialis says. “I said yes.”

When Egypt brokers a cease-fire, Vaknin and Bialis take advantage of the ensuing quiet to hold an actual wedding. “Here in this traumatized town,” Avi says, “I felt love, and a sense of community I never knew was missing.” But the cease-fire soon ends. Vaknin and Bialis decide to move father from Gaza, to Tel Aviv and Vaknin’s family there.

Over the years since then, things have changed. The incoming rockets have gotten larger and stronger and are able to fly farther. Cities that had been relatively safe back when the shorter-range missiles could reach only so far as Sderot have become targets. That includes Tel Aviv. “Last May,” Bialis told the crowd

“Actually I don’t feel safe sending my kids to Hebrew school” in the United States, she said. “Everyone has guns.”

“For me, it’s safer in Israel, as crazy as that sounds.”

SPONSORED BY THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY’S WOMEN’S DIVISION

PA Jewish Coalition prioritizes hate crimes database and security JFS celebrates 50 years

By Aaron Gorodzinsky Director of Campaign and Security Planning

Bruce Reich, the head of the Community Relations Council, and I traveled to Harrisburg to join the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition (PJC) fall board of directors meeting.

The PJC is an organization funded by all the Jewish Federations in Pennsylvania to share our priorities with our elected officials in Harrisburg and to lobby on important issues on our behalf.

Some of the important issues discussed during the meeting were the creation of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission database to track and share hate crime statistics and strategies for deterrence. The database is of great importance for our community because we have found that hate crimes have been undercounted in Pennsylvania, which skews legislative priorities on forming public policy. The initiative has the support from the governor’s office, and participation from the AntiDefamation League, which keeps one of the most up-todate databases in the United States.

At the meeting, we also renewed our commitment to the funding of the earned income tax credit (EITC) and to working on finding addition al revenue for childcare-age kids that would be delivered to our JCCs and Jewish Day Schools. The cost of early childhood education continues to increase every year, and the money from the EITC program alleviates the burden on parents, who depend on early learning centers to be able to work.

At the end of the meeting, after months of negotiations, our community received one of the pens used by Governor Tom Wolf to sign the extension of the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program for an

additional five years. In the four years since its inception, the program has granted $20 million to help secure religious and nonprofit commu nal facilities throughout the commonwealth, including many in the Lehigh Valley. Unfortunately, only 25 percent of applicants have been awarded grants to date, many of them to our Jewish facilities and institutions.

We will continue to work with the PJC to share the priorities of our community and to legislate to keep our Jewish communities safe.

community leaders to make this happen. “Being able to focus on the Jewish faith and culture at this point in life,” he said, “we were thrilled to be able to participate in that.”

Also helping older adults in the valley was the Benefits CheckUp, which assists with applications for government benefits that clients may not even know about; the Go Pro gram for those who need rides; and the food delivery service now known as Mazel Meals.

Newer additions include programs to improve ac cessibility and inclusivity at facilities throughout the com

munity and the 50 Acts of Kindness initiative in celebration of JFS’s 50th anniversary, through which volunteers cleaned up cemeteries, did landscaping work at the Tikvah House for older adults with intellectual disabilities and at the JCC, collected school sup plies for kids who needed them, and more.

It’s been a busy, productive and rewarding 50 years for JFS so far. The goal is to continue, but providing even more sup

port wherever it’s needed in the community.

“I cannot predict exactly what JFS will look like over the next 50 years,” said current president Robin Rosenau, “but I am confident we will continue to position ourselves to meet our community’s human needs, whatever they will be.”

General Assembly focuses on antisemitism, security and the US-Israel relationship

By Aaron Gorodzinsky Director of Campaign and Security Planning

After two years of virtual gatherings of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) General Assembly (GA), the 2022 GA was held in person in Chicago last month, and I had the op portunity to attend.

Although the attendance number was limited, the discussions we had were as important as ever. The GA dedicated most of its time to three essential topics that all our communities need to pay attention to: the rise of anti semitism, security and IsraelUS relationships.

On the rise of antisemitism, it is very obvious that we have arrived at a point where the Boycott, Divestment and Sanc tions movement and those who pretend to criticize the state of Israel rather than Jew ish people have shown their true faces. These movements are antisemitic and they are not hiding it anymore. At the GA we had many opportuni ties to hear from communities facing antisemitism, but I want to highlight two cases.

First, the mapping project in Boston that pinpoints the lo cations of Jewish organizations on a map of Massachusetts. The anonymous organizers re leased the information to “re veal the local entities and net works that enact devastation, so we can dismantle them.” In

the release, they shared phone numbers, email addresses and in some cases home addresses without any concerns about the safety and security of the people they targeted. The proj ect had the complete opposite effect of what these organizers expected. Even the most radi cal voices in Massachusetts condemned the project. The lessons from the organized Jewish community’s confront ing the project are invaluable, but we also expect that this effort might be replicated in other communities around the country.

Second, the fight to keep Israel from the Critical Race Theory curriculum. We heard from the California Jewish Community Relations Coun cils that have been fighting against the curriculum be cause the proponents intend to showcase Israel as a colonial state and Jews as oppres

sors. In California, and in other states with educational mandates, we foresee a lot of battles to keep Israel out politics. Hearing from these communities and learning about the coalitions they are building to combat the rise of antisemitism provide us with a roadmap and with the knowhow to be more successful in our day-to-day battle against antisemitism.

On the topic of security, our community, like many others, is facing very difficult financial and organizational issues in ensuring our com munities are protected. To face this battle at the community level, the JFNA has given communities across the United States the opportunity to ap ply for Live-Secure grants. I met with the Secure Commu nity Network (SCN) and JFNA representatives and finalized, after almost two years, a grant

HELP US BE

for our community that will bring a regional security coor dinator for the Lehigh Valley. The advisor will allow our community to be connected to the network of SCN commu nities, receive daily security briefings from the intelligence center, apply for additional grants and, most important, to significantly increase security training. We now are in the final stage of the approval and are waiting to sign the documents before the program arrives in our community.

On Israel-US relationships, we are at a difficult place to day, but a place of reassurance as well. We were reminded at the GA that our love for Israel goes beyond who is in power and that our connection to the land and its people transcends politics. Most of our meet ings took place just before the election, without our fully knowing the results, however,

difficult conversations are still needed in the next few months to ensure that our connection remains as strong as always, regardless of which coalition is formed. From the law of re turn to the compromise at the Western Wall, topics of great importance for the American Jewish community need to be dealt with soon to ensure that our future generations can connect with Israel the way we do today.

The 2022 GA reenergized my commitment to do the work needed to keep our com munity moving forward. Our Jewish communities have a lot of challenges ahead of us, but with a strong support net work, and with a community committed to doing the work, we will face them head on, because we are here for good.

In a world filled with unprecedented need, Federation not only rose to the occasion, but thrived.

We were able to do so because of the generous support we have received in the past.

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.

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.

Just as we have in the past. Just as we will in the future. Because together, we are # HEREFORGOOD

Israeli journalist explains ‘Groundhog Day’ elections

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

“Groundhog Day” was how Eetta Prince-Gibson described the Israeli elections to the audience at a Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Val ley presentation on Novem ber 16.

The US-born awardwinning journalist and Israel editor of Moment magazine was here to talk on the topic “Israel’s Fifth Election in Four Years: Will the Fifth Time Be the Charm?” She set out to explain to the audience how Israel’s elections work, how former Prime Minister Ben jamin “Bibi” Netanyahu was trying to cobble together a ruling coalition, and whether yet another election will be required in the near future.

“We vote so often that it’s kind of a neighborhood event,” she said. “People bring coffee and cakes.”

Fortunately, Israelis do at least keep turning out to vote. “It’s a celebration of democ racy,” she said.

Some 40 parties run for the 120 seats in the Knesset, Israel’s monocameral national legislature. In the most recent election, on November 1, about 10 parties made it in.

The prime minister of Is rael is chosen not by popular vote, but rather by the Knes set members. The “magic number” of Knesset votes is 61.A would-be prime minis

ter needs 61 Knesset members to confirm him or her as chief executive.

Here the “horse trading” begins. Bibi, for example, must assemble a coalition of 61, mainly from the various parties on the political right that are most likely to sup port him and his Likud Party, in order to return to the post of prime minister.

This was supposed to hap pen with precisely 61 votes on the day of the PrinceGibson’s talk. But it was past midnight in Israel when she took to the podium, and there was still no coalition. She explained, “Sixty-one is an in herently unstable coalition.”

If one person leaves, it fails.

She went to say that this election was not about specific political issues, such as the peace process, Iran or inflation, but whether Netan yahu should be the head of the government: “To Bibi or not to Bibi.”

If no coalition is formed and no prime minister con firmed, the government fails. And there would need to be another election.

Thus is the plight of the divided societies that have become a reality worldwide.

Factions fight one another and identify politics takes over electoral systems that were not designed to focus on individuals.

Most elections are like this now, Prince-Gibson said.

“A lot of the systems aren’t working.” People turn out to do their civic duty, but the re sult is often disappointment. “That’s a soulless, miserable kind of vote.”

She fears what could hap pen if Netanyahu manages to cobble together a coalition, partly dependent, as it would be, on its most extreme members. One result could be putting an “override clause” on the books that would give the Knesset the power to overturn any decision by the courts with a vote of just 61 members. “That’s called tyranny of the majority,” she said.

She called on American Jews to exert their influence, to support Israel but also offer criticism where needed. “Rebuke, if you are doing it out of love, is not wrong,” she said.

Israel, just 75 years old, needs the support. “It’s still an experiment,” she said, “a fragile democracy.”

That’s not to say she’s not hopeful about the eventual outcome. She just believes that the complicated matters will not simply take care of themselves.

“I don’t want to give the impression of despair,” she said. “I want to encourage determination.”

A fine time of year to donate

By Julia Umansky Director of Gift Planning and EITC

As the weather gets colder and the nights grow longer, the season of giving arrives in full force with Chanukah on our doorstep. I often find myself reflecting at this time of year, thinking about all I have accomplished and what I hope to accomplish in the year to come.

While we try to stay on top of our many responsibilities throughout the year, many of us end up reviewing our charitable giving toward year’s end. If you are one of them, fear not. Now is a wonderful opportunity to share your values, engage your loved ones in important discussions and make any lastminute philanthropic contributions to causes close to your heart. You can make some

tax-smart decisions, while also improving the lives of others during the holiday season.

The Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation can help you maximize your charitable donations today and make a lasting impact on the Jew ish community tomorrow. From donations of stock to using your IRA, there are several tax-smart ways to make a meaningful gift.

To learn more, contact Julia Umansky, director of gift planning and EITC, at julia@ jflv.org or 610-821-5500. If you would like to make a tax-deductible gift by credit card before the end of the year, please visit our website at jewishlehighvalley.org/campaign to donate to the Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs.

It is Better to Give Than to Receive

Donations received by December 31, 2022, are tax deductible for the 2022 tax year and the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation will waive financial administration fees until September 30, 2027, for new contributions of at least $10,000.*

As we unwrap gifts and wrap up another year, this is the time when we think most of others. A familiar saying reminds us it is “better to give than to receive.” As the year winds to a close, take time to make sure you have given to yourself by giving to others – now and into the future.

Consider donating appreciated stock to establish a Charitable Gift Annuity or other endowment fund. Or consider an IRA Charitable Rollover to support the Federation Annual Campaign or to establish a Lion of Judah or Perpetual Annual Campaign Endowment.

To learn more about opportunities for planned giving, contact Julia Umansky at 610-821-5500 or julia@jflv.org or visit lvjfgiving.org.

*To Legacy Philanthropic Funds, B’nai Mitzvah Funds, Restricted/Designated Funds, Charitable Gift Annuities and Trusts, Supporting Foundations and Donor Advised Funds.

Your gift can go a long way toward helping others. This holiday season, take a moment and consider the gifts you would like to make, then make them happen.

Eetta Prince-Gibson speaks at the Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley on November 16.

100 at JCC watch Eagles win, raise $12,000 for hospice fund

ALIETTE AND MARC ABO

In honor of the birth of your granddaughter, Frankie Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald LENNY ABRAMS

In honor of your grandson Ryan’s marriage

Marilyn Claire SARA GLASSMAN

In honor of your Special Birthday Audrey and Art Sosis

EYDIE AND NEIL GLICKSTEIN

In honor of the B’nai Mitzvah of grandchildren Bradley and Shayna Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald LINDA AND HAROLD KREITHEN

In honor of the marriage of your son Jeff Karen Kuhn

ROBERTA KRITZER

In honor of your Special Birthday Vicki Wax

ROBERTA AND ROBERT KRITZER

In honor of your granddaughter’s Annie and Leah’s Bat Mitzvah’s

Marilyn Claire Karen Kuhn

ROBERTA AND ALAN PENN

In honor of your granddaughter’s Sophie and Maddie’s Bat Mitzvah’s Roberta and Robert Kritzer

Aimee and Ozzie Stewart

LAUREN AND DORON RABIN

In honor of your daughter Golda’s Bat Mitzvah Sylvia and Sam Bub Vicki Wax

CATHY SACHER

In honor of your son Ryan’s marriage Marilyn Claire

LENORE SCHARF

In honor of your Special Birthday Ruth Derby Beth Kozinn

RANDI AND DONALD SENDEROWITZ

In honor of your daughter Rissa’s marriage Marilyn Claire Karen Kuhn

LYNDA AND RICHARD SOMACH

In honor of the birth of your granddaughter Carol and Stewart Furmansky

AUDREY SOSIS

In honor of your Special Birthday Laura and Bob Black

STEPHANIE AND STEPHEN SZILAGYI

In honor of Jack’s Bar Mitzvah Aimee and Ozzie Stewart

ROBBY WAX

In honor of a successful and rewarding term as JFLV President

Marilyn Claire

IN MEMORY

SISTER OF SUSAN HYMAN

Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald

MIRIAM ALEXANDER

(Mother of Audrey Nolte)

Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein

BEV BLOCH

(Wife of Lenny)

Karen Kuhn

RENEE GITTLER

(Mother of Sue Musselman)

Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein

Fay and Michael Kun Alli and Scott Lipson

BARON JASPER

(Father of Sherri, Suzanne and Tobi)

Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein The Ufberg Family

ANNE KORNFELD (Mother of Pam Walker)

Randi and Donald Senderowitz

RICHARD KRASSEN

(Father of Josh Krassen)

Alli and Scott Lipson

PRESTON KUPTSOW (Father of Amy Fels)

Fay and Michael Kun

Lynne and Mark Shampain HOWARD LISTWA (Husband of Sherree Listwa) Karen Kuhn

JERRY MELAMUT

(Husband of Ethel Melamut)

Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Karen Kuhn

LINDA MILLER

(Mother of Amy Sams)

Alli and Scott Lipson

RICK MUSSELMAN (Husband of Susan Musselman)

Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein

Fay and Michael Kun

Alli and Scott Lipson

MICHAEL NATHAN (Father of Phyllis Kaufman)

Sylvia and Sam Bub

Laurie and Robby Wax

Vicki Wax

HARRIET PARMET (Mother of Yoni Parmet)

Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein

Eileen Ufberg and Family

RENEE SCHWARTZ

(Mother of Pam Silverberg)

Chelsea and Elliot Busch

Nancy and Michael Busch

Francie Ficelman

Carol and Stewart Furmansky Donna Lehman and Sam Geller Diane and Gary Miller Randi and Donald Senderowitz

STUART SCHWARTZ

(Husband of Janice Schwartz, father of Edward Schwartz and Lara Moretti)

Rebecca and Kyle Berman

Joan Brody Marsha and David Gordon

Nori and Teddy Greenstein

Hilary Holder

Lisa and David Klappholz Beth and Wes Kozinn

Karen Kuhn Melissa and Dan Leichter

Catherine and Carmen Longo

The Moretti Family Hank Narrow

Elaine and Leon Papir Randy Present Randy and Donald Senderowitz

Lynne and Mark Shampain

BERNIE TOFFER (Beloved of Mitzi Goldenberg)

Vicki Wax

MARISA VAIDA (Mother of David Vaida and mother-in-law of Cantor Ellen Sussman) Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald

MARGIE ZIMMERMAN

(Mother of Kathy Zimmerman) Wendy and Ross Born Evelyn and Jay Lipschutz

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 610-8215500 or visit www.jewishlehighvalley. org to place your card requests. Thank you for your continued support.

Friends and family gath ered at the JCC for the fifth annual Lauren’s Sunday FUNDay on Sunday, Novem ber 20. The event celebrates the life and legacy of Lauren Halper and raises money for the Lehigh Valley Health Net work (LVHN) Lauren Halper Hospice Fund while making a tradition of one of her favor ite activities: getting together with friends to watch an Eagles game.

Through the Lauren Pearl Halper Hospice Fund — Bringing Everyday Joys, hos pice aides and nurses have access to a discretionary fund they can use to help people in hospice care and their fami lies enjoy special moments and make memories that may one day bring smiles to faces after the tears have dried. All families deserve these price less moments regardless of their means, and the fund has helped many over the past six years. It has also empowered hospice staffers, who know their patients so well and now have the means to bring some joy and make a few modest wishes and dreams a reality.

During halftime of the game between the Eagles and Indianapolis Colts, Arielle Arbushites, manager of sup port services at the hospice, spoke about the impact the hospice fund has had on the patients, their families and the hospice staff.

Following are some testi monials the staff has recorded over the past few years:

• A dinner party celebra tion for a patient wishing to have a celebration of

her life before she dies. Food and decoration ex penses covered through the Lauren Halper Fund.

• We recently had a child on service who we cared for in the hospital on the pediatric unit for two weeks, as his family did not feel like they could take him home. We had a pottery party for him and his siblings so his siblings will have the pottery as a memory of him.

• There was a wedding in the hospital for a patient who was too fragile to leave. Using Lauren’s fund, staff was able to ar range for a cake, flowers and music.

• We threw a Christmas party early for a young patient who was not going to live to celebrate Christmas, one of his favorite holidays to cel ebrate with his family.

• One of our young moms (our patient) wanted to see her children go to Dorney Park for the day. We bought Dorney Park tickets for the mom, a companion and her two children. They reportedly had the “best day of their lives.”

• Female patient wrote several poems that she would like to put into a book, and we used the fund to help with the cost of bringing this to life. Very special for patient and family.

Lauren was on in-home hospice care for one month before passing away in March 2013 from glioblastoma mul

tiform (stage 4 brain cancer). After her passing, her moth er, Carol, remembered the time when the hospice social worker brought two manicur ists to the house to do nails for Lauren and her daughter, Ava. For those brief mo ments, the room was filled with laughter and a sense of normalcy. From those memo ries, the Lauren Halper Hos pice Fund was established in 2017, and the following year the Halper family was deeply honored to receive the 2018 Community Support Award from the Pennsylvania Hos pice and Palliative Care Net work, which recognized the fund’s tremendous impact on patients, families and caregiv ers and touted the success of the annual event.

This year, the crowd of more than 100 attending the event got to watch an exciting game (the Eagles won 17-16!) on the movie-size screen (a huge thank-you to our techni cal director, Ed Finberg), eat delicious football game grub prepared by Around the Ta ble (Dror and Lee Levi) and wonderful desserts provided by Giant, and drink bever ages from Wegmans. People enjoyed perusing the diverse and highly coveted raffle prizes, including those do nated by every Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley profes sional sports team as well as tickets to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert at the PPL Center, the DaVinci Science Center, the Crayola Experi ence, the Philadelphia Zoo and the Camden Aquarium.

One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the LVHN Lauren Pearl Halper Hospice Fund: Bringing Everyday Joys, and this year’s event raised a record amount, exceeding $12,000.

We look forward to hosting Lauren’s Sunday FUNDay next year. In the meantime, if you’d like to support the Lauren Pearl Halper Hospice Fund, please visit give.lvhn.org.

IN HONOR

Alex Halper, Lauren's brother.

Mandy Patinkin to perform classic songs at State Theatre

Mandy Patinkin will perform his theater concert “Being Alive” at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Easton on January 14 at 7 p.m.

“Being Alive” is a collection of many of Patinkin’s favorite Broadway and classic American tunes, from Irving Berlin to Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter to Harry Chapin.

Before the tenor-baritone widened his professional focus to include regular concert touring, he was known best for his acting, starring in “Yentl” alongside Barbra Streisand and winning a Golden Globe award. He also starred in TV’s “Chicago Hope” (1994-2000), the movie “Princess Bride” (1987) and Broad way’s “Evita.” He’s won Emmy and Tony awards, for TV and stage.

Born in Chicago, Patinkin was the grand

son of the author of “Grandma Pat inkin’s Jewish Family Cookbook.” He was raised in Conservative Judaism and attended religious school from his early teens. He sang in synagogue choirs and attended Camp Sura in Michigan.

In 1998, Patinkin released the album Mamaloshen, a mix of legend, oral history and popular song docu menting Jewish-American life. All in Yiddish. He sings Paul Simon’s “American Tune” and “Maria” from Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story,” songs that give voice to the im migrant experience.

Playing piano for Patinkin will be Adam Ben-David, his accompanist

since 2016. Ben-David was born to a mother raised Orthodox and a dad raised Catholic. His dad converted to Judaism when Ben-Da vid was about 10.

Adam attended Westchester Day School. After graduation, he went to Julliard. He has been active as an arranger, music director, conductor and pianist on Broadway for the past 22 years. His credits include “The Book of Mormon” and “Wicked.”

Tickets are on sale now with prices starting at $55. They can be purchased at statetheatre. org or by calling the State Theatre box office at 610-252-3132.

Freddie Roman wasn’t just a Catskills comic but a curator and preservationist of a comedy tradition born at the Jewish resorts in upstate New York’s Catskill Mountains.

For years he served as dean of the Friars Club, the New York city clubhouse of popular entertainment, where faded stars and upand-comers gathered to puff on cigars, trade crude jokes and roast one another with, well, even cruder

jokes.

In 1991, long after the Borscht Belt itself had faded as a popular tourist spot, he created “Catskills on Broadway,” a revue starring him and fellow tummlers Dick Capri, Marilyn Michaels and Mal Z. Lawrence. It ran for 453 performances. “‘Catskills on Broadway,” the New York Times said in its upbeat review, “manages to reproduce the ambiance of the Catskills. The basic difference is that on Broadway there is not a nosh in sight. But there is a groaning board of jokes about eaters and stuffers.”

Roman died Saturday afternoon at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach, Florida, his booking agent and friend Alison Chaplin told the A.P. Sunday. He was 85.

Born Fred Kirschenbaum on May 28, 1937 in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Jamaica, Queens, Roman started emceeing at age 15 at the Crystal Spring Hotel in the Catskills, which was owned by his uncle and grandfather. He soon was performing at hotels and resorts in the region for the largely Jewish crowd, and later played the “big rooms” in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. A highlight of his career was opening for Frank Sinatra.

Although never a crossover star like Alan King, Jackie Mason or Joan Rivers — three other Jewish comics with roots in the Catskills — he nonetheless stayed busy, most recently with a recurring role in the Amazon series “Red Oaks.”

But the comic’s comic was also credited with reviving the Friars Club, which had lost much of its luster when he first arrived in 1970. As its elected dean (“Every two years, they keep re-

electing me,” Roman told a reporter in 2005. “No one seems to run against

laugh.” Ross, who earned the title of “Roastmaster General” at the Friars Club, remembered Roman with a quip about his booming voice: “They call him Freddie Roman because you can hear him in Italy.”

me. Maybe no one wants it.”), he experimented by admitting women and holding showcases for young comics. The changes worked, and younger comics like Susie Essman, Jeff Ross and Paul Reiser became regulars.

The younger comedians have “added a wonderful new vibrancy to the club,” Roman told the New York Jewish Week in 2000. “This is going to continue to be a wonderfully funny Friars Club.”

Reiser was one of the comedians remembering Roman on Twitter this week. “A great loss to the world of comedy,” he wrote. “He was such a huge supporter & mentor when I was starting out. A GREAT comic, the ultimate pro with the biggest heart. I will miss our phone calls and his big, beauty [sic]

After its Broadway run, “Catskills on Broadway” toured around the country, keeping the Borscht Belt flame burning. In his shtick, Roman commented about everything from his childhood in Queens to his “retirement” in Florida. “I took a cholesterol test,” Roman quipped. “My number came back 911.”

For years his home base was a condo in Fort Lee, New Jersey, from which he would “commute” to the Friars Club on E. 55th St. While Roman never got his own sitcom or became a household name, he appeared to have no regrets. “I’ve met everyone and been a lot of places,” he told the New York Times. “Alan [his son, a TV producer] put me in one of his sitcoms once, playing myself. That’s the greatest honor. And his daughter, who is 4, laughs at my jokes. Who can beat that?”

Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Photo Freddie Roman, left and fellow comedian Shecky Greene attend "The Friars Club Salute to Freddie Roman and Stewie Stone" at New Tork's Pierre Hotel, April 21, 2014. (John Lamparski/WireImage)

Gaza boy becomes 3,000th to get lifesaving heart surgery in Israel

Israel21c

Five-year-old Amir Yichya Mabchuch recently became the 3,000th child from Gaza and the Palestinian Authority territories to get free lifesaving surgery through Save a Child’s Heart at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, Israel.

Amir lives in Jabalia, north of Gaza City, with his parents and younger sister. Their family doctor identified a heart defect resulting from a blockage in one of his coronary arteries when Amir was just two months old. “Already at that age we understood that Amir would require an operation to fix the defect,” said his mother, Maha. The condition left Amir unable to perform simple actions. Even taking a walk placed potentially life-threatening strain on his heart.

During one of Amir’s frequent checkups, his family was told about the Israeli NGO Save a Child’s Heart, which has provided free lifesaving heart operations to more than 6,000 children from 65 countries, including countries without diplomatic relations with Israel, since 1995.

“When the doctor told

us there was a possibility for Israeli doctors to carry out the complicated operation Amir needed, we were so happy,” said his mother. “Everyone here in Gaza talks about how Israeli doctors are the most professional in the world and that they can be trusted completely. The doctor put us in contact with the organization, and

that was how we started the process toward openheart surgery.”

Amir was accompanied to Israel by his father and grandmother. His openheart surgery took place on November 20 by a team led by Dr. Hagi Dekel. The

App predicts heart failure through speech

Israel21c

Speech-processing startup Cordio Medical announced that its HearO app successfully predicted 82 percent of first congestive heart failure cases in patients that took part in a study, on average 18 days before the incident occurred.

The study collected 460,000 voice samples from 180 patients across 10 medical centers in Israel. The participants used the HearO app at home and sent a voice sample once a day in Hebrew, Arabic or Russian. The company reported an 82% success rate, noting that a third of the 18% misdiagnosis rate was related to sounds from other respiratory diseases.

Congestive heart failure takes place when the heart doesn’t properly pump blood, which in turn can lead to fluid accumulation in the lungs. The HearO system detects that buildup in a person’s speech, alerting of future heart failure. “The results of the study indicate our potential to become a standard in the field of early detection of heart failure,” says

Dr. Ronit Haviv, Cordio Medical’s senior vice president of clinical, QA, and regulation. “The solution is easy and convenient to use by any patient, even the oldest, and its level of accuracy has been proven as the same as a medical-grade solution.”

Cordio’s HearO system is expected to significantly help both heart failure patients and the health providers who manage their treatments, said Dr. Tuvia Ben Gal, director of the Heart Failure Unit in the cardiology department at Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva. “The deployment of the system will help reduce the significant workloads in clinics and allow doctors to focus on those patients who need treatment,” he added.

The company recently completed an $18 million fundraising round and has received approval from Israel’s Health Ministry and CE approval from the European Union. It expects to receive FDA approval at the end of 2023 and plans to enter the United States market in 2024.

treatment was a success, and the little boy is now recuperating at the new Save a Child’s Heart Children’s Hospital on the Wolfson campus. “I know there is always tension

between Gaza and Israel, but that doesn’t change my child’s story. I trust the Israeli doctors and I know they will save my boy’s life,” said Maha Mabchuch.

Amir Yichya Mabchuch, 5, was the 3,000th patient from Gaza and the Palestinian Authority territories to be treated at Save a Child’s Heart in Holon, Israel. Photo courtesy of SACH

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

Yitzhak Rabin once visited the home of Arnan and Marlene Finkelstein in Allentown’s West End. So did Wolf Blitzer.

There probably aren’t any other homes in the Lehigh Valley that have hosted an Israeli prime minister (in office 1974-77 and 1992-95) and the face of television news coverage of a war (the 1990-91 Gulf War).

Those were just a few of the important people who passed through the Finkelstein house. You could say it was a hub of the Jewish community. That heyday lasted two decades, from the 1960s into the 1980s. “I used to know every person who came into the community,” Marlene said.

In preparation for talking with us, Marlene jotted down a list of the positions she and Arnan held and volunteer work they did. It ran two columns on legal paper.

Arnan hadn’t previously thought of the items as a body of work. “When Marlene first mentioned the interview, I thought, “What’s the big deal? Then I looked at her list. It is a

big deal.”

A shortened accounting of their accomplishments in the community includes, for Marlene, member of four boards in the Jewish community at once (including the original Jewish Family Service board), president of JFS (at the same time she returned to school to study for a master’s degree in social work), cofounder of Hakol (with Maxine Klein), and member of the founding group of the Beth Tikvah home for older adults.

Arnan was treasurer of the Jewish Day School (which the couple’s three daughters attended), vice president of Temple Beth El and a member on the Jewish Federation and JCC boards all at same time. He also served as chairman of the Federation’s Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs (during the 1973 Yom Kippur War) and on the board of the Fair Housing Commission.

Arnan mentioned that during the 1970s, he was asked what he did in those various capacities. His response: “I go to meetings.”

Together the Finkelsteins helped found Congregation Am Haskalah, after they became interested in and studied reconstructionism.

Before they turned 40, each received the George Feldman Achievement Award for Young Leadership.

And that wasn’t all they did. They also started a summer study institute in the 1970s that they hosted at their house for 40 years.

The spacious interior could hold about 46 people, who would come for a weekend in July, Friday to Sunday, and would eat four meals and hear four lectures there. “We had nationally known scholars who came,” Marlene said.

The institute was what brought Rabin and Blitzer. Rabin has a legacy that remains at the house today. A bathroom was redone right after the weekend he visited. “We still call it the Yitzhak Rabin Bathroom,” said Marlene.

All these accomplishments are a bit exhausting just to listen to, let alone to personally pull off. Lots of talent, determination and energy was required. The Finkelsteins enjoyed a little luck along the way too. Like when they met.

Arnan was first to move to the valley, when he attended Lehigh University for engineering. After that, he enlisted in the US Air Force and, on returning,

joined his dad’s longtime textiles operation in the valley, in 1961.

Marlene grew up in Queens and came to Allentown occasionally to visit an aunt. She did some modeling for her aunt’s dress shop. She came to town for her 18th birthday, hoping for an exciting night. But she discovered that instead of going out to celebrate, they were going to the synagogue. She was “disappointed.”

On arrival at Temple Beth El, she found herself a seat. There she discovered a handsome young man nearby: Arnan.

In 1963 they got married and settled in Allentown. There began the two decades with the Finkelsteins as local leaders. “I felt very much at home,” Marlene said. “From day one I had my fingers in the Jewish community.”

The furious pace of volunteering couldn’t continue for both of them past the 1980s. It was a

time, Marlene points out, when more and more women were joining the workforce. She worked for 10 years in in-patient psychiatry and then went into private practice for 25 years.

Arnan remained with his father’s textile’s business and later got into real estate development.

Today their legacy of volunteering continues in the family. For starters, one daughter is president of her synagogue. Another is regional president of the BBYO. A granddaughter is president of a BBYO chapter.

“The influence we had on our kids has rubbed off,” said Arnan. “That’s kind of what it’s all about.”

“I certainly gave a lot of time and effort, but I got a lot out of it too.”

The Impact One Makes is our continuing series on individuals who have moved the Lehigh Valley Jewish community forward and laid the foundation for its future.

610.821.8722

JFS expands volunteer base to connect older adults to services

Jewish Family Service has a decadelong partnership with ShareCare Faith in Action that connects JFS volunteers with older adult clients to provide two round-trip rides per month to medical appointments and community programs. Currently, there is a shortage of volunteer drivers, which means older adults often cannot get the rides they need.

By becoming involved with ShareCare, community members who are already driving neighbors, friends and fellow congregants will now have the benefit of being part of a greater pool of support, along with additional liability coverage from the ShareCare program.

The best part of the program is its flexibility. “This is the perfect program for volunteers who want to start getting involved without a set schedule, whether it is two rides per week or two rides per month,” says Jennifer Oxfeld, volunteer coordinator for JFS. By training more volunteers, the program will in turn be able to help more clients who need rides. After attending a brief training, volunteers receive notification of ride requests by email and are able to select which rides work for them.

Volunteers are providing not only a ride, but also a connection that says they care. Many drivers enjoy the relationship

that grows out of the time they spend with their passengers. Says one JFS client, “Because of the rides I get from ShareCare each month, I feel more independent. I don’t feel like I’m imposing on my friends anymore.”

Congregation Bnai Shalom is working directly with Oxfeld to organize a training for members of their congregation to become enrolled as drivers. A second training is scheduled for the Allentown area. For more information on attending an informational training session, contact Jennifer Oxfeld at joxfeld@jfslv.org.

IN HONOR

PEGGY BERGER

In honor of grandson Jake’s Bar Mitzvah Audrey and Art Sosis

MURIEL CHARON

In honor of special birthday Carol and Bob Wilson

VIKKI AND DAVID DUNN

In honor of the marriage of Sarah Dunn and Boykin Lucas Debbie Zoller, JFS Staff and Board

RANDI AND DONALD

SENDEROWITZ

In honor of the marriage of Rissa Senderowitz and Evan Ntonados Carol and Bob Wilson

JENNIFER AND AARON

GORODINSKY

In honor of your marriage Rabbi Allen and Toby Juda Carol and Bob Wilson

MICHAEL MORITZ

In honor of your retirement Audrey and Rick Nolte

SARAH AND TOM MORSE

In honor of Henry’s Bar Mitzvah Carol and Bob Wilson

JUDY MURMAN

Wishes for a speedy recovery Helene and Leno Scarcia AUDREY SOSIS

In honor of your special birthday Peggy and Bill Berger Michael and Ellen Gordon Susan Kirshner Aimee Stewart Carol Zirkel

IN LOVING MEMORY

MIRIAM ALEXANDER

(Mother of Audrey Nolte) Bill Bergstein Marcia & Miles Berkow Audrey Cherney Emily and Brian Ford Monica and Henry Friess Melissa and Harvey Hakim Eileen Hirschhorn

Rabbi Allen and Toby Juda Andrew, Marilyn and Ben Katz The Kemans Susan Kirshner

Kathy & Jay Klein Mr. and Mrs. Mike Klucsarits Rhonda and Stephen Kozak Henry and Susan Lehrich Evelyn and Jay Lipschutz Pam Lott and Ron Ticho Hilary and Adam Lustig Mike Miller Jean Mishkin

Cary and Michael Moritz Sara Muir

Cooky and Mike Notis Roberta and Alan Penn Phyllis and Henry Perkin

Elaine Rappaport-Bass

Linda Ripper

Robin and Alex Rosenau

Alan and Mary Salinger

Katherine Liola, Pete Daniels and Beca Sanderson

Helene & Leno Scarcia Susan Sosnow

Ricki and Randy Stein Vicki Wax Carol and Bob Wilson Linda & Jim Wimmer Beverly and Bill Zimmern

EUGENE COOPER

(Father of Miriam Pitkoff) Carol and Bob Wilson

EVA FEUCHTWANGER (Sister of Susan Hyman)

Roberta and Alan Penn

RENEE GITTLER (Mother of Susan Musselman)

Phyllis & Jay Kaufman

Roberta and Alan Penn Carol and Bob Wilson

LIBBY GOLOMB

Carol and Bob Wilson

RUTH HELPER (Mother of Jill Steigerwald) Carol and Bob Wilson

HARRIET LEVIN (Mother of Larry Levin) Carol and Bob Wilson

HOWARD LISTWA (Husband of Sherree Listwa) Carol and Bob Wilson

GERALD MELAMUT

(Husband of Ethel Melamut, Father of Debbie Minkoff)

Marsha Cohen

Jeffrey Licht Carol and Bob Wilson Marlene and Bruce Wolpert

LINDA MILLER

(Wife of Michael Miller, Mother of Amy Sams)

Carol and Bob Wilson

RICK MUSSELMAN

(Husband of Susan Musselman) Carol and Bob Wilson

DR. HARRIET PARMET

Rabbi Allen and Toby Juda

RENEE SCHWARTZ

(Mother of Pam Silverberg)

Helene and Leno Scarcia Debbie Zoller, JFS Staff and Board

STUART SCHWARTZ

(Husband of Janice Schwartz) Debbie Zoller, JFS Staff and Board

MARISA VAIDA

(Mother of David Vaida) Debbie Zoller, JFS Board and Staff

MARGIE ZIMMERMAN

(Mother of Kathryn Zimmerman) Debbie Zoller, JFS Staff and Board

A tribute card from JFS is a wonderful way to share your thought fulness with family and friends. For a donation of $18 or more (the amount is up to you), we will send a lovely card to the recipient of your choice, letting them know of your contribution. Your contri bution may be made to JFS’s General Fund or may be directed to a special program such as the Community Food Pantry, Education and Programs or Older Adult Services. Call 610-821-8722 or visit www. jfslv.org/tributes to order cards.

We thank the following individuals who have graciously supported JFS by sending tribute cards:

Country Meadows holds interfaith Thanksgiving

Country Meadows of Allentown held its annual interfaith Thanksgiving worship service on Wednesday, November 23. Cantor Ellen Sussman (pictured at far right) of Temple Shirat Shalom participated. The service featured prayers and scripture readings.

Cantor Sussman also lead a selection of hymns.

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Mayor Matti heads to the Knesset

By Nurit Galon Special to Hakol

Many of you in Lehigh Val ley will remember well Matti Sarfatti Hacarvi, or Matti, as she is fondly called by all the citizens of Yoav — even the children! Matti was for eight years the chairperson of the Yoav steering committee of the Lehigh Valley- Yoav Part nership2Gether and a familiar figure at many of the joint meetings and activities. She was, and remains, a staunch believer in the importance

of continuing to strengthen the bridge between Israel and the Jewish communities around the world. From 2011 until now, Matti has been the mayor and leader of Yoav, with no serious challengers.

So, what do we know about Matti? Born in 1962 to a family with Greek origins, she studied agriculture at the Hebrew University and re ceived a degree in agronomy. Following her service in the Israeli Air Force, she com pleted a doctorate in plant research and development

A message from Matti

November 20, 2022

Dear Jeri,

and worked with the Ha Zera Genetics Company.

With a brilliant agricultural and scientific career in front of her, Matti nevertheless chose to go the way of social and community activity: chairper son of the parents’ committee, member of the women’s com mittee, volunteer in the home guard. The list of commenda tions and awards given to her for her work in ecology, for her concern for the planet and the Yoav and southern areas of Israel, is seemingly endless. It is not by chance that there is

a long list of families wanting to move to Yoav because of its education, social and commu nity programs.

In the Israeli elections on November 1 this year, Matti was voted into the Knesset, Israel’s legislature, as a mem ber of the Yesh Atid (There Is a Future) Party. While it is strange to imagine a Yoav without Matti, Yoav will always be home to her, as she herself assures us. She lives in Moshav Segula and is mar ried with three children and one grandchild. Of one thing

we are especially sure: Matti Sarfatti Hacarvi will cease lessly contribute to the people of Israel who desperately need representatives like her. We wish her success, which in Matti’s terms means making a better world.

Meanwhile, here in Yoav, there will soon be elections for the mayor to replace Matti. Not an easy job, but there is no shortage of de voted and capable candidates. We’ll keep you informed!

These days, I’m completing my term of almost 12 years as mayor of Yoav Regional Council. The council is a unique multi-generational mosaic of the very best of Israeli society: senior citi zens of the founders’ generation alongside teenagers, adults and young families, all of them com mitted to their community, society and country.

Throughout the years, we have promoted our community’s strength and education and im proved Yoav’s economics while striving for sustainability, preservation of the environment, local agriculture and the council’s open areas. We took actions to keep our senior residents active, involved and continuing to contribute to their community and surroundings.

Through all those years we have strived to strengthen our relationship with Jews in Lehigh Valley and in other places around the world. We acted from a place of sensitivity, solidarity, equality and respect.

I could not be prouder of my friends and companions — the council’s employees, members of the council, our residents and of course you, members of the Lehigh Valley community.

In recent years I have come to understand that I am obligated to work and help shape the face of our country on a national level. Five years ago, I joined the Yesh Atid Party and now, with the current elections results for the 25th Knesset, I continue my life’s journey. I became a member of the state of Israel’s Knesset.

Ofer Sela, who was my deputy, was appointed as the new head of council until the next local elections. All other team members that you know will continue to serve our council. Naturally the good and warm relationships that you have with Orit Gutman, Orit Daskal, Galia Golan — Beckouche — and of course Amit Zehavi will continue. Please do not hesi tate to contact us for any reason.

I am marching on with a sense of fulfillment and pride for who we are. I wish to thank you and your partners along the way, for the trust you have vested in me and the great opportunities we had to make dreams come true together.

Thank you very much.

With deep gratitude and love, Matti

Matti Sarfatti Hacarvi sent the following letter on Yoav Regional Council letterhead to the Federation’s executive director, Jeri Zimmerman:

Bnai Shalom brings ancient history back to life

Community members from all over the Lehigh Valley came out to Congrega tion Bnai Shalom in Easton on October 23 for its Make Your Mark event to celebrate completion of the last of its six Torah restorations. Guided by the hand of scribe Neil Yerman, participants made their mark on the sacred scroll. There was falafel from the Around the Table food truck, klezmer music, arts and crafts activities for kids, and a waffle sundae bar. Donors have purchased five of the restored Torahs to be gifted in Cuba, Korea and the Lehigh Valley.

Community reactions

“Today I completed the 613th Commandment. I helped to restore our Torah. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

— Nancy Freeman Ebert

“I’m sure heaven is smiling down.”

— Aron and Julie Hochhauser

“Everyone seemed to genu inely be having a good time, schmoozing and catching up with each other.

The sofer was truly a special guy. His manner in the way

he addressed the group was informative and relatable. On a personal note, I found it to be a very emotional experience, one that I didn’t ex pect, sort of like every time I get off the plane in Israel.

The emotion just takes over.”

— Ellen Hof

“We so enjoyed Neil and his passion for his craft.”

— Robert Friedman

“You knocked yourselves out and knocked it out of the park. It was thoroughly enjoy able seeing Bnai come alive and seeing so many long-time friends.”

“So grateful to see Aaron Gorodzinsky (of the Jewish Federation), just in from his honeymoon!” said Aliette Abo, cochair of the event, shown here with Aaron (center) and her husband, Dr. Marc Abo, president of Congregation Bnai Shalom.

“Thank you, Jeri Zimmerman and the Jewish Federation,” said Aliette Abo.

On behalf of Bnai Shalom, we are deeply grateful to our Torah sponsors, donors and volunteers for making the dreams of having Torah a reality for the Cuban, Korean and Lehigh Valley communities. We had 12 Torahs in our possession after Bnai Abraham and Temple Covenant of Peace merged. Six were restored and five were gifted by members of the community. One Torah will be donated to the Sigel Museum in Easton. It was wonderful seeing so many people write a letter in the Torah, participating in the restoration of our sacred scrolls. The building looked magnificent. The klezmer band was excellent. The falafels provided by Dror Levi from Around the Table catering were delicious. Children also participated in arts and crafts activities, followed by an irresistible waffle ice cream sundae bar.

Signed: Aliette Abo and Howard Nathanson Cochairs of Make Your Mark

— Barbara and Gary Asteak

Susan Nussbaum enjoys a waffle sundae.

Ken Gross (second from left) and his band.

Before the crowd arrived.

Unity in the community with Rabbi Melody Davis of Bnai Shalom and event cochair Howard Nathanson (both at center).

Samantha Waldman and her daughter Shayna with scribe Neil Yerman.

The Around the Table food truck served falafel.

Lauren Glick, teacher at the Bnai Shalom religious school, led the children’s activities.

Bobby and Bonnie Hammel

By Abby Trachtman Project Coordinator

PJ Library families will come together at a private home in Nazareth to cele brate Havdalah, the sym bolic end of Shabbat, at 5:30 p.m. on December 17. The word “Havdalah” translates to separation. We separate Shabbat from the rest of the week to honor the commandment “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Shabbat’s closing ritual begins when three stars can be seen in the evening sky. PJ Library families will light multiwick, braided Havdalah candles, say blessings, drink wine or grape juice, and smell spices. We smell the spices to awaken our senses to the Shabbat we are leaving and to the new week ahead.

To make this Havdalah really yummy, families

will feast on pizza, salad and dessert. Chanukah begins the next night. We will have a special Chanu kah surprise, so you don’t want to miss the fun. And of course, we’ll read a PJ Library story.

This event is free and

open to the community. Registration is required at jewishlehighvalley. regfox.com/pj-librarypizza-havdalah-decem ber-17-2022.

Become a friend of the JCC today

As we prepare to light the Hanukkah candles, and move towards the end of the 2022 calendar year, we here at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley want to wish you and your family much joy, happiness and good health. The newly dedicated Hammel Campus is a vibrant and safe place offering high quality education and childcare, fitness, recreational, aquatics, cultural arts and family programs for everyone. In total, we now serve thousands of individuals on an annual basis and strive to continue to engage our community, expand our impact, and meet the ever-changing needs of families throughout the Lehigh Valley.

We sincerely hope that you will choose to become a Friend of the J this year and support our vital year-end fundraising efforts. The impact that our JCC has on so many lives is remarkable, and your financial support is critical in ensuring that it is able to continue. Through past generous donations, our JCC has been able to impact so many individuals and families within our community.

We are grateful to be surrounded by such a supportive and engaged community, and we hope we can count on you to be our Friend!

Eric Lightman Jeff Fleischaker Executive Director President

Sincerely,

Hanukkah is on the horizon

Hanukkah is on the horizon

Jackie Weiss Early Childhood and Jewish Education Coordinator

Weiss Early Childhood and Jewish Education Coordinator

So, what is Hanukkah and why do we celebrate this fun and joyous holiday?

So, what is Hanukkah and why do we celebrate this fun and joyous holiday?

Hanukkah is an eightday celebration that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over King Antiochus IV and his soldiers. After their victory, the Maccabees rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem. A new menorah was built, but there was only a tiny jar of oil, which looked like enough to last for a day. However, a great miracle happened! The oil lasted for eight whole days.

Hanukkah is an eightday celebration that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over King Antiochus IV and his soldiers. After their victory, the Maccabees rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem. A new menorah was built, but there was only a tiny jar of oil, which looked like enough to last for a day. However, a great miracle happened! The oil lasted for eight whole days.

For that reason, a candle on the menorah or Hanukkiya is lit for each of the eight nights of the holiday to commemorate the miracle. For that reason, Hanukkah is referred to as The Festival of Lights! It is a custom to light the menorah near a window, where it can be easily seen, and each night, the light from the candles continues to grow, which serves as a

For that reason, a candle on the menorah or Hanukkiya is lit for each of the eight nights of the holiday to commemorate the miracle. For that reason, Hanukkah is referred to as The Festival of Lights! It is a custom to light the menorah near a window, where it can be easily seen, and each night, the light from the candles continues to grow, which serves as a

wonderful reminder to me that hope never fades, it can only grow stronger.

wonderful reminder to me that hope never fades, it can only grow stronger.

Hanukkah is a favorite Jewish holiday of many children because it is a custom for kids to receive gifts for all eight nights! In addition, many delicious traditional foods are made on Hanukkah. Potato pancakes or latkes, jelly donuts, and chocolate coins, known as Hanukkah gelt, are mainstays that the entire family can enjoy! In a heated debate that many Jews find themselves on the opposite side of, it is a question of whether latkes go better with applesauce or sour cream. While we won’t take sides in this article, there are cases for both!

Hanukkah is a favorite Jewish holiday of many children because it is a custom for kids to receive gifts for all eight nights! In addition, many delicious traditional foods are made on Hanukkah. Potato pancakes or latkes, jelly donuts, and chocolate coins, known as Hanukkah gelt, are mainstays that the entire family can enjoy! In a heated debate that many Jews find themselves on the opposite side of, it is a question of whether latkes go better with applesauce or sour cream. While we won’t take sides in this article, there are cases for both!

Another staple is the dreidel, a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters on each side that stand for the phrase “a great miracle happened there,” with “there” referring to Israel (Fun fact, in Israel the letters are different with “here” replacing “there!”).

Another staple is the dreidel, a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters on each side that stand for the phrase “a great miracle happened there,” with “there” referring to Israel (Fun fact, in Israel the letters are different with “here” replacing “there!”). Traditionally, games of dreidel are played for stashes of Hanukkah gelt, with the

Traditionally, games of dreidel are played for stashes of Hanukkah gelt, with the

winner receiving a pile of chocolate coins.

winner receiving a pile of chocolate coins.

The JCC of the Lehigh Valley will be celebrating Hanukkah with our annual Family Hanukkah Celebration and Community Candle Lighting on Sunday, December 18 from 3pm-5pm. We will be celebrating in style

The JCC of the Lehigh Valley will be celebrating Hanukkah with our annual Family Hanukkah Celebration and Community Candle Lighting on Sunday, December 18 from 3pm-5pm. We will be celebrating in style

Stagemakers cast explores indigenous culture

Stagemakers cast explores indigenous culture

The cast of Disney’s “Moana Jr.” wowed the audience and was able to fully embrace their roles with the help of PBS39 and the Museum

of Indian Culture. Stagemakers

PBS39

their support of the staff’s work to educate the cast about indigenous cultures and lifestyles. PBS39 provided educational resources based on the series and character

Molly

with games, crafts tables, doughnuts, hot latkes and cocoa, live entertainment, and a dance party! Register online at lvjcc.org/SpecialEvents or call the JCC at 610-435-3571. We hope to see you there and wish everyone a chag sameach!

with games, crafts tables, doughnuts, hot latkes and cocoa, live entertainment, and a dance party! Register online at lvjcc.org/SpecialEvents or call the JCC at 610-435-3571.

We hope to see you there and wish everyone a chag sameach!

Participants worked on hand weaving baskets, fishing line, and nets which were used for props and created masks and symbolic stamps to hand-stamp linen, which became part of the costumes for the production.

Jackie

Heather Lavin Program Director

would like to thank

for

Molly of Denali. In addition, the organization funded the cast’s workshop with the Museum of Indian Culture’s educator Christine Applegate, who taught indigenous life skills and advised on the production’s dramaturgy.

Participants worked on hand weaving baskets, fishing line, and nets which were used for props and created masks and symbolic stamps to hand-stamp linen, which became part of the costumes for the production.

Heather Lavin Program Director

The cast of Disney’s “Moana Jr.” wowed the audience and was able to fully embrace their roles with the help of PBS39 and the Museum

of Indian Culture. Stagemakers would like to thank PBS39 for their support of the staff’s work to educate the cast about indigenous cultures and lifestyles. PBS39 provided educational resources based on the series and character

of Denali. In addition, the organization funded the cast’s workshop with the Museum of Indian Culture’s educator Christine Applegate, who taught indigenous life skills and advised on the production’s dramaturgy.

Dr. Israel and Valeska Zighelboim have always valued Jewish education, volunteering and contributing financially to meet what they believe is an obli gation to sustain the Jewish com munity.

In a testament to how they’ve followed through on that belief, the Jewish Day School is honoring them on Saturday, December 3, with its Pillar of the Community award.

This will be JDS’s 69th Evening of Tribute, an event held annually on the first Saturday in December to celebrate the school and honor its supporters. The gathering –this year’s will be virtual – is the school’s biggest fundraising event of the year and raises nearly a quarter-million dollars.

The Zighelboims know Jewish day schools well. They both attended from pre-K through high school in their native Caracas, Venezuela, a system with nearly 2,000 students.

Some years later, in 2001, they came to the United States to fur ther their education and stayed. She became a chemical engineer (and more recently a registered nurse) and he became a doctor, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology.

Eventually St. Luke’s University Hospital recruited Israel. When the couple, now with two young sons, came to visit the Lehigh Valley, they toured the JDS. Without a strong Jewish school, they said, they would not have moved here.

Once they settled into the Lehigh Valley, Valeska began volunteering at JDS. She became the school’s vice president of development.

Currently, she is a registered nurse at St. Luke’s Infusion Center-Anderson and serves as JDS endowment president. Israel is chairman of obstetrics and gynecology for St. Luke’s University Health Network and is a vice president on the Jewish Federation’s board of directors.

To purchase tickets to the JDS Evening of Tribute, visit jdslv.org/tribute. All proceeds go to the school.

JDS is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley

Bones found under granary in Germany are yielding insights about Ashkenazi DNA

BERLIN – The city of Erfurt in central Germany is home to a restored medi eval synagogue made pos sible because local Jews had been expelled long before the Nazis began destroying Jewish sites.

Now, Erfurt’s long-hid den Jewish past is offering insights about the genetic history of Ashkenazi Jews. Human remains from a medieval Jewish cemetery in Erfurt have allowed what researchers say is the largest ancient Jewish DNA study to date. Conducted without disinterring any remains, in keeping with Jewish law, a study recently published in the scientific journal Cell found that Erfurt’s medi eval Jewish community was more genetically diverse than their modern-day cousins, and carried many of the same Jewish genetic diseases — such as Tay Sachs and cystic fibrosis — that affect Ashkenazi Jews today.

“There have been many previous DNA studies, but not of Jews,” said geneticist Shai Carmi, a professor at

the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, whose search for study material led him to an archaeological dig at the Jewish cemetery in Erfurt. He and his collaborators were able to analyze DNA of 33 individuals who died between 1270 and 1400, us ing teeth they found there. The Erfurt analysis also in cludes samples from before the epidemic of Black Death that was until recently un derstood to have created the genetic “bottleneck” that created the genetic markers common among Ashkenazi Jews today.

Erfurt’s Jewish settle ment existed from the 11th to 15th century, with a brief gap following a 1349 mas sacre perpetrated after the Jews were falsely blamed for causing the bubonic plague.

Karin Sczech participates in the excavation at the me dieval Jewish cemetery of Erfurt. (Courtesy of TLDA Ronny Krause)

In 2013, the city approved the repurposing of the un used granary into a parking lot. Because it was a historic site, a rescue excavation was initiated.

Meanwhile, Carmi had been looking for Jew ish cemeteries anywhere in the world “where we could analyze remains already excavated,” he said. Fortunately, “they still hadn’t reburied the remains.”

In 2018, with a support ive judgment from Rabbi Ze’ev Litke — an Israeli expert on genetics and Jewish law —work began to extract and analyze DNA from detached teeth found in the graves.

The project provides an ethical basis for studies of ancient Jewish DNA, Carmi said. “Of course we couldn’t just go to a cem etery and dig and take out skeletons; this would be prohibited,” he said, refer ring to Jewish law prohibit ing the removal of bones from where someone was buried.

But Litke opined that the study could be done, because the bones already had been disturbed for an unrelated reason. “He rec ommended using teeth, as the analysis does almost no damage,” Carmi said.

Jewish

The granary built in the 15th century. (Shai Carmi)

Three Lehigh Valley youths visit kibbutz

By Annette Mashi Special to Hakol

When you come from Lehigh Valley to Israel, a stop in Yoav is a must.

Talia and Noah Cohen and Isaac Dahan, participants in the David Moss program that engages visitors to Israel in various programs, were hosted in kibbutz Kfar Men achem by the Shaked, Levy and Malka families. The three Lehigh Valley youths got to know the 12th graders from the kibbutz. The kids ate in the dining room, explored the kibbutz, talked around a

bonfire and even picked cacti. Not a surprise that all the kids had a blast!

Adults also have fun in Yoav. Three years ago, on the Lehigh Valley Momentum trip, Naomi Elise met Yoav representatives Yael Feller Malka and I. Since then, we have taken every opportunity to connect with all our Lehigh Valley friends via Zoom, Facebook, WhatsApp and, most important, in person.

Naomi not only visited us on her most recent trip to Israel, but joined the women in Yoav as we hiked a segment of the Israel Trail complete with

rock climbing and parkour. Partnership 2Gether and Momentum are all about meet ing each other and creating shared experi ences. These friendships span the test of time.

So, when is your visit to Yoav?

Itzhak Perlman gets personal in his performance

Jewish Telegraphic Agency

At a fundraising event Tuesday for the nonprofit Amit Children, Perlman of fered a touching, music-filled autobiographical monologue on his life on and off the con cert stage. The occasion was the kickoff campaign for a new, state-of-the-art campus in Raanana run by the educa tion network that operates more than 100 schools in Isra el. The event, which attracted some 400 supporters, was held at Sony Hall, a glamor ous, Jazz Age-era event space

tucked into the basement of the Paramount Hotel on West 46th St.

Augmented with photos and video, Perlman told a story that began with his Pol ish parents’ immigration to pre-state Israel in the 1930s.

There, they lived in Tel Aviv and raised their son in a one-room apartment with a shared bath.

He detailed his bout with polio at age 4, his turn to the violin and how he auditioned and got his big break as a 7th-grader on “The Ed Sul livan Show” in 1958. That, he

said, was his first-ever trip to the United States — a place he associated with “the Em pire State Building, television sets and Polaroid cameras” — and he stayed, at the Para mount Hotel. At 13, he was accepted to New York’s elite Juilliard School and worked “the Jewish benefit circuit,” as he called it. “It’s 2022 and I’m still playing fundrais ers,” he quipped. “Can you imagine that? Nothing has changed.”

Of course, many things have changed for Perlman since then: A winner of 16

Grammys, Perlman’s per formance on the “Schindler’s List” soundtrack has been streamed close to 40 million times on Spotify. In 1994, he and his wife Toby launched the Perlman Music Program for gifted string players, and he remains a disability rights activist.

“Mr. Perlman’s passion, creativity and drive for excellence are well known,” Audrey Axelrod Trachtman, the president of Amit, which largely serves children on Israel’s social and geographic periphery, said in a state

Happy Hanukkah

ment. “It is his unwavering commitment to Israel and mentoring young people that speaks to what Amit is all about.”

The evening concluded with the announcement that Amit is dedicating the Toby and Itzhak Perlman Music Studio in the couple’s honor, located at the Amit State Technological School, a “last-chance high school” in Jerusalem. “Any organiza tion that does anything for education,” Perlman said in response, “is the best and the greatest mitzvah.”

Community Calendar

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

JDS honors Dr. Israel & Valeska Zighelboim 7:30 p.m., Jewish Day School via Zoom. The Jewish Day School’s 69th Evening of Tribute will feature the presentation of its Pillar of the Community award to Dr. Israel and Valeska Zighelboim.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4

TBE Sisterhood Giftique 9 a.m. to noon, Temple Beth El Chanukah Giftique is back, and the TBE Sisterhood Gift Shop is stocked with new goodies, including jewelry, cards, menorahs, candles and toys. Coffee and bagels will be served. For more information visit bethelal lentown.org/event/sisterhood-giftique2.html.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4

Keneseth Israel Potluck Dinner and Movie 6-9 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel. Movie: Such Good Friends. Discussion led by Charlie Richter. RSVP by registering at kilv. org with number attending and what you would like to bring; desserts will be provided so please bring a main, side, veggie or ap petizer.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10

KI Shabbat Out of the Box: Card Making for Our Elders 10 a.m., Congregation Keneseth IsraeI. Join Lynda Pollack for a morning of fun, creativity and kindness as a group makes Chanukah cards that will be delivered to Jewish seniors. Art supplies will be provided. Women of KI will be making cookies to include with the cards. All are invited to participate, ages 7 to 100. Register at kilv.org by December 5.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11

Rabbi W. Jack Romberg on his book ‘A Doorway to Heroism’ 7 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel. Discussion and Dessert with Rabbi W. Jack Romberg discussing “A Doorway to Heroism,” a story about his great uncle Richard Stern, whose photograph of his protest hangs in multiple German museums, showing a rare Jewish protest in Nazi Germany. Register at kilv.org.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15

Belonging to Bethlehem: A Jew ish Story Sampler

1:15-2:30 p.m., Congregation Brith Sholom or virtual

In this first session of a six-session workshop, you’ll hear the stories that made the Bethle hem Jewish community, starting from 1890. You’ll also learn writing techniques and have time to write stories from your life or family. Third Thursday of the month. $10 per ses sion. Light refreshments served. Instructor Jennifer Lader is a writer, storyteller and author. Registration required at tammy@ brithsholom.net or 610-866-8009.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15

Women’s Philanthropy

Chanukah Party

6:30-8:00 p.m., Jewish Community Center Live, Laugh and Light it Up with JFLV Wom en’s Philanthropy! There will be Israeli music, games, desserts and lots of fun. Register at jewishlehighvalley.org/calendar.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16

TBE Chanu Can Dinner 6:45-8:30 p.m., Temple Beth El Register at bethelallentown.org/form/2022chanucan-dinner.html.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

PJ Library Pizza Havdalah

5:30 - 7:00 p.m., at a Nazareth residence

PJ Library will host a pizza Havdalah at a private residence. Participants will light multiwick, braided Havdalah candles, say bless ings, and drink wine or grape juice. Register at jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/pj-librarypizza-havdalah-december-17-2022.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18

Chanu Can Extravaganza

10 a.m. to noon, Temple Beth El

TBE invites you to a Chanukah party, Chanu Can presentation and Pakapoo (sweep stakes) prize drawing. Visit bethelallentown. org for details.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18

Maimonides Society Brunch and Learn

11 a.m. to 1 p.m., JCC

Dr. Doron Rabin, section chief of neurology at St. Luke’s, will talk about brain surgery to the Jewish Federation’s society of healthcare pro fessionals. Open to the entire community. No cost for Maimonides members and spouses; $10 for others. Register at jewishlehighvalley. org/calendar.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18

Family Hanukkah Celebration and Community Candle Lighting 3-5 p.m., JCC

Bring your family and friends to the JCC to celebrate Hanukkah with the community. Enjoy fun for the whole family including activi ties, kids’ crafts, latkes, and doughnuts. End the night as we light the menorah together. Price: $20/family; JCC Members: $15/family Visit the website for complete pricing information. Advanced registration is required at lvjcc.org

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21

JDS & PJ Library Chanukkah Party

5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Jewish Day School Jewish Day School and PJ Library are throw ing a Chanukah party, and everyone in the community is invited to attend. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children (free un der age 3); $60 is the maximum per family. Get tickets at jdslv.org/chanukkah/p/party.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14

KI Shabbat Out of the Box: Havdalah Sing-a-Long and Din ner

5 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel Chase away the winter blues with Rabbi Phil as KI marks the close of the Sabbath and transitions into the beginning of the week with Havdalah, songs and togetherness. All ages welcome. Register at kilv.org by Jan. 10.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15

Sons of Israel Men’s Club

Brunch

10 a.m., Congregation Sons of Israel Sunday brunch sponsored by the Congrega tion Sons of Israel Men’s Club. Speaker to be announced. Cost is $5. RSVP to office@ sonsofisrael.net or 610-4336089 by Jan. 11.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29

Mitzvah Day: Cooking for the Community 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., JCC Do you love to cook? Join the Federation’s Women’s Phi lanthropy in the JCC kitchen for Mitzvah Day to prepare kosher meals for older adults in our community. No experi

ence necessary. Recipes will be provided. Whether or not you plan to attend, you can also help by sponsoring meals: $10 for one, $18 for two. Register by January 23 or spon sor at jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/wom ens-philanthropy-mitzvah-project-1292023.

ONGOING EVENTS

MONDAYS

Yiddish Club

2 to 3:30 p.m., JCC of the LV 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. Contact Janis Mikofsky at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley, 610435-3571, ext. 501.

MONDAYS

Peaking Through the Veil class 7:15 p.m., Congregation Brith Sholom Jewish women have always been a spiritual force within Torah and Jewish tradition. Too often, however, the voices of prophetesses and female sages have been overlooked, discounted or repressed. Join with Rabbi Mi chael Singer to explore classical and modern texts, bringing new life to important voices, perspectives and issues. The required books, “A Bridge for One Night” by Ruth Calderon and “Sisters at Sinai” by Rabbi Jill Hamme, cost $50. No class November 7, December 26, or January 1 or 9. For information email tammy@brithsholom.net or call 610-8668009.

MONDAYS & THURSDAYS

Online Jewish Yoga Studio Mondays 11 to 11:45 a.m., Thursdays 4 to 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. to 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 navi gate this time of uncertainty and isolation. Open to all, no previous knowledge needed. Sign up now.

TUESDAYS

Torah Tuesdays with Bnai Sha lom

12:30 p.m., At the home of Cindy Danies. Torah on Tuesdays - Interactive Torah study group. Contact office@bnaishalomeaston.org for more information.

WEDNESDAYS

Judaism for Our Time with Bnai Shalom 11 a.m., Bnai Shalom via Zoom. Register in advance for this meeting: call 610-258-5343.

WEDNESDAYS

Yoga with Miriam Sandler: Chair Supported Yoga 1 to 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 chair offered, though students may choose to remain seated. Modifications given. Open to the public in person and live

stream available to all via Zoom. *$10 dropin 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 via Zoom and in person. Torah Studies by JLI presents Season Three, a 12-part series. Cost is $36 for the course including textbook. For more information, contact 610-351-6511 or rabbi@chabadlehighvalley.com.

EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY

Hadassah Study Group

1:25 p.m., via Zoom. We discuss short stories from an anthology. Please contact Marilyn Claire at mjclaire@gmail.com or 610-972-7054 to sign up.

THURSDAYS

Basic Yiddish Class

4 to 5:30 p.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley via Zoom. Learn to read, write, speak and comprehend Yiddish. Textbooks from Yiddish Book Center available for purchase. Contact: Janis Mikofsky 610-435-3571, ext. 501.

FRIDAYS

Kol Haemek

8:30 to 9:30 a.m., WMUH 91.7. Radio show with Cantor Wartell - muhlenberg.edu/wmuh.

THIRD 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

Wisdom of the Talmud class After Shabbat Lunch and Schmooze, Con gregation 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 previ ous 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, callin programs, Jewish studies, 92nd Street Y, Live Friday and holiday services for the homebound, children’s programs, films, music, books and entertainment.

DAILY Congregation Sons of Israel Minyanim

Shacharit on Mondays and Thursdays at 6:30 a.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fri days at 6:45 a.m.; and Sundays at 8:30 a.m.

Congregation Sons of Israel welcomes all to the daily Shacharis and Mincha/Maariv servic es which are conducted in the main sanctuary of the synagogue for Covid-19 safety. Please check the synagogue website. If you have any questions regarding the minyan, please call the synagogue office at 610-433-6089.

MONDAY through FRIDAY

Daily Online Meditation

12:30 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spiritual ity. daily guided meditation. Join with people from around the world to share 30 minutes of Jewish mindfulness. Open to all, no experi ence needed. Sign up now.