Hakol - March 2024

The Main Event

A night of storytelling and reflections with Joel Chasnoff, author of ‘Israel 201’

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

Joel Chasnoff has written or cowritten four best-selling books. More than 1,500 audiences in 10 countries have gathered to hear his partly serious, partly light take on Israel and American Jewish

life. Yet, as he likes to say, his mother still dreams he’ll go to law school.

The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is bringing Chasnoff to the JCC on on Thursday, April 4, for its Main Event: An evening of storytelling, reflections, and conversation about our magical relationship with Israel. Chasnoff will get into some of the subject matter of the book he coauthored with Benji Lovitt, “Israel 201: Your Next-Level Guide to the Magic, Mystery, and Chaos of Life in the Holy Land,” an informative, personal, and light-hearted guide to Israel directed at the not-

quite beginner. A blurb on the book’s back cover from former Prime Minister Ehud Barak reads, “This wonderful book will show you the Israel you didn’t know you didn’t know.” Jewish celebrities such as actress Mayim Bialik and singer-songwriter David Broza have also lauded the book.

The tone of the educatorcomedian’s shows has been modified a bit to make it more appropriate for the post-October 7 world. There are now more reflections and stories about his Jewish up bringing and his life in Israel.

“There are still laughs,” he says, “but it’s less jokey, more

Passover primaries Don’t miss voting. Request a mail-in ballot

After Pennsylvania lawmakers failed to change the date of its primary elections from the first day of Passover, April 23, Jewish agencies in the state focused their efforts on getting the word out to make sure members of the Jewish community request mail-in ballots and mail in their votes on time.

The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley had a table set up in the JCC lobby all day on February 27 to help community members request mail-in ballots. State government forms were available for requesting a ballot and for designating someone as your legal agent to help you

to obtain and return your filled-out ballot, as well as for registering to vote. Federation staffers provided help filling out these forms to anyone who wanted it.

The problem with the election date is that Jewish people, depending on their particular religious beliefs, may be restricted from taking part in certain activities, including voting-related activites, on certain holidays. The first two days of Passover—beginning at sundown on Monday, April 22, and continuing through sundown on Wednesday, April 24—would be included. Four states originally had primaries scheduled for April

23. But Delaware, Rhode Island, and Maryland all were persuaded to move their elections to different dates. Pennsylvania is the only state with a primary still scheduled on that day.

“It’s frustrating the legis lature never settled on a date that’s not in conflict,” said Sec retary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, an appointee of Governor Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish. “The governor is determined to do all we can to make sure Jewish voters and all voters can make their voices heard on election day.”

organic. And therapeutic for the audience. Especially in challenging times like these, I truly believe that when we laugh together, we are together.”

Chasnoff lives in Israel these days, but he grew up right outside Chicago, attending Jewish day school in Skokie, Illinois, and summer camps throughout the Midwest. After high school, he headed east for college and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He didn’t go on after that

Assigned to Battalion 71 of the Armored Corps, he was a tank gunner in the Golan Heights and South Lebanon, an experience he chronicles in his humorous memoir “The 188th Crybaby Brigade.”

find out whether individual voting sites would be missing poll workers, Schmidt said, the government has to make inquiries, and then try to find replacements as needed.

The same restrictions that could keep a Jewish voter

If polling places need to be closed, at a JCC, for example, the county would find an alternative location. “It would

the former location to let them know that their polling location has moved.”

Anyone with questions about the election or who requires help with voting and mail-in ballots should contact the Department of State at 877-VOTESPA.

The Main Event begins at 7 p.m. on April 4 in the JCC Kline Auditorium. Registration is required and tickets are $36 each at jewishlehighvalley.org/mainevent. All proceeds from the evening will go to the Jewish Federation’s Israel Emergency ART

Elena

COLD

HAKIM

We’re here to help you have a happy and festive PURIM with a full Kosher selection.

Purim 2024

This year, Purim begins the evening of Saturday, March 23, and continues through the following evening, Sunday, March 24.

While looking for ways to frame the Purim story and the current mood of our community since October 7, I came across an article written by Alesandra Dubin in the January 2024 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. I also thought it appropriate to highlight the role of Queen Esther in saving our people since this issue of Hakol celebrates women.

In the Woman’s Day article, the quotes from Rabbi Melissa Buyer-Witman, director of lifelong learning at Temple Israel of the City of New York, resonated with me, and I wanted to share her remarks with you.

“This most festive and joyous of holidays is one that children and adults await with giddy anticipation,” Rabbi Buyer-Witman said. “We dress in costumes, there is an abundance of food, singing, dancing, and theatrical performances as we re-enact the story of Purim in the Book of Esther, and festive carnivals for the community to gather and celebrate together.”

She noted that even our charitable giving during this holiday is meant to inspire joy. “One of our commandments is to give food to the hungry, as nothing sparks greater joy than bringing happiness to those who need it most.”

Purim traditions include Megillah, hearing the Purim story; Mishloach manot, sending gifts of food and drink; Matanot le-evyonim, giving to the needy; Se’udat Purim, a festive meal. Purim commemorates the Jewish people’s salvation following a plot to massacre them during the time of the Persian Empire.

In the Biblical story, the covertly Jewish Queen Esther comes up with a crafty plan to help save her people from Haman, an advisor to her husband, King Achashverosh. Her valiant idea results in the Jews’ triumphant salvation and a sentence of death for Haman. And that’s the outcome Jewish people celebrate each year on Purim, which takes place during the month of Adar on the Jewish calendar.

“Not only is Purim a time of joy, but we are commanded to increase our happiness and joy throughout the entire

Hebrew month of Adar,” says Rabbi Buyer-Witman. “All of our customs, traditions, and mitzvot (commandments) surrounding this holiday aim to create an electric and frenetic energy that pulses through our sacred spaces.”

Jewish people around the world observe the holiday by telling and hearing the story of Purim, distributing Purim gifts of food and drink to loved ones, giving charity to those in need, and partaking in a festive meal. Purim is often celebrated with parades, carnivals, and festivals, with kids dressing up in Purim costumes to add to the fun. We hope you will join us for our community-wide celebration on Sunday, March 24, at the JCC Hammel Campus beginning at 12:30 p.m.

In the biblical story, Queen Esther conceals her Judaism as the wife of the Persian King Achashverosh. Her cousin Mordechai uncovers a plot to kill the king and, as a loyal subject, he shares what he knows. But he doesn’t bow to the king’s most powerful advisor, Haman, who consequently wants to destroy all the Jews in the empire.

Mordechai turns to Queen Esther to save her people,

The Lehigh Valley-Yoav Partnership Park in Blessed Memory of Mark L. Goldstein

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

IN HONOR RACHEL AND JORDAN MALTER

In celebration of the birth of your son, Ezra Darivoff Malter Aaron Gorodzinsky and Jennie Schechner

RICHARD MASTER

In celebration of your Special Birthday

Jeremy Master, Alana Wasserman & Family

ALICE AND MARK NOTIS

In celebration of the birth of your grandchild, Micha Bar Cooky Notis

IN MEMORY

JOSEPH AND CARYL BANK

(Parents of Michelle Bank Stein)

Arlene and Richard Stein

ALAN GREENBAUM

(Husband of Dina Greenbaum)

Michele Levy

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

and she comes up with a plan of her own. She invites the king and Haman to two banquets. During the second, she reveals both that she is Jewish and that she knows Haman wants to massacre the Jews. With Queen Esther’s brave revelations, she thwarts the plot and saves the Jewish people. The king punishes Haman with death and appoints Mordechai in his place.

Rabbi Buyer-Witman explains that the Jewish people are commanded to celebrate joyfully because “we are celebrating our triumphant and miraculous victory over an antisemitic plot to destroy our people…. You defeat fear by joy.”

In 2024, Purim has a particular resonance, the rabbi explains:

“This year, in the wake of October 7 and the ongoing war against Hamas, this story

seems more important and informative than ever. Once again there are those calling us to face the unthinkable and listen to the rally cries shouting for our destruction. Yet Judaism insists we don’t cower in the shadows or succumb to the grief we are all experiencing. We defeat fear with joy; we fight back with pride and celebration.”

Purim is important, she says, to “remind us of the darkness and evil that lives in the hearts of some, but, more importantly, of our obligation to heal what is broken, and to celebrate the blessing of this ancient tradition, so relevant thousands of years later.”

HAKOL STAFF

CARL ZEBROWSKI Editor

CHARLENE RIEGGER Director of Marketing

WILLIAM THOMPSON Digital Marketing and Graphic Design

Easton and vicinity by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS

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

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

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

JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY

MISSION STATEMENT

In order to unite, sustain, and enhance the Lehigh Valley Jewish community, and support Jewish communities in Israel and around the world, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is dedicated to the following core values:

• Supporting Jews in need wherever they may be.

• Supporting Israel as a Jewish homeland.

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

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

To accomplish this mission the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is committed to the following operating guidelines:

• Raising and distributing funds to support the core values.

• Developing Jewish leaders.

• Building endowments to support implementation of core values.

• Committing to ongoing Jewish community strategic planning. Fostering cooperation among organizations and community building.

• Evaluating all decisions with respect to fiscal responsibility. Identifying unmet needs and investing in community initiatives to help get them started.

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

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

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

Easton company donates games to Ukraine schools

It was early February and young students at the World ORT school Zhabotinski Lyceum No. 94 in Ukraine were standing around a big brown shipping box with “Easton, PA” marked on the side. As they watched, the teacher opened the container and started pulling out small boxes with the logo 24 Game on them.

The games came from the educational game company Suntex International, based in Easton and owned by Lehigh Valley Jewish community member Nan Ronis and her husband, Robert Sun. Suntex donated hundreds of 24 Games and other handson math games to be sent to Ukraine schools as the war with Russia neared its twoyear mark.

Ronis had been in touch with World ORT, a 140-yearold global education network driven by Jewish values, about 24 Game for years.

Invented by Sun in 1988, the game teaches elementary-age

students math skills in a fun and engaging way. There are no words on the game cards—just the universal language of numbers.

“My 93-year old dad, Max Ronis, is from a family that emigrated to the United States from Odesa,” said Nan. “When the war broke out, he said to me, ‘Nan, you have to help the children there. Send your games to Ukraine.’”

Nan explained that Suntex’s approach to education is to create opportunities for “social interaction” and to build confidence in students through “joyful learning.”

The donation was a way for her to bring some of that joy to students in Ukraine, providing educational resources while giving a nod to her ancestors. Though the games and many more modules are available online on the company’s First in Math platform, a hands-on experience was important for these students, a unique educational opportunity during a time of crisis.

AMBUCYCLE UPDATE

This gift was facilitated by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and its executive director, Jeri Zimmerman. Zimmerman was moved by Ronis’s desire to share these resources with students in Ukraine who have faced unthinkable trauma over the past two years. She got in touch with a local Ukraine relief agency and coordinated shipment to six ORT schools across the country.

Mila Finkelstein, CEO of ORT-Ukraine, loves that the games go beyond math and will help students develop communication and English skills as they work together in small groups. “Usually, our schools are very limited in using unusual educational materials and books that don’t have a special state registration or recommendation,” she said. “This time, it was an immediate decision: Yes, we want them! They are super! I believe these beautiful games will help our kids to improve

their skills in English and math.”

Perhaps even more important, with the situation in Ukraine remaining volatile, Finkelstein explained that while the games will be used in regular school lessons and after-school lessons, they will also be used in shelters during air raids as a welcome distraction.

“It is difficult to find here in Ukraine any person, kid,

family, school not impacted by the war,” she said. “Even in the safest city of Ukraine, Chernivtsi, kids are spending hours in shelters. A lot of parents are in the Israel Defense Forces. They’ve lost their parents and relatives.

“We are trying to use any possible occasion to make the childhood of our ‘kids of war’ as peaceful and joyful as possible. These games are part of this very difficult task.”

EMT treats head wound after e-bike crash

By Avraham Sacks United Hatzalah

In early 2022 the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Maimonides Society of healthcare professionals donated a motorcycle-ambulance to United Hatzalah emergency services in Israel in memory of Dr. Michael Ufberg z”l. Ambucycle No. 1283 and its rider, EMT Yonatan

Auoat, continue to make a lifeor-death difference with speedy responses through the congested streets of the city of Netanya.

It was just after 8 on a Monday evening when a young man was speeding along Herzl Street, lost control of his e-bike, and crashed headfirst to the pavement. Witnesses rushed over to help and called

for an ambulance.

EMT Yonatan Auoat was working nearby when he received an alert from dispatch. Setting his other commitments aside, he rushed on his ambucycle to the accident site, zipping past the snarled traffic and arriving first on the scene.

He discovered that the 30-year-old victim was bleed-

ing from a deep gash to his head and reassured him as he stemmed the heavy hemorrhaging. Auoat cleaned and bandaged the wound as additional United Hatzalah responders joined him to assist with the rescue.

The young man was then transferred to an arriving ambulance and whisked

Federation seeks nominations for annual awards

The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is seeking nominations for its annual awards for young leaders and for Jewish communal professionals.

The George Feldman Award for Young Leadership and the Mark L. Goldstein Award for Outstanding Jewish Communal Professionals will be presented at the Jewish Federation’s Community Celebration and Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 6. The deadline for nominations is April 5.

The Feldman award, first given in 1973, is named for the past executive director of the Jewish Federation and the JCC who directed fundraising efforts to complete the JCC’s for-

mer facility at 6th and Chew Streets and to build the current one. It recognizes individuals who have exemplified the finest qualities of leadership in volunteer work serving the Jewish community.

Nominees for the Feldman award should be between the ages of 25 and 45 by December 31, 2024, have demonstrated promise in community leadership and an understanding of the Jewish purpose of community work. They should have contributed to Federation campaigns commensurate with their ability to do so and shown an interest in communal affairs beyond isolated programs. They should be

willing to participate in leadership training programs and in Federation-related local, regional, national, and international meetings.

The award has a monetary value of up to $1,500 for participation in a mission to Israel.

Last year’s recipient was Rachel Levin, a board member of the Federation and its Women’s Philanthropy who has led the Dignity Grows initiative to fill and distribute tote bags with essential supplies for women in need. She has since become a cochair of the Federation’s Young Leadership division.

The Goldstein award was established in 2019 in memory

of the 16-year Jewish Federation executive director who committed his entire career to Jewish communal service. The award is given to an individual in recognition of extraordinary work as a communal professional. Nominees should be professionally employed in the field of Jewish communal service in the Lehigh Valley at the time of nomination, serving at an agency, synagogue, or other Jewish organization. They will have made a significant impact through their professional roles, demonstrating dedication and commitment to Jewish values, pursuing collaborative efforts, and exhibit-

ing optimism and leadership in the Lehigh Valley Jewish community.

They should be willing to participate in organization-related local, regional, national, and international meetings at the approval and direction of their employers.

Last year’s recipient was Aaron Gorodzinsky, the Federation’s director of campaign and security planning.

For more details on the qualifications of award recipients or to nominate someone you believe deserves special recognition, visit jewishlehighvalley.org/awards.

Community talks it out at post-10/7 healing session

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

“A Conversation about Being Jewish in a Post-October 7 World” was the title of the presentation and discussion in the JCC Kline Auditorium on February 27. Stuart Horowitz and Debbie Zoller of Jewish Family Service guided the gathering sponsored by JFS, the JCC, and the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

Eric Lightman, execu-

tive director of the JCC, who toured October 7 massacre sites in Israel in January, kicked off the evening by backing things up a bit. “What’s it like being Jewish all the time?” he asked. What keeps the Jewish people together? What common heritage? What unifying perspectives and sense of purpose?

He began with the Book of Exodus, the story of Moses leading the Jews in their escape from slavery in Egypt. “Historians aren’t

sure about the specifics,” he said, but someone wanted to pass down the experiences through time. “It’s the experiences that bind us together.”

In more recent times, there’s the common experience of the Holocaust. Lightman said his ancestors had left Europe earlier in the 20th century, so no one from his family suffered at the hands of the Nazis.

to Netanya’s Laniado Medical Center for further care.

Jewish advocacy day in DC

Here are the details on Jewish Federation talks with elected officials

By Aaron Gorodzinsky Director of Campaign and Security Planning

In late January, Bruce Reich, chair of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Community Relations Council; Vicki Wax, cochair of the Federation’s Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs; and I joined over 400 Jewish Federation activists from 65 communities in Washington, D.C., as part of the Jewish Federations of North America fly-in advocacy day.

During the advocacy day, our community representatives had the chance to meet with Rep. Susan Wild, Sen. John Fetterman, and Sen. Bob Casey. In total, Federation volunteers from across the United States met with over 190 congressional offices to advocate for legislation that would support Israel, combat antisemitism, and help secure our Jewish communities.

We used our collective voice to urge our elected officials in the House and Senate to advance the Antisemitism Awareness Act, pass military support for Israel, and increase funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP).

Why did we do it?

The Antisemitism Awareness Act would require the Department of Education to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, the gold standard that has already been adopted by 1,200 entities including 45 countries and hundreds of municipal governments and universities. With the rise of antisemitism in all our communities, the IHRA definition can be used by schools, police departments, and other governmental agencies to determine whether an act or a statement crosses the line into antisemitism. It is a very useful tool to make available for our country.

We also advocated for the $14.3 billion in emergency assistance to Israel as part of a supplemental package. As we all know, Israel is facing security challenges from an array of Iran-backed actors including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis and needs support for missile defense including the Iron Dome and David’s Sling and other advanced weapons systems that will help Israel defend her people and prevent the war from escalating and spread-

ing. The legislation has strong bipartisan support, and we hope the House will follow the leadership of the Senate to vote in favor of this aid package immediately.

Finally, the life-saving NSGP has been a critical instrument in helping our synagogues, Jewish communal institutions, and other nonprofits and houses of worship secure themselves in the face of rising domestic extremism and hatred. We joined with the rest of the Federations to ask for a $500 million funding level for the program and for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) proposal for a $1 billion NSGP supplement that would be available immediately and would support the program in the long run.

We spent a lot of time meeting with our elected officials, but during our preparations to head over to the Hill, we had a chance to hear from Gili and Maya Roman, whose family member Yarden Roman was released from Hamas captivity even as their sister-in-law Carmel Gat remains a hostage in Gaza. Gili said the support of the Jewish community has been critical in the fight. Gili and

Run. Hide. Fight. Staffers learn how to respond to active threats

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

Run. Hide. Fight. “If you don’t take anything else away from today, that’s what you need to take away,” Tim Brooks, regional security advisor for the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, told staffers of the Federation, synagogues, and Jewish agencies during a security training session on February 28.

The goal of the morning’s Countering Active Threat Training (CATT) was to teach those who work at local Jewish sites what to do if they ever find themselves on the scene of an active threat—especially in light of the high numbers of mass shootings and antisemitic incidents in recent years. Brooks led the session backed up by a slide presentation developed by the Secure Community Network (SCN), whose mission is to ensure the safety of the North American Jewish community.

An active threat doesn’t necessarily mean a shooter, but the official FBI definition of an “active shooter” applies: “an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” Such situations are difficult to predict. “They can happen anywhere,” Brooks said, “and anyone can be the active threat.”

For people who find themselves in such a situ-

ation, Brooks said, training and preparation prove critical. Your heart will beat faster. Your thinking may be clouded. You may become paralyzed. “You will not rise to the occasion,” he continued. “You will fall back on your training.”

Training has been shown to work. In a video that Brooks played, Steve Weiss, a congregant at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg, recalled the shooting there in 2018 that killed 11 people. He had recently gone through SCN’s CATT training and was in the synagogue for Sabbath services.

Weiss had an opportunity to run and he took it. “I had followed the training we had,” he said, “and I was able to go out and meet the police when they arrived at the scene. I would have been the 12th casualty that day had I not had the training.” Brooks, aided at one point with an instructional video from the FBI, elaborated on run, hide, fight. First, be aware of your surroundings, the basic floor plan and exit possibilities, including windows, so that if an incident occurs, you can run if you have a clear path. Leave your belongings behind and call 911 once you’re safe. If that won’t work, then hide. Make sure that whatever you hide behind is substantial enough to stop bullets. If you

Maya were there to meet with elected officials on behalf of hostage families.

We also had a chance to hear from Israeli Ambassador Michael Herzog, who spoke of the ongoing trauma Israelis were experiencing and how important it was for them to receive the support of our Jewish community.

Finally, as we were about to travel to the Hill, we heard from Admiral John Kirby, a spokesman for President Joe Biden’s National Security Council, who made sure that we knew that releasing the hostages has been and remains a top priority for the administration.

Our day ended with a bipartisan, bicameral group of members who addressed

find a room to duck into, lock and barricade the door. Wherever you are, silence your cell phone so it won’t alert the attacker to your location.

Someone near you may have been injured and may be bleeding. Apply pressure to the wound. If that doesn’t work, put on a makeshift tourniquet.

If the initial options to run and hide aren’t viable or they fail, the last resort is to fight—but only if your life is in danger. Think about what you’ll do and, if others are there, plan an attack together, if possible, approaching the attacker from multiple angles. Try to use improvised weapons. Don’t fight fair.

Brooks stressed all along that you need to make a decision and follow through on it. “You must commit to personal action during an active threat,” he said.

There was one thing he said not to do: play dead. “Never, ever, ever, ever do that. If you lie down and play dead, there’s a higher chance you’re going to get shot or injured by the attacker.”

our group following our meetings, including Sen. Katy Britt (R-AL), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), Rep. Mike Lawler (RNY), Rep. Kathy Manning (DNC), Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Rep. Richie Torres (D-NY).

This was an incredibly meaningful trip to Washington, D.C., and we were proud to represent our Federation in front of our elected officials, who told us how important it is for them to hear from us and encouraged us to keep calling, emailing, and visiting them, as our voices are more important than we think.

JFNA chair Julie Platt.

JFS to honor community volunteers at April fundraiser

Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley will honor 12 individuals who have gone above and beyond for the agency and the greater Lehigh Valley Jewish community at its Cheers for Volunteers fundraiser on April 7.

These volunteers give time, energy, and heart to the work that they do, whether it’s delivering meals to the homebound or stocking food pantry shelves. In addition to their work at JFS, each volunteer is directly connected to at least one other Jewish agency or synagogue.

“I’ve been lucky enough to get to know the volunteers we are honoring through this process, and they are truly an inspiration,” said Vikki Dunn, chair of Cheers for Volunteers.

While in past years JFS has honored exclusively older volunteers, this year’s cohort spans a wide range of ages and areas of involvement. “We really wanted to showcase that you can make a difference at any stage of life,” said Robin Rosenau, JFS board president. “These volunteers are a true representation of Jewish Family Service and the work that we do.”

This year’s Cheers for Volunteers marks the first time since 2019 that JFS board and staff are welcoming community members to an in-person event. A brunch will be held at 10 a.m. at Temple Beth El featuring a performance by the Chaimonics, Muhlenberg College’s Jewish a cappella group, and a chance to raise a glass to the honorees.

“Our virtual fundraisers were a great way to bring people together and showcase the work of JFS during the pandemic,” Executive Director Debbie Zoller said. “Still, there is no substitute for in-person warmth and conversation.”

Sponsorships are available and all proceeds support the work of JFS, including the op-

eration of a community food pantry, professional counseling, services for older adults, and resources for accessibility and inclusion. To register or for more information, visit www.jfslv.org/cheers. Here are this year’s honorees:

Alan Abraham Congregation Bnai Shalom

Alan Abraham is a CPA originally from New Jersey who is active on the JFS Audit Committee and works behind the scenes to assist with JFS finances. He worked at Abraham, Borda, Corvino, Butz, LaValva, and Company from 1968 to 2020 and continues to be active in the accounting profession through many professional memberships. He has served as a board member and in various other positions for ProJeCt of Easton, Children’s Home of Easton, Miller-Keystone Blood Center, BIP (Business, Industry, and Professions), Weller Health Education Center, Easton Area Neighborhood Center, and the Bnai Shalom Finance Committee, to name a few organizations. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve. He and his wife, Marsha, have three daughters and three grandchildren. He enjoys basketball, tennis, and spending time with family and friends.

Sam Bub

Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley

Sam Bub and his wife, Sylvia, emigrated to the United States from South Africa in 1977. They chose Allentown because it had a Jewish Day School. Sam retired from family medicine in 2017 and has been an active leader of JFS’s Schmooze and Schmear, a monthly discussion group for retired men. He feels blessed that he and Sylvia and their children and grandchildren all live in the same neighbor-

hood. The things he likes most revolve around his fam ily, especially Friday night Shabbat dinners, where they enjoy Sylvia’s cooking and discussing the events of the week. He loves playing golf (his favorite sport) and enjoys working with glass to make mosaics and stained-glass windows. He casts models, such as chess sets, using resins and has dabbled in jewelry making and Chinese brush painting. He enjoys reading, especially nonfiction, and has belonged to a men’s book club for 30 years. His philosophy at this stage of his life is to maintain and nurture relationships and to try to learn something new every day.

Marge Carroll Congregation Keneseth Israel

Marge Carroll is a native of the Lehigh Valley. She grew up in Allentown and retired from the Lehigh Valley Educators Credit Union in 2022 after working in various posi-

tions (teller, member service representative, and branch manager) for over 27 years. She then began working in the JFS Community Food Pantry. She enjoys helping people, being with animals (especially cats), volunteering, exercising (Zumba classes, walking in local parks), doing jigsaw puzzles, and traveling. She and her husband, Allen, have been married for 21 years. They like to play pickleball and tennis. They have a 17 1/2-year-old cat named Genie.

Liz Fear Congregation Am Haskalah

Liz Fear moved to the Lehigh Valley from New Jersey in 2004. She is a graduate of Rutgers University who majored in religion. In 2012 she wandered into a community day at Congregation Am Haskalah and felt at home at the Reconstructionist synagogue very quickly. In 2018, after working in a variety of fields, she signed on as the administrator for the synagogue. Through her work with Am Haskalah, she assists JFS with its accessibility and inclusion initiatives. She says she’s a “dog mom to one cranky Bogey.” She’s an art and music enthusiast who has dabbled in photography. She adores sci-fi and fiction and “falling into any good story.” Though members of her “family of origin” all live far away, she has built a wonderful “family of choice made up of some of the most amazing characters that keep me whole.”

Barry Halper Congregation Sons of Israel

Barry Halper came to Allentown with his wife, Carol, in 1977 when he began a career at Air Products and Chemicals. He retired from Air Products in 2011 and now writes grant proposals for local nonprofit organizations, in addition to delivering

Mazel Meals for older adults through JFS. “The people to whom I deliver Mazel Meals are icons of the Lehigh Valley Jewish community and were the role models for Carol and me when we came to Allentown 47 years ago,” he said. He and Carol raised two children, Lauren and Alex. Alex and his wife, Emily, and their two children, Jane and Henry, live in Harrisburg, where they are very engaged in the Jewish community. Lauren died in 2013 after a six-year battle with brain cancer, leaving her daughter, Ava, who lives with Barry and Carol. To perpetuate Lauren’s memory, the Halper family created an endowed fund to support Lehigh Valley Health Network Hospice. Barry is a past president of the Jewish Federation, past president (twice) of Congregation Sons of Israel, founding member and first president of the Allentown School District Foundation, and past treasurer of the Jewish Day School. He holds two patents in the area of concrete cooling using liquid nitrogen. He enjoys volunteering and vacations and holidays with his family.

Devorah Halperin

Chabad Lubavitch of the Lehigh Valley

Devorah Halperin is a Morristown, New Jersey, native who planted her roots in the Lehigh Valley in 2001. As a devoted mother of seven and grandmother of one, Devorah, alongside her husband Rabbi Yaakov Halperin, plays a pivotal role in directing Chabad Lubavitch of the Lehigh Valley. Their leadership extends to overseeing the Chabad Hebrew School, Chabad Gan Yeladim Preschool, Camp Gan Israel, Friendship Circle, Chabad Teen Network, and women’s classes, and organizing vibrant holiday events.

Young Leadership bring out their kids for movie night

The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Young Leadership met at Jay’s

Chaired by Lyell Scherline, Aviva Marlin, Chelsea Busch, and Rachel Levin, the event

with the Havdalah blessings. Eric Lightman played the guitar and Busch lit the braided candle.

Then, while the adults schmoozed, the kids watched the Dreamworks movie “Trolls Band Together.”

Stayed tuned for more information about the next Young Leadership event.

The world-renowned vocal group Six13 sang to a near sellout crowd on February 25 for the Congregation Sons of Israel Annual Fundraiser. Over 200 community members came out to witness the vocal talents of the six-man a cappella group from New York. With a resume that includes past performances at the White House and online views exceeding 20 million, Six13 brought the crowd of young and old to its feet, singing some of their hit Hebrew songs and English parodies. Audience members hummed, danced, and sang along to

parodies of Queen, Billy Joel, Bruno Mars, and Taylor Swift songs. Six13 even took time to teach the audience how to beatbox using the sounds of their mouths as instruments. Over the years, Congregation Sons of Israel has brought in many talents for its annual fundraisers, including Sholem Lemer, and Yoshie and Harold Fruchter. But this event was by far the biggest and showcased the most diverse talents.

“We really wanted to bring the whole community together, and Six13 was a great way to do that,” said Jordan Goldman, a cochair of the

event. “From the moment we shared our plans, there was overwhelming response.”

Aviva Marlin, another event cochair, added, “We aimed to attract various demographics in our community. Observing my young children and my parents thoroughly enjoying the concert demonstrated that we achieved our goal.”

The band was introduced by Yitzi Powers, who noted: “During the month of Adar, we are supposed to be joyous. But with circumstances such as they are in Israel, we must simultaneously keep our brothers and sisters in mind.”

In that spirit, Six13 included

several songs about Israel and finished with a moving rendition of Hatikvah.

The president of the congregation, Rabbi Jonathan Powers, was in awe that so many people from the community came out for the concert. “It was amazing

to see the support from so many different organizations and members of the community,” he said. “With all the challenges we’re facing in the world now, we wanted something to showcase and channel our community’s Jewish pride and unity.”

Six13.

Community volunteers

Continued from page 6

“Volunteering is a personal journey of giving back,” she said. “I find profound fulfillment in volunteering with JFS and in collaboration with CTeen, which brings the joy of community service to teens. JFS is the perfect avenue for Lehigh Valley teens to experience the essence of tikkun olam in a fun and meaningful way.”

Gia Jones

Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley

Gia Kornet Jones was born on Long Island and raised there and in South Brunswick, New Jersey. She graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in communication arts and sciences. After graduation she worked in nonfiction television in New York City for 10 years as a producer and casting professional at networks such as NBC and for shows that have appeared on Bravo, E!, Travel Channel, and more.

From 2008 to 19, she served as a director, then co-executive director, of the NYC Hope Gala, a volunteer-led fundraising organization established to support the Penn State Dance Marathon (aka Thon). Since its inception, the gala has raised over $2.1

million. Gia and her husband, Matt, married in 2013 and moved to Allentown in 2015.

From 2015 to 2019, Gia was a development director for the Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She and Matt have two daughters, Gemma, 7, and Stella, 2. She is currently a stay-at-home mom and enjoys volunteering for JFS (Coats and Cocoa Chair), the JCC (joined the board in August 2023), and the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley (Women’s Philanthropy board, mitzvah committee, PJ Library chair). She is also very involved in Gemma’s elementary school and will be joining the PTO board in the fall of 2024 as vice president of fundraising.

Rabbi Allen Juda Congregation Brith Sholom

Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, Rabbi Allen Juda is the son, grandson, grand-nephew, and son-in-law of Holocaust survivors and of many relatives who were murdered by the Nazis. He grew up speaking German at home. He has rooted for the New York Yankees since childhood and for the New York Giants football team since college. He’s had a lifelong interest in gardening, particularly growing vegetables,

some berries, and a variety of herbs. His interest in the rabbinate began at the age of 15 and included private tutorial and participation in Leaders Training Fellowship in high school, undergraduate and graduate studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, undergraduate work at Columbia University, being a camper at Camp Ramah, and receiving training in informal Jewish education as a staff member at Ramah. After serving as the rabbi at Congregation Brith Sholom for almost 40 years, Rabbi Juda became president of JFS, serving a five-year term from 2017 to 2022. He is still actively involved in the agency, including in the JFS-Jewish Federation Older Adults Task Force. He and his wife, Toby, have two sons—Aaron, married to daughter-in-law Danielle, and Adam—a daughter, Tamar; and three grandchildren, Kayla, Asher, and Juliette.

Mary Laronge

Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley

Mary Nass Laronge is an Allentown native and an active, long-time volunteer for the JFS food pantry. Her family belonged to Congregation Keneseth Israel and, after her confirmation in high school,

she helped in the kindergarten Sunday school. After college, marriage, and divorce, she moved back to Allentown. She sold real estate for 30 years and retired five years ago. She enjoys traveling all over the world and leads trips for a local travel company. When she’s home, she plays golf, bridge, and mah-jongg and participates in a book club. She is very active with the Ptarmigan Ski Club and has served on its board of directors and as membership secretary for many years. She has one son, Josh Laronge, who lives in Florida; a sister, Alice Nass Yepsen, who lives in Huff’s Church; and a life partner, Ralph del Aguila, who also volunteers at the JFS food pantry. She is an active volunteer and says, “A few hours of a person’s time each week can help make the life of people in need a little better. It also gives you personal satisfaction that you are doing a little good.”

Aviva Marlin

Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley

Aviva Marlin moved to the Lehigh Valley from Columbus, Ohio, in 2017. She has four children, ages 10, 9, and 4 (twins). She also has a dog named Daisy. She describes herself as a “people person socially, professionally, and volunteering-wise.” Her family attends Congregation Sons of Israel weekly for Shabbat

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services, and she serves on the fundraiser committee. She is an active board member and nominating committee chair at the JDS. She is a neuropsychologist, which led her to serve on the clinical committee at JFS, and is a member of the Maimonides Society of the Jewish Federation. She cochairs both the 365 division of Women’s Philanthropy and the Young Leadership committee at the Federation. She enjoys using her Peloton bike daily as well as getting out with her family to enjoy nature locally and beyond.

Vickie Semmel

Temple Israel of Lehighton

Vickie Semmel and her husband, Scott, have two daughters, a son and daughter-inlaw, and three grandchildren. She grew up in eastern and central Pennsylvania and moved back to the Lehigh Valley permanently in 1980.

Vickie served as the director of training for Lehigh County for 28 years before retiring in 2016. She is the president of Temple Israel of Lehighton and the co-president of Congregation Bnai Shalom of Easton. She serves as a board member for Jewish Family Service and the Jewish Federation and is also on the JFS-Jewish Federation Older Adults Task Force. Every week Vickie picks up deli

Community volunteers

Continues on page 9

Community volunteers

Continued from page 8

and fresh produce donations from Giant supermarket and delivers them to JFS. She also coordinates the High Holy Days food drive for the JFS pantry at Temple Israel and delivers JFS Mazel Meals. She and her family enjoy kayaking and summer vacations at the beach.

Miriam Zager

Temple Beth El

Miriam Zager lived in the Bronx until she was 7 and then moved to Hartsdale, New York. She has an older sister and brother and two younger, identical twin brothers. She was on the swim

team at her local pool and continued competitive swimming through college. She still swims five days a week at the JCC. She also teaches adult swimming classes and helps coach the JCC swim team. A graduate of Hamilton College and Albany Law School, she got married in 1994 and moved to Allentown, where her husband, Mike, was finishing his residency. They have five children: Zach, Ben, Carly, Matthew, and Eric, and each has volunteered at the JFS food pantry. She feels a strong connection to Temple Beth El, the JCC, the Jewish Federation, and JFS and has served on

the board and chaired many activities at most of those organizations. She also loves working quietly behind the scenes on projects in the community and frequently visits with her 91-year-old mom in New Jersey. “JFS gives me the opportunity to put a smile on people’s faces,” she said. “Whether baking cookies, making blankets or delivering meals and flowers, I believe that by volunteering, I can make a difference in the lives of others in our community.”

JFS Community Food Pantry

You can support our Community Food Pantry families during the month of March by helping us stock up on toothpaste.

Toothpaste

Donations can be dropped off at JFS during business hours, in the bins at the JCC and Temple Beth El, or ordered through the JFS Amazon Wish List, accsessible by visiting the link below.

2004 W Allen Street | Allentown, PA 18104 610.821.8722 | foodpantry@jfslv.org | www.jfslv.org

amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2W65IUQW2GM36/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

IN HONOR

MARILYN CLAIRE

In celebration of your Special Birthday

Pam Byala

ETHEL MELAMUT

In celebration of the birth of your great grandson, Isaac Minkoff

Marlene and Arnan

Finkelstein

Karen Kuhn

BRUCE REICH

Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery,

Emily, Brian, Al and Sam Ford

Elaine and Leon Papir

BRUCE SHEFTEL

Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery

Vicki Wax

IN MEMORY

MARILYN BRAUNSTEIN

(Mother of Cherie Zettlemoyer and Amy Braunstein McCoy)

Sheila Berg

Wendy and Ross Born

Marilyn Claire

Roberta and Jeff Epstein

Marlene and Arnan

Finkelstein

Aaron Gorodzinsky and Jennie

Schechner

June Grushka-Rosen

Joanne and Barry Hetzel

Dee and Arny Kaplan

Roberta and Robert Kritzer

Karen Kuhn

Norman Moses

Penny and Adam Roth

Selma Roth

Eileen Ufberg

ELEANOR WIENER FLETCHER

(Mother of Alan Wiener and Steve Wiener)

Karen Kuhn

BOBBY HAMMEL

(Husband of Bonnie Hammel)

Karen Kuhn and Family

Monica and Martin

Lemelman

Margo and Eric Lightman

NICHOLAS LEWIS

(Nephew of Beth Kozinn)

Pam Byala and Family

Aaron Gorodzinsky and Jennie

Schechner

HARRIET MAY

(Mother of Cindy Levine and Larry May)

Randi and Donald Senderowitz

ASHIRA RABINOWITZ

(Granddaughter of Ruth Derby)

Karen Kuhn

BURTON (BURT) SCHLOSSBERG

(Husband of Rose Schlossberg, father of Michael Schlossberg)

Aaron Gorodzinsky and Jennie Schechner

SYLVIA SUSSMAN

(Sister of Edith Miller)

Karen Kuhn

MARGO WIENER

(Wife of Steve Wiener)

Karen Kuhn

HELEN AND SOL KRAWITZ

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL FUND

MEMORY

MARILYN BRAUNSTEIN

(Mother of Amy Braunstein McCoy, Cherie Zettlemoyer and Laurie Horton)

Susan Engelson Friefeld

SANDY SCHUSSEL

(Mother of Eric Schussel)

Susan Engelson Friefeld

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

IN HONOR

LYNDA EXTRACT

Wishing you a speedy recovery Vicki Wax

ZACH GOLDMAN

In celebration of your Special Birthday Vicki Wax

JEFF NULLMAN

In celebration of your Birthday Vicki Wax

BRUCE REICH

Wishing you a speedy recovery Vicki Wax

DANNY WAX

In celebration of your Birthday Vicki Wax

CARLY ZAGER

In celebration of your graduation from Muhlenberg College

Vicki Wax

IN MEMORY

MARILYN BRAUNSTEIN

(Mother of Cherie Zettlemoyer)

Vicki Wax

BOBBY HAMMEL

(Husband of Bonnie Hammel)

Francie Ficelman

NICHOLAS LEWIS

(Nephew of Beth Kozinn)

Vicki Wax

FAY MITTLEMAN

(Cousin of Sandi Teplitz)

Sandy Teplitz

Another date we’ll remember—as we put it behind us

By Nurit Galon Partnership2Gether

There are certain dates in history that stand out virtually forever. They are not necessarily the same dates for everyone. Nor do they have the same meaning. Yet they enter our long-term memory.

October 7, 2023, is one such date. It changed the world for

the state and inhabitants of Israel, for the Jewish people, and for many others around the world. That Hamas had declared war on Israel was not totally unexpected, but the brutality of the attack—at that point largely focused on civilians, young families, children, and old people— was a surprise. The lack of readiness of the Israeli army

and civilian government 50 years after the lessons of the disastrous Yom Kippur attack was unbelievable.

The brunt of the Hamas attack was near the Gaza Strip, with Israeli families hiding in their “safe” rooms, which were not safe and were attacked all day. From afar we watched in horror as families with babies and grandparents were dragged off to Gaza, and our young people returning from a summer music festival were kidnapped, raped, and beaten in front of a jeering Gazan audience. Israelis had grown up with the firm conviction that they were safe in Israel. Suddenly the ground disappeared beneath their feet.

But, as has happened in most desperate situations, a population that during

the preceding months had been like cats and dogs came together, recognizing the real dangers both from Hamas and from serious internal disagreements. Suddenly, volunteering was what was seriously needed, and happening.

In the past, war in Israel meant an almost immediate rush of volunteers from abroad to help out, but this time, that wasn’t the case. Jewish communities around the world were facing growing waves of antisemitism and were afraid. But soon the help started arriving. Volunteers came to help with the wasted agriculture. Farmers from all over were next. Israelis who had

left were returning. Today Israel is filled with volunteers from around the world. We are not alone!

So, is everything great? Not really. We adore our soldiers, including our amazing women tank drivers and fighters in all units. We are horrified at the price we are paying in human lives. We do not see an end to political squabbling or potential upheavals. We know we have far to go, but we know who we’re going there with!

We follow the activities of the Lehigh Valley, including the fundraising efforts for the Jewish Federation’s Israel Emergency Fund and the visits of community members to Israel to provide help where it’s needed.

Be well and take care!

In the Allentown community, we have been delivering babies since 1945. We are proud to continue to deliver the next generation of babies at our newly renovated, state-of-the-art, Women & Babies Pavilion at St. Luke’s Allentown Campus.

• Spacious private patient rooms with spa-like amenities

• Welcoming interior design with décor inspired by nature

• Personalized care team focused on your inpatient experience

• Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with

bays designed to allow mothers to remain close to their baby during their stay

Is truth, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder?

By Rabbi Allen Juda Rabbi Emeritus, Congregation Brith Sholom

As a child, I was fascinated by magic. I never learned how to saw someone in half and put that person back together or how to make an elephant disappear. But thanks to a store in Boston that sold magic tricks, I was able to turn a piece of blank, white paper into a dollar bill and make a small, plastic ball disappear. In retrospect, magic requires that we believe we see something that isn’t real.

At least since the late 1980s and the introduction of Photoshop, we can no longer believe our eyes, and with the evolution of AI, we can’t really believe our eyes or ears. With a smart phone, any of us can take a picture of a few people standing together and with a couple of finger taps and swipes use the Magic Eraser to “erase” one of the individuals. The consequences may be unintended, but the Internet and social media have made it difficult, if not impossible, for people to distinguish fact from fabrication.

A quote by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, on the exterior of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, reads: “The things I saw (at Ohrdruf Concentration Camp, April 1945) beggar description…. The visual evidence and the verbal testimony of starvation, cruelty and bestiality were so overpowering…. I made the visit deliberately, in order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations to propaganda.” How prescient of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces and future president. We have long since been repulsed by Holocaust deniers. Now we also need to be aware of a different kind of denier. A significant percentage of younger Americans do not know about the Holocaust, or they believe the horrors have been exaggerated. Shockingly, there are already those on the Internet claiming the bestial acts of Hamas on October 7 were staged by the Israelis for propaganda purposes.

How do we human beings decide on what is fact and what is distortion? Climate change is a great threat or it doesn’t exist at all. Covid vaccines and booster shots save

us from severe illness, or they perhaps cause it. On what basis do we decide?

But it is not only science, history, and current events where we struggle with the issues of truth and myth, facts, and distortions. Religions and faith also have to deal with various forms of objective/subjective reality. There are Jews who absolutely and totally believe our Torah was given to Moses, word by word, on Mt. Sinai. On the other hand, many modern Jews are convinced the Torah evolved over several centuries, even if it is divinely inspired. Whether one believes the 10 plagues in Egypt and the splitting of the Red Sea are facts of history or not, participating in a Passover seder and celebrating freedom is one of the most observed of Jewish practices. Are spiritual facts different from others?

Margaret Wolfe Hungerford is widely credited with coining the saying “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

Perhaps we and future generations will conclude that truth is also in the eye of the beholder.

“Yet I still feel the pain of the lives that were lost,” he said. “It’s become a pain that we all share collectively.”

He pointed out that on the bright side, JCCs like the one in Allentown provide positive collective experiences for the Jewish community. From there, he moved to the inevitable reality of the Hamas attacks and the months between October 7 and now.

“Israelis are used to wars,” he said, wars fought in their own backyard. They’re used to running to bomb shelters when sirens alert them to incoming missiles—or to attacks like October 7. Sirens are so common that many Israelis ignored them on the 7th.

October 7 changed all that. “This has created a new type of trauma and fear among the Israeli people,” Lightman said. And animosity too. “I could feel the anger under the surface.” There was anger at Hamas, anger at the government for not protecting them, and anger at themselves for being complacent.

“I think Israelis have a real us-versus-them mentality,” he said of their current state of mind, with the caveat that they still felt very grateful for the United States. “I worry about the long-term impacts

of the isolated position in which they find themselves.”

Lightman continued that October 7, like the Holocaust and other tragedies, will and should live in memory. “The purpose is to build our collective resilience,” he said. “It was an attack on all Israelis, and I’m telling you it was an attack on all Jews everywhere.”

With that, the large assembly was divided into small groups in which the individuals could discuss their reactions to October 7 and feelings they’ve experienced since then. A facilitator in each group asked participants to answer prepared questions. When the allotted 45 minutes for this portion of the night concluded, the facilitators reported their findings to the full audience.

“How is everyone feeling?” asked Zoller. Jeri Zimmerman, executive director of the Jewish Federation, said it was constructive to talk to people in groups about what happened and what’s continuing to happen. “It’s a nice break from the intensity of what we’ve been experiencing,” she said

Reports from the groups uniformly included sustained feelings of anger. And fear. Some participants were afraid

to park outside the JCC. Some refrained from putting a menorah on their windowsill. Someone gave a fake name to an Uber driver.

There were concerns about what kind of world adults were leaving for their kids. College campuses, with their populations in the transition stage between youth and adult, have been hotspots of antisemitism and anti-Israel protests. What’s next?

Everyone worried about Israel, worried that the war could escalate and spread. They worried about the impact that everything that has happened could have on future generations of Israelis. One person wondered, “Why don’t Hamas and others see that Jews are trying to make the world a better place, tikkun olam?”

Zoller offered the final words of the night. “What can I say to wrap up that would be more profound than what you all said?” she concluded. “I hope you walk away thinking, I just spent an hour talking with people in my community who understand what I’m feeling. I think there’s some relief in that.”

JCC Executive Director Visits Israel for Solidarity Mission

By Tracy Sussman Director of Membership and Marketing

This past month, Eric Lightman, the executive director of the Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley, participated in a solidarity mission to Israel. The group, organized by the JCC Association of North America, comprised 40 executive staff and lay leaders representing Jewish communities across the United States and Canada.

The trip was intended to bear witness to the atrocities and aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks and the ensuing war, to show the North American community’s collective support for Israel, and to bring the experience of the current reality of life in Israel back to local communities. Over the course of four very busy days, the group toured sites and met with leaders from around the country.

The trip’s most emotional moments came during the group’s tour of some of the devastated communities near the Gaza border, including Kibbutz Nir Oz. With a military escort and wearing bulletproof vests while fighting across the border continued just a mile away, the group walked through the burned remains of houses and

In honor of the 134 Israeli hostages, a yellow ribbon and Israeli flag representing each hostage is displayed outside the JCC of the Lehigh Valley building, installed by Naomi Schachter, Tama

gardens, witnessing the devastation that befell a peaceful neighborhood in which 25% of its residents were murdered or taken as hostages.

The group also toured the site of the Nova Music Festival where 346 people lost their lives while celebrating peace and love, in the worst single attack against Jews since the Holocaust.

The group also met with colleagues from the Israel Association of Community Centers who are currently working to maintain community services for Israel’s 300,000 citizens in border communities who have been evacuated for safety for the past 105 days. “I told these amazing leaders that we understand the difficulty and the importance of their work,” Eric said after returning from his trip. “They do the same work that our JCC staff do back in Allentown. But although we have had our challenges over the years, we’ve never had to deal with the type of personal and collective trauma they are now faced with.”

On another day, the group met with President Isaac Herzog at Beit HaNasi (the President’s House) in Jerusalem, as well as former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and representatives from the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and

Tamarkin and Miriam Zager. They have also created an installation in the lobby.

The butterfly is a symbol of transformation, freedom, and rebirth. These butterflies have

Combating Antisemitism. Israel’s leaders inquired about the current challenges in the North American community and how its leaders are addressing them, and shared their belief in the importance of Jewish unity worldwide and strengthening the connection between Israel and Diaspora Jewry. They also expressed how deeply meaningful it was for such a group to visit at such a difficult time.

“Israelis are dealing with a trauma, a fear, and an anger that they have not experienced in 50

long been viewed as heralds of good fortune. Each of the 134 butterflies has the name and age of a hostage yearning to be freed, to be home! We pray for them to be returned to us. You will notice two

years,” Eric reflected. “At the same time, they are a model of strength and resilience. They are united in the need to bring home the 134 remaining hostages as soon as possible, and eliminate the existential terrorist threat they are facing, and are willing to fight and volunteer until this task is complete. From what I learned and experienced on this trip, I believe strongly that this is the fight of all Jewish people, and anyone who embraces peace and freedom.”

butterflies in the upper right corner. Those are the butterflies of two hostages Fernando Marman and Louis Har that were rescued and are now home with their families. #bringthemhomenow

KEYSTONE SOCIETY

Taffi Ney+(L)

Ali Raza Visram+*

FRIENDS OF THE J DONORS

Lois Albright+

Jason Alter

Sylvia & Sam Bub+

Leslie & Victor Bunick+

Marilyn Claire+

Lisa & Andrew Ellis+(L)

Iris & Jonathan Epstein+(L)

Elizabeth & Jeff Greenberg+

Pamela & Vernon Guischard+

Julianne & Samuel Heiney+

Amy & Douglas Jaffe+

Marty Katz+

Michael Krim

Suzanne Lapiduss+

Lesavoy, Butz & Seitz LLC+

Colleen & Paul McGee+

Rabbi Seth Phillips+

Jill Pincus+

Ellen Osher & Robert Pritchard+

Robert Rockmaker+(L)

Brenna & Michael Schlossberg+

Pam Lott & Ron Ticho+

Beverly & Ronald Wasserman+

+ Previous Year Donors

(L) Life & LegacyTM Donors

*Denotes JCC Board Member List as of 2/15/24

ECE Celebrates Rosh Hashanah With Some Sweet Guests

Competition Ramps Up For New JHoops Season

JCC Celebrates Tu B’Shevat Through JCCA Partnership Grant

JCC Executive Director Visits Israel for Solidarity Mission

By Heather Lavin Program Director

By Tracy Sussman Director of Membership and Marketing

By Jackie Weiss Early Childhood & Jewish Education Coordinator

Additionally, the students had the opportunity to smell a honeycomb and learn how honey is made!

Our ECE students had a sweet second week of school! For Rosh Hashanah this year, a couple of our ECE classes gathered in the gym for a special honeybee presentation (minus the bees).

This past month, Eric Lightman, the executive director of the Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley, participated in a solidarity mission to Israel. The group, organized by the JCC Association of North America, comprised 40 executive staff and lay leaders representing Jewish communities across the United States and Canada.

By Jackie Weiss Early Childhood and Jewish Education Coordinator

Dr. Robbie Roeshman, a master beekeeper for 35 years, along with his wife, Adrienne London, are beekeepers in the Lehigh Valley. The presentation was a fun and interactive experience with props, beekeeping supplies, a honeybee song, and a waggle dance! The students enjoyed pretending to be bees and buzzing around the gym.

The trip was intended to bear witness to the atrocities and aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks and the ensuing war, to show the North American community’s collective support for Israel, and to bring the experience of the current reality of life in Israel back to local communities. Over the course of four very busy days, the group toured sites and met with leaders from around the country.

The 2023-2024 season begins in mid-November with practices and games starting in December. We are recruiting for teams in grades 1-2, grades 3-4, and grades 5-6. We are always looking for coaches and volunteers to help us make the program a success. Practices take place during the week, with games on Sundays both at home and away. Whether they are new to the sport or are looking to play with friends, JHoops is the perfect opportunity for your child to get in the game.

In December, Mia Schem, one of the victims kidnapped by Hamas at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, made a statement after her release. Mia got a new tattoo that read “we will dance again.” With a heavy heart for all affected by the October 7 attack, the JCC took some inspiration from Mia’s resilience for our Tu B’Shevat celebration. Thanks to a grant from the JCC Association of North America in partnership with

The students learned that honeybees get all their food from flowers and the food consists of nectar and pollen. Afterwards, the students had the opportunity to look at a container of nectar and a container of pollen. The students now know that nectar is a liquid and pollen looks like dust.

Our teams will once again be competing in the Rising Stars Basketball League, in both boys and girls leagues. All teams must have a required minimum number of players to run. Our time in the league for the 2022-2023 season was a huge success, giving our teams opportunities to play (and win) in a league that fits our players’ skills. Stay tuned for our home game schedule!

gardens, witnessing the devastation that befell a peaceful neighborhood in which 25% of its residents were murdered or taken as hostages. The group also toured the site of the Nova Music Festival where 346 people lost their lives while celebrating peace and love, in the worst single attack against Jews since the Holocaust.

The honeybees collect nectar from flowering plants and bring the nectar back to the hive. Once the honeybees are back in the hive, the nectar is stored inside the empty combs made of beeswax.

The honeybees then flap their wings very quickly to remove the excess moisture. Afterwards, the honeybees make a wax to create a seal over the honeycomb for protection. Finally, beekeepers harvest the honey by collecting the honeycomb frames and scraping off the wax cap that seals the honey.

Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, we held an Israeli dance party for our ECE students on Friday, February 2. Israeli dance instructor Don Schillinger, known as “Rak-Dan”, entertained the students and families with fun dances and songs such as the chicken dance in Hebrew as well as props to make the dancing an interactive experience.

With the opening of winter programs we will also bring back our popular JHoops Jr. classes. Both Pre-K and Kindergarten-aged athletes will have the opportunity to be introduced to basketball and learn basic skills. These practices are once a week and include inhouse recreational scrimmages.

The frames are then placed in an extractor to spin honey out of the comb. After the honey is extracted, it is strained to remove any remaining wax or other particles. After straining the honey, it is time to bottle, label, and bring it to you!

To register or for more information about JHoops visit lvjcc.org/JHoops.

There are also historical reasons that served as a basis for the event. The Shabbat in which the event was planned, known as Shabbat Shira, is when we read the Torah portion

How does honey connect to the High Holidays? Because eating apples and honey is a tradition on Rosh Hashanah, of course! We

The group also met with colleagues from the Israel Association of Community Centers who are currently working to maintain community services for Israel’s 300,000 citizens in border communities who have been evacuated for safety for the past 105 days. “I told these amazing leaders that we understand the difficulty and the importance of their work,” Eric said after returning from his trip. “They do the same work that our JCC staff do back in Allentown. But although we have had our challenges over the years, we’ve never had to deal with the type of personal and collective trauma they are now faced with.”

Beshalach. This passage details the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, following the Exodus from Egypt. After the parting of the sea and their miraculous rescue, the Israelites sang a song of thanks, known as the Song of the Sea. In the portion, Miriam, who is the sister of Moses and Aaron, takes instruments and leads the Israelite women in song and dance to celebrate.

learned about the Jewish value, Tza’ar Ba’alei Chayim (kindness to animals). It is also a tradition to feed the birds on Shabbat Shira. Among the reasons why we feed the birds on Shabbat Shira is that as the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, the birds began to sing, which lifted the spirits of the Israelites.

In addition to the dancing, the students decorated birdhouses and made bird feeders by threading cheerios onto pipe cleaners. By doing these activities, the students

wish all of you a happy and healthy new year. If you’re looking for a sweet way to celebrate, local honey is available all year round at the Game Preserve Apiary, which is located at 4542 Game Preserve

Prior to the dance party, our families and ECE students gathered for a special Shabbat celebration. During Shabbat, our preschool students performed the song, “If I Were a Tree,” by Jason Mesches and our Pre-K students performed “Plant a Tree for Tu B’Shevat,” by Debbie Friedman. The students did a wonderful job with their performances, and it brought extra joy to our celebration! Once again, we thank everyone who played a part in making this event possible, and we look forward to more events with the Lehigh Valley community in the coming months.

Road, Schnecksville, PA 18078. Contact Dr. Robbie Roeshman and Adrienne London at 610-360-4191 or 13beekeeper@gmail.com for more information.

Stagemakers Brings the Spooky This Fall

By Heather Lavin Program Director

The trip’s most emotional moments came during the group’s tour of some of the devastated communities near the Gaza border, including Kibbutz Nir Oz. With a military escort and wearing bulletproof vests while fighting across the border continued just a mile away, the group walked through the burned remains of houses and

Stagemakers Youth Theater welcomes both new and returning performers to our stage as we present The Addams Family Young @ Part. Performances are Thursday, November 9 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, November 12 at noon and 4 p.m. at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley.

On another day, the group met with President Isaac Herzog at Beit HaNasi (the President’s House) in Jerusalem, as well as former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and representatives from the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and

Combating Antisemitism. Israel’s leaders inquired about the current challenges in the North American community and how its leaders are addressing them, and shared their belief in the importance of Jewish unity worldwide and strengthening the connection between Israel and Diaspora Jewry. They also expressed how deeply meaningful it was for such a group to visit at such a difficult time.

JSeals Is Back, Making a Splash This November

By Rachel Doyle Youth and Camp Director

In honor of the 134 Israeli hostages, a yellow ribbon and Israeli flag representing each hostage is displayed outside the JCC of the Lehigh Valley building, installed by Naomi Schachter, Tama

To join in on the fun and celebrate the work of this great cast and crew, you can cheer them on in person in November. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family whom her parents have never met. She confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before– keep a secret

KEYSTONE SOCIETY

Taffi Ney+(L)

Ali Raza Visram+*

FRIENDS OF THE J DONORS

Lois Albright+

Jason Alter

This month has been an exciting one at Camp JCC. Summer registration has opened and with lots of fun field trips and more specialty camps than ever before for every age, camp is filling up fast! We are especially excited this month to celebrate the completion of our longawaited new pavilion, aptly named the Adventure Hub. With a lovely new finished meeting space for the summer big enough to provide shade, and as a base for our new low ropes course, basketball, 9 square in the

Sylvia & Sam Bub+

“Israelis are dealing with a trauma, a fear, and an anger that they have not experienced in 50

By Jodi Lovenwirth Aquatics Director

years,” Eric reflected. “At the same time, they are a model of strength and resilience. They are united in the need to bring home the 134 remaining hostages as soon as possible, and eliminate the existential terrorist threat they are facing, and are willing to fight and volunteer until this task is complete. From what I learned and experienced on this trip, I believe strongly that this is the fight of all Jewish people, and anyone who embraces peace and freedom.”

Excitement Builds for Camp 2024 Season: New Adventure Hub Complete

Tamarkin and Miriam Zager. They have also created an installation in the lobby.

The butterfly is a symbol of transformation, freedom, and rebirth. These butterflies have

from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents. Director Madison William, with choreographer Marcell Mackenzie and musical director Mackenzie Lynch, have taken these young performers on a journey throughout rehearsals.

Leslie & Victor Bunick+

Marilyn Claire+

Lisa & Andrew Ellis+(L)

Iris & Jonathan Epstein+(L)

air and archery range we are excited to welcome campers to our campus that is enjoying continuous upgrades. None of this would have been possible without a grant from the Grinspoon Foundation’s JCamp180 program, and our community members that helped raise the money to make this possible! I invite anyone with an interest in learning about camp to reach out. We are very happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Elizabeth & Jeff Greenberg+

Pamela & Vernon Guischard+

For more information about Camp JCC, contact the JCC at 610-4353571 or go online at lvjcc.org/camp.

Julianne & Samuel Heiney+

Amy & Douglas Jaffe+

long been viewed as heralds of good fortune. Each of the 134 butterflies has the name and age of a hostage yearning to be freed, to be home! We pray for them to be returned to us. You will notice two

Marty Katz+

Michael Krim

Suzanne Lapiduss+

Lesavoy, Butz & Seitz LLC+

Colleen & Paul McGee+

Madison’s philosophy is “process over product.” In Stagemakers productions, performers spend far more time learning and building a show than they do performing it in front of an audience. While the stage performance is the ultimate goal, it is the rehearsal process that gives performers experience and opportunity for growth. This creative team, including stage

Rabbi Seth Phillips+

Every year during late fall, the aquatics center at the JCC comes alive with smiling faces, cheering children, and blooming friendships. It’s swim season, featuring the JSeals Swim Team! This year is going to be packed with team building parties, swim meets, and lots of ruach (spirit). For anyone who doesn’t know what the JSeals is about, we are more than just a swim team, we are a family. This is a place for swimmers to build their skills while they grow their friendships. This close-knit group of friends all share their love of swimming while cheering on their teammates and watching them progress throughout the season. The 2023-2024 JSeals season begins on November 27. Each member has the opportunity to practice up to three times a week to build their swimming skills. Practices will consist of clear, concise, proven workouts,

Jill Pincus+

Ellen Osher & Robert Pritchard+

butterflies in the upper right corner.

Those are the butterflies of two hostages Fernando Marman and Louis Har that were rescued and are now home with their families. #bringthemhomenow

manager Tessa DeJesus and costume designer Kayla Stokes, has led a cast of over 40 middle and elementary school students through physical rehearsals that have challenged them to improve their skills as performers and cast members.

Robert Rockmaker+(L)

Brenna & Michael Schlossberg+

Pam Lott & Ron Ticho+

Beverly & Ronald Wasserman+

+

instructed by qualified coaches. Our participants will also get to compete against other JCC swim teams in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Baltimore, Harrisburg, Cherry Hill, and Delaware. These exciting competitions consist of home and away meets, leading up to the championship meet in Delaware, where the swimmers get to show off their swimming abilities and hard work. To have some fun throughout the season, we will have various parties including a holiday party, pizza party, and the coveted DipN-Disco, which is scheduled for January 13, 2024. Mark your calendars, you won’t want to miss it! One of my proudest moments as Aquatics Director is not only watching the swimmers earn their trophies and medals, but watching these children become a family Registration is now open for the JSeals 2023-2024 season. For more information, call the JCC at 610435-3571 or visit lvjcc.org/JSeals.

(L)

*Denotes

For tickets and more information visit lvjcc.org/stagemakers.

JDS

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

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

Why JDS?

By Joanna Powers Head of School

Chag

Purim Sameach!

By Megan Hyman

ers touting their favorite sports teams. Each grade will then have its own color to wear, with the teachers representing all students in vibrant tie-dye. Pajama Day and Purim Costume Day will end the week.

Why JDS?

Celebrations of Learning at the JDS

Why JDS?

nity Purim Carnival at the JCC from 12:30 to 2 p.m. We are looking forward to the dance party, costume parade, carnival activities, and megilla reading. A good time will be had by all!

By Megan Hyman

an early childhood education program, the welcoming, intimate, and warm environment at JDS was an obvious place for us to turn. The administration and staff worked tirelessly to adhere to everchanging guidelines from the CDC and still make the magic of school very real for its students. Joseph FLOURISHED in this environment, and now that he’s in his third year as a student (kindergarten!) he loves the dynamic and joyful learn ing experience he’s had there. I’ll never forget when he came home to recite the full Pledge of Allegiance and knew all the words to the Hatikvah at three years old!

we’d be here only a few weeks at most. As the pandemic continued, we made decision after decision to establish roots and When it came time for Joseph, our now five-year-old son, to get back into an early childhood education program, the welcoming, intimate, and warm environment at JDS was an obvious place for us to turn. The administration and staff worked tirelessly to adhere to everchanging guidelines from the CDC and still make the magic of school very real

demic as built-in playmates and friends. The JDS has enabled that relationship to strengthen – they check in on each other on the playground and love to see each other in the hallways. It’s a joy to see the older children care for the younger ones. Evelyn is always so proud when one of the “big kids” helps her with her backpack at the end of the day, and Joseph talks about his “reading buddy” constantly!

we’d be here only the pandemic sion after decision build a life here

demic as built-in playmates

The JDS has enabled strengthen – they check on the playground and other in the hallways. older children care for Evelyn is always so proud the “big kids” helps pack at the end of the talks about his “reading stantly!

When it came now five-year-old an early childhood the welcoming, vironment at for us to turn.

Happy Purim! At the JDS, Purim and the spirit week that proceeds it is one of the most anticipated times of the year. We’ll be starting with switcheroo day in honor of the Purim theme of V’nahafoch Hu, which is the concept of the exciting plot twists in Megilat Esther. Students will make unique outfit choices with unexpected clothing and accessory combinations. We’ll follow that up with themes for each grade. We can’t wait to see our first graders as book characters and our eighth grad-

The decision parents make about where to send their children for school is often one of the most stressful and difficult. Will the school strike the right balance between quality of education and overall child development? How will our child fit in? Luckily for our family, in a period of great uncertainty, the decision to choose the Jewish Day School of Lehigh Valley was the easiest “yes!” we’ve ever said.

The students will also enjoy packing community Mishloach Manot bags, an evening Purim party for students in grades three through eight, a talent show, and the famous annual JDS Purim Carnival. Mr. Ariel has been very busy preparing for our big week along with the fabulous Hebrew and Judaics staff. This is the perfect way to celebrate weeks of learning about Megilat Esther, the history of the Purim story, and the holiday traditions. Haman is no match for our young scholars!

We arrived in Allentown in late March 2020 with a 2-year-old son, Joseph and 4-month-old daughter, Evelyn. Having flown in from Dallas, Texas to be closer to family (Adam’s parents, Dr. David and Mrs. Susan Hyman who have lived in Allentown for nearly 50 years), we assumed

The decision parents make about where to send their children for school is often one of the most stressful and difficult. Will the school strike the right balance between quality of educa tion and overall child development? How will our child fit in? Luckily for our fam ily, in a period of great uncertainty, the decision to choose the Jewish Day School of Lehigh Valley was the easiest “yes!” we’ve ever said. We arrived in Allentown in late March 2020 with a 2-year-old son, Joseph and 4-month-old daughter, Evelyn. Having flown in from Dallas, Texas to be closer to family (Adam’s parents, Dr. David and Mrs. Susan Hyman who have lived in Al lentown for nearly 50 years), we assumed

This year, his sister Evelyn was able to join the three-year-old program with the same teachers and several younger siblings of her brother’s class. She was very shy at first, but quickly overcame that and truly gets ready for school with enthusiasm. The school has supported her love of art, singing, and she’s made the sweetest friends. We LOVE getting updates and photos on the Class Dojo app throughout the day.

Our kids became extremely close dur ing the quarantine stage of the pan-

Editor’s note: On Saturday, February 4, JDS parent Anastasiia Zavodnyk, was invited to be a guest speaker at Refugee Shabbat at Temple Beth El. Here are her remarks.

The holiday excitement will continue that Sunday, March 24, at the Commu-

One of the major tenets of the JDS is a devotion to the development of bright, confident students who are well prepared to meet the world. This couldn’t be moreing to a close. For professional reasons, wesion of the school year. Our love for the community that Amy Golding, her staff, and volunteers have created will stay with us forever. The friendships we’ve made as a family through the school will remain and we know these memories made here -

staff worked tirelessly changing guidelines still make the for its students. in this environment, his third year as he loves the dynamic ing experience forget when he full Pledge of Allegiance words to the Hatikvah

One of the major tenets a devotion to the development confident students who to meet the world. This representative of our Sadly, our chapter in ing to a close. For professional are moving back to Texas sion of the school year. community that Amy and volunteers have created us forever. The friendships a family through the and we know these memories will bring us joy for years

For any parent grappling sion of where to send in the Lehigh Valley, an extremely supportive from the uncertainties our daily lives, and the ment to instill a love of ish values.

lentown for nearly 50 years), we assumed

sion of where to send your child to school in the Lehigh Valley, we found the JDS an extremely supportive place, a refuge from the uncertainties that we all face inish values.

This year, his to join the three-year-old the same teachers siblings of her very shy at first, that and truly enthusiasm. her love of art, the sweetest friends. updates and photos app throughout

Our kids became ing the quarantine

Who is the refugee? It’s me.

Editor’s note: On Saturday, February 4, JDS parent Anastasiia Zavodnyk, was invited to be a guest speaker at Refugee Shabbat at Temple Beth El. Here are her remarks.

Who is the refugee? It’s me.

to. It was really a very great period of life; I was truly happy.

Our Purim spirit is strong even as multiple new learning opportunities fill our days and we continue to pray for those who need it most. We have been the grateful recipient of many local business sponsorships and product donations, but we were especially impressed by the wonderful offers from the Gold Credit Union. Its banking experts presented four financial literacy classes to our middle school students. It’s never too early to learn about smart budgeting and monetary strategies. The credit union went even further for us by making a generous donation toward our after-school programming to ensure we have plenty of craft materials and snacks. Our relationship with them, fostered by Beth Kushnick, will be mutually beneficial for years to come.

enemy drone. It scared me to death, I never ever felt like this before. Next weeks were very scary for me. The

So, who is the refugee? It’s me. I can’t speak for everyone, only for myself and my family. But let my story be something that can show the general picture.

The beginning of 2022 It was a happy time for me. I had a beautiful house near Kyiv, capital of Ukraine. I had a garden full of fruit trees and berry bushes. I had great plans – I was opening my own cafe and bakery store, I was setting up a big greenhouse to plant many vegetables there. My children went to great preschool and afterschool smart classes. My daughter started to go to ballroom classes at the best dance school in the area. My husband had a very important role with great career opportunities in the biggest energy company in Ukraine. We used to invite our friends to our little parties at home, used to see our parents when we wanted to. It was really a very great period of life; I was truly

Editor’s note: On Saturday, February 4, JDS parent Anastasiia Zavodnyk, was invited to be a guest speaker at Refugee Shabbat at Temple Beth El. Here are her remarks.

Community connections continued with a guest teaching visit from Dr. Harold Goldfarb. Dr. Goldfarb shared his encyclopedic knowledge about the birth of the State of Israel and the historical milestones before and

And then, on 24th of February, all was ruined. The war started. And what did we know about war? Only history WW2 from books and movies…and some horrible stories from our grandparents. We decided to stay, because it was our home. We thought that our village was now a target for the enemy and even if they would come. We heard stories from our grandparents who remembered a time when their homes were under occupation during WW2 so we kind of could guess how it could be in our case. But we were wrong, very very

after May 14, 1948. His lesson came complete with his own drawings of Israel and how its boundaries changed and shrunk over the years. Dr. Goldfarb described how impactful it was for him to listen to reports on these monumental events on the radio in his parents’ home as they occurred. The students were transfixed and asked excellent questions. We could not be more thankful for Dr. and Mrs. Goldfarb’s time and expertise.

guage that my kids have – only because very important because we have the with their roots, which I hadn’t in my help and support made us confident here, in the US!

Who is the refugee?

guage that my kids have – only because of you. It is very important because we have the ability to reconnect with their roots, which I hadn’t in my childhood. Your help and support made us confident in our presence here, in the US!

So, who is the refugee? It’s me. I can’t speak for everyone, only for myself and my family. But let my story be something that can show the general picture.

The beginning of 2022 It was a happy time for me. I had a beautiful house near Kyiv, capital of Ukraine. I had a garden full of fruit trees and berry bushes. I had great plans – I was opening my own cafe and bakery store, I was setting up a big greenhouse to plant many vegetables there. My children went to great preschool and afterschool smart classes. My daughter started to go to ballroom classes at the best dance school in the area. My husband had a very important role with great career opportunities in the biggest energy company in Ukraine. We used to invite our friends to our little parties at home, used to see our parents when we wanted to. It was really a very great period of life; I was truly happy.

In more good news, it’s enrollment time at the JDS for the 2024-2025 school year! We are excited to meet families and children from pre-K 3-year-olds through eighth-grade students who are looking for a warm, caring environment with customized,

evening we needed to shut all lights, because our territorial defense was looking for hiding russian soldiers. I realized that I couldn’t stand any more. I couldn’t pretend as nothing serious was happening and it was safe enough for kids. The worse for me was to let then feel fear, to feel war. It’s not what children should feel, not until they are enough old to understand everything and not be hurt by it. I want my children to be happy, to be

individualized instruction and incredible learning results. We are a school where the older students know the younger students and the teachers know every child that walks our halls. Parents and caregivers are integral team members and classes are like families. Our current families don’t have to lift a finger to enroll— our continual enrollment secures their students’ spots automatically. But if you or someone you know would like to take a no-obligation tour and see the magic at work, please contact Beth Kushnick at bkushnick@jdslv.org. We can’t wait to welcome you!

We wish you a wonderful Purim and an uplifting start to spring. Let the celebrations continue!

So, what is the difference between and other people who came here as sons why we came. I love Ukraine, it’s of my children and many past generations my husband’s family. We miss our home fore February 2022 we never thought ing abroad, we simply didn’t want to, satisfied with our lives and happy in the US because it was the best option the most difficult. It was hard, and because of usual immigrant’s difficulties ent language, different culture, finding local documents, impossible life without impossible life without a credit score, ficulty is not being allowed to go out for people, who decide to come here, big goal, who choose to live here and thing to make this “American dream” it is very hard for us, refugees, forced heart is still at our home with our parents, houses and gardens. And only our life here more like at home (through versations, care and support). Because day most important things are not material will never ever fill your heart and soul ness and happiness.

So, what is the difference between me as a refugee and other people who came here as immigrants? Reasons why we came. I love Ukraine, it’s my home, home of my children and many past generations of my and my husband’s family. We miss our home a lot. And before February 2022 we never thought about emigrating abroad, we simply didn’t want to, because we were satisfied with our lives and happy in Ukraine. We chose the US because it was the best option of all, but also the most difficult. It was hard, and it is hard. Not only because of usual immigrant’s difficulties such as different language, different culture, finding job, getting all local documents, impossible life without a car, almost impossible life without a credit score, but the real difficulty is not being allowed to go out of the US. Maybe for people, who decide to come here, who has it like big goal, who choose to live here and can stand everything to make this “American dream” came true, but it is very hard for us, refugees, forced migrants, who’s heart is still at our home with our friends, neighbors, parents, houses and gardens. And only your help madeversations, care and support). Because at the end of the day most important things are not material things, they -

So, I want to say a big, huge thank to all of you! I am grateful for the ability day, in a safe, beautiful and ambitious grateful to all of you, for listening to porting my family and Ukraine. I believe end soon, that I can finally see my home friends and neighbors. But I, as all Ukrainians, in that fatal February, in pre-war days, our land, in our home; happy, confident days, full of ambitious plans.

So, I want to say a big, huge thank you one more timeday, in a safe, beautiful and ambitious place, the US. I’mporting my family and Ukraine. I believe that war will end soon, that I can finally see my home and hug all my friends and neighbors. But I, as all Ukrainians, still stay in that fatal February, in pre-war days, when we were on our land, in our home; happy, confident in the coming

enemy drone. It scared me to death, I never ever felt like this before. Next weeks were very scary for me. The

evening we needed to shut all lights, because ritorial defense was looking for hiding russian realized that I couldn’t stand any more. I couldn’t tend as nothing serious was happening and enough for kids. The worse for me was to fear, to feel war. It’s not what children should until they are enough old to understand everything not be hurt by it. I want my children to be confident and have strong and healthy mental So, I asked my husband to leave our home.

*I use little letter instead of capital on purpose. this people anymore and it’s even hard for because what they have done and are still they are humans at all to me. And because it highlight it as my relation to them.

We left on 7th of March and on 8th of sians* came to our house. They occupied killed men, raped women, stole a lot of things, houses… it lasted 4 weeks. So, it was nothing pation during WW2… it was worse, much

*I use little letter instead of capital on purpose. I don’t respect this people anymore and it’s even hard for me to call them people, because what they have done and are still doing doesn’t look like they are humans at all to me. And because it is my story, I want to

Now we are here. And we are very lucky, met people with very big open hearts full kindness, people who helped us with so many People from Jewish Day School, Jewish Community Lehigh Valley, Jewish Community Center. words to describe how grateful we are for great opportunity to know Jewish traditions

demic as built-in playmates and friends.

The JDS has enabled that relationship to strengthen – they check in on each other

we’d be here only the pandemic sion after decision

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

Lehigh Valley, Jewish Community Center. Not enough words to describe how grateful we are for it. And this great opportunity to know Jewish traditions and lan

Strategic Planning Update

JFS Prepares Road Map for Growth

by Allen Abbott, JFS Board Member

If the words “strategic planning” cause you to yawn and run for the coffee machine, I wish you could have attended the Jewish Family Service strategic planning kickoff meeting on January 21st. JFS board members and senior staff went through a lively, three-hour backand-forth regarding the future direction of the agency.

Under the stewardship of Executive Director Debbie Zoller, Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley has expanded and improved the quality of

its core services of mental health counseling, senior adult support services, and our community food pantry, during the past ten years. Based on our current strategic plan, crafted in 2021, the agency has recently developed a number of programs to foster accessibility and inclusion in our community.

To plan for the next three years, we started by taking stock of where we are today. We reviewed our vision and mission, had an in-depth discussion of both the strengths and weaknesses of the agency, and then went further by identifying potential opportunities and threats suggested by those strengths and weaknesses.

Additionally, we will have to consider the external environment that we face: a shrinking and aging Jewish population in the Lehigh Valley, an increase in anti-antisemitism in the country at large, and the current challenges of postpandemic fundraising.

During the next several months, the strategic planning committee, which I am privileged to chair, will meet frequently to digest and discuss the input we received from board and staff at our kickoff meeting, and create a road map for the further growth and development of the organization. We will report our progress to the full Board of Directors monthly, and will deliver a final plan for board

Volunteer Spotlight: Jane Cohen

Jane Cohen began volunteering with JFS in 2015.

One might say dedication to Jewish community service runs in the family: Jane’s mother, Freda Greenberg, was an active volunteer with JFS, and the local chapter of the American Jewish Congress was named for her grandmother, Jane Sussman.

While traveling in India with her husband she had an epiphany at a Hindu temple and decided she needed to dedicate her volunteer services to those who needed it most. She reached out to JFS and together they decided that she would visit longterm residences like Country Meadows and Kirkland Village to bring Shabbat services to the residents there.

IN HONOR

In 2016, Jane retired from her job and found out shortly thereafter that she had stage 4 cancer. After taking a break for several months she went back to volunteering. She practices Buddhism and feels strongly about “the act of being present in the moment and performing acts of kindness.” She brings that into the Shabbat services at the residences, creating a special relationship with the people who attend. Jane says, “We are a family and a community. We welcome new guests and mourn those we have lost. The prayer book I use was created by Cantor Kevin Wartell and offers so much kindness and

gratitude…cherish the Torah, cherish each moment, our fragility, and our strengths.”

Jane calls JFS a “miracle for our community” that brings light into the darkness that people feel. Bringing love and kindness to the community “makes my life worthwhile and gives my life meaning.”

consideration by mid-May.

The committee’s objective is to deliver a strategic plan that meets the changing needs of the Jewish community and our local neighborhood, is consistent with the Jewish values we strive to support, remains top of mind as we lead the organization through the coming years, and is measurable in a way that allows the community and the JFS organization to know whether we achieve the goals we set.

In addition to a strong road map, JFS success requires the full support of all of our constituents: the Jewish community, the agency board members,

Allen Abbott

our excellent staff, and our 90+ volunteers, without whom most of our work would be impossible.

If you would like to volunteer, or have any thoughts on how JFSLV can better serve our community, please contact us at info@jfslv.org

The Gaines Family Foundation Prize in Engineering

The Martin Philip Memorial Scholarship

JFS is accepting applications from class of 2024 Jewish high school seniors. Applications are due by May 1.

610.821.8722

info@jfslv.org

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

ELIZABETH AND JAKE

GREENBERG

In honor of the engagement of your son Jonah to Dr. Erica Lehman

Linda and James Wimmer

BARRY HALPER

In appreciation of JFS deliveries

Judy Miller

RABBI ALLEN JUDA

In gratitude for the Beit Din and completion of conversion

Luis Martinez

DEBBIE KIMMEL

Mazel tov on your retirement

Carol and Bob Wilson

JOHN MEISLIN AND RUTH MEISLIN

Mazel tov on the marriage of Hadley and John Greenberg

Judy Miller

CARY AND MICHAEL MORITZ

Mazel tov on the birth of your granddaughter, Tess Hattie

Audrey and Rick Nolte

Carol and Bob Wilson

Debbie and Leon Zoller

AMY MORRISON

Happy belated birthday

Carol and Bob Wilson

RABBI MOSHE RE’EM

In gratitude for the Beit Din and completion of conversion

Luis Martinez

RABBI MICHAEL SINGER

In gratitude for the Beit Din and completion of conversion

Luis Martinez

IN LOVING MEMORY

JOSEPH BERGSTEIN

(Brother of Bill Bergstein)

Marsha and Alan Abraham

Barbara and Michael Bassano

Taffi Ney

Audrey and Rick Nolte

Debbie and Leon Zoller

ROBERT HAMMEL (Husband of Bonnie Hammel)

Taffi Ney

EVA LEVITT (Wife of Lawrence Levitt)

Taffi Ney

JOHN MILLIMAN

(Husband of Della Milliman)

Barbara and Fred Sussman

A wonderful way to share your thoughtfulness with family and friends, the minimum contribution for a JFS Tribute Card is $18. Visit www.jfslv.org/give to place card orders. Questions? 610.821.8722. Thank you for your continued support.

Jane (standing at the end of the table) at Country Meadows

GIVE A MITZVAH, DO A MITZVAH

A year of meaningful moments

Jackson Golding will celebrate his bar mitzvah on Sunday, March 10, at Temple Beth El in Allentown. He has dedicated this year to performing mitzvot in the community and incorporating meaningful moments for the day of his bar mitzvah as part of his mitzvah project.

His mitzvah initiatives include spending time at Ripple

Community supporting its most vulnerable residents, aiding in fundraising for New Bethany and its efforts to support people experiencing homelessness and effects of poverty, and delivering care packages to the elderly and foster families in collaboration with Beth El Sisterhood and the Salvation Army. Jax is participating in the

PASSOVER SCAVENGER HUNT

Twinning Program. He will share his bar mitzvah with his relative, Lydia Jagendorf, who was murdered at just 3 years old by the Nazis. After reading her family history and researching her on the Yad Vashem database, he registered her story and this moment of twinning with Remember Us: The Holocaust B’nai Mitzvah Project. In addition, to better understand the stories of the Shoah, he participated in intimate Zoom conversations with 3G Philly members, speaking to third-generation Holocaust survivors to learn their family stories.

On October 7, almost 50 children were murdered in Israel, including 12-year-old twins Liel and Yanai Hetzroni alongside their aunt and grandfather in Kibbutz Be’eri. Jax will also share his rite of passage with Liel and Yanai, who would have turned 13 on June 4. To honor their legacies, a donation has been made at the Pinemere Camp alumni site collecting funds

to help Israeli soldiers.

In lieu of grand centerpieces at the bar mitzvah, Jackson created hundreds of goody bags for Israeli children impacted by the Hamas attacks on October 7. His first 100 gift bags went to the children of Kibbutz Nir Oz. Once an idyllic village where people build the land and care for animals, and families are raised as one, the kibbutz was devastated when onefourth of its community was either murdered or taken as hostages by Hamas. Jackson’s mom, Amy, delivered the rest of the bags to evacuees from the southern and northern parts of Israel when she went to Israel recently.

The kid’s table centerpieces are gift baskets with supplies that Jackson purchased and will be given to local foster children through the Kindness Project, a local charity that provides free support to foster families across Eastern Pennsylvania by offering essential items for children and teens. Kids are

often placed into foster care with no personal items.

In addition to his mitzvah project, Jackson has made his first adult gift of tzedakah to the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs.

For help developing your mitzvah project, contact Abby Trachtman, project coordinator, at abbyt@jflv.org or call her at the Jewish Federation office at 610-821-5500.

Every summer, over 500 children ages 7-15 and 100 staff from around the world, converge on Golden Slipper Camp’s 600 wooded acres in the Pocono Mountains for the most memorable summer imaginable. Each counselor brings their own unique background, character and style to make Golden Slipper Camp a fun and exciting place. GSC has it all, including basketball, biking, boating, climbing wall, campouts, crafts and more! There really is something for everyone to enjoy during each fun-filled day and evening.

Golden Slipper Camp has been promoting teamwork and the personal growth of our campers since 1948. Our campers have fun and enjoy engaging in the spirit of camp simply by being themselves. The camp program is rooted in Jewish values. Our campers and staff are an inclusive group that creates a supportive and fun community. All of this in an affordable package for all!

A one-week experience for new campers at a specially reduced rate. This camp option is designed for children ages 7-10 who are considering overnight camp for the first time. Call now for more information. Space limited.

Join us for crafts, snacks and of course, a PJ Library story. RSVP appreciated.

Sunday, April 14, 2024

3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Congregation Keneseth Israel

2227 West Chew Street, Allentown, PA 18104

RSVP by scanning the QR Code or by visiting the link below.

https://jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/pj-passover-page

By Adina Re’em Temple Beth El

Homecoming-themed songs have become the standard soundtrack on Israeli radio.

“Homeward Bound,” “Return to Me,” and “Come Home, It’s Late” can mean many things, depending on context. But at the hour of this writing, day 136 since October 7, it can mean only one thing: the hostages have yet to come home. Hebrew soulful melodies penetrate a deep emotional space and instantly embrace me into the collective yearning for the hostages’ safe return.

Every morning becomes more unthinkable than the day before. My wishful self can’t help saying, There should have been an Entebe! Right away! The normalcy of the still-unfathomable plays havoc on my psyche. How can it be? I awake hoping for a miracle but expect today’s news to bring more of yesterday’s.

“Day 136 of the war.” So proclaims the daily title in red at the top of the live updates on the front page of my digital Israeli newspaper. Beneath is a daily count of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, along with the number of those released. A slideshow of faces runs along with the list of “the names of those abducted from Israel” above an interactive map where a click on the hotspots will give you details on the latest encounters of hostile or terrorist activity. Like the hostages’ faces omnipresent in the Israeli public sphere, they are here with me too.

Wherever I am, whatever the time, the hourly news on Israel Defense Forces radio (Galatz) is available at any hour I wake up. Ditto for the hourly news on Kan11, Israel’s public broadcasting corporation. That’s how it’s been since the disaster that changed everything and nothing.

The dreaded phrase “hutar le-pirsum” (cleared for publication) sounds frequently at the top of the news. A gag order is imposed to ensure that the families of the fallen are the first to be informed of any loss. Once it is lifted, the names of soldiers whose lives were taken are cleared for publication. And then it’s

everybody’s loss.

I check in with my family, take stock of who is in (Gaza), who is out, who was released from reserve duty. Can we hope that status lasts for more than a few weeks? My sister says, “Call as often as you wish. I love you.”

The cloud over us all is not the kind that guided the Israelites through the Sinai Desert abutting the Gaza Strip. Ominous, casting a dark shadow over the future, it merges with constant fear brought by the events unfolding on the ground in the current moment. Israel is a tight-knit society. Everybody has someone, knows someone. The personal blurs with the national.

Even so, fighters are recognized for their heroic acts as much as impressive networks of Israeli civil society are applauded for their response to the increasing needs at

this time of war. Mutual care permeates the air. The slogan Yachad Nenazeach (Together We Will Win) hangs on balconies, supermarket shelves, boxes of tissues, and city buses, all the same. Even as one may wonder who is included/excluded from this “we”? What does “winning” look like? You know everyone is filled with anxiety, all engaging in the new “national sport” crafting creative responses to the mundane, inescapable question, How are you? It’s clear nobody is OK.

On the morning of October 7, 2023, on that “black Shabbat,” the strategic Israeli security concept collapsed. The Hebrew word for collapse comes from the root meaning broken, shattered, and is related to the word for crisis. There is public recognition that so many assumptions must now be reevaluated.

From my vantage point as an American Israeli, the questions are just as nagging. Beyond the constant concern for the safety of family and friends, greater issues surface pertaining to this moment at a critical crossroads. Some I share with Israelis there, and others I share with Jewish Americans. Some are perhaps unique to my American Israeli identity. What happened to the Zionist dream?

How should the Jewish state maintain its safety? How should America stand by Israel? How to play fair in the nasty neighborhood called the Middle East? How to be a humanist post-October 7? How to find hope for a better future for all?

Brokenness has hit hard. Here, hardest of all, is the invisibility. Normal life goes on.

By Billy Thompson Digital Marketing Associate

Women’s History Month has arrived at a perfect time for us to chat with a few of the newest members of Women’s Philanthropy to put on Lion of Judah and Pomegranate pins.

The new Lions we talked to are Lauren Rabin and Lora Vaknin, the latter of whom is continuing the legacy of her mother, Eva Levitt z”l, and the new Pomegranate is Naomi Schachter. Also, there’s returning Pom Suzanne Lapiduss and new Lion Ann Falchuk, sister of fellow Lion Beth Kozinn. An additional Lion wishes to remain anonymous.

All these philanthropists have made generous pledges to the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs, committing themselves to the Federation’s goal of supporting worldwide organizations that care for people at home, in Israel, and around the world.

We asked each of the three new Lions and Poms who are participating in our interview four questions. Their answers give us insight into their personal perspectives regarding their roles in Women’s Philanthropy and in the community, here and abroad, now and into the future.

What legacy do you hope to build as you put on your pin?

Rabin: “I hope to inspire my children and peers to support the longevity of our community and community agencies. The Lehigh Valley Jewish community may be small, but it is mighty.”

Schachter: “I want to inspire others to give and be an example for my children to be philanthropic with their money and their time as they move out in the world. In my family, we always say tikkun olam, to repair or heal the world. It’s not just about giving money. It’s also giving of yourself and your talents to help. This is worth more than

anything else.”

Vaknin: “I wish to continue the legacy set forth by my mother, because I inherited her Lion of Judah. Mom has left big shoes to fill.”

What unique skills of yours best compliment your vision for the future of the Jewish community?

Rabin: “Those who know me well know that I am always bursting with creative ideas. I like to think outside the box for ways to inspire, engage, and unite our beautiful community. Presently, my primary focus is to help combat the exponential rise in antisemitism on a local and global level through advocacy and education. I’m a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, and it’s very important to me to stand up to antisemitism so that our future generations can live in a world where all faiths and religions are free of hate.”

Schachter: “Energy. I’m full of energy, and I’m exuberant.

Since October 7, my exuberance has left me with a feeling

of guilt, almost. There is still joy to be had with my family, but in the back of my mind, I’m always thinking of the hostages. I pray for them to have their joy and wholeness again. I hate the idea of allowing Hamas to steal my joy and the joy of the Jewish people. To me, a pomegranate looks like a heart, with 613 seeds inside, which represents the 613 commandments we as Jews follow. I put my Pomegranate pin over my heart, because to me, my pin is a manifestation of my heart as a Jewish woman, mother, and it gives me hope that God will prevail.”

Vaknin: “I watched my moth-

er expand her philanthropy through the Federation and the Jewish Day School. We can use what she’s done and the knowledge of the Jewish community that she shared with me, bringing her legacy to the table.”

What does being a philanthropist mean to you?

Rabin: “It’s important for me to know that my family is contributing to the longevity of our community for future generations. I wish for all of our children to have a community just like this one that will support them and their

When Naylin Rivera was in beauty school, her class received a seemingly simple special request: a Jewish woman whose religious beliefs prevented her from having her hair styled out on the salon floor, where men might see her, asked for privacy. She was Orthodox and followed the tradition of keeping her hair covered in public after marriage.

The students cut the

families.”

Schachter: “It’s the same as being Jewish. It’s part of the definition. The stereotype of Jewish people being stingy is terrible and incorrect. Jews give so much to the world with their philanthropy. Just the other day, Dr. Ruth Gottesman, a former professor at the Bronx medical school, donated $1 billion to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine so no student would ever have to pay for medical school, to educate and inspire others to give life. Being a philanthropist is giving life, hope, opportunities, and a part of who they are as Jews.”

Vaknin: “Being able to experience the Jewish com-

salon caters to Jewish privacy needs

woman’s hair in a makeshift station set up in a side classroom, where only her female stylist could see her uncovered hair. Still, Rivera felt bad that they weren’t really prepared to meet that type of need. “It was then that I decided that I would always have private rooms whenever I opened my own salon,” she says.

It was only later, when she became a nurse, that she realized privacy might be important for other people too, like those who were immunocompromised or those who simply preferred it because of balding due to cancer, alopecia, or genetics.

True to Rivera’s word, her salon in Allentown’s West End, Style with Care, features individual styling stations with walls high enough to provide privacy (yet low

and meeting new people, has been great. My mom spoke to me about a variety of people in the community, and I’ve been enjoying getting to know them on a personal level.”

What are you most excited about as you join your fellow Lions or Poms?

Rabin: “I love connecting with my peers and creating new interpersonal relationships. I can’t wait to spend more time with the women I admire while making new friends with like-minded people. We are better and stronger together. I hope that many more familiar faces will join us as Pomegranates and Lions of Judah.”

enough so clients still feel connected to the rest of the salon). “I am proud to offer private rooms for clients with religious or medical needs, or for those who simply prefer the comfort of a more personal setting,” Rivera says.

Since Style with Care’s opening in 2020, local Jewish women have visited for many different services, including waxing and chemo wigs. Also, clients who keep their hair covered with a wig in public usually want haircare for both the wig and their natural hair, since their hair is left uncovered at home. They often get a cut, color, and styling for both.

According to one Jewish client, “Naylin is very respectful and understanding of the Jewish ritual of women’s hair covering. Her private rooms make it pleasant to get both

dent, not really a joiner. I did not join purely out of a desire to feel a part of a group, necessarily. But if I can inspire someone to push out of their comfort zone, to have others move up their level of commitment, that would be good. It’s nice to be part of a community that cares and wants to do good.”

Vaknin: “To see what tomorrow brings. After my father gave me mom’s Lion of Judah broach, there was also a Pomegranate pin, and my daughter asked if she’s going to receive that pin when I pass. I intend on passing these Lion and Pomegranate broaches on to my daughters.”

your own hair and your wigs cut and styled.”

Appointments are scheduled for clients to be able to observe Shabbat and holy days. Friday appointments are made early in the day to allow women to return home to prepare for the start of Shabbat before sunset.

Rivera says her Jewish clients “have been so happy to know that we are close by to their community, and that we have the privacy they need to observe their religious beliefs and be able to feel and look beautiful.”

By Sandi Teplitz

Carb-conscious vegetable fans all over are flocking to cauliflower as a white-potato alternative. This riced version—delicious, satisfying, and a taste sensation—will have you coming back for more and rethinking that other mashed or baked vegetable.

“Heroines, Rescuers, Rabbis, Spies: Unsung Women of the Holocaust,” Sarah Silberstein Swartz, Second Story Press, 2022, 192 pages.

By Sean Boyle Congregation Keneseth Israel

Sarah Silberstein Swartz’s young adult book “Heroines, Rescuers, Rabbis, Spies: Unsung Women of the Holocaust” focuses on nine women, eight of whom survived, all demonstrating exceptional courage and resourcefulness.

In her effort to honor her mother’s and aunt’s actions during the Holocaust, Swartz also sought out other survivors whose actions were not as well known, due either to humbleness or to being over-

“Lily’s Promise: Holding on to Hope through Auschwitz and Beyond―A Story for All Generations,” by Lily Ebert and Dov Forman, Museum of Jewish Heritage, 2022, 320 pages.

By Sandi Teplitz

Special to Hakol

Another Holocaust-themed book? We’ve all read so many of them, each contributing an aspect of the author’s lifeconfirming commitment to tell the story, generally for a personal reason.

What makes this book’s account unique is that Ebert wrote it with her great-grandson, a social media content creator. So many ironies, not the least of which is how lack of communication helped free Lily but instant access to media through X (fka Twitter) made her an Internet sensation.

Lily’s life has unfolded with the help of strong family connections. The oldest child

shadowed by others’ actions during the same time period. The only woman included who did not survive is Rabbi Regina Jonas, the first woman ordained a rabbi, who was murdered in Auschwitz. Jonas’ ordination was hidden by other survivors until the 1990s, when the East German-captured Nazi records were released, including the files containing her original ordination paperwork, pictures of her in her robes, and papers and other documents she wrote and that were written about her.

Swartz has a personal connection to several of the women featured, besides to her mother and aunt, including a childhood family friendship with the older Irena Gut Opdyke, whose heroic

actions Swartz learned about only after Opdyke’s death. Opdyke, a Polish gentile, needed to be saved after the war by the Jews she herself had saved. When Communist authorities wanted to arrest her, the Jewish survivors helped her get out of Poland to a displaced persons camp in Germany with other Jews. She eventually emigrated to the United States.

The heroic achievements of another of Swartz’s heroines, Lena Kuchler Silberman, occurred after the war, when she helped care for surviving orphaned Jewish children. She found surrogate mothers and helped the children heal both physically and emotionally. As they all escaped Poland to France and eventually emigrated

to Israel in 1948, Silberman was the “mother” of 100 orphaned children. She never lost contact with them and visited on holidays and special occasions until her death.

Due to Swartz’s desire to give accurate and honest portrayals, the reader gets a nonjudgmental telling of the experiences that enabled the women to survive and to help many others survive. Some of the actions the women had to choose for survival’s sake (though not described) make this a young adult book rather than a book for kids.

The book includes a timeline of Nazi power, a map of featured locations, a glossary, and additional suggested reading for seven of the nine featured women. It’s highly

recommended for ages 13120.

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

in a family of six siblings, Lily, now a centenarian, was responsible for the welfare of the others, keeping a promise she made to her father when the Holocaust became a reality.

Dov tried to protect her from haters who questioned her story, people who went by hashtags like #Holohoax. He is proud of their Jewish heritage but faces the reality of antisemitism in the city where they both live, London, citing security issues at synagogues and children’s schools. He refuses to stop wearing his kippah in public, though, pointing to the strength of his faith as the force behind his decision to

chronicle his great-grandmother’s life openly.

The photos in the book add a layer of depth to the telling of Lily’s story, from the necklace Lily hid while in Auschwitz, to the family Shabbat candlesticks that her brother retrieved from Hungary after the Nazis were defeated.

Each picture of this resilient woman features a smile—she never allows her sadness to overwhelm the ultimate faith she has in humanity. Dov and Lily’s collaboration is a testament to how we can keep the truth alive, and learn from it.

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

SUNDAY, MARCH 3

Knot Just for Fun

10-11:30 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel

Join the Women of KI in learning about the history of rope making, uses of rope in the Torah, and how to make a sailor’s bracelet or zipper pull to take home. Rope will be blue and white to honor Israel. Learn from master roper maker and knot artist Sean Boyle. Cost is $8, and a light brunch is included. Register at kilv.org/event/knot-just-for-fun.html.

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

Shabbat Out of the Box: Art with Susan Hardy 10-11 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel

Explore your inner creativity and see what Susan Hardy has planned for her fourth year doing this. No art experience necessary. Supplies will be provided. Ages 10-100. Register by March 7 at kilv.org/event/art-with-susan-hardy. html#.

TUESDAYS, BEGINNING MARCH 12

Grandparenting Can Be a ‘Hot Topic’

2 to 3:30 p.m., Jewish Family Service

Debbie Zoller, a licensed clinical social worker and executive director of Jewish Family Service, will lead a six-week conversation on subjects ranging from what it means to be a grandparent to differences between grandparenting nearby and from far away to dealing with differences such as life-cycle events and holidays. There’s a nonrefundable fee of $120 per person or $180 per couple for the series; if cost is a barrier, JFS may make alternative arrangements based on the situation. Potential participants will be screened. There will be no meetings on March 26 or April 23 or 30; the sixth and final meeting will be on May 7. If you are interested, email JFS at info@jfslv.org.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MARCH 15-17

Scholar in Residence 2024: ‘Exploring Jewish Identity in Turbulent Times’ See below for times and locations

Lewis R. Gordon, head of the University of Connecticut philosophy department, will lead events for the weekend sponsored by Congregation Keneseth Israel and Congregation Brith Sholom. Friday at 7:30 p.m. is “What Do We Mean when We Say ‘Jew’ or Jewish’?” at KI. Saturday at 11:45 a.m. is “Jewish History through an Authentically Diverse Jewish Lens” at Brith Sholom. Saturday at 7 p.m. is “Unpacking Ashkenormativity or What is Jewish Really?” at KI. Sunday at 10 a.m. is “Creating a Vision for 21st Century Jewish Pluralism” at KI. Sunday at 12:30 p.m. is a Lunch and Learn for teens. Register at kilv. org/scholar-in-residence-2024-lewis-r.gordon.html.

SUNDAY, MARCH 24

Community Purim Carnival

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

Join us for the Community Purim Carnival at the JCC and celebrate Purim with games, prizes, a bounce house, and more! All ages are invited and there is no charge. Food will be available for

purchase. For more information, contact Jackie Weiss at jweiss@lvjcc.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4

An Evening of Stories, Reflections, and Conversation about Our Magical Relationship with Israel with Joel Chasnoff

7 p.m., JCC Kline Auditorium

Join us for an evening with Joel Chasnoff, coauthor of the book “Israel 201: Your Next-Level Guide to the Magic, Mystery, and Chaos of Life in the Holy Land.” Registration is required and tickets are $36 each. All proceeds from the evening will go to the Israel Emergency Campaign.Register at jewishlehighvalley.org/mainevent

SUNDAY, APRIL 7

JFS Cheers for Volunteers

10 a.m., Temple Beth El

Join Jewish Family Service for a brunch to celebrate community volunteers. Sponsorship opportunities are available, with all proceeds going toward JFS programs. Sponsorships begin at $118 and include one or more tickets to the event. Visit jfslv.networkforgood.com/ events/65057-cheers-for-volunteers to sponsor.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

KI 11th Annual Super Shabbat Seder

5:45-9 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel

Eat, drink, sing, and learn at the 11th Annual Shabbat Super Seder featuring Rabbi Shoshanah Tornberg, Alex Malanych, and traditional foods by chef Eric Rappaport. BYOB to share with your table. Cost is $54 for adult nonmembers, $45 for adult members, $36 for child nonmembers, $30 for child members, and free for children under 6. RSVP at kilv.org/event/11th-annual-super-shabbat-seder.html before April 19.

THURSDAY, MAY 9

Women’s Philanthropy Dollar-a-Day $365 Spring Event

6:30 p.m., Temple Beth El

Save the date for the Women’s Philanthropy for its Spring Event. A minimum pledge of $365 to the 2024 Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs is required to attend. Details to come.

ONGOING EVENTS

FIRST OR SECOND SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

Bnai Shalom Cash Bingo

1 p.m., Congregation Bnai Shalom

Join Bnai Shalom for its monthly bingo games on the first Sunday of the month. For more information call 610258-5343.

MONDAYS

Yiddish Club

2-3:30 p.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley via Zoom

Experience the joys of Yiddish via Zoom as part of Adults at the J. The group meets weekly to discuss topics like cooking, humor, music and all kinds of entertainment in the Yiddish language. Enjoy fun, fellowship, stories and more. Participants Zoom in from 5 states. No

cost. Call 610-435-3571, ext. 501.

MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS

Online Jewish Yoga Studio

Mondays 11-11:45 a.m., Thursdays

4-4:45 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality

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

TUESDAYS

Weekly Torah Study

11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality

Rabbi Jonathan Slater will lead a weekly program: “Torah Study to Sustain The Soul,” aimed at addressing an aspect of spiritual life that will help us navigate this time of uncertainty and isolation. Open to all. Sign up at jewishspirituality. org/get-started.

TUESDAYS, MARCH 12 THROUGH

APRIL 16

Introduction to Judaism

7-9 p.m., Keneseth Israel

Join Kenseth Israel in an engaging 6-session course for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of Jewish life through a Reform lens. The course is open to individuals from Jewish and various faith and cultural backgrounds as well as those who have had no religious upbringing. Cost is $15 for KI Members, $30 for Non-KI Members. There are six sessions: March 12, March 19, March 26, April 2, April 9, and April 16. Reservations are required. There are no walk in’s. Register.

WEDNESDAYS

Yoga with Miriam Sandler: Chair-Supported Yoga

1-2 p.m., Congregation Brith Sholom in person and via Zoom

Be seated in a comfortable chair, preferably armless (folding works well). Open to the public in person and live stream available to all via Zoom. *$10 drop-in fee payable to Congregation Brith Sholom. For more information email mbserow@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAYS

Torah Studies: A Weekly Journey into the Soul of Torah

7 p.m., Chabad of the Lehigh Valley in person and via Zoom

Torah Studies by the Jewish Learning Institute presents Season Two 5784, a 12-part series, in person and via Zoom. Cost is $54 for the course, including textbook. For more information, call 610-351-6511 or email rabbi@ chabadlehighvalley.com.

EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY

Hadassah Study Group

12:30 p.m., via Zoom

We discuss short stories from an anthology. Always welcoming new participants! Contact mjclaire@gmail.com or 610-972-7054 to sign up.

THURSDAYS

Basic Yiddish Class

4-5:30 p.m., JCC via Zoom

Learn to read, write, speak and comprehend Yiddish. Textbooks from Yiddish Book Center available for purchase. Contact 610-435-3571, ext. 501.

FRIDAYS

Kol HaEmek

8:30-9:30 a.m., WMUH 91.7

Radio show with Cantor Kevin Wartell. For information go to muhlenberg.edu/ wmuh.

SATURDAYS

KI Torah Study

9:30-11 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel

Join Rabbi Shoshanah Tornberg for a study session making sense of the week’s Torah portion. Enter the building through the 23rd Street door. For more information, contact Rabbi Tornberg using the form at kilv.org/form/contactrabbicall.

SATURDAYS

Wisdom of the Talmud Class

After Shabbat Lunch and Schmooze, Congregation Brith Sholom

Join Rabbi Michael Singer in a discussion about Jewish law, ethics, customs and history as found in the pages of the Talmud. The fall-winter class begins a new volume of the Talmud: “Mesechet Megillah.” Books are available in the synagogue office. For information email tammy@brithsholom.net or call 610866-8009.

SATURDAYS, JANUARY 27, FEBRUARY

24, MARCH 30, APRIL 27, MAY 18

KI Shabbat Yoga

10:30-11:30 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel

Experience Shabbat through movement with Jett Ulaner Saracheck and Ann Friedenheim after Torah study. Bring a mat, blocks, blanket, or anything that will bring you comfort in your practice. For information, call Saracheck at 610-762-1450 or Friedenheim at 610-462-2549. Register at kilv.org.

DAILY

Jewish Broadcasting Service

JBS is a Jewish television channel. Visit jbstv.org.

DAILY

Congregation Sons of Israel Minyanim Shacharit on Mondays and Thursdays

6:30 a.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 6:45 a.m.; Sundays 8:30 a.m. Congregation Sons of Israel welcomes all to the daily Shacharis and Mincha/ Maariv services. Please check the synagogue at sonsofisrael.net for the weekly listing. If you have any questions, call the synagogue office at 610-433-6089.

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

Daily Online Meditation

12:30 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality

One of their master teachers will lead a live daily guided meditation. Open to all. Sign up at jewishspirituality.org/ get-started.

LVHN Executive Health offers a comprehensive, personalized medical exam designed for time-pressed people, like you. All of your annual health needs, in one convenient day, for one flat rate.

Personalized care

Comprehensive tests and screenings are tailored to your needs.

Valuable insights

After your exams are complete, you will be provided with next steps to improve or maintain your health and wellness.

LVHN.org/exechealth

Schedule today

We’re the health partner you need when it’s time to prioritize your health.