HAKOL - December 2013

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community

DECEMBER 2013 | KISLEV/TEVET 5774

Jewish community responds to Typhoon Haiyan

HEALING FROM NEWTOWN

Beth El Lego city rises Temple Beth El

JEWISH DAY SCHOOL strides into bright future, page 3.

PEW STUDY paints new portrait of American Jews, page 11.

board members and major donors from among the Zin Fellows,” Winick said.

In addition to Scheller, five other phenomenal women leaders were honored at a brunch on Nov. 24, including Lynne M. Abrahams, Esq. “There are many women very worthy of our recognition,” Winick said. “and we plan to honor ‘Women of Distinction’ at our community event every two to three years.”

Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, inspired the founding of the university,

Jewish Telegraphic Agency and JFLV staff

The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley joined with Federations across North America in November to support the communal response to super Typhoon Haiyan, which wrought widespread destruction in the Philippines.

Donations brought in by the Federations directly supported on-theground relief efforts by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which has led relief efforts for previous storms in the Philippines, and helped support the local Jewish community in a nation that sheltered 1,000 European Jews fleeing the Nazis during World War II. The JDC is consulting with local officials, the Filipino Jewish community and global partners to assess the evolving situation on the ground in the Philippines, where one of the strongest storms on record wreaked havoc. Thousands of people have died and conditions on the ground in the storm’s aftermath have been horrific.

Jewish Federations have a proud tradition of supporting the Jewish communal response to disasters around the world and at home, raising tens of millions of dollars for emergency assistance and longerterm aid. Most recently, Federations supported the national response to severe flooding in Colorado. In recent years, Federations responded to tsunamis in Japan and southeast Asia, the Haiti earthquake and Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast.

The Jewish communal response to the storm went beyond fundraising, as the Israel Defense Forces sent a 148-member humanitarian delegation to the Philippines to provide search-and-rescue and medical services to the hardest hit areas.

The team left Israel equipped with a field hospital as well as about 100 tons of humanitarian and medical supplies, according to the IDF. The field hospital began

Ben-Gurion U Continues on page 6

Typhoon Continues on page 9

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

What was your response when you heard about the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School one year ago? While many felt helpless upon hearing of the violent end of 26 innocent lives, the Goldman Family Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Federation, responded by performing 26 acts of kindness.

One of these acts was a generous donation to Temple Beth El. The religious school director, Alicia Zahn, put this donation towards a special program.

“It was important that this donation be used for the children,” she said. “I wanted something that was special and memorable, because it was in the wake of something so terrible. This program was one that the school originally thought was financially out of reach.”

This is how Temple Beth El was able to bring in the Building Blocks Workshop on Oct. 20. On the morning of the workshop, architect Stephen Schwartz of SWS Architects of Livingston, N.J., directed over 80 participants in building a scale model of the Old City of Jerusalem using almost 60,000 Legos.

There was learning, there was cooperation, there was fun as the children got busy constructing the walls, the gates, the Kotel, the Beit Hamikdosh, David’s Tower, the Montifiore windmill and many other buildings on the 400-square-foot scale map.

When talking about the Building Blocks Workshop event, the children said it best. “It’s a lot of fun, we are playing with Legos, and it isn’t what we are used to doing,” said Matthew Zager, 12, as he built the Montifiore Windmill with his peers.

Meanwhile, Bayley Ahdieh, 13, worked with

Above, Andy R. builds a gate of Jerusalem.

Temple Beth El received a grant that was one of 26 Random Acts of Kindness.

Newtown Continues on page 8

American Associates, Ben-Gurion U honors Lehigh Valley’s Lisa Scheller

By Jennifer Lader Editor, HAKOL COMEDIAN serves up laughs to sellout crowd, pages 15-16.

No. 362 com.UNITY with Mark Goldstein 2 Women’s Division

4

LVJF Tributes

8

Jewish Family Service

15

Jewish Community Center

18-19

Jewish Day School 20 Community Calendar

30-31

For her role in supporting the vision of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, a world-class institution of higher education in Israel, Lisa Scheller was honored this year by the American Associates’ Philadelphia chapter as one of six “women of distinction.”

Scheller, an Allentown resident, is president and CEO of Silberline Manufacturing Company, chair of Lehigh County’s Board of Commissioners and a Lion of Judah with the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

Together with her husband Non-Profit Organization

702 North 22nd Street Allentown, PA 18104

U.S. POSTAGE PAID Lehigh Valley, PA Permit No. 64

Ben-Gurion University springs from David Ben-Gurion’s dream to develop the Negev, Israel’s southern desert. BGU has received “Green Campus” status from the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Wayne Woodman, who is a national vice president of American Associates, BenGurion University, Scheller funds and chairs the Zin Fellows Leadership Development Program, which brings young people into AABGU with the goal of developing them as future leaders.

“Lisa has done so much for our organization, for her own community, the political community and her business community,” said Claire Winick, Mid-Atlantic regional director of AABGU. Her work with the program has resulted in “three new young and energetic national

com.UNITY

FROM THE DESK OF MARK L. GOLDSTEIN

Executive Director | Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley markg@jflv.org

The ‘Four Ps’ of a recent trip to Israel A few weeks ago I returned from representing the Lehigh Valley at the General Assembly, the annual meeting of Jewish Federations of North America.

The meetings this year were held in Jerusalem and coincided with the governance meetings of the Jewish Agency for Israel, the largest beneficiary of funds from Jewish Federation annual campaigns, including ours in the Lehigh Valley.

Normally, my trips to Israel are with group travel missions, so this one was quite different.

While I did have meetings to begin planning our next mission(s) to Israel, most of my time was focused on substantive issues facing Jewish federations, the Jewish people and Israel.

When asked about the trip, I easily summarize the visit by noting the “Four Ps” that characterized the content.

PEOPLEHOOD – One theme that

permeated the visit was Jewish Peoplehood, punctuated by Israeli President Shimon Peres and Jewish Agency CEO Natan Sharansky. Informed by his years in the communist Soviet Union, many as an imprisoned “refusenik” yearning to move to Israel, Sharansky noted that Soviet Jews did not have access to Jewish education for 70 years.

But they retained and nurtured a sense of being part of a people.

And this drives the renewed focus of the Jewish Agency. It is no accident that Birthright Israel programs are not simply touring programs for Diaspora Jews; the program creates bridges for young Jewish adults from Israel and around the world to integrate and dialogue with

each other. Programs like our Partnership2Gether relationship with Yoav do more than provide events and programs; they create a vital link to Jewish Peoplehood.

PLURALISM – World news

sources tend to distribute stories about Israel’s security and matters that affect her relationship with Palestinians and her other neighbors. But religious pluralism is probably as serious an issue in Israel today as security and economic inequality. National service -military or otherwise -- in Israel is a defining value and there is growing sentiment to find ways for all Jews, including the most religious, to appropriately contribute. Similarly, there are active efforts to create a respectful egalitarian prayer space at the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem. JAFI’s Sharansky was tasked by Prime Minister Netanyahu to meet with all sides to develop a workable and respectful solution, enabling “One Wall for One People.”

Whether army service, access to the Kotel or the role of the Israeli rabbinate in life cycle events, it is clear that the role of religion and state in Israel has returned to center stage.

PEW – While the agenda of the

General Assembly was not totally recrafted following the Oct. 1 release of the Pew Research Center’s study on American Jews, several new sessions were added and the Pew study permeated virtually every plenary and session at the conference. This issue of HAKOL contains more information about the Pew study, including summary data

and reactions from local and national Jewish leaders and thinkers. As with most studies, there is both good news and bad news. Without a doubt, there are challenging trends. Some are unique to the Jewish reality (intermarriage, connection to Israel) and others are influenced by our general society (decline in connection to organized religion, decline in affiliation with civic and religious affinity groups).

But the study also highlights certain areas where the efforts of the Jewish community might be having an impact. Over the last 20 years, Federations have made day school education, trips to Israel, summer resident camping, etc., a funding priority. While it is too soon to realize the true longitudinal impact, the Pew study might provide a glimpse: (a) as I wrote last month, we are not experiencing a continuing decline in connection to Israel with young Jewish adults, and (b) while intermarriage rates are alarming, Pew reports a dramatic rise in the number of children of mixed marriages being raised as Jews.

PLUTONIUM – The last “P” theme that capitalized attention at the meetings was Plutonium, e.g preventing a nuclear Iran. I was in Israel just as Secretary of State John Kerry completed a mid-East swing and the conclusion of the Geneva meetings with Iran.

Israelis from across the political spectrum were concerned (alarmed) by the reports of a deal which would provide relief from sanctions without “roll back” of Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Instead, the deal purportedly simply “freezes”

Now are you ready for some good news? You may not find it in a daily newspaper or in the recently released Pew study on American Jews that we cover in this month’s issue of HAKOL. That study seems to indicate we are growing in all the wrong ways.

However, in the year and a half that I’ve been editing HAKOL, I’ve seen some trends, too. That’s because, month after month, you reach out to me, as you did this past month with your creativity,

your educational programs and your leadership.

The evidence of all these activities is before you on the pages of this month’s edition. You send photos of meaningful gatherings, like the Holocaust exhibit at Temple Covenant of Peace and the sell out communitywide comedy night, and you keep holding more of such events. Just check the Community Calendar.

From my vantage point, it looks like all of these kinds of activities are growing, too, and attracting new people.

LEHIGH VALLEY HAKOL is published 11 times per year for the Jewish communities of Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and vicinity by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

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

HAKOL STAFF Jennifer Lader Editor

Allison Meyers

Graphic Designer

Diane McKee

Advertising Representative TEL: 610-515-1391 hakolads@jflv.org

JFLV EXECUTIVE STAFF Mark L. Goldstein Executive Director

Judy Diamondstein

Assistant Executive Director

Temple Coldren

Director of Finance & Administration

Stephanie Smartschan Director of Marketing

Jim Mueth

Director of Planned Giving & Endowments

Aaron Gorodzinsky

Director of Outreach & Community Relations

Taffi Ney

Donor Development Officer

Barry J. Halper President, JFLV

EDITORIAL BOARD

Monica Friess, Acting Chair Barbara Reisner Judith Rodwin Sara Vigneri

Member American Jewish Press Association

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

JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY MISSION STATEMENT

Given Pew, how can that be?

It makes a person wonder.

Shalom, Jennifer Lader

We gratefully acknowledge those individuals who have offered expressions of friendship by requesting that trees be planted in the Yoav--Lehigh Valley Partnership Park.

Fischmann Scott and Allison Lipson PHYLLIS FRIES (Mother of Henry Friess) Roberto and Eileen Fischmann ALAN LUSTBERG (Husband of Linda Lustberg) Arlene and Richard Stein

IN HONOR DANA AND NETANEL KIND Birth of daughter, Shachar Kind SHALOM BABY ALYSSA AND ABRAM PURE Birth of daughter, Brianna Naomi Pure SHALOM BABY RABBI DANIEL AND DENA STEIN Birth of daughter, Miri Stein SHALOM BABY

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

2 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

HAKOL

Phone: (610) 821-5500 Fax: (610) 821-8946 E-mail: hakol@jflv.org

JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY IN MEMORY LEAH BUB (Mother of Sam Bub) Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein Roberto and Eileen Fischmann Scott and Allison Lipson (Grandmother of Carol Bub-Fromer) Roberto and Eileen

General Assembly will occur in Washington, D.C. But, before then I know the discussion will continue at our Federation Board of Directors meetings, our Allocations Committee, within program planning meetings with our agencies and synagogues, and within our Israel advocacy meetings of AIPAC and our Community Relations Council.

The dialogue about these issues will continue throughout the Jewish world. Next year’s

Mail, fax, or e-mail to: JFLV ATTN: HAKOL 702 N. 22nd St. Allentown, PA 18104

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers,

Iran’s nuclear program. Israeli leaders find this unacceptable and labeled this a “bad deal.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu was quite direct when he addressed the General Assembly noting that Iran came to Geneva because the sanctions were working; relief should only be warranted if Iran reduced their nuclear program.

Netanyahu denied that the only options were armed conflict or a bad deal. He spoke forcefully for continuing and strengthening the sanctions against Iran.

Nevertheless, he offered pointed comments about the strength of the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem, between himself and President Obama, and between the United States and Israel.

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

Jewish Day School: Stellar moment bespeaks strong future

By Stephanie Smartschan JFLV Director of Marketing and Jennifer Lader Editor, HAKOL For Valeska Zighelboim, growing up in Venezuela, being Jewish was a primary identity and every Jewish student went to a Jewish school.

So when she moved to the Lehigh Valley a little over a year ago, her decision to send her son to the Jewish Day School was an easy one. But it wasn’t only a quality Jewish education she would find.

Her son’s struggle to pay attention and stay focused, she said, presented a challenge for his pre-K teachers Krista Gerbasio and Joanna Powers, who had 13 other students.

Instead of giving up or sending him to another classroom, Zighelboim and the teachers worked closely together until they found a solution that worked for him.

“I have no words to thank them,” Zighelboim said during a recent group discussion at the Day School, tears forming in her eyes. Seated across from Gerbasio, Zighelboim looked at her and said, “She was patient. She was loving.”

Close relationships between teachers and parents is just one of the school’s benefits. Hearing Zighelboim recount her son’s story, Gerbasio smiled softly and redirected praise to the school itself, saying that the teachers support one another, coming into other classrooms when they can to work one-on-one with one another’s students.

And then there is the small class size. “It’s a present for students, for parents and for teachers,” said Morah Dana Kind, who directs the Hebrew and Judaic studies for the school and teaches both in the middle school.

Having a vibrant Jewish day school is vital not only to the families that attend the school, but the entire Jewish community, according to the Jewish Community Strategic Plan released last year. Having a day school allows the Lehigh Valley to attract qualified Jewish professionals and maintain the presence of families for whom such an education is a must.

But like many Jewish day schools across the country, enrollment at the Lehigh Valley’s day school is not what some would hope, dependent as it is on the economy and other factors.

“The challenge, if it is a challenge, is to try to let people know what happens here and that is hard to do,” said middle school English teacher Brian Goldman. “The fabric of the school is pretty wonderful.”

It’s all about perception One of the school’s greatest challenges, those involved with the school believe, is perception. The 2007 Lehigh Valley Jewish community demographic study found that when parents of both private and public school students were asked why they do not send their children to the day school, responses ranged from a belief in public schools and the diversity they offer to cost to a feeling that the school is “too religious.”

But when Carolyn Katwan, recently hired as director of marketing and admissions for the school,

Second graders enjoy the Jewish Day School. heads out into the community, her focus will be on why they should send their kids to the school.

After being the only Jewish student in her elementary school for six years, Katwan sent her own two daughters to the Day School to have a different experience plus get a quality education. Other parents send their children because they want them to have a Jewish education like they themselves had, she said. ”There are a lot of different reasons that bring people to the JDS and I don’t see too many people running away [saying] ‘what was I thinking?’”

Katwan said. “It’s an enriching experience.”

Naomi Schachter said her sons, who are in second and fifth grade, really love being Jewish and are excited to come to school.

Other parents often ask her why she would pay to send her kids to private school when they could be educated for free in a good public district.

“I think the real value at the day school, unlike any other school in the area, is it’s more individualized,” Schachter said. “I can’t put a dollar amount on that because it’s so special.”

Though day schools are often seen as being for the “religious” Jews, and parents think their children must know a lot of Hebrew to attend, that just isn’t the case, those involved say. The school is truly a community school and Jewish education for students starts at any level.

And what the school doesn’t yet have in increased enrollment or extracurriculars, the “educational component offsets really well,” Goldman, the middle school teacher, said.

A teacher for 39 years, Goldman said he has never had the opportunities he has at the Day School to help each individual student.

Another challenge the school faces is resources.

With a dip in enrollment, and a significant number of families already at the school not paying full cost, the school is not yet bringing in enough dollars through tuition to remain self-sustainable.

Middle School teacher Brain Goldman, Board President Karen Cooper, parent Valeska Zighelboim, Director of Marketing and Admissions Carolyn Katwan, parent Naomi Schachter and teachers Krista Gerbasio and Dana Kind.

Because of the Day School’s importance to the entire community, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Annual Campaign has made a sizable commitment to ensure there’s a Jewish day school in the Valley. However, Board President Karen Cooper said the school cannot be too dependent on that funding and must look to increasing funds from other sources.

Making strides The strategic plan, which is consistent with the goals of the school, notes that growing the school will happen “by creating an educational experience that more parents will choose for their children.”

The plan calls for the school to remain academically competitive, develop enrichment programs like sports clubs and art groups and attract, develop and retain the highest quality professionals, something a visit to the school makes readily apparent is already happening.

With the search on for a full time head of school over the summer, a connection was made with Al Goren. Officially “retired” after a career as an educator working at many levels, from classroom to helm, Goren was already planning to move to the Lehigh Valley to be closer to his daughters and grandchildren when he heard about the opportunity at the school.

Goren was hired to be the interim head of school.

“It was an easy decision to bring him on board,” Cooper said. He is “somebody who is seasoned, somebody who has had a commitment to children in this capacity for decades,” she said. It’s unclear whether Goren’s position will become permanent or not; however, he’s implementing improvements that will benefit the school whether he remains or someone else becomes head of school.

Working with existing staff as well as hiring to fill vacancies that existed at the time he arrived and soon after, Goren has already assembled an extraordinarily committed and talented staff to work with students. “[You] just feel a different vibe when you come into the school because he’s so visible,” Gerbasio said of Goren. “I think we all have a vision for this school and I think he really wants to hear our ideas.”

“Very often in schools, institutions, there’s that moment in time, because of who’s there, that it’s special,” Goren said. “My goal is no matter who is here, it remains special. That we’re not constantly redefining ourselves.”

Goren wants to see the students celebrate their Judaism and graduate with a real sense of who they are.

His granddaughter, a kindergartener at the school, is a prime example.

Recently, while he and wife were driving her home, she started singing Hatikva.

Despite his high visibility and frequent visits to classrooms, there are so many positive developments at the school on which to stay current. “I didn’t even know they were teaching her that,” he said. “There are a lot of wonderful things that are happening.”

This is the final story in a six-part series about the goals of the Jewish Community Strategic Plan. To see the entire series, visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org/strategic_plan. aspx.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 3

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

Cherish your day

Lion of Judah Chanukah party

with special guest speaker Jeannette Eichenwald

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013 7:30 p.m., at the home of Eileen Fischmann

Kindly RSVP to the Jewish Federation by December 2 610-821-5500 or mailbox@jflv.org

Rabbi Melissa Klein, second from left, observes a special birthday with friends. She will speak at a Lunch & Learn on Dec. 12 about creating meaningful birthday celebrations.

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

WELCOMING NEW BABIES

to the Lehigh Valley

NORA ROSE

daughter of Joanna and Nate Golub

BRIANNA NAOMI

daughter of Alyssa and Abram Pure

AUDREY

daughter of Seli and Gregory Allen

NOAM JACOB

son of Cantor Jennifer Duretz Peled and Matan Peled

SHAI LEVI

son of Cantor Jennifer Duretz Peled and Matan Peled

If you’re expecting, know someone who is, or have a new baby, PLEASE LET US KNOW! Contact Abby Trachtman, 610-821-5500 | abbyt@jflv.org

4 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

By Rabbi Melissa Klein Special to HAKOL How do you mark and celebrate your birthday each year? While the only birthday celebration mentioned in the Torah is that of Pharaoh, birthdays have become significant life transitions for most of us as contemporary Jews.

Birthdays are occasions to connect with family, friends and community; to celebrate; to express gratitude and to give and receive blessings. In addition, Jewish birthday rituals can support us as we mark the passage of time and embrace new life stages.

My birthday each year is, in a sense, a personal Rosh Hashanah, or New Year, and thus the month of preparation becomes a special time for reflecting on the blessings and challenges of the year that has passed. Following this reflection, I notice how I am called to mark my birthday, and I craft a birthday ritual accordingly.

Some years, my birthday is marked by a small family dinner and a private ritual of transition, such as immersion in the mikvah. Other years, I take an aliyah or host a kiddush in the synagogue. As it has turned out, the multiples of 13 have been times for larger, communal celebrations. Age 13 was my Bat Mitzvah, or ritual celebration of entering young adulthood, to which my parents invited our entire Jewish community in my hometown of Los Alamos, N.M. At age 26, when I was living in Cambridge, Mass., I hosted a festive dance party, for which I hired a friend’s klezmer band. This was a time when I felt deeply grateful to be alive, to have more clarity about my life path and to have overcome depression. Joyous dancing with community helped to deepen my sense of gratitude.

At age 39, the beginning of my 40th year, I found myself immensely grateful for a deepen-

ing of wisdom and a lessening of anxiety, and I hosted an evening of poetry and song with about 40 women of different ages from my community in Philadelphia.

A few years before, as I prepared to turn 35, I felt the significance of this passage into the “second half of my life,” drawing from the psalm that declares that 70 years is a lifetime. I wanted to do something significant on my 35th birthday, but I did not know what this would be and waited for the inspiration to come. As it turned out, a beloved member of the Allentown Jewish community, Judy Freeman, passed away on my birthday. I had been invited to offer the eulogy at her funeral, and I spent the day watching videos of Judy telling her powerful story of surviving the Holocaust. As a girl in Poland, she loved to read and to watch movies, and she maintained her dignity and humanity, as well the dignity and humanity of the other young girls in her barrack at Auschwitz, through her gift of storytelling. Telling Judy’s story of courage and hope and commitment to building a warm Jewish community in Allentown was a deeply meaningful way for me to mark my transition into my 36th year.

Join Rabbi Melissa Klein on Thursday, Dec. 12, from 12 to 1:30 p.m. at the JCC o Allentown for a Jewish Federation Women’s Division Lunch & Learn about celebrating Jewish birthdays. Cost is $12, including lunch. Men and women welcome. To RSVP, call 610-821-5500 or e-mail mailbox@jflv. org.

Rabbi Melissa Klein served Congregation Am Haskalah from 2002-2009. She was also the chair of the Lehigh Valley Jewish clergy group and is the author of a chapter on Jewish Ritual in the forthcoming book, “A Guide to Jewish Practice, Volume III.” She lives in Philadelphia with her partner Neysa and their 6-year-old son Tani, who was born in Allentown.

Handmade Afghans

BY EVA LEVITT

All proceeds benefit projects in Israel:

Food Banks in Israel Neve Michael Youth Village

For prices or to place an order, call Eva 610-398-1376. All payments are made payable to the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley

THE VIEW FROM HA'ARETZ

Federation executive director visits Israel

Lunch & Learn CHERISHING THE DAY YOU WERE BORN: Creating Meaningful Jewish Birthday Rituals with Rabbi Melissa Klein

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., JCC of Allentown

Our birthdays come every year, and they offer a precious opportunity to reflect, to mark the passage of time and to bring together community. Rabbi Klein will share examples of Jewish birthday rituals at different life stages and will offer guidance on how to craft a meaningful and transformative ritual.

Above left, the Jewish Federation’s Mark L. Goldstein traveled to Israel, representing Jewish Lehigh Valley at the Jewish Federations of North America’s annual General Assembly. He also had the opportunity to meet with representatives of our partner region, Yoav. Here, he reunites with teens who spent the summer in the Lehigh Valley and worked at the JCC’s summer camp.

Rabbi Melissa Klein served Congregation Am Haskalah from 2002-2009. She was also the chair of the Lehigh Valley Clergy Group.

Right, During the GA, a session was held by the Ethiopian National Project featuring the Yanoff-Master Ethiopian Israeli Healthcare Fellows. Held at Hadassah Hospital, GA delegates met with the medical and dental students to learn about their Aliyah to Israel, growing up in Israel, and their experiences in medical and dental school. The Yanoff-Master fellowship is made possible by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, the Harry Louis Yanoff and Jeannette Master Yanoff Charitable Fund of the Cumberland Community Foundation, and the Fayetteville-Beth Israel Federated Charities of North Carolina.

Program is $12, including lunch.

Men and women are welcome.

Sponsored by the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

To RSVP, please call 610-821-5500 or e-mail mailbox@jflv.org.

Above right, President Shimon Peres offers candid comments on Jewish peoplehood, pluralism and strengthening ties between Israeli and world Jewry during the JFNA General Assembly meetings in Jerusalem.

January 26, 2014 JCC of Allentown

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Make the call or answer the call, everyone is a superhero.

Contact Aaron Gorodzinsky, 610-821-5500, aaron@jflv.org IRIS & JONATHAN EPSTEIN, CO-CHAIRS

Together, we do extraordinary things.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 5

Jewish community hosts tribute to breast cancer awareness

Above, dancer and performer Susan Chase presents her moving tribute to her battle with breast cancer.

Right, Dr. Mark Gittleman answers a question from the audience while panelists (from left) Dr. Jeff Blinder, Jennifer Sinclair, Debbie Zoller and Susan Chase look on.

Dancer Susan Chase brought her pain to the stage on Oct. 27, as she portrayed the emotional journey that followed her diagnosis with breast cancer.

The performance was in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and co-sponsored by the Women’s Division and Maimonides Society of the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family Service and the Cancer Support Community of the Greater Lehigh Valley.

A panel discussion followed featuring Dr. Mark Gittleman, breast surgeon; Dr. Jeff Blinder, breast radiologist; Jennifer Sinclair, Cancer Support Community; Debbie Zoller, Jewish Family Service; and Susan Chase. Dr. Israel Zighelboim, a gynecologic oncologist, moderated and also fielded questions.

Many in attendance spoke of their own battles with cancer and asked poignant questions of the panelists. Discussion focused on the BRCA genes and new types of prevention and treatment.

Lisa Scheller of Allentown was honored as a Woman of Distinction by American Associates, Ben Gurion University.

She is shown here (in red, at center left) with her husband, AABGU Vice President Wayne Woodman (fourth from left, standing) and members of the first cohort of Zin Fellows, which develops new leadership for AABGU.

Ben-Gurion U Continues from page 1 which includes the Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, located near Ben-Gurion’s former home. The school has made major research and social action contributions toward the development of the region. Among them are affiliations with the local hospitals and enrolling Bedouin students in greater numbers than ever before.

BGU is now one of the top Israeli universities and offers strong programs in desert agriculture, tourism and the health sciences, in which the university’s researchers are continually making groundbreaking discoveries. The school ranks the number one choice among Israeli undergraduates for six years running.

“The pioneering spirit forms a very compelling part of the atmosphere at the university,” Winick said. “Student life is vibrant, and you often see the university president walking on the campus surrounded by students, arm in arm.”

BGU’s Dr. Rivka Carmi, physician, geneticist and pediatrician, is also the first female president of a university in the State of Israel.

BGU recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of California

at Irvine School of Medicine, which will facilitate exchanges between the two. This comes in addition to partnerships with Drexel University and Fox Chase Cancer Center of Philadelphia, with which BGU has been connected for 12 years.

This is but one of many links between BGU and the United States. As it does in Israel, Switzerland, Canada, France and England, BGU has a support organization in the U.S. and it is the most successful in the world, which Winick attributes to “the American culture of philanthropy.”

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University plays a vital role in sustaining that vision by helping to create a world-class institution of higher education.

As a result of support from around the world, BGU is expanding its campus, which already boasts 20,000 students. Nearby, a new Silicon Valley is developing.

Writing in Tech Republic, Jason Hines says, “The ground-breaking work the university is doing in public-private partnerships, the cooperation with the Israel Defense Forces, the sense of mission and destiny that Israelis have about the Negev, and the determination, urgency and resourcefulness that have been created by Israel’s 65-year existential crisis are creating an environment where technology, cybersecurity and entrepreneurship are uniquely positioned to succeed.”

connect explore celebrate Join over 1,500 Jewish young adults (ages 22-45) from across North America for an entertaining, interactive and educational celebration.

march 16-18, 2014

The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is offering subsidies that COVER THE COST OF ADMISSION - a $500 value!

Contact Aaron Gorodzinsky, 610-821-5500 or aaron@jflv.org, to learn more.

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6 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Young Adult Division

WHAT’S UP, DOC? maimonides society

Q:

When was the last time you had a check up?

Do you have a primary care physician that you see regularly? Are you upto-date on your screening mammogram, PAP, colonoscopy, rectal exam, PSA, cholesterol and sugar? If you answered with a resounding “yes,” you should feel very proud of the investment you have made in your health and toward your potential for successful aging. But, if your answer is “no,” well then, perhaps there is some room for improvement.

Primary care doctors are in the business of prevention and early detection. We work with our patients to prevent illnesses or detect them early.

Through our proactive efforts, our patients stand a much better chance of curing or at least controlling almost any disease process.

Many people prefer to see their gynecologist each year, or urologist for an annual PSA. In family practice, we treat and monitor a patient’s whole body, not just our patient’s cholesterol and sugar, but the emotional and mental wellbeing as well.

Family practitioners offer a home base for all of a patient’s primary health needs and are trained to evaluate each and every body system. We address the problem when are able to do so and we refer to specialists when it is necessary.

We value the time and effort that you, our patients, apply toward healthy choices and we are your advocate if the need arises for more complex care. Our job is to listen to your concerns, and to do so in a nonthreatening, family-inspired environment, to ensure your comfort and our competence.

Your body is a beautiful yet complex machine. Treat it well, and most of the time, it will treat you well. Family practitioners are here to guide you through that process, to earn your trust, and respect, and to create mutual teamwork throughout this journey.

WHY FAMILY PRACTICE? Family practice makes available the expert knowledge of a well-trained doctor who is skilled at the art of listening, an essential element in medical care conceived from the dawn of human civilization.

My father once presented me with a book called “The Lost Art of Healing,” by Bernard Lown, M.D. Effective listening, [he says,] is the essence of the artistry of bedside medicine. It involves all the senses, not merely the ears.

To succeed in healing, a doctor must be trained, above all else, to listen [for] attentive listening is itself therapeutic ... In the brief time available to take a history, the aim is to obtain, in addition to essential facts, insight into the

human being. This seems easy, but listening is the most complex and difficult of all the tools in a doctor’s repertory. One must be an active listener to hear an unspoken problem.

Family practice is an invitation to talk to your doctor about many diverse issues. You may simply want treatment for a cold, or a blood pressure check.

Your visit may be your baby’s first newborn check, or about a laceration that your 4-year-old sustained on the playground.

On the other hand, you may need to discuss a rash that has been worrying you for months, or a lump in your breast that you have just discovered.

Other times, you may need to discuss your options for moving Mom or Dad into a skilled facility because their health is gradually failing. And some patients present with “I’m just not feeling right ...”

Whatever your concern, chances are that you can arrange to see your family practitioner within a few days to get some answers. There are few other specialties that offer all of these services, and that practice with a philosophy built around the family, and the total incorporation of mental and physical wellbeing.

A family physician thrives on talking to, building a relationship with and, ultimately, inspiring a personal trust with patients. We realize that we often represent your first encounter with the health care field and we take this responsibility very seriously.

WHAT TO EXPECT If you do not already have a family physician and are interested in pursuing the notion, here are some things you can do to prepare for your first visit. These few suggestions may help make you more comfortable, while equipping your doctor with valuable information that will allow more efficient insight into your personal needs.

• Bring along a complete list of your current medications, including over-the-counter supplements and even those that you have taken in the past that did not agree with you.

• It is helpful to know the names of the specialists that you use, along with the last time that you saw them.

• Write down your family history, in particular any diseases that run in your family.

• Write down a list of questions that you would like to discuss with the doctor.

You may not get all of your questions addressed in the first visit, but you will have an opportunity to share

A:

your concerns.

• Your doctor will probably develop a plan of action that you are mutually agreeable to and will set up an appointment to see you again in the near future.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM SUBSEQUENT VISITS Each visit will afford you the opportunity to get to know your doctor better and to address more complicated issues concerning your health. Most offices today are utilizing electronic health records and you may find your doctor taking more time to input data into the system.

The main point, however, is that some of you will only need to see your doctor once a year, or when you are acutely

DR. PAUL LEMBERG COLUMN EDITOR

BY CAROL BUB, M.D.

ill. Others, who take several medications and visit several specialists, will probably require an appointment every few months. As you get to know your doctor better, you may also feel more comfortable discussing deeper issues that you may deem embarrassing and personal.

BECOMING A TEAM The beauty of family medicine is that your journey really does start here. Some journeys are fast and furious, moving with amazing speed out of necessity, while others are slower and less urgent. However, whatever your particular circumstance may be, having a family doctor in your life allows you to form a team approach to achieving and maintaining your well-being.

We are geared towards treating

families and recognizing family dynamics and we aim to create an atmosphere of family and warmth within our offices and among our staff. Establishing a relationship with your primary care physician and developing trust makes each visit easier and less stressful. Knowing there is a team behind you that has your best interest and outcomes at heart is therapeutic in itself.

Maimonides Society BAGEL BRUNCH Sunday, December 15

10:15 a.m., JCC of Allentown

OH, MY ACHING BACK!

Join Maimonides Society physicians for a discussion on a universal ailment -- back pain.

DR. ROBERT WILSON, Pain Specialists of the Greater Lehigh Valley DR. MICHAEL ZAGER, Lehigh Internal Medicine Associates DR. JOSHUA KRASSEN, VSAS Orthopedics Brunch is free for Maimonides Society members and spouses, $10 for community members.

Contact Judy Diamondstein at 610-821-5500 or judy@jflv.org to RSVP.

It's no secret...

Studies show that Jewish camping is a powerful way to build strong Jewish identity and commitment in young people.

CAMP SCHOLA RSH AVAILAB IPS LE

Our parents think we're just having fun Thanks to the generousity of the Annual Campaign, the JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY is offering needs-based scholarships for Jewish resident summer camps such as Ramah, Pinemere, Harlam, Galil, Young Judaea, and Moshava.

LIMITED FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.

Download a Resident Camp Scholarship form today at:

www.jewishlehighvalley.org

DEADLINE: MARCH 31, 2014

610-821-5500

The Federation is accepting contributions, including named scholarship funds, to increase the availability of scholarships granted.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 7

LEHIGH VALLEY JEWISH FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

THE JEWISH COMMUNITY’S ENDOWMENT FUND | Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley

The Temple Beth El religious school constructs Jerusalem – in Legos. The Goldman Family Foundation funded the project as one of 26 random acts of kindness in response to the Newtown, Conn., tragedy one year ago.

Newtown Continues from page 1 a group of her peers on the wall of the city. “It is actually more challenging than I expected,” she said. “Connecting the blocks properly, so they aren’t stacked but [instead] linked together, is hard. But I am still having a good time.”

“It is kind of hectic but it is fun,” agreed Jennifer Schubach, 10. “There are a lot of Legos everywhere so we need to watch where we step, but I like how we can be creative and use imagination.”

Classroom aide David Zahn called it, “My favorite day ever at Hebrew school!” More than a few around the project nodded their heads in agreement.

Zahn said that the event could not have been so successful without the participation of parents and the guidance of teachers. Eleise Teichman attended the event with her 7-year-old son Joshua and 5-year-

old daughter Alexis.

“It is something different, it’s a way to learn about Jerusalem in a fun way,” Teichman said as her kids built an intricate multicolored Lego house.

Third grade teacher Levana Berlin said, “It is a great event, it’s very creative and it makes the kids understand Jerusalem and the different quarters, and why they are where they are.”

After all the building was complete, architect Schwartz led the students through an educational tour of the city and each child saw how his or her part fit with the rest. Many who had never been to Israel could now visualize where everything was.

The program ended with Cantor Kevin Wartell leading Hatikvah, as everyone stood around the virtual homeland.

The whole event was over in two hours, but the memories will last a long time.

Written in memory of the 26 who died one year ago in Newtown, Conn.

May we only build and not destroy.

IN MEMORY MILTON APPLEFIELD (Husband of Florence Applefield) Fern and Harold Geld LEAH BUB (Mother of Sam Bub) Lenny Abrams and Family Houman and Lori Ahdieh Wendy and Ross Born Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Barnet and Lisa Fraenkel Henry and Monica Friess Carol and Stewart Furmansky Francine and Anthony Godfrey Sandra and Harold Goldfarb Suzanne Lapiduss and Family Richard and Amy Morse Doron and Lauren Rabin Randi and Donald Senderowitz Arlene and Richard Stein Ryan and Carah Tenzer Vicki and Stan Wax (Grandmother of Carol Bub-Fromer) Houman and Lori Ahdieh Ellen and Lance Gordon Richard and Amy Morse The Hakim Family BERNIE COHEN (Father of Abby Trachtman) Kira and Richard Bub JACK FREEDMAN (Father of Brenda Finberg) Wendy and Ross Born The Hakim Family PHYLLIS FRIES (Mother of Henry Friess) Kira and Richard Bub

Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Lisa and Barnet Fraenkel Gary and Carol Fromer Sandra and Harold Goldfarb Suzanne Lapiduss and Family Cathy Sacher Robert and Laurie Wax Vicki and Stan Wax BERTYE LEVY (Mother of Herb Levy) Lisa and Barnet Fraenkel Randi and Donald Senderowitz CLAIRE MOSES (Mother of Larry Moses) Shirley and Lou Furmansky JACK ROTH (Husband of Marilyn Roth) Jay and Bobbi Needle HAROLD WEINSTEIN (Husband of Louise Weinstein) Elaine Lerner Randi and Donald Senderowitz IN HONOR MARC AND ALIETTE ABO Marriage of daughter Alyssa to David Bev and Ron Wasserman MICHAEL AND RITA BLOOM Birth of grandson, Andrew, son of Caren and Keith Lowrey Roberta and Jeff Epstein Suzanne Lapiduss and Family Carol and Stewart Furmansky Robert and Roberta Kritzer MARILYN AND NATHAN BRAUNSTEIN

Birth of great-grandson Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein IZZY AND JOAN BRODY Birth of grandson, Ryan Noah Stan and Vicki Wax Arthur and Barbara Weinrach SARA GLASSMAN Congratulations on 5k award Sam and Sylvia Bub ROBERT AND ROBERTA KRITZER Marriage of son Erik to Leslie Eydie and Neil Glickstein MARVIN AND DIANE SANDLER Happy 60th Wedding Anniversary Elaine Lerner DIANE SILVERMAN Special Birthday Elaine Lerner CARYL AND STEVE STEINBERG Marriage of daughter, Shira Wendy and Ross Born ILENE HOCHBERG WOOD Receiving the Wallenberg Honors Award Bev and Ron Wasserman 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 www. jewishlehighvalley.org to place your card requests. Thank you for your continued support.

American Values at Work.

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7 Offices Valleywide • 610-882-8800 • embassybank.com

8 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Study looks at Oreos and obesity

By Stephanie Smartschan JFLV Director of Marketing

Israeli military personnel assist survivors of the typhoon that ravaged the Philippines in November.

Typhoon Continues from page 1

Philippines, he added, is “really treating [the patients] with all their heart.”

operating about seven hours after the team arrived. The parents of the first baby delivered by the Israeli team that first morning named him Israel in gratitude to the volunteers.

In the storm’s aftermath, the Israeli team was seeing about 300 patients a day who were either injured in the typhoon or unable to care for chronic conditions such as heart disease or diabetes due to lack of running water or electricity. Others with untreated diseases, including those with advanced cancer, also have made their way to the facility.

Lt.-Col. Dr. Ofer Merin said the local officials and residents, as well as the medical staff of the local hospital, “greeted us warmly.”

“We are working hand in hand with the Filipino people,” Merin said.

Merin, a cardiac surgeon and deputy director of Shaare Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem, says the Israelis also have performed surgeries in the local hospital in concert with local doctors “to give them some of our knowledge.”

He believes the IDF is able to mobilize so quickly in the wake of natural disasters because it operates as an army unit, sending an advance team that allows the unit to deploy quickly upon arrival.

One of the logistics officers left with the team for the Philippines two days after his wedding, despite being on leave from the army for the occasion.

Israelis, Merin said, are “ready to drop everything and come and assist anywhere in the world that we need to be.”

His team in the

You can help: Make a secure donation to the relief effort through the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley by mailing a check to Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund, Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, 702 N. 22nd Street, Allentown, PA 18104 with “Typhoon Haiyan Relief” on the memo line or by visiting www.jewishlehighvalley.org.

A study conducted by Allentown native Becca Markson with the help of other students is getting major attention in the media and scientific world.

The subject: The addictive quality of Oreos. The preliminary findings?

“The data that we got said that rats had equal reward seeking behavior in an environment that was associated with the drug cocaine as with the Oreo,” Markson said.

“They wanted to be in the environment with the Oreo.”

The study was conducted as part of an independent study project during her senior year at Connecticut College.

Markson worked with fellow students and her independent study advisor to complete the project.

Markson, daughter of Dr. Bill and Jane Markson and a Moravian Academy alumna, has since graduated from college

and is spending time in Ithaca, N.Y., preparing for medical school.

The research was undertaken in an effort to look at the epidemic of obesity, Markson said. The findings have not yet been published.

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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 9

WRITINGS FROM THE

CLERGY

RABBI DANIEL STEIN Bnai Abraham Synagogue Since its publication in October, a study by the Pew Research Center has sent shockwaves throughout the Jewish community. The survey -- the

The Pew study and the future of American Judaism first major inventory of the American Jewish Community in over a decade -- documented what many Jewish communal leaders have known to be true, at least anecdotally: Our institutions are in decline and, barring innovative change, synagogues, JCCs and Jewish Federations will likely continue to face major challenges. Many in the Jewish community, and particularly within my own Conservative denomination, have begun the ritual panic dance that tends to accompany such seemingly bad news.

Most recently, Danny Gordis, a one-time leader within the movement, published a controversially titled editorial, “A Requiem For a Movement.”

I haven’t been a Jewish leader for a particularly long time, but I’ve been around long enough to recognize that the knee-jerk reactions to reports like the Pew study tend to be shortsighted. My opinion,

though, is informed by more than just casual observation.

As a rabbinical student, Rabbi Bill Lebeau, a mentor, introduced me to a wonderful essay by Simon Rawidowicz, with a title controversial enough to rival Gordis’s. In “Israel, the Ever Dying People,” Rawidowicz makes a fascinating claim: Every generation of Jews believes itself to be the very last. This trend begins in the Book of Genesis, when Abraham cannot fathom that God will bless him with children, or that the Jewish nation will live on after him. When God blesses him, he replies, “O Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Elie'zer of Damascus?" Yet Abraham and the Jewish people survive, as they continue to do through crisis after crisis. From the Fall of Jerusalem to the Crusades to the Inquisition to the pogroms of Eastern Europe, Judaism

endures despite the constant and nagging belief that we will be the very last Jews.

What is most radical about Rawidowicz’s essay is the belief that, to a certain extent, we are right. We are the last Jews -- we are the last Jews of our type. Despite persistent claims to the contrary, every denomination of Judaism, from Orthodoxy on the right to Reform on the left, looks radically different today than they did a generation ago.

(Even Orthodoxy, which perhaps makes this claim the loudest, looks nothing like the Orthodoxy of Europe; the most striking example of this is in Zionism: 19th century Orthodoxy viewed Zionism as a sin, a sign of weakness in faith of the Messiah.) And I know with certainty that the Judaism my newborn daughter will practice will be different in ways that I cannot imagine.

Rawidowicz argues that this

flexibility and agility -- Judaism’s ability to constantly reinvent itself and make itself relevant in any historical context -- is the religion's essential strength and the source of its longevity.

When I read gloom and doom reports, I always think of Rawidowicz. He was a Holocaust survivor, educated in Europe. He saw his Jewish world destroyed before his eyes, and yet he did let his optimism give way to despair. Rather, over 50 years ago, he wrote what continues to be, in my eyes, the best response to the Pew report: “Such a Jewish realism will ... show us the real meaning of the fear of the end that is so inherent in us. A dying people for thousands of years means a living people. Our incessant dying means uninterrupted living, rising, standing up, beginning anew. We, the last Jews! Yes, in many respects it seems to us as if we are the last links in a particular chain of tradition and development. But if we are the last-- let us be the last as our ancestors were. Let us prepare the ground for the last Jews who will come after us, and for the last Jews who will rise after them, and so on until the end of days.

If it has been decreed for Israel that it go on being a dying people, let it be a people that is constantly dying, which is to say, incessantly living and creating. One people from Dan to Beersheba, from the sunny heights of Judea to the shadowy valleys of Europe and America.”

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

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Our families are diverse in their beliefs, affiliations and observances; we work together to create

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We welcome you to visit

the JDS and see for yourself.

To schedule a personal tour, contact CAROLYN KATWAN, Director of Marketing & Admissions, at 610-437-0721.

Applications for 2014-2015 enrollment for grades PreK to 8 will be accepted starting in January 2014.

2313 W PENNSYLVANIA ST. ALLENTOWN, PA 18104 610-437-0721 | WWW.JDSLV.ORG

10 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

LATKES

Big changes demand big fixes: Perspectives on the Pew survey

By Jennifer Lader Editor, HAKOL When the Pew Research Center published its survey, “A Portrait of Jewish Americans,” on Oct.1, the findings created a stir among religious and lay leaders of the Jewish community because the outlook for the future appeared so cloudy. As the weeks pass, however, leaders in both groups have taken to mining the survey for its silver lining.

The Pew’s data came from phone surveys of 3,475 United States Jews that was conducted between Feb. 20 and June 13, 2013.

While most respondents said they are Jewish by religion, one in five identified as a “Jew of no religion,” and just 19 percent of respondents said that “observing Jewish law” is an essential part of being Jewish.

“This is not surprising since Judaism is about much more than religion,” said Rabbi Moshe Re’em of Allentown’s Temple Beth El. “If anything is surprising, it is the fact that these Jews are self-identifying as Jewish at all, given the weak sense of attachment that the study found Jews of no religion to have to the Jewish people or the State of Israel.” In the study, 55 percent of Jews of no religion said they are “not very/not at all” emotionally attached to Israel.

One finding that appears to have stirred up a lot of emotion is that among Jews born after 1980, the so-called “millennials,” 32 percent – or almost a third -identified as Jews of no religion.

The study got at the consequences of this identification through questions about how respondents are raising their children. Sixtyseven percent – fully two-thirds – of Jews of no religion said they are raising their children not Jewish. For those who say that they are Jews “by religion,” that number drops to 7 percent.

When the Jew by religion also has a Jewish spouse, the number raising their children not “Jewish” is just 1 percent; the survey found that 96 percent of this latter group are raising their children Jewish by religion.

Jewish Family Service is now exploring ways to help interfaith couples or grandparents who have children in an interfaith relationship, said Executive Director Debbie Zoller.

For Rabbi David Wilensky of Congregation Sons of Israel, the study needs to be the catalyst for a “sea change.” He said, “We need to ask ourselves, ‘What can I do to ensure that my great grandchild is going to be Jewish?’ Or, if our children are out of the house, ‘What can I do to help someone else’s great grandchild be Jewish?’”

This is where the community comes in, said Cantor Ellen Sussman of Temple Shirat Shalom. “Our Jewish organizations need to reach out to all Jews and foster a sense that they are the next link in the chain that is our people,” she said.

However, when the UJAFederation of New York held a forum for leadership on the Pew’s findings on Oct. 28, panelist Rabbi Joanna Samuels suggested that the more influential factors in Jewish American life are the “heterodoxy, individualism,

spiritual exploration and deep anxiety about living on this planet” that are now rampant.

Given these factors, Jewish religious leaders and lay professionals are inputting “our best and brightest ideas” and not getting the hoped-for outcomes.

Alan Cooperman, deputy director of the Pew Research Center’s Religion Public Life Project, study director and lead editor of the project pointed out that it isn’t only Judaism that is experiencing these trends; 32 percent of millennials in the general society as well say they have no religion. Sociologists link a decline in organized religion to factors such as rising affluence, a backlash against the entanglement of religion and conservative politics, and other factors.

Those are big explanations for what today translates into less than one third of Jews being members of synagogues and just 23 percent of U.S. Jews saying they attend synagogue at least once or twice a month.

Yet another of the forum’s panelists, Rabbi Sharon Brous, who works among the unaffiliated, finds a silver lining in the attitudes of that growing number of Jews of no religion, one that shows their values may not be all that different from those who identify themselves as Jews by religion. She pointed out that she’s never heard from Jews of no religion a rejection of the opportunity to power down for 25 hours, or to wake up with gratitude – what more traditional Jews would call modeh ani -- or a rejection of the idea that “we have a responsibility to each other.”

Of the Jews of no religion, Brous said, “When they reject religion, I wonder what they think they’re rejecting?” She went on to postulate that Jews of no religion are rejecting a “20th century iteration of Judaism” that was based on “a fear of intermarriage … “ and challenged the community “to articulate a positive picture of Jewish identity [and] practice.”

The forum’s Samuels suggested, “It may be that we need to scale up the big, big, big ideas and get away from

transactional Judaism.” The “big idea” that came to the fore that day was Shabbat, but panelists also called for re-thinking how the organized Jewish community is going about trying to “get more people in the door.”

To inform that thought process, the study provides insight into what is shared, or considered essential, among most Jews. Topping the list at 73 percent is “remembering the Holocaust.” “Leading an ethical/ moral life” and “working for justice/equality” are the only other categories that more than half of respondents cited as essential, although Samuels also pointed out that these “defining qualities of Judaism feel a lot like the defining qualities of a lot of other religions.”

For Student Rabbi Tamara Cohen of Congregation Am Haskalah, the Lehigh Valley’s Reconstructionist synagogue, “one of the remarkable findings is that 94 percent of Jews feel proud of being Jewish.” She said that Reconstructionists “have long understood that ‘belonging’ is a central and foundational aspect of Jewish meaningmaking for American Jews.”

The survey breaks down the denominations of respondents, and it appears that Reconstructionists would be part of the 6 percent “other” category. In addition, 35 percent of respondents identified as Reform, 18 percent as Conservative and 10 as percent Orthodox – the only category besides “no religion” that may be growing.

“Pew graphically highlights the diversity of the American Jewish community,” said Mark L. Goldstein, executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, and the challenge for Jewish organizations is to reach out in ways that “work along a spectrum of Jewish life, improving the various touchpoints Jews have with other Jews and the Jewish community.”

Another challenge is in the fact that the numbers are in flux. The study identified “denominational switching,” mainly from more traditional to less traditional denominations.

However, the denomination from which the greatest numbers are switching appears to be Conservative. In this group, just 36 percent of those raised Conservative remain so. Thirty percent switched to Reform, 10 percent to “no denomination,” 10 percent to “non-Jewish,” and 4 percent to Orthodox, among others.

For those under 30, only 11 percent identified themselves as Conservative, creating what amounts to a crisis in the Conservative movement.

Writing on Forward.com, Michael Gottlieb compares today’s figures to the 43 percent of American Jews affiliated as Conservative Jews in 1990 and says the rapid and extreme decline “is causing much soulsearching in the Conservative movement.”

That soul-searching, if it leads to action, may be a good thing. The 1990 survey created tremendous angst with the light it shed on the intermarriage rate which at that time was said to be 52 percent, although that number was later revised downward. Part of the response was an increase in Jewish camps, day schools, campus programs and trips to Israel. “As a community, we doubled down on [Jewish] programs,” said

Goldstein. The intermarriage rate is now pegged at 58 percent but, “longitudinally, we see the impact of these programs … where else in the world would so many Jews give time to anonymous survey takers and express their pride in being Jewish?”

Meanwhile, about half of the Pew respondents who were raised Reform or Orthodox remain so. Age makes a difference in this latter category: “Older people left Orthodoxy in droves,” said the Pew’s Cooperman. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, 83 percent raised Orthodox still identify as such.

Regardless of how the study is examined, it gets at a tremendous number of challenges, yet describes phenomena that most Jews have already been observing for years among family and friends. The statistics are alarming a lot of people but they also implicitly demand action. In order for the effect of what Jews do today to be more than a trickle down to the next generation, Rabbi Wilensky suggested, “This study should be hung on the refrigerator of each and every Jew in America reminding us of the challenge that confronts us in retaining our Jewish identity.”

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 11

Together, we do extraordinary things.

Make your pledge payment by December 31 and receive charitable giving benefits on your 2013 taxes.

THIS IS YOUR YEAR. MAKE IT COUNT. www.jewishlehighvalley.org

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes December 21 | 7:30 pm $44 | $34 presented by Just Born Quality Confections and ArtsQuest

December 30 | 10 am-4 pm December 31 | 10 am-6 pm SteelStacks™ | Bethlehem, PA artsquest.org/peepsfest

Upcoming Shows wxpn welcomes

Hot Tuna Acoustic December 3 | 7:30 pm $40 | $30

Scythian sponsored by WDIY

December 13 | 8 pm $25 | $20 | $15

Swearingen & Kelli

Cupcake Bowl 2013

Proceeds benefit the ArtsQuest Arts Education Programming Fund

December 28 | 12:30-2:30 pm $25 ($20 for ArtsQuest Member)

Start Making Sense New Year’s Eve Party December 31 | 9 pm $25 | $20

December 15 | 7:30 pm $15

VIP $99: includes show ticket, hors d’oeuvres, dips, desserts, beer, wine & soda (8 pm-midnight), champagne toast at midnight and access to dance floor

Sarah Ayers & Friends

Leon Russell

December 20 | 7:30 pm $20 | $15

New Attractions for 2013 • Tours of the PBS39 TV Studios • Coca-Cola® Ski Chalet and life-size CocaCola® Polar Bear made entirely out of PEEPS® • Lehigh Valley Zoo animals including South African Penguins • Dutch Springs’ dog sled team and other kid activities • Allentown Symphony Hall’s instrument instruction

sponsored by WDIY

• Picture taking with PEEPS® Chick, Elmo, TeleBear, Coca-Cola® Polar Bear and other mascots

January 3 | 7:30 pm $40 | $30

• Additional crafts and activities provided by different nonprofit groups

Musikfest Café™ at SteelStacks™ 101 Founders Way | Bethlehem, PA 18015

Tickets/Lineup: artsquest.org | 610-332-3378

12 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Live penguins, loveable sled dogs and more free family fun than ever highlight the fifth anniversary celebration of PEEPSFEST™, the delightful family festival that takes place at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

PLUS: • New Year’s Eve Party with music by Starfish | Dec. 31, 4 pm • PEEPS® Chick Drop and Fireworks Dec 31, 5:15 pm • PEEPS® Diorama Competition • Family musicians and children’s performers • PEEPS®-themed arts and crafts, video game competitions, expanded PEEPS® scavenger hunt and other fun activities • Family Disco Lounge

($5 for ages 17 and under; free for adults)

• PEEPSFEST™ 5K and Kids Fun Run Dec. 31 (registration fee required) • Mascot Dash, featuring popular area mascots | Dec. 31, noon

and much more!

JCC welcomes Center Valley camp director

First-Time Campers: $1 ,000

tuition assistance Call now for details.

JCC Camp directors Barrie Saias, Brenda Finberg, Jodi Lovenwirth and Terrence Baker

By Sandy Newman JCC Assistant Executive Director The Jewish Community Center heartily welcomes Barrie Saias to our family as the new Camp JCC Center Valley director.

Armed with years of professional experience, education and innovative programming, we are sure that Camp JCC CV will be your first choice for a summer experience. Add in her infectious enthusiasm, and we are destined for a summer like no other. At Barrie’s first meeting with JCC staff she said it perfectly: “I love camp!” We know that you will love camp 2014, too.

Andy Ellis, JCC board vice

president of camping and children, and parent of Jacob and Lilah said, “I’m thrilled that Barrie has joined our team. She will draw upon her considerable experience as both a day camp director and religious school educator to deliver innovative camp programming infused with Jewish values.

Barrie’s boundless energy and spirit ensure that next summer at Center Valley will be a blast for campers and counselors alike!”

Iris Epstein, camp committee member and parent of Harry and Charlie said, “Within minutes of meeting Barrie, I knew that she would be perfect for our Jewish community, JCC and camp. Her

Mashup: National Jewish leaders respond to Pew

By Uriel Heilman The Jewish Telegraphic Agency published the comments of a number of Jewish philanthropists and organizational leaders reported by Uriel Heilman, who acknowledges they are all male because none of the women he contacted were available for comment.

Arnold Eisen, chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary: I see the study as a wakeup call for all of us – the vital religious center of American Jewry Mark Charendoff, president of Maimonides Fund: I think it’s an indictment of our collective efforts… As a community, we made a decision a couple of decades ago to focus on Jewish continuity and Jewish identity and we don’t seem to have moved the needle by even one degree… I don’t have another word other than devastated.

Jerry Silverman, CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America: I’m not devastated because I don’t know that the information is shocking based on the trends of 1990 to 2000 and some of the trends we’ve seen in local community studies.

camp experience and knowledge is vast and her enthusiasm radiated with each story she shared. We are lucky to have her and my family is looking forward to camp.”

Board President Bobby Hammel summed it all up by saying, “We are all very excited about our new camp director Barrie Saias. I am sure that when you have the opportunity to meet her, you will agree that Camp JCC will be the place for your children this summer.”

Please save the date for a JCC All Camp event on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the J. Brochures and registration information will be available.

We are looking forward to spreading Barrie’s enthusiasm across our camps, the JCC and the community.

To read Barrie Saias’s letter to the Jewish community, see the JCC pages 18-19.

community have been doing over the past five to 10 years.

Yossi Prager, North American executive director of Avi Chai: This new study reinforces the idea that we need an energizing nucleus… The Jewish community spent a lot of money trying to reach those it saw as on the Jewish margins, and I think this study shows that those efforts were largely unsuccessful …

Intensive and immersive Jewish education is the right answer.

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism: It’s very clear that the intermarriage rates are not going away, and the big question is what does the Jewish community do in response. Our approach is to bring those people close, not to push them away, not to judge them.

Eisen: They want a new notion of what being Jewish is – we haven’t really responded to that … We need to have options …

Stop trying to make Judaism only about religion. There are substantive ways to be a Jew beyond religion.

Andres Spokoiny, CEO of the Jewish Funders Network: I don’t think we should cry gevalt.

Prager: This study should diminish anyone’s confidence in a smorgasbord approach to building enduring Jewish commitment.

Lots of efforts have been tried and seem not to have worked.

Sandy Cardin, president of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation: It’s too soon, I think, to see the immediate impact of what many of us in the

Jacobs: Demographics give you a slice of reality. They don’t tell you what to do; they don’t tell you what’s possible. That’s the challenge of Jewish leadership.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 13

Steadfast opposition to public prayer took small-town litigant to Supreme Court

By Ron Kampeas Jewish Telegraphic Agency The need for a firm barrier between church and state is as clear now for Susan Galloway as it was in grade school, when she was expected to sing carols at the Christmas show.

Galloway grew up in McHenry, Ill., a town northwest of Chicago with few other Jews, and the carols sung in school made ample mention of Jesus. Galloway refused to take part.

“It was against everything I was taught,” Galloway told JTA. As an adult living in Rochester, N.Y., a suburb of Greece, Galloway encountered a similar problem. Each town board meeting would open with a Christian prayer that mentioned Jesus.

She and a friend, Linda Stephens, both became uncomfortable.

Now the effort by Galloway and Stephens to stop it has reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Oral arguments were held in November in a case that could substantially redefine the scope of acceptable prayers in public venues across the country.

“They’re asking us to bow our heads, they’re asking us to join them in the Lord’s Prayer, they’re asking us to stand -- all of this is in the name of Jesus Christ,” Galloway, 51, said in an interview. “This one guy went on about the resurrection. We have preachers who stand there with their hands in the air.”

Galloway’s day in court is the culmination of six years of legal battles that began after she started attending board meetings regularly in a bid to save the local public access television channel. Initially, she and Stephens appealed to the board supervisor, but they were relegated to subordinates who told them to get over it.

“They basically told us we could leave or put up with it,” Galloway said. “I was offended.”

They sought backing from outside groups, but many turned them away. Especially hurtful for Galloway was the deaf ear from the Rochester Board of Rabbis.

“I presented the issue, and I hoped other rabbis would see it that way,” said Rabbi Simeon Kolko, a childhood friend of Galloway who agreed to make the case on her behalf. “There was not a willingness.”

Rabbi Larry Kotok, the board president, did not respond to a request for comment.

At first, Galloway said, she and Stephens felt ostracized; then it got worse. Threatening letters came in, some signed “666,” the Christian signifier of the devil. Stephens’ home was vandalized.

Galloway believes hers was spared because she lives on a busy street.

But Galloway refused to be cowed -- a product, she said, of an upbringing that stressed believing in the best of others. A soft-spoken rehabilitation specialist who works with the elderly -- “I love bubbies!” -- Galloway concedes a stubborn streak.

With the assistance of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Galloway and Stephens pressed the issue.

At first the town seemed responsive, opening up the sessions to prayers of other faiths four times in 2008. But the sides couldn’t settle and

the matter went to the courts.

In the process, Galloway has accrued the support -- from Jewish and non-Jewish groups -- she felt was missing in the case’s early days.

An array of major organizations -- including the Reform movement, the National Council of Jewish Women, the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee -- have filed friendof-the-court briefs on her behalf.

The concern going into the oral hearing was that the court would substantially expand the definition of permitted prayer in a 1983 case, Marsh v. Chambers. That decision, based on a case related to prayers in the Nebraska Legislature, has been widely interpreted as allowing nonsectarian prayer in legislative bodies.

The Town of Greece is arguing that the ban on prayers should be limited to those that proselytize or defame other faiths. If the Supreme Court agrees, sectarian public prayer would be permitted.

Jewish organizations were heartened that during oral arguments, the lawyer for Galloway and Stephens, Douglas Laycock, moved the court to consider a different issue: Whether a publicly attended town board meeting should be considered as equivalent to a legislature.

In legislature cases, the argument goes, the affected parties -- the lawmakers -- willingly entered a system with existing rules and traditions that could include prayer. In a town board meeting, the affected parties are ordinary citizens going about their daily business. “[The Marsh case] is adults elected by their constituents to go into a legislature where there’s a history of prayers being offered at every session,” said Michael Lieberman, the ADL’s Washington counsel. “This is different. The town council is the place where ordinary citizens must go to get a zoning variance or complain about cable service.”

For Galloway, it was a thrill to see Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan challenge the Town of Greece’s lawyer, Thomas Hungar, saying, “Suppose that as we began this session of the Court, the chief justice had called a minister up to the front of the courtroom, facing the lawyers, maybe the parties, maybe the spectators. And the minister had asked everyone to stand and to bow their heads in prayer and the minister said the following: He said, we acknowledge the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. We draw strength from His resurrection. Blessed are you who has raised up the Lord Jesus. You who will raise us in our turn and put us by His side. The members of the Court who had stood responded amen, made the sign of the cross, and the chief justice then called your case. Would that be permissible?”

“I don’t think so, your honor,” said Hungar, who then attempted to distinguish between legislative prayer and prayer in a courtroom.

Galloway believes that Kagan seized on that account of a Town of Greece prayer opening because she also is Jewish and has faced similar incidents in the course of her career.

“We’ve all had experiences that have been difficult,” Galloway said. “These are things common to Jewish people.”

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to deliver meals

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2013

Perform a mitzvah this holiday season and deliver Meals on Wheels to those in need.

COORDINATED BY THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY

Contact Abby Trachtman at 610-821-5500, abbyt@jflv.org.

14 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 15

By JFLV Staff

TODDELLISON

Hakol 4x4_Dec_TEllison_Layout 1 11/5/2013 2:09 PM Page 1

Broadway Comes to the State:

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16 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Taking the stage at the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s comedy night on Nov. 9, rabbi-turned comedian Bob Alper told the story of the Jewish mother who received a phone call from her son.

“I haven’t eaten in two weeks,” the mother says.

“Mom, why not?”

“I didn’t want that my mouth should be full when you called!”

The bit was just one of many that had the crowd of more than 360 people roaring with laughter. A self-described cross between Steve Martin and Alan Alda, Alper quickly had everyone guffawing through the joys and oy veys of Jewish communal, family and private life.

All joking aside, Alper even touched on the importance of Federation during his 90-minute set, thanking those gathered for showing their support.

In total, more than $63,000 was pledged that evening to benefit the 2014 Campaign for Jewish Needs. The money will have a huge impact on Jews here in the Lehigh Valley, in Israel and around the world.

Campaign Chair Bob Wilson and Vice Chair Iris Epstein opened the evening with their own comedy routine before talking about the importance of the Federation’s work.

Teen chairs Jenna and Rachel Fromer took the stage to thank their peers for coming out and participating in the campaign. The two dozen or so teens in attendance contributed more than $500.

“The evening showcased the best of our community and set the stage for future sell-out events,” said Judy Diamondstein, assistant executive director of the Federation. “We can’t thank our volunteers enough for everything they did to make it a success.”

Scott, Rachael, Nina and Mark Pinsley. Siblings Scott, Rachael and Nina were mitzvahed by Rabbi Bob Alper, who signed their mitzvah albums as a tribute

Jonathan Epstein with his wife, Campaign Vice Chair Iris Epstein.

Eric Rappaport with his mother, Rappaport-Bass.

Tracy Sussman with Sandy Newman.

Dr. Dick Stein, Dr. Mickey Ufberg and Dr. Dick Hertzberg.

Hannah Hakim with her parents, Drs. Melissa and Harvey Hakim.

Arthur and Susan Hochhauser with Dr. Paul Langer and Eduardo Ei

e all b’nai e.

More than 360 people came out on Saturday, Nov. 9, for the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Comedy Night with Rabbi Bob Alper. Over $63,000 was pledged that evening to support the 2014 Campaign for Jewish Needs.

r, Elaine

ichenwald.

Drs. Jarrod and Nicole Rosenthal (far left and far right) embrace Young Adult Division Co-Chairs Eric and Justin Corsa.

Choty Andres with Michele Salamon and Annette Carpien.

Lenny and Arlene Samuelson

Dr. Jay Fisher with his wife Fran and David and Sarah Caine.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 17

Beneficiary Agency of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley

18 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Beneficiary Agency of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 19

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Jerusalem’s Tower of David Museum in a still from the IMAX film “Jerusalem.”

By Penny Schwartz Jewish Telegraphic Agency

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Five years in the making, the first IMAX film ever made about Jerusalem is as much a visual tour de force as a marvel of cultural diplomacy.

“Jerusalem,” which had its world premiere in September at Boston’s Museum of Science, uses cutting-edge cinematography to immerse the audience in the ancient city’s historic sites from rarely seen perspectives.

Over the course of 45 minutes, viewers are treated to rare aerial views of the Old City as Jews gather at the Western Wall for the priestly blessing, Christian pilgrims march down the Via Dolorosa and Muslims gather at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of Ramadan.

Footage of the annual Ceremony of the Holy Fire, held at

JEWISH TEENS: Experience/Education Scholarships available

Scholarships will be awarded to individuals for Jewish teen education experiences that will enrich the recipients, enhance the community, and increase the likelihood of future engagement with Jewish life.

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20 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

the Church of the Holy Sepulchre during the Orthodox Easter celebrations, sets the screen aglow with dazzling light.

Distributed by National Geographic Entertainment, the film, narrated by the British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, will show on IMAX screens and in digital 3-D cinemas across the United States in the coming weeks.

Gaining access to some of the world’s most sensitive and contested locations was a test of devotion and artful negotiations that took the film’s three producers and a team of advisers years to accomplish. Preparations required dozens of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials, the Israeli army and the many clerics who control the city’s religious sites.

Filming from a low-altitude helicopter in the Old City of Jerusalem’s strict no-fly zone required a permit that had not been granted in more than 20 years, the filmmakers said, and acquiring the permit took eight months of negotiations.

In advance of the shooting, producers took out ads in the major Hebrew- and Arabiclanguage newspapers to notify residents about the helicopter filming.

“There was nothing that was not complicated,” Taran Davies, one of the film’s producers, said at the premiere.

Even the terrestrial shots were difficult to carry out. For the scene filmed at the Western Wall, an IMAX camera was mounted on a crane above the crowds. To film the fire ceremony, producers secured permission from the six entities that share authority over the church.

The most challenging authorization by far was for the Muslim Noble Sanctuary, known

by Jews as the Temple Mount, which required permission from the Islamic custodial body, the religious affairs ministry in Jordan and Israeli security forces.

A critical figure in helping the producers navigate the logistical maze was Ido Aharoni, now Israel’s consul general in New York. Aharoni first learned about the film six years ago when he directed Brand Israel, a project to promote Israel around the world.

Aharoni recognized the potential of portraying the

country’s historical and cultural gems in such a visually powerful medium. IMAX films also typically screen in museums and can run for years.

“The whole purpose of the movie is to produce a visually awesome experience for the moviegoer who happens to be a museumgoer; it can’t be judged like any other movie,” Aharoni told JTA. “Realizing that, we told [the producers], ‘Whatever you need, we’ll help you.’ ” The film’s mesmerizing visuals are woven into a narrative propelled by the voices of three teenage Jerusalemite women — Jewish, Christian and Muslim.

Fluent in English, the women offer eloquent descriptions of the deep religious, cultural and family ties that bind them and their respective religions to their home city.

Though the film was carefully planned down to the last minute and camera angle, Daniel Ferguson, the film’s producer, writer and director, told JTA the teens’ words were their own.

“My goal is to promote understanding,” Ferguson told JTA. “The film will change assumptions and give a window into another point of view.”

The voices of the women are supplemented by that of Jodi Magness, an archaeologist at the University of North Carolina, who guides viewers through an ancient tunnel and visits active excavation sites that continue to unearth the history of the land.

The filmmakers took great pains to balance the presentation of all three religions, according to George Duffield, another producer with longstanding ties to Israel. He and Ferguson say they were at times pressed to take a position on controversial or political issues, but insisted on neutrality.

“Everyone wanted the film to be about their own faith,” Duffield said. “That’s how they see the city.”

The producers hope the film can be used to promote tolerance and understanding. Profits will be donated to the Jerusalem Foundation and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to underwrite projects that benefit all residents of Jerusalem.

To find an IMAX theatre showing the film, visit www.jerusalemthemovie.com.

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JDS to hold dinner dance, auction art

By Carolyn Katwan JDS Director of Marketing and Admissions The 2013-14 school year marks 60 years since the dream of a Jewish Day School became a reality in the Lehigh Valley. The strength of the school -past, present and future -- is driven and supported by committed community leadership, parents, faculty and staff all of whom share the common goal of providing a quality education, secular and Jewish, for our children.

Step onto the red carpet on Saturday night, Dec. 7, to celebrate the past, present and future of the JDS at its annual dinner dance. The elegant evening begins at 7:30 p.m. at the JCC of Allentown. Get dressed up and ready for an evening of fabulous food, fun and

fundraising.

Chaired by Nicole Rosenthal, every detail of the evening has been meticulously planned by a committee of volunteers that includes Sara-Jane Bub, Kira Bub, Karen Cooper, Erin Corsa, Feather Frazier, Sharon Goren, Beth Kozinn, Pam Lott, Lauren Rabin, Naomi Schachter and Valeska Zighelboim, The dinner dance, a longstanding tradition at the school, is the major annual fundraiser for the JDS. The evening will feature a brief JDS video, “With Love and Support,” produced by Erin and Justin Corsa. The film honors the school’s history and future, from the laying of its cornerstone to the faces of its future.

With commitments made prior to the evening through reservations and gifts, the festive event will offer

attendees the opportunity to provide additional support to the school through both a silent auction of wonderfully unique, masters-inspired, student-created objets d’art and a live auction to expand and enrich the technology resources in the library and throughout the school for the children.

Building for the future demands continuous expansion of technologyenhanced learning. Acting Head of School Al Goren has compiled a “wish list” of items – SMART boards, iPads and tablets, computer workstations and software – that will be available to bid on to purchase for the school.

Your support of the school is invited and welcome throughout the 60th year. For more information, contact the JDS at 610-437-0721.

The Jewish Day School at this year’s dinner dance to be held Dec. 7 will auction stunning artwork created by the school’s own students.

One of the masters-inspired auction items, the Starry Night accent table, inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” was created

by JDS’s second grade students with help from art teacher Karen Hnatowicz and several volunteer moms.

PJ LIBRARY Family of the Month: THE KAMPS

Hannah Kamp is 8 years old and a third grader at Western Salisbury Elementary School. Hannah loves PJ Library because she likes adding a new book to her collection every month, and she especially likes getting mail every month addressed to her!

The Kamp family loves PJ Library because the books every month help to keep Hannah connected to her Jewish heritage, and it’s fun watching her get so excited every month when her new book arrives!

- LIZ KAMP

To learn more about PJ Library and register to receive free Jewish-themed books for children from 6 months through 8 years, visit www.pjlibrary.org.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 23

HOMEMADE english muffins

BY SANDI TEPLITZ

To 1 cup scalded milk, add 1 1/2 t salt, 2 T sugar 3 T butter. Cool to lukewarm. Add 1 package dry yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Add 1 large egg, beaten. Blend. Add 3 cups sifted bread flour; knead with 1 more cup sifted flour. Let rise to about double at 80 degrees. Knead. Rest one minute. Roll out to 1/4 " thick. Cut with 4" cutter. Place on cookie sheet sprinkled with 1/4 cup cornmeal; sprinkle the tops with another 1/4 cup. Cover. Let rise again until double at 80 degrees. Cook on medium-hot, ungreased griddle for 10 minutes per side. Cool on rack. Split with a fork. Toast. Spread with butter and jelly or your choice of topping.

By Michele Alperin Jewish News Service The growing demand for natural, organic, vegetarian, fiber, and gluten-free alternatives among kosher consumers was apparent at Kosherfest 2013, the annual trade show of the kosher food industry, from Oct. 29-30 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. Companies big and small are in with the new trend. As Manischewitz Assistant Brand Manager Avital Pessar told JNS. org, “We are constantly looking to find ways to be innovative with modern health trends.” Indeed, the company’s new “L’Chaim, To Life” insignia applies to its natural products, for example, broths without MSG. Its “Season” brand indicates that the fish used in a product are sustainably harvested and wild caught.

Many companies at Kosherfest are now catering to customers who need to be gluten-free.

Streit’s offers several gluten-free products: vanilla and chocolate cake mixes, kosher-for-Passover Israeli couscous, matzo ball mix, and Cran Orange Matzo Granola.

Manischewitz, meanwhile, has gluten-free matzo-style squares and crackers as well as cake mixes and other foods.

Nutritionist Reesa Sokoloff, who works with Sherrie’s Specialties, spoke to the increasing need for the gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free macaroons and biscotti her company offers.

“Younger people eating gluten-free foods are heading for diabetes,” she said, explaining that gluten-free products typically use high-starch flours like potato starch and tapioca (Sherrie’s uses nut flour or no flour at all). The company’s goal, said Sokoloff, is “to put forth healthy and delicious food and to fill a void that is increasing in size—whether a diabetic that needs to eat gluten

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Why not have fun on your winter break by trying to make these yourself?

The aroma in your kitchen is reason enough!

Kosherfest 2013 reflects growing demand for healthy alternatives

The crowd at Kosherfest, held in October at the Meadowlands Exposition Center free or a gluten free that has walked themselves into diabetes.”

Sherrie’s uses the sweetener Zylotol, an all-natural sweetener from birch bark and corn cobs.

“It looks, tastes, and bakes just like sugar, and it is the only natural sweetener that is safe for diabetics,” Sokoloff said.

One of several companies that have recently received kosher certification after offering gluten-free and other healthy products to a broader market is Kinnikinnick Foods of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The firm’s owner, Dani Wiebe, explains why her company— which manufactures products free of gluten, dairy, meat and peanuts—decided to get its Orthodox Union (OU) kosher pareve certification in December 2011. “We had been getting lots of inquiries for a number of years, and because we take allergy restrictions seriously, there was no reason not to take into account other dietary restrictions as well,” she said.

Vegetarian alternatives were also represented at Kosherfest. A newcomer to the kosher market, Ryan Krause of Atlantic Natural Foods from Nashville, N.C., showcased his company’s Meatless Select brand, which includes a five-bean chili, fishless tuna, and vegetarian taco filling, among other products.

“We set out to create products without artificial colors, flavors and preservatives,” he said. “We also wanted to create products that not only vegetarians would enjoy but also a person who eats meat and wants to reduce red meat from their diet.”

Gezunt Gourmet, which uses natural ingredients, is working on

organic certification, said owner Louis Agrosa. One of his products at Kosherfest was a non-dairy lasagna that tastes like typical vegetarian lasagna, but uses tofuti instead of cheese. In his business, he avoids cheaper alternatives like emulsified tomato paste, and starts with whole tomatoes. “If you start with good quality ingredients, you don’t have to put in a lot of additives,” Agrosa said.

Several companies offered unusual herbal products, vitamins and nutrient-rich “superfoods.”

Galilee Tisanes, an Israeli family business, produces a range of herbal teas that support healthy function for a variety of health conditions, including diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, obesity allergies, asthma and constipation. It also markets Nufar fibers, which use quinoa for protein. The herbs are grown on the family farm in the Upper Galilee, and according to the company’s literature, the farm “uses 100 percent natural production, free of artificial flavors, colorants, essential oils, preservatives or chemical and GMO ingredients.”

Bluebonnet Nutrition Company, which joined the kosher market about six years ago, offers a variety of multivitamins, amino acids, protein powders, and herbs.

Earth Circle Organics offers superfoods from all over the world, such as goji berries from Tibet. Its Chlorella powder can be added to smoothies to take mercury and metal out of our bodies, and its Spirulina powder “takes out the fogginess,” said Kerry Romano Zall, who added, “Our goal is to make it affordable for people to eat this way.”

URIEL SINAI/GETTY IMAGES

Deeply unpopular at home, French president embraced on Israel trip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomes French President Francois Hollande on his arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport, Nov. 17, 2013.

By Cnaan Liphshiz Jewish Telegraphic Agency For Francois Hollande, the most unpopular head of state in France in more than half a century, his first presidential visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority promised a respite from the daily pummeling over his country’s stunted economy and his perceived flimsiness as a leader.

In Israel, everything was set for a hero’s welcome for someone who supported Europe’s blacklisting of Hezbollah’s military unit, waged a relentless war on anti-Semitism and scuttled a nascent deal over Iran’s nuclear program that was stridently opposed by Jerusalem.

“I will always remain a friend of Israel,” Hollande said in Hebrew upon arriving Nov. 17 at Ben Gurion Airport.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned the sentiment, calling Hollande “a leader with principles and deep humanity” — praises that reflect the gratitude many Israelis and French Jews feel toward a man who has transformed France from one of Israel’s fiercest European critics into an important ally.

Controversy threatened to derail Hollande’s visit even before he arrived.

A planned speech to the Israeli Knesset was canceled briefly after Hollande decided he would prefer to follow President Obama’s lead and address university students. Outraged, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein nixed a reception for Hollande and froze cooperation with the French Embassy on the visit.

France’s foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, ended the row on Nov. 9 with his announcement that Hollande would address the Knesset after all.

“I know you rely on your own strength for defense, but know that France is your friend and will not allow Iran access to nuclear arms, for it would a be threat for Israel and the world,” Hollande said in his address to the parliament.

In the French media, the Knesset incident received considerable play because it touched on Hollande’s Achilles’ heel: His perceived indecisiveness, even among members of his own Socialist

Party.

Along with a perception of weakness, Hollande is contending with a worrisome financial crisis and a large rise in the unemployment rate, which has reached 26 percent among the young — more than triple the rate in Germany. Earlier this month, the Standard & Poor credit agency cut France’s rating for the second time this year, exposing Hollande to the charge that he is not delivering the growth and welfare he promised.

Indeed, popular support for Hollande is at a record low.

A poll released by the market research firm IFOP found that Hollande’s approval rating had plunged to 20 percent, a dramatic falloff from the 54 percent he enjoyed following his election in May 2012. But on issues of particular importance to French Jews, Hollande has a stellar record. Since his election, hundreds have been arrested and dozens convicted for anti-Jewish violence and incitement. And last year, the president cleared his schedule unexpectedly to accompany Netanyahu to Toulouse for a memorial for the four victims of a French Islamist attack on a Jewish school there in 2012.

Such overtures may make French Jews more forgiving of Hollande’s shortcomings on other fronts — but probably not much.

“It would be incorrect to call Hollande popular among French Jews, who also worry about the economy as all French citizens do,” said Roger Cukierman, president of the CRIF umbrella group of Jewish communities in France.

On Israel, Hollande reversed France’s objection to the European Union blacklisting of Hezbollah’s military wing. Then France blocked a deal between world powers and Iran, taking a harder line than the United States over the terms of an accord.

This was not expected of Hollande when he first sought to replace Sarkozy, a right-leaning leader seen as more responsive to Jewish concerns than his predecessors. Some French Jewish leaders warned that a Socialist in the Elysee Palace may hurt Franco-Israeli relations because of a perceived anti-Israel bias among the French left.

“So far, the opposite has been the case,” said Yaron Gamburg, a media adviser at the Israeli Embassy in France.

In addition to his political support, Hollande has been willing to advance bilateral trade with the Jewish state. French exports to Israel currently stand at $1.5 billion — 33 percent lower than Britain and nearly half the volume of Italy.

Though Hollande has continued France’s condemnations of Israeli construction in eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank, in a visit to Ramallah he said the Palestinians should give up their call for a return of refugees to Israel in exchange for a freeze on Israeli settlement construction.

“The Palestinian issue is the one area where France and Israel differ — and even there, under Hollande the French partners are very open,” Gamburg said.

“There are no surprises.”

Some argue that such openness is an improvement to relations under Sarkozy, who despite vowing to improve Franco-Israel relations, cast a surprise vote in favor of UNESCO membership for the Palestinian Authority in 2011.

Still, Sarkozy is generally seen as a major improvement over Chirac, who had declared former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon persona non grata in France. Sharon urged French Jews to immigrate to Israel.

“Sarkozy, who raised many hopes, ended up disappointing Jews and Israelis because he was unreliable,” said Joel Rubinfeld of the Brussels-based European Jewish Parliament. “Hollande’s presidency began amid doubts, but ended up instilling trust that Sarkozy never had.”

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 25

Husbands Anonymous kicks off

TCP marks Kristallnacht anniversary In remembrance of the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht, Temple Covenant of Peace hosts an exhibit from the Holocaust Resource Center of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

Bnai mitzvah and confirmation students and their parents viewed the exhibit and listened as Eduardo Eichenwald told his family’s story. “It was very well-received,” said Sharon Murdoch, principal of the religious school.

Interview by Jennifer Lader Editor, HAKOL The words “Husbands Anonymous” throw the imagination into high gear, so Rabbi David Wilensky of Allentown’s Congregation Sons of Israel steps in to tell us more about the program, which starts Wednesday, Dec. 4.

Above, L to R, back row: HRC Coordinator Shari Spark, Temple Covenant of Peace Religious School Director Lisa Cohen, Eduardo Eichenwald.

Seated: Exhibit Curator Marylou Lordi and Jeanette Eichenwald.

Q. ‘Husbands Anonymous’ has the sound of recovery about it. What’s the aim?

I started giving a refresher course on the Laws of Family Purity and that led to talk about marriage in general. This will be an opportunity for husbands to talk about improving their marriage in a laid back, nonjudgmental environment. All marriages, even the best, can use some improvement. We’re not there to lay blame, but through a team, to find ways to improve because marriage is one of the most holy parts of our lives.

Q. It sounds like the class could get personal.

The leader – that’s me and I’m not a guru, more of a facilitator – will put the difficult situation out there, so these things are out on the table and there’s no need to divulge personal details.

Hannah S. (left) and Samantha E. view the Holocaust Legacy Exhibit.

“Life should be a special occasion.”

Life advice from Stephanie B., Resident and Master of Enjoyment

Q. Which husbands and wives from Torah come to mind first?

Abraham and Sarah were like two pistons working in tandem. For Sarah, it was the importance of family, of putting family first.

Abraham was enthusiastic, a go-getter, open to all.

With Isaac and Rebecca, she was more worldly, about how to get ahead in the physical world. Isaac was very holy, ‘a sacrifice unto G-d.’

Jacob had two wives and that complicates things a bit. He worked seven years for each one and a great deal of work goes into marriage, so we should never think it’s just about a feeling. If a husband says, ‘I just don’t feel the love anymore,’ then love is a noun.

But love is a verb; it’s a lot of work to build a family and it all comes from there. You’re not

alone; every marriage needs work.

Q. So it’s not about airing gripes?

No, instead each side should think the wellbeing of the marriage depends wholly on themselves. We’ll be better husbands because of it.

When you see there are other men there, you’ll understand that every marriage can be improved.

Q. What if someone is still not sure?

Give me a call. It’s a laid-back environment, you’ll see older and younger husbands there.

If you’re still not sure, ask your wife whether or not you should go.

Husbands Anonymous meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the home of a different participant. The first meeting on Dec. 4 will be held at the home of Shai Shimon, 1394 W. 39th St. There’s no fee, but there is a sign-up at rdwilensky@gmail.com.

One-lining and dining Congregation Keneseth Israel Brotherhood President Eric Rappaport (left) and his helpers prepare a delicious meal for 65 congregants prior to joining the sold-out crowd at the Jewish Federation’s Comedy Night with Rabbi Bob Alper. The congregants enjoyed an evening of laughs while also supporting the Jewish community.

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26 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

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Israeli artist spends semester at Lehigh

By Anita Hirsch Special to HAKOL

illustration.

Barouch arrived in Bethlehem in August with her husband Noam Gelbart who is also an artist and is teaching a class called “Cinema and Architecture” at Lehigh but not through the Schusterman program. Noam has worked in the hi-tech area, producing videos for eBay, Dell, Office Depot and Comcast. Gelbart also graduated from Bezelel Academy of Art and Design.

After the semester of teaching is complete at Lehigh, Barouch and Gelbart will return to Tel Aviv and pick up where they left off. Gabriella will resume projects that she had put on hold; she will illustrate and create special projects all over the world as a freelance illustrator.

On the weekends here, she and her husband try to see as much of the U.S. as they can. They have visited New York City, Philadelphia and Boston on trips from their apartment in Fountain Hill. She just discovered the Farmers Market in Bethlehem where, she says, she likes the fresh food shopping.

GABRIELLA BAROUCH

In order to acquaint Americans with the best of Israeli artists, Lynn and Charles Schusterman have established the Schusterman Visiting Artist Program which was founded in June 2008. The program makes it possible to provide a way to connect North American audiences with Israeli artists who do a two- to fourmonth residency in the United States at top universities and colleges. Ten leading Israeli artists are picked each semester by the Schustermans to live and work or teach in the United States. These 10 artists represent some of the most exciting and innovative work in the world.

This year, one of the 10 artists chosen and now teaching at Lehigh University for the fall semester is Gabriella Barouch.

Barouch is a graphic designer who has won many prizes and awards including a grand prix for her illustrations for limericks by Edward Lear in the Hiii Illustration International Competition. This grand prix is the first place out of 2,574 entered

from more than 60 countries. She has shown her illustrations in many international shows and exhibitions. Her clients are many, including Dalton Winery, Domus Magazine, Nevel Asor records, Peanuts, Popshot magazine and INK Saloon, Denmark. Her illustrations are in print and online publications world wide.

She illustrates all types of printed projects, especially books for children and adults and her amazing talent is on display on the Internet. Her work is so imaginative and magical.

Barouch jumped at the chance to have the new experience of teaching in the U.S. This is her first time here. She is enjoying teaching at Lehigh and says that the students are “open to everything.” Gabriella is teaching two courses: Illustration for Text and a sketchbook journey which is a “Journal Diary.”

Barouch was born in Israel, where she lived most of her 28 years in Tel Aviv. She studied in the best art school in Israel: Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, in the Department of Visual Communication, majoring in

Gabriella Barouch's bookcover for a poetry book by Anat Levin

A bright spot for a special relationship: Innovation

By Ben Sales Jewish Telegraphic Agency These aren’t the easiest of days for supporters of the U.S.-Israel alliance. Bibi is taking every chance he gets to tell the world that America’s about to cut a “bad deal” with Iran. Kerry is warning Israelis on prime-time TV of a third intifada should peace talks fail. Shimon Peres, unsurprisingly, just wants everyone to get along.

So U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro, who has emerged as the head cheerleader for the two countries’ friendship, was probably relieved recently to be the bearer of some good news. Speaking at a tony reception at the home of the U.S. embassy’s economic attaché in the Tel Aviv suburb of Herzliya, Shapiro hailed the release of the first “U.S.-Israel Innovation Index,” a report that quantifies the strength of collaboration between the two countries on technological and business innovation.

Shapiro called the countries’ successful economic partnership “the unsung story of the U.S.-Israel relationship.”

The countries’ political and security dealings “dominate the front page,” he said, “but we lose the story of the positive relationship in research and development an between innovators.”

The report does paint a rosy picture of U.S.Israel collaboration. Measuring the strength of the two countries’ cooperation in four areas -- government, private sector and industry, human capital, and research and development -- the report found that the U.S.-Israel

economic partnership ranks third in overall strength behind the U.S.-Switzerland and U.S.Canada economic partnerships.

Switzerland topped the list because it leads the world in the pharmaceutical industry; Canada’s border with the U.S. is the main driver behind the countries’ strong relationship.

Not surprisingly, the report found that Israel’s cooperation with the U.S. is strongest when it comes to government-to-government partnerships.

Notwithstanding the frequent tumult in diplomatic relations between Obama and Bibi, the report found that “Israel’s strength in this category reflects the traditional special relationship between the governments of the U.S. and Israel.”

“This is a way to survey the strength of the relationship,” said Ann Liebschutz, the executive director of the U.S.-Israel Science & Technology Foundation, an organization jointly founded by the two governments, which put out the survey. “Things don’t change just because things look rocky.”

Israel also performed well in the other three categories, and Liebschutz hopes the findings will persuade even more companies to do business with Israel. Of nearly 300 international R&D centers in Israel, nearly 200 belong to U.S. companies.

Changes in the security arena don’t bother American CEOs looking to collaborate with Israeli companies, Liebschutz said: “Once they’re over here, they’re ready to do business.”

Birthday Parties at the

There is no better place to celebrate your child’s birthday than right here at the J. on Sunday mornings or Sunday afternoons.

Themes for children 2 – 12 Crazy Crafts Magician Party Swim party Sports Mania Karaoke DJ party Cooking Party Music together™ Other themes are available by request, so let your imagination run wild by creating your own theme party! Call us with any ideas you have and we can turn your dreams into reality.

Birthday Celebrations in the Classrooms The JCC has made it easy for you to have your child celebrate their birthday in the classroom. Of course you can order cupcakes but now we are offering lunch too. You can order pizza, ice cream, bagels with cream cheese or tea sandwiches. If you would like goodie bags we can do it also.

Just call Brenda Finberg at 610-435-3571 or e-mail at bfinberg@lvjcc.org for all the details and pricing. Let’s party together!

NEW Stagemakers VIP Party (Ages 5+) Your birthday party will be the talk of the town! Our unique plays are casted with kids and are kid-friendly.

Become a VIP at the best show in town! Includes: 15 kids plus 2 adult tickets to the play 15 snack tickets (for a halftime treat) Special Birthday announcement prior to the show

702 N. 22nd Street, Allentown, PA www.allentownjcc.org 610.435.3571 HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 27

EL AL celebrates 65 years

Lone Soldier

writes home

Golda Meir, Israel’s first and the world’s third female Prime Minister about to board a Lockheed Constellation aircraft in the 1950s. Prime Minister Meir was an EL AL frequent flyer.

Courtesy of EL AL Israel Airlines EL AL Israel Airlines is celebrating its 65th anniversary of when the airline was officially incorporated on November 15, 1948. Merely a vision in 1948, EL AL is today one of the most well-respected global carriers and is honored to maintain the role as Israel’s national airline.

Having both been established in 1948, EL AL and the State of Israel have evolved together, serving as a bridge in uniting Israel with the outside world.

In September of 1948, the new State of Israel wanted to bring

President Chaim Weizmann home from a meeting in Geneva in an Israeli aircraft. Improvising, an Israeli Air Force aircraft was converted to a civilian plane, the pilots and an in-flight crew were recruited from the Israeli Air Force, a sofa and other fine furnishings were borrowed and Kosher food was ordered from a nearby restaurant.

As the airline needed a name, it was decided to call it “EL AL,” which was taken from the book of the Hebrew prophet Hosea, meaning to the skies. The name EL AL was painted on the aircraft, as was an Israeli flag on the tail.

Highlights over the years included the the April 1951 inaugural scheduled commercial flight to New York; airlifts of Jews from Yemen, Russia and Iraq; and the June 1994 first scheduled service to Newark International Airport from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport.

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OUT WALKING NOW. 28 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

After a water hike, members of Meir-Levi’s Garin gather for Shabbat dinner.

Editor’s note: Sami Meir-Levi graduated from high school in the Lehigh Valley in the spring of 2012, then headed for Israel.

She writes to us each month of her experiences as a lone soldier -- an Israeli soldier without family living in Israel.

Shalom HAKOL readers, It only happens once every four months: Everyone in my Garin receives a letter from the organization Garin Tzabar, saying that we have Garin Shabbat and can’t stay on base that weekend. Most of us got together for that several weeks ago.

Unfortunately, some of the combat guys have to

stay on base but most of the Garin comes home for a weekend. We plan fun activities in advance such as going on a water hike like we did this past weekend or fun yummy BBQs. While all the planning for this was happening, I was also asking my commanders to send me to a course called Madricha Chedar Kosher (Gym Instructor), and last week they finally told me that I could go to the course!

So let me explain. We have a gym on our base but the instructor was just released from the army so I volunteered to go to the course in order to open the gym every night.

I’m writing to you from a beautiful base called Wingate (a.k.a. the sports center of Israel). It’s our third day here and I’m going to try and write this letter to you during the breaks. Our daily schedule consists of workout out and of studying in class.

In about five minutes we start another anatomy lesson. Keep in mind, they don’t teach you anatomy vocabulary in Ulpan, so this should be interesting.

OK, just got done with the first lesson of the day. It wasn’t bad; seeing the same names of muscles, bones and types of cells repeatedly helped me to remember and understand. Now we have study time, then we hit the gym. If I didn’t love and miss you all so much I would skip this letter and study.

All right, we finished our lesson on the respiratory system and after this break we are moving on to the heart.

I was just thinking of how to describe the 30 other people that are in this course but then I thought, you almost always have the same kind if people wherever you are whether at school or at work, in U.S. or Israel. There are always the nice and funny people, and the obnoxious and annoying people, and even the brains. I’ll be with these IDF soldiers for the next three weeks. From what I’ve seen, I’d say it should be an interesting mix of personalities.

Wish me luck and I hope I pass.

Love and miss you all,

Sami Meir-Levi

The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and other Federations in North America fund the Lone Soldier program.

Israel experience launches Brad Ausmus into job as Tigers manager

TIME FOR A CHANGE:

ISRAEL ASSOCIATION OF BASEBALL

Painting & Decorating by Shane now in Allentown

Manager Brad Ausmus, right, with two of his coaches, Shawn Green, left, and Gabe Kapler. They constituted the all-Jewish, Major League-pedigree leadership of Israel’s 2012 team competing for a World Baseball Classic bid.

By Hillel Kuttler Jewish Telegraphic Agency Almost from the moment they met him, several officials and players with Israel’s national baseball team said they saw manager Brad Ausmus headed for the major leagues.

They cited his communication skills, command of the game and preparation -- not to mention his 18-year playing career as a catcher that included winning three Gold Gloves and reaching the 2005 World Series with the Houston Astros.

“We knew that even though he’d never had any managerial experience, he’d go and be a major league manager,” said Nate Fish, the bullpen catcher for an Israeli squad that came up short in its bid for the World Baseball Classic. “The overall chemistry was at a very, very high level, and Brad was very professional. He created a very good environment in the clubhouse.”

Fish and the others proved prophetic: In October, Ausmus, 44, was introduced as the manager of the Detroit Tigers, succeeding Jim Leyland.

Ausmus joins a short roster of Jews who have managed major league teams, which includes current Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin -- both have Jewish mothers and non-Jewish fathers. The first was one of the earliest Jewish players, Lipman Pike, an outfielder-infielder who managed the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1877.

In the WBC qualifiers, Israel won its first two games before being eliminated by Spain in a 10-inning loss.

“Brad did a great job of managing the entire tournament, especially the [elimination] loss, which he handled with dignity and class,” said Gabe Kapler, who coached for Team Israel alongside Ausmus, his former Tigers teammate, and now is a Tampa Bay Rays consultant.

His age and long playing career helped Ausmus earn respect from the Team Israel players, officials and players said.

Ausmus was so refined in his attention to detail, said Peter Kurz, president of the Israel Association of Baseball, that the team practiced keeping on its caps for the playing of “Hatikvah,’ the Israeli national anthem, following Israeli custom.

Ausmus is replacing a successful manager in Leyland, who at 68 was the oldest skipper in baseball. Leyland guided the Tigers to two American League championships in his eight seasons. In 1997, he had managed the Florida Marlins to the World Series crown.

Ausmus has stayed in touch with his Team Israel players. He helped pitcher Alon Leichman deal with some mound struggles at California’s Cypress College and wrote letters of recommendation on his behalf when Leichman was transferring to the University of California, San Diego.

“It meant so much that … he really helped me,” said Leichman, one of three Israel-born players on the team – he was raised on Kibbutz Gezer – and now a pitcher at UCSD. “He owed me nothing, so I’m really humbled by it.”

One player on the Israeli team might even rejoin Ausmus in Detroit: Ben Guez, an outfielder for the Tigers’ AAA Toledo club. Three Team Israel members played in the major leagues in 2013: Nate Freiman of the Athletics, the Astros’ Josh Zeid and Josh Satin of the New York Mets.

Leichman already was a Detroit fan because his mother is a native. But with Ausmus as the Tigers manager, “I’m rooting for them even more,” he said. “Every baseball fan in Israel is now a Tigers fan.”

After 10 years of providing services to homes and businesses across the Lehigh Valley, Painting & Decorating by Shane, LLC, has relocated to 1446 North 18th St. in South Whitehall.

Business success over the years prompted expansion and diversification into other services such as construction, decorative epoxy flooring and Kirsch window treatments. Though the company thrived while based in New Tripoli, the location was generally not convenient to the growing customer base in and around the Lehigh Valley. When Painting & Decorating by Shane required larger storage, warehouse and office space, owner Shane Smoyer knew it was time to relocate.

Smoyer, known for insisting on high standards for everything from his carefully screened and trained employees, to purchasing the latest equipment, is committed to using environmentally friendly materials. Painting & Decorating

by Shane uses environmentally friendly products and materials as much as possible. These products are not only healthier for the homeowners, but the painters as well.

These standards were all in play when Smoyer took on the challenge of remodeling the former iconic Allentown auto upholstery shop. He's proud of the creative yet classic exterior, including a custom-made three-foot clock installed on the roof. The clock is a nod to the previous owner who was noted for having the time displayed on the corner of the building.

Though their location has changed, some things will stay the same at Painting &

Decorating by Shane. Smoyer's standards, including his dedication to staying on budget while having minimal disruptions to families and businesses, will not be changed.

The new location, in the heart of the Lehigh Valley, will help Painting & Decorating by Shane provide better service to their clients and be a showplace for their products and services.

For more information about Painting & Decorating by Shane visit www.paintingbyshane.com or call 610-285-6061.

These announcements appear as a service to our advertisers.

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Generous. Family. Creative. Friendly.

Sparkly. Fill in your own blank and join us for our annual day of family fun.

This signature event for more than 30 years running is back — featuring returning favorite, dance-party sensation Baby Loves Disco, and more!

Sponsored by the Robert Saligman Jewish Heritage Fund.

Visit NMAJH.org for tickets and more information!

5th and Market Streets • NMAJH.org • (215) 923-3811 HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 29

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

All events listed in the Community Calendar are open to the public and free of charge, unless otherwise noted. Programs listed in HAKOL are provided as a service to the community. They do not necessarily reflect the endorsement of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley. The JFLV reserves the right to accept, reject or modify listings.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 Jewish Book Council: Wonder of Wonders

10:30 a.m., Bnai Abraham. Lisa Solomon, author of “Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler On the Roof” will speak and sign her new book. Excerpts have recently appeared in the New York Times, and the book was favorably reviewed in the Jewish Forward. Sponsored by Bnai Abraham Synagogue, the Easton Leadership Council of the Jewish Federation and the Jewish Book Council. Contact office@ bnaiabraham.org for more information.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 A Magical Hanukkah

JCC of Allentown. Please join us for a fun-filled afternoon!

3:30 p.m.: Build a Lego menorah or dreidel with Bricks for Kids (additional cost); 4:30 p.m.: Candle lighting; 5 p.m.: Latke bar, donut bar and refreshments; 6 p.m.: Magic show.

Pre-registration required.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2 Allentown Giant Menorah Lighting

5 p.m., 7th St. & Hamilton, Allentown. Come see the giant menorah lighting, fun for the whole family. Sing some songs, have some refreshments, and join us as we celebrate a miracle. Contact events@chabadlehighvalley.com for more information.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4 Lion of Judah Chanukah Party

7:30 p.m., home of Eileen Fischmann. Lion of Judah women are invited to celebrate the holidays at a special program with featured speaker Jeanette Eichenwald. RSVP to 610821-5500 or mailbox@jflv.org.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5 Temple Beth El Healing Service

1 p.m., Temple Beth El . We will be creating a safe space to bring our pain, our questions and our yearning. This one-hour service will be held in the Hammel Family Chapel.

The service will include music, silent meditation, traditional prayers and Torah study. The entire community is invited to participate.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5 Temple Beth El Sisterhood Mah Jongg

6:30 p.m., Temple Beth El. We will begin to play promptly at 6:45 p.m. Please be there by 6:30 p.m. to register. We play for about three hours. If you are a Mah Jongg player, please come and join us for sisterhood, laughter and a great bunch of fun. $10 per player donation to TBE Sisterhood. New faces always welcome. Looking forward to playing Mah Jongg with you. For questions or to RSVP, contact Ilene Rubel, 610776-1577, IRUBEL@aol.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 Men’s Club Sunday Morning Breakfast

9:15 a.m., Congregation Sons of Israel. The Men’s Club of Congregation Sons of Israel invites you to a delicious Sunday morning breakfast after davening in the Sons of Israel social hall. Robert Simon will speak on “What’s New in the Financial World.” Cost: $8. RSVP with your payment to the synagogue office by Dec. 3.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 9 TSS Adult Education - How to Deal with Difficult People, and Making Sure You Aren’t One!

7:15 to 9 p.m., home of Don and Judy Belmont. Learn the three major warning signs of difficult communication, and we will practice ways to improve communication immediately. Appropriate for children and adults. Contact Judy Belmont, JABelmont3@gmail.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10 Bethlehem-Easton Hadassah Film and Book Club 1:30 p.m., Ann Goldberg’s House, 2351 Esquire Dr., Easton.

Book: “The Far Side of the Sky” by Daniel Kalla.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11 JFS Brunch & Learn: Hypnotherapy Demystified

9:45 a.m., Jewish Family Service. Barry Siegel, M.S.W., L.C.S.W., will demystify hypnotherapy, a therapeutic technique many people find helpful in weight loss, smoking cessation, etc. Cost is $3. To make reservations call 610-8218722 by Dec. 9. Snowdate: Dec. 18.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 Cherishing the Day You Were Born: Creating Meaningful Jewish Birthday Rituals

12 to 1:30 p.m., JCC of Allentown. Join the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley for this Lunch & Learn program. Our birthdays come every year, and they offer a precious opportunity to reflect, to mark the passage of time and to bring together community. Rabbi Melissa Klein will share examples of Jewish birthday rituals at different life stages and will offer guidance on how to craft a meaningful and transformative ritual. Program is $12, including lunch.

Men and women are welcome. To RSVP, please call 610821-5500 or e-mail mailbox@jflv.org.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 Am Haskalah Speaker Series: Caring For The Chronically Ill

7 p.m., 1190 W. Macada Rd., Bethlehem. Do you or someone you know have a chronic illness? Care of chronic illness isn’t just about treating the illness. People with chronic illness often suffer from pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue and insomnia, as well as difficulties with relationships and work, and have spiritual and existential needs. Psychiatrist Scott Berman has worked extensively with medically ill patients, and is the author of “Coping With Peripheral Neuropathy,” which covers psychosocial issues in neuropathy. He will discuss psychiatric treatment of the medically ill including psychopharmacology and psychotherapies that are effective with the medically ill. He will then lead an open discussion about ways to care for the chronically ill. $10 adults, $5 students (all proceeds are to benefit our Chesed Committee). For information contact 610-435-3775, am.haskalah.office@ gmail.com. If you are a helping professional or organization and would like to participate or bring materials to the meeting, please contact Scott at sibshrink225@msn.com, 610-360-4677.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25 Annual Pancake Breakfast

10 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel. Bring the little ones for a Tot Shabbat service with songs and blessings and of course, a PJ Library story. For more information contact KI at 610-435-9074 or Cantor Jenn at cantor@kilv.org.

9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., JCC of Allentown. Fresh pancakes made by our chefs with special toppings added by you.

Juices, coffee, tea, fruit and more! Soft equipment to climb and tumble. Craft and a movie to end the morning fun.

Cost: $7.50 per person; JCC member value price $5 per person OR $27 per family; JCC member value price $18 per family; children under 2 free. To RSVP call the JCC at 610435-3571 or visit the Welcome Center. Questions? Contact Brenda Finberg at bfinberg@lvjcc.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 TCP’s Pasta Dinner Plus Music From Ziti & Zito

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27 Temple Beth El Shira Chadasha

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 PJ Library Tot Shabbat

6 p.m., Temple Covenant of Peace. Come and join us for a spectacular evening of entertainment and great food. Music provided by the fabulous Tommy Zito and friends. Cost $29 per person or two for $50. Price includes pasta dinner!

Call 610-253-2031 for more information.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 jChopped II: Latkes

7:30 p.m., JCC of Allentown. A team competition with wine, appetizers, latkes and dessert. $36 per person. To register now, call the JCC at 610-435-3571. Seating is limited.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 Kinky Boots

Departure time: 9:15 a.m., Curtain time: 3 p.m., Departs from Bnai Abraham Synagogue. Please join Bnai Abraham’s Theatre group in celebrating our 76th Broadway Extravaganza! Price: $180 per ticket. Please make checks payable to Bnai Abraham Synagogue. Mail checks to: “KINKY BOOTS,” Dr. Marc and Aliette Abo, 936 Wedgewood Road, Bethlehem, PA 18017.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 How to Talk to Your Doctor

10 a.m., Congregation Brith Sholom . Healthy U@55+ Series is happy to present Dr. Jenni Levy, board certified in internal medicine and palliative care, who will speak on “How to Talk to Your Doctor.” Make every doctor visit more meaningful.

Our experienced doctor will help you learn what questions to ask and how to be a more active participant in the patient/ doctor relationship. Healthy breakfast served. CBS members free, guests $4.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 Maimonides Society Bagel Brunch: Oh, My Aching Back!

10:15 to 11:45 a.m., JCC of Allentown. Join Maimonides Society physicians for a discussion on a universal ailment -- back pain. Featuring Dr. Robert Wilson, Pain Specialists of the Greater Lehigh Valley, Dr. Michael Zager, Lehigh Internal Medicine Associates, and Dr. Joshua Krassen, VSAS Orthopedics. Brunch is free for Maimonides Society members and spouses, $10 for community members. RSVPs appreciated

by Dec. 11. Contact Judy Diamondstein at 610-821-5500 or judy@jflv.org to RSVP or for more information.

7:30 p.m., Temple Beth El. Temple Beth El invites you to share in our Shira Chadasha service. Come celebrate a musical Shabbat service with contemporary American and Israeli music.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28 Gershwin Uncorked

8 p.m., Congregation Brith Sholom. Holiday Cabaret with seasonal sparkle, bubbly and outstanding entertainment as pianist Elliot Sneider performs the tunes and lyrics of the Gershwins in “Gershwin Uncorked.” Delectable dessert Smorgasbord to follow. Tickets purchased prior to Dec. 15 are $22, as are tickets when reserving a table for eight. Contact CBS office, tammy@brithsholom.net, 610-866-8009.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12 J Dines: Curious Goods at the Bake Oven Inn

5:30 p.m., Curious Goods at the Bake Oven Inn, 7705 Bake Oven Rd Germansville. Join Adults at the J for a “behind the scenes” dining experience. Guests will enjoy a four-course dinner including an amuse-bouche, choice of red or white wine, choice of soup or salad, choice from four entrees and choice of dessert. The menu will highlight fresh farm-totable ingredients. The behind the scene dining experience will include a meet and greet with co-owner and Chef Mark Muszynski and his wife Catherine. The evening will also feature an interactive presentation from Penn State Master Gardener Teena Bailey, who runs Red Cat Farm in Germansville.

Cost: $60 per person; JCC member value price $49 per person. Open to adults 21 and up. Limited spaces available -- register early! Stop by or call the JCC Welcome Center at 610-435-3571. Questions? Contact asams@lvjcc.org.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 26 Super Sunday

9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5:30 to 8 p.m., JCC of Allentown.

Make the call or answer the call! Join the Jewish Federation for its annual community day and phone-a-thon. Volunteers will gather to solicit pledges for the 2014 Campaign for Jewish Needs. Both shifts will feature refreshments, special guests and ongoing training. Want to make Super Sunday a family affair? Bring the kids at 10:30 a.m. for a PJ story and songs with Cantor Jennifer Duretz Peled. To sign up to be a volunteer, contact Aaron Gorodzinsky at 610-821-5500 or aaron@ jflv.org or visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org.

Want to see your joyous news announced here?

Births, weddings, anniversaries, awards, honors and more.

E-mail your accomplishments to HAKOL editor Jennifer Lader at hakol@jflv.org.

Please include a color photo.

30 DECEMBER 2013 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

FRIDAYS 8 - 9:30 AM WMUH 91.7 Featuring Cantor Wartell muhlenberg.edu/wmuh

Celebrate the beauty of Shabbat

Shabbat & Yom Tov Candlelighting Times Friday, Dec. 6

4:18 pm

Friday, Dec. 27

4:26 pm

Friday, Dec. 13

4:19 pm

Friday, Jan. 3

4:31 pm

Friday, Dec. 20

4:21 pm

Friday, Jan. 10

4:38 pm

Community Calendar Ongoing Events SUNDAY to FRIDAY DAF YOMI 7:30 a.m., Congregation Sons of Israel Are you intrigued by thought-provoking, stimulating and provocative religious discussion? Are you enamored by the depth and scope of the Jewish legal system? Are you curious about Judaism’s perspective on marriage, tort law, Jewish burial, holiday observance, prayer, blessings and, for that matter, nearly any Jewish topic? Then Sons of Israel’s daily “Daf Yomi” class is for you.

Meeting all year long, this class covers the gamut of Talmudic law, studying one page of the talmud each day, and completing the talmud over the course of seven and a half years. Basic Jewish background is recommended.

SUNDAYS JEWISH WAR VETERANS POST 239 2nd Sunday of the month, 10 a.m., JCC of Allentown A brunch follows each meeting – bagels, cream cheese, lox, herring, pastry and coffee. The veteran and significant other are invited as the guest of the Ladies Auxiliary. Come and enjoy camaraderie and we will even listen to your “war story.” Questions? Call David Weiner at 484-764-7466 or 610-739-2755.

TEFILLIN CLUB & ADULT HEBREW SCHOOL 9:30 a.m. Tefillin; 10 to 11 a.m. Adult Hebrew, Chabad Tefillin is for Jewish men and boys over the age of Bar Mitzvah, to learn about, and gain appreciation for, the rich and enriching Jewish practice - the mitzvah - of donning Tefillin. Adult Hebrew is an opportunity for you to learn about your heritage and expand your Jewish knowledge so that you can keep up with your child. Contact 610-351-6511.

TSS HEBREW & ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES 10 a.m., JCC of Allentown Interested in learning Hebrew for the first time or brushing up your skills? Marcia Berkow teaches adult Hebrew beginning at 10 a.m., followed at 11 a.m. by David Vaida, who will you take you through the great moments across all 5,774 years of Jewish history. Free and open to all. RSVP at learnwithus@templeshiratshalom.org or 610-820-7666.

TALMUD CLASS FOR BEGINNERS! 10 to 11 a.m., Congregation Beth Avraham of Bethlehem-Easton For information,contact Rabbi Yitzchok I. Yagod at 207-217-1094.

MONDAYS FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., JCC of Allentown Friendship Circle is a place for people to meet, make new friends and enjoy each other’s company. We welcome all adults over 50. Friendship Circle meets weekly on Mondays at the JCC of Allentown from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lively and enjoyable programs and a delicious lunch. Annual dues - $25. Regular weekly meetings and lunch - $6. First visit - NO CHARGE. THE RHYTHM OF JEWISH LIVING 8 to 9 p.m., Temple Beth El Taught by: Rabbi Moshe Re’em. This course will examine the ideas, beliefs and practices that define and shape Jewish life through daily, weekly, annual and life-cycle observances. The course is designed as a year-long course for those wishing to learn more about the religious observances of Judaism, theology of the holidays and ritual practices.

The course is organized around the Jewish calendar, but includes other daily Jewish rituals.

TUESDAYS YACHAD TORAH STUDY GROUP 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., JCC of Allentown It doesn’t matter how much you know, it matters how much you want to know.

Bring your curiosity to thet Yachad Torah study group and discover the wonders, adventures and meaning of the Torah.

Each FREE session is taught by one of our dedicated clergy members or a respected Jewish educator. Held in the Teachers’ Learning Center/Holocaust Resource Room (lower level, JCC). Call 610-435-3571 for information about individual sessions.

JFS-LV’S YIDDISH CLUB 1:30 p.m., Jewish Family Service Kibbitz in the mama loshen! You don’t need to be fluent — just come and enjoy! Call 610-821-8722 for more information.

CRASH COURSE IN JEWISH PHILOSOPHY 7:30 p.m., Congregation Sons of Israel Join Rabbi David Wilensky for a crash course in Jewish philosophy. There is no charge. Call 610-433-6089 to sign up.

December 3: “Angels, Spirits and Divine Intermediaries in Jewish and Christian Thought” December 10: “Theologic and Philosophic Escapades in Repentance, Atonement and Expiation” December 17: “We Want Moshiach Now!: Jewish Perspectives on the Messiah” January 14: “Heaven, Reward, and Eternal Bliss: What Judaism Has to Say about the Afterlife” January 21: “Jewish Perspectives on Jesus” January 28: “How Modern Judaism Relates to Evolution, Breishit, and the Big Bang” February 4: “What Exactly Was Heard at Sinai?”

February 11: “Was Abraham Truly the First Jew?” February 18: “Logic, Quantum Physics and Divine Omnipotence: Is G-d Bound

by Logic?”

THE DAVEN-CI CODE: UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF JEWISH PRAYER 8 p.m., Congregation Beth Avraham Weekly discussion group focusing on the structure, nuance and poetry of Jewish prayer. (Hebrew competence is not required.) Free and open to all.

LATTE & LEARN 8 to 9 p.m., Starbucks, Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem Come help us figure out the weekly Torah portion! Laid back, lots of fun, no Hebrew required. This event is sponsored

by Congregation Beth Avraham. This event is free and open to the public. For information, Rabbi Yitzchok I. Yagod at 207-217-1094.

WEDNESDAYS HADASSAH STUDY GROUP Every other Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Temple Beth El Allentown Hadassah presents a stimulating series of short story seminars. All are welcome to attend these free sessions in the Temple Beth El library. The group will be reading selections from anthologies available from Amazon.com. For dates and stories, e-mail Lolly Siegel at spscomm@aol.com or call 610-4391851.

BETH AVRAHAM TORAH STUDY 7 p.m., Congregation Beth Avraham Torah: It is the common heritage that binds all Jews together. Explore the ancient healing wisdom of Torah together.

All are welcome. Who knows? It might even be fun! RSVP: Rabbi Yitzchok I. Yagod, 207-217-1094, rabbiyagod@ yahoo.com.

IN-DEPTH STUDY OF THE BOOK OF JOSHUA 7 p.m., Sons of Israel On Wednesday nights at Congregation Sons of Israel Judy Slyper teaches an in-depth study of the book of Joshua.

We are currently learning the book of Joshua with commentaries and other

resources to give us a feel of the time, the people and the lessons in the story.

We are a friendly group who have been studying different books of the Prophets almost every Wednesday night for four years, but we’d love you to join and add your thoughts and knowledge to the discussions.

HUSBANDS ANONYMOUS First Wednesday of the month, 7:30 p.m., location provided upon signup Join Rabbi David Wilensky from Congregation Sons of Israel for a class for men on ways to improve their marriage. All wives are encouraged to encourage their husbands to attend. Sessions will begin Dec. 4.

TORAH STUDIES: A WEEKLY JOURNEY INTO THE SOUL OF TORAH 7:30 p.m., Chabad Torah Studies by JLI presents: Season One: A 12-part series. Cost is $36 for the complete 12-week series (textbook included). For more information contact 610-351-6511 or rabbi@chabadlehighvalley.com.

THURSDAYS MOMMY & ME 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., Chabad Led by Morah Devorah Halperin and Mrs. Alli Lipson, Mommy & Me is an innovative program for babies and toddlers to experience Jewish traditions in a stimulating, fun and creative atmosphere. Cost is $10 per class, $40 for full session. For information and to register, morahdevorah@chabadlehighvalley.com.

SEALED IN THE BOOK OF LIFE 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel Join Rabbi Seth and a friendly group of seekers who are exploring the proposed new Reform High Holy Day Machzor to discover its ancient wisdom and modern sensibilities. Newcomers always welcome. Knowledge of Hebrew not required. Come with an open heart and do your part to improve your High Holy Day experience. Contact Ms. Sandra Hari, 610-435-9074,for information. Free and open to the community.

TORAH ON TILGHMAN 12:15 p.m., Allentown Wegmans Cantor Ellen Sussman of Temple Shirat Shalom leads a lunch and learn on the Torah. Shopping is optional. RSVP to contactus@templeshiratshalom.com or 610-820-7666.

FRIDAYS TCP TOT SHABBAT SERVICE 4th Friday of the month, 5 p.m., Temple Covenant of Peace This wonderful program introduces children to Shabbat ritual and songs with activities designed especially for our youngest congregants and their families. Arts and crafts, stories and prayer round out the children’s activities.

SHABBAT INTRODUCTION TO TALMUD 8:15 a.m., Sons of Israel On Shabbat mornings, come to an Introduction to Talmud class with Dr. Henry Grossbard. This class is free and open to the public.

CHAVURAT TORAH STUDY Each Shabbat following kiddush lunch, Temple Beth El No sign-up needed for this class. Taught

by Shari Spark. Enrich your Shabbat experience by studying the parashat hashavua, the weekly Torah portion, with other congregants, each Shabbat in the library at approximately 12:45 p.m. No previous knowledge or long-term commitments are required to participate as we discuss Torah together. This is an ongoing class.

BNEI AKIVA 5:45 p.m., Congregation Sons of Israel On Shabbat afternoons, SOI holds Bnei Akiva, an Israel-centered fun program for kids ages eight to 14. This program is free and open to the public. For information and to RSVP, call 610-433-6089.

Congregations BNAI ABRAHAM SYNAGOGUE

1545 Bushkill St., Easton – 610.258.5343 Rabbi Daniel Stein, Conservative MORNING MINYAN services are Thursday mornings at 7:25 a.m., SHABBAT EVENING services are Fridays at 8 p.m., SHABBAT MORNING services are Saturdays at 9:30 a.m., RELIGIOUS SCHOOL classes are Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m. and Sundays at 9:30 a.m..

CHABAD OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY

4457 Crackersport Rd., Allentown – 610.336.6603 Rabbi Yaacov Halperin, Chabad Lubavitch SHABBAT EVENING services are held once a month seasonally, SHABBAT MORNING services are held Saturdays at 10 a.m., RELIGIOUS SCHOOL classes are held Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m.

CONGREGATION AM HASKALAH

1190 W. Macada Rd., Bethlehem – 610.435.3775 Student Rabbi Tamara Cohen, Reconstructionist Weekly Shabbat services and a monthly family service with potluck dinner. Religious school meets Sunday mornings. Email am.haskalah.office@gmail.com to learn more.

CONGREGATION BETH AVRAHAM

439 South Nulton Ave., Palmer Township – 610.905.2166 | Rabbi Yitzchok Yagod, Orthodox SHABBAT EVENING starts half an hour after candle lighting. SHABBAT MORNING starts at 9:30 a.m., followed by a hot kiddish.

CONGREGATION BRITH SHOLOM

1190 W. Macada Rd., Bethlehem – 610.866.8009 Rabbi Allen Juda, Conservative MINYAN is at 7:45 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. on Saturdays and holidays. RELIGIOUS SCHOOL classes every Tuesday/Thursday at 4:15 p.m.

CONGREGATION KENESETH ISRAEL

2227 Chew St., Allentown – 610.435.9074 Rabbi Seth D. Phillips | Cantor Jennifer Duretz Peled, Reform Services begin at 7:30 p.m. every Friday night.

The first Friday of the month is a FAMILY SERVICE and celebration of birthdays and anniversaries.

RELIGIOUS SCHOOL classes are held Wednesdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 9:30 a.m.

CONGREGATION SONS OF ISRAEL

2715 Tilghman St., Allentown – 610.433.6089 Rabbi David Wilensky, Orthodox SHACHARIT: Sundays at 8:30 a.m., Mondays and Thursdays at 6:30 a.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6:45 a.m. For MINCHA, MAARIV.

TEMPLE BETH EL

1305 Springhouse Rd., Allentown – 610.435.3521 Rabbi Moshe Re’em | Cantor Kevin Wartell Conservative Weekday morning minyan services at 7:45 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. Shabbat evening services at 7:30 p.m. with the last Friday evening of the month featuring our Shira Chadasha Service .

Shabbat morning services at 9 a.m. followed by Kiddush. Religious school classes every Tuesday/ Thursday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. Midrasha school classes Monday at 7 p.m. Shalshelet — Temple Beth El’s new innovative high school program — meets bi-monthly on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. Shalshelet (the chain) is open to ALL 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students in the Lehigh Valley. For more information contact Alicia Zahn, religlious school director, at school at bethelallentown.org.

TEMPLE COVENANT OF PEACE

1451 Northampton St., Easton – 610.253.2031 Tcp@rcn.com; tcopeace.org Rabbi Melody Davis | Cantor Jill Pakman Reform TCP holds Shabbat evening services every Friday night at 7:30 p.m., and a Renewal Shabbat morning service on the 4th Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. A Family Shabbat Service is held on the second Friday night of each month. Our services reflect a diverse culture of traditional, innovative and musical experiences with a Reform Jewish context. Religious School meets on Sunday mornings from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. We have family potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Friday of the month. For more information about our temple and activities, see our website at www. tcopeace.org or look us up on Facebook.

TEMPLE SHIRAT SHALOM

Cantor Ellen Sussman Friday night SHABBAT WORSHIP SERVICES held at 7 p.m. at The Swain School, 1100 South 24th St., Allentown. For more information, Contact Us at templeshiratshalom.org or 610-820-7666.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | DECEMBER 2013 31

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TO ALL OF OUR 2013 ADVERTISERS With the suppor t of our adver tisers, we’re able to provide you with more information, news and feature stories and compelling special sections, while at the same time ensuring that your Federation campaign dollars suppor t Jewish needs around the world.

ARCHITECTS Gary Lader Bonsall Shafferman Architects Bethlehem, 610-866-0505 ART & MUSEUMS Allentown Art Museum Allentown, 610-432-4333

Moravian Academy Bethlehem, 610-691-1600 EDUCATION - TUTORING Read to Succeed, Inc. Stephanie Miller-Berman Bethlehem, 484-281-3280

The Baum School of Art Allentown, 610-433-0032

EVENT - SERVICES Boscov’s Ala Carte Catering 610-370-3718

The Crayola Experience Easton, 610-515-8000

Enid’s Engravings 610-395-4653

National Museum of American Jewish History Philadelphia, 215-923-3811

Flavours Kosher Catering

by Sodexo 717-291-4322

ATTORNEYS Gross McGinley, LLP Stuart T. Shmooker, Esq. Susan Ellis Wild, Esq. Samuel E. Cohen, Esq Allentown 610-820-5450

Fling-A-Things 610-258-1701

Scherline & Associates Allentown, 610-437-1100 Mark H. Scoblionko, Esq. Marla J. Melman, Esq Allentown, 610-434-7138 AUTOMOBILES Bennett Automotive Group Lehigh Valley, 877-820-6928 Daniels BMW Allentown, 877-820-4269 BANKS Embassy Bank For the Lehigh Valley 610-882-8800 CAMPS (SUMMER) Camp Galil 215-832-0676

J & J Luxury Transportation 610-776-1516 Muhlenberg College Dining/ Kosher Catering 484-664-3810 Top Hat Formalwear 610-821-9525 EVENT - VENUES Bear Creek Mountain Resort & Conference Center Macungie, 888-454-1725 Hanover Grande Ballroom Best Western Plus Lehigh Valley Hotel Bethlehem, 610-954-5000 Jewish Community Center of Allentown 610-435-3571 Revolutions Bethlehem, 484-935-3001

Camp JCC 610-435-3571

Temple Beth El Allentown, 610-435-3521

Camp Ramah in the Poconos 215-885-8556

Woodstone Country Club Danielsville, 610-760-2777

Pinemere Camp 215-487-2267

FINANCIAL Development Corporation for Israel/Israel Bonds Philadelphia 215-545-8380 | 800-752-5671

URJ Camp Harlam 610-668-0423 CLEANING/ PERSONAL HELPERS Hildi Greenberg 484-347-6611 Jill Milberg 610-392-4259 CLOTHING, SHOES & ACCESSORIES Boutique To Go Allentown, 610-437-1663 Pollack Fashion Outerwear Allentown, 800-635-4417 QueenBee Boutique Allentown, 610-391-1777 Step in 4 Mor Allentown, 610-432-1183 EDUCATION - SCHOOLS Barrack Hebrew Academy Bryn Mawr, 610-922-2350 Jewish Day School Allentown, 610-437-0721

Jocelyn Hodes DailyWorth, Inc www.dailyworth.com FLORISTS & GIFTS Elie Floral Design Allentown, 610-435-4687 Phoebe Floral & Home Décor Allentown, 610-434-9587

GIFTS & SPECIALTY ITEMS Edible Arrangements Allentown, 610-398-2100 Bethlehem, 610-866-6162

Lynda Somach, ASID Allentown, 610-820-9366

Temple Beth El Gift Shop Allentown, 610-435-3521

Morris Black Designs Allentown, 610-264-2700

HEALTHCARE Bayada Home Health Care Lehigh Valley, 610-774-2200

Painting & Decorating

By Shane, LLC Allentown, 610-285-6061

Coordinated Health 877-247-8080 | 610-861-8080

HOME - LANDSCAPE AND GARDEN Neighbors Home & Garden Center Hellertown, 610-838-7000

Easton Hospital Easton, 610-250-4242 Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network Lehigh Valley, 1-888-447-3422

Fabrics by Allan Allentown, 610-530-7650

Plantique, Inc. 610-395-6940

Lehigh Valley Diagnostic Imaging Allentown, 610-435-1599

HOME - MAINTENANCE Bender’s Home Maintenance Plus 610-865-9274

Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Network 610-402-CARE (2273)

JEWELRY The Jewelers Allentown, 610-434-4437

St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network 1-866-STLUKES (785-8537)

Susan Bella Jewelry Allentown, 610-434-8001

HEALTHCARE - DENTISTS Green Hills Dentistry Allentown, 610-395-0980 Mark I. Notis, D.M.D., P.C. Allentown, 610-798-7645 HEALTHCARE EYE CARE Lehigh Valley Center for Sight Lehigh Valley, 610-398-2020 McDonald Ophthalmology & Associates PC Karen Dacey, MD Bethlehem, 610-861-8977 HEALTHCARE - HEARING Zounds Hearing Inc. Allentown, 610-440-3027 HEALTHCARE PHYSICIANS Children’s HealthCare Allentown, 610-395-4444 Khubchandani-Stasik-Bub Allentown, 610-433-7571 HOME - BUILDERS Ruhmel Contracting, Inc. 610-366-0910 Tuskes Homes 610-273-8030

FOOD STORE Giant Food Stores Allentown | Bethlehem | Easton

HOME - FURNISHINGS AND APPLIANCES Allentown Appliance Allentown, 610-439-8448

Wegmans Allentown | Bethlehem | Easton

Bellini Baby & Teen Furniture Center Valley, 610-797-1800

Weis Markets Allentown | Bethlehem | Easton

Ethan Allen Allentown, 610-395-4944

FUNERAL SERVICES Bachman, Kulik & Reinsmith Funeral Homes Allentown, 610-432-4128 Emmaus, 610-965-2532

HOME - INTERIOR DESIGN & REMODELING Creative Closets Allentown, 610-433-0933 Crest Flooring Allentown, 610-395-3395 Distinctive Tile & Stone Allentown, 610-841-5300

JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS American Technion Society West Conshohocken, 610-940-3800 Berman Center for Jewish Studies Bethlehem, 610-758-4869 Jewish Community Center of Allentown Allentown, 610-435-3571 Jewish Family Service Allentown, 610-821-8722 PEST CONTROL Ehrlich Lehigh Valley, 610-433-2231 PET SERVICES Happy Paws Allentown, 610-217-2173 PHOTOGRAPHY & CAMERA Cardinal Camera Bethlehem, 610-841-7733 Dan’s Camera City Allentown, 610-434-2313 POLITICAL Charlie Dent for Congress Tom Muller for County Executive Vote Scott Ott Susan Ellis Wild for County Commissioner REALTORS Larry Ginsburg Prudential Regency Real Estate Allentown, 610-432-5252 Hawley Realty, Inc. Allentown, 610-398-4000 Brooke S. Malkovsky-Dietrick Dietrick Group, LLC 610-391-8888

Marcy Staiman RE/MAX Real Estate Allentown, 610-770-9000 RELOCATION SERVICES ABC Moving Service 610-435-3883 | 484-239-3464 Moving Solutions 610-853-4300 RESTAURANTS Bellissimo Ristoranté Allentown, 610-770-7717 Chianti Fine Italian Cuisine Allentown, 610-391-0080 Manhattan Bagel Allentown, 610-433-8555 Pistachio Bar & Grille Allentown, 610-435-7007 Yianni’s Taverna Bethlehem, 610-867-8821 Yofresh Yogurt Café Allentown, 484-866-6464 SENIOR LIVING & RELATED SERVICES Access Ability Lehigh Valley, 610-867-8000 Assisted Transition Lehigh Valley, 610-509-7050 Caregivers of the Lehigh Valley Bethlehem, 610-849-2108 Country Meadows Retirement Communities Allentown, 610-395-7160 Bethlehem, 610-865-5580 Home Instead Senior Care Lehigh Valley, 610-770-7773 Phoebe Ministries Allentown, 610-794-5300 Right at Home Lehigh Valley, 610-253-9605 Sacred Heart Senior Living Communities Center Valley , 610-814-2700 Northampton, 610-262-4300 Seniors Helping Seniors Lehigh Valley, 610-253-3232 Senior Solutions Allentown, 610-435-6677 Traditions of Hanover Bethlehem, 610-882-0400 THEATRE & MUSIC ArtsQuest Center - SteelStacks Bethlehem, 610-332-3378 Miller Symphony Hall Allentown, 610-432-6715 Muhlenberg College Theatre & Dance Allentown, 484-664-3333 State Theatre Easton, 610-252-3132 Touchstone Theatre 610-867-1689 Zoellner Arts Center Bethlehem, 610-758-2787

Martha Segel; Brian Segel RE/MAX Real Estate Allentown, 610-770-9000

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