HAKOL - February 2015

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community

FEBRUARY 2015 | SH’VAT/ADAR 5775

'STANDING SIDE BY SIDE' Events in France highlight world issues, links

of worldwide Jewry, is written on the front pages of the New York Times,” On Jan. 9, extremist said Mark L. Goldstein, Muslim gunmen took executive director of the hostages in a Paris kosher Jewish Federation of the food market, killing four.

Lehigh Valley. “CombatDays earlier, Islamic miliing anti-Semitism. Fighttants stormed the Paris ofing against boycotts and fices of Charlie Hebdo, a sanctions against Israel. controversial publication, Helping Israel absorb imkilling 12. These tragedies migrants, especially those followed on years of seeking refuge. Improvsporadic violence, including safety and security for ing the fatal shootings at Jews and Jewish institua French Jewish school tions. These are why we three years ago that grew have an Annual Camto a fever pitch during paign for Jewish Needs.”

Israel's conflict with Gaza Following the events of in the summer of 2014 early January, the Federaand have remained ubiqtion sent a letter of heartuitous ever since. Though felt sympathy and support Demonstrators gathering at the Place de la Nation square in Paris following a mass unity seemingly far away, these to the Jewish community rally protesting the recent terrorist attacks in the French capital, Jan. 11, 2015. events and the Lehigh of France, which reads in Valley response to them part, "Our community is highlight challenges and connections that span the globe. standing side by side with the people of France during this very difficult This publication regularly covers the French Jewish community, time. We share your grief and send our unwavering support to the enthe third largest in the world, because of the Lehigh Valley's contire Jewish community. At the same time, we are ready and determined nections there through some of its own residents, but particularly to continue working with our local, national and international partners because it has become a hotspot for anti-Semitism. to ensure that every single Jew around the world is safe."

Like numerous other groups, the Lehigh Valley Jewish commuAlthough the tragedies in France may appear sporadic, albeit more nity has, through the Federation and its Annual Campaign for Jewish frequent than in the past, placing them in a larger context provides clues Needs, provided funds to assist the Jewish community in France. The to deeper and more alarming underpinnings. Also in early January, and Jewish Agency for Israel, a beneficiary agency that is one of the major much less reported in the media, a group of terrorist Islamic insurgents vehicles through which the Federation assists world Jewry, has taken who call themselves Boko Haram (meaning "Western education is on the task of helping French Jewish communities with their requests forbidden") massacred the 2,000 inhabitants of a remote Nigerian vilas they implement special security measures at schools, Jewish lage. ISIS is of growing concern to many countries around the world. community centers, synagogues and other institutions. The Jewish Some young men and women are being recruited by such groups to Agency has also seen a dramatic increase in aliyah from France (see story page 3), a trend that is expected to continue.

France “The case for our Annual Campaign, which supports the needs Continues on page 5

By Jennifer Lader Editor, HAKOL

COMPLEXITY & CONNECTION State Rep. Mackenzie visits Middle East. See page 4.

JEFF J. MITCHELL/GETTY IMAGES

GEAR UP FOR CAMP It’s already time for summer plans. See pages 16-17.

Music, tzedakah to make hearts joyful

BLUE LADY Black History Month, Billie Holiday remembered. See page 27.

No. 373 com.UNITY with Mark Goldstein 2 LVJF Tributes

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Jewish Senior Life Connection 14 Jewish Family Service

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Jewish Community Center 18-19 Jewish Day School

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Community Calendar

30-31

By JFLV Staff Lehigh Valley Jewish organizations are set to collectively sponsor a concert featuring world-renowned Jewish musician Sam Glaser. The concert is the culmination of ONE HAND, ONE HEART: Supporting Struggling Jewish Families, a community-wide tzedakah project. Lehigh Valley synagogues, Jewish agencies, the Jewish Day School, the Muhlenberg College Hillel and other organizations are all working together to ensure the success of this project.

Non-Profit Organization

702 North 22nd Street Allentown, PA 18104

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

The concert is set for Saturday, March 14, at 8:15 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center. All concert ticket sales and sponsorships will benefit local needy families in the Jewish community.

“Glaser's original music is truly inspirational,” said Diane Stein, who with Elaine Langer is chairing the event. “He is equally comfortable singing soulful songs or playing contemporary Jewish rock music.”

Glaser performs in an average of 50 cities each year, and his energetic style and passionate delivery “never fail to ignite the spirit of audiences of all ages,” Stein said. Named one of the top 10 Jewish artists in the United States by Moment magazine, Glaser performs either playing his keyboard in intimate solo concerts, being accompanied by his band or headlining with full orchestra.

While Glaser typically performs in synagogues and Jewish community centers, he has appeared at such venues as Los Angeles's Greek Theater, Universal Amphitheater, Staples Center and Dodger Stadium as well as on Broadway and at the

White House. He has traveled all over the world in concert, from Sydney to London, and from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv. His albums have won such awards as the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, Parents Choice, and recognition from the National Association of Parenting Publications.

The entire community is invited to enjoy this inspiring celebration of community while

participating in the mitzvah of tzedakah.

Tickets are $18 per person or $10 for students under Bar/Bat mitzvah age, with a $100 maximum per family. Sponsorships are available for $180 and for $360 and above. Tickets are available online at jewishlehighvalley.org/samglaser and at all of our participating organizations and synagogues. Please see the ad on page 26 for further details.

com.UNITY

FROM THE DESK OF MARK L. GOLDSTEIN

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

An Israeli election in which you can (and should) vote On March 17, 2015, the Israeli electorate will go to the polls to vote for its next Knesset.

Assuming no party has a governing majority of the Knesset – a fair assumption since it has never happened in Israel’s history – the Israeli president will empower a party to form a coalition government; subsequently the new Knesset will elect a new prime minister.

For most of us, this is the election we know about. All the news sources covered the breakup of the current coalition in December and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s subsequent call for new elections. The political jockeying in Israel in advance of their March elections is newsworthy in the United States.

But while this is the Israeli election we all know about, it is not an election in which we, Jews of the Diaspora, can vote. There is another election.

And we can vote. And while it may not have the weight of the Israeli general election, it does have stakes.

From now through April 30, 2015, you can go online (www. myvoteourisrael.com), pay a $10 registration fee, and cast a vote for a delegation that will represent Jews of America at an international convention in Jerusalem next fall. The convention, in turn, will choose leadership and set budgets for several major Israeli and international bodies that spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year on Jewish education, social services, urban renewal

in Israel and some contentious issues as well such as rural settlements.

Never heard of it? Most have not. The convention is the World Zionist Congress. It meets every four to five years to oversee the World Zionist Organization, an organization that dates back to Theodore Herzl and 1897. The WZO was the world movement to create a Jewish state and enable institutions to implement that vision. It created the Jewish Agency for Israel in 1929 with Chaim Weitzman, the WZO’s president, as the Jewish Agency’s first president. With differing views as to how Zionism should be portrayed and what a Jewish state should look and act like, the World Zionist Congress became the forum in which rival parties and competing visions would debate.

And while its complex and archaic governance structure is difficult to comprehend, the WZO is an important influencer at much larger organizations that it founded years ago, the aforementioned Jewish Agency for Israel, the massive social service and educational body largely funded by Jewish Federations, and the Jewish National Fund, which owns and manages more than a seventh of Israel’s real estate.

For many, many, years the World Zionist Congress elections were not anywhere on the radar. As J.J. Goldberg of the Forward comments, “Most years the election is a

sleepy affair pitting gray-haired functionaries and [idealistic] teenagers against each other to divide up control of an Israeli institution that nobody cares about except its employees … [But] this year promises to be different. With IsraeliPalestinian peace in deep freeze, settlements in high gear and chances for a two-state solution fading, the ideological debate among different schools of Zionism — religious vs. secular, hawks vs. doves — is at its fiercest in years. And the WZO is ground zero.”

The WZO’s import has been underestimated by world Jewry.

Its funding decisions have a lot to do with Jewish education worldwide. WZO is critical in the training and deployment of Israeli shlichim (emissaries) around the world. WZO influences funding and other policies affecting Conservative and Reform movements in Israel. These alone should be reasons for Diaspora Jews to be concerned enough to vote in these elections.

The growing debate at the WZO is because one of its departments, the Settlement Division, is one of the Israeli government’s main subcontractors for settlement activity, with its entire budget coming from the government, unlike the philanthropy-funded WZO itself. The World Zionist Congress, therefore, becomes the only formal forum for these issues to be discussed with Israeli and world Jewish leaders having equal position

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers, Over the past three years, you and I and others behind the scenes have all participated in making HAKOL what it is today to all of us. Perhaps you are a loyal reader, an advertiser, a contributor of articles – as so many of you have been! – or active in the organizations and community events featured on HAKOL’s pages. Perhaps you are a friend. In any of these capacities, you have inspired me and I thank you.

Now, after much thoughtfulness, I have come to realize that HAKOL can and should go on without me.

I have resigned my position, and this issue of HAKOL is my final one as editor. Stephanie Smartschan, JFLV director of marketing, will be the interim editor until the Federation hires a new editor, and she can be reached at stephanie@jflv.org.

Be assured you will still at times see stories from me in HAKOL because I will continue in my profession as a freelance writer and editor. This has been

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.

Israel.

You can read their platforms and analyze their slates.

In the end, I can’t tell you if this is going to be a momentous World Zionist Congress or not.

But given the importance of the funding and policy decisions that the Congress can make, for $10 I am not going to take the chance. I voted. And so should you.

HAKOL STAFF Jennifer Lader Editor

Stephanie Smartschan

JFLV Director of Marketing

Allison Meyers

Graphic Designer

Diane McKee

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

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.

JFLV EXECUTIVE STAFF Mark L. Goldstein Executive Director

Judy Diamondstein

Assistant Executive Director

Temple Coldren

Director of Finance & Administration

Jim Mueth

Director of Planned Giving & Endowments

Aaron Gorodzinsky

Director of Outreach & Community Relations

Mark H. Scoblionko JFLV President

EDITORIAL BOARD

Monica Friess, Acting Chair Barbara Reisner Judith Rodwin Sara Vigneri

Member American Jewish Press Association

a very special three years and I look forward to seeing you out and about in the Valley.

Shalom, Jennifer Lader

daughter, Carlyn, to Jason Barry and Carol Halper ELAD STROHMAYER AND OREN BEN-YOSEF In honor of their marriage JFLV STASI TRIKALIOTIS AND JESSICA GOREN Birth of daughter, Kaia Harper Trikaliotis SHALOM BABY

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

2 FEBRUARY 2015 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

LEHIGH VALLEY

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

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

IN HONOR CLAUDIA FISCHMANN AND RYAN MATTISON In honor of their engagement Mike and Cooky Notis MARK GOLDSTEIN AND SHARI SPARK In honor of the marriage of their

HAKOL

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

JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY IN MEMORY GEORGE HIRSCH (Father of Larry Hirsch and Merle Boyle) Eileen and Roberto Fischmann

in the debate. Israeli law designates the WZO, together with the Jewish Agency, as the formal liaison between the Jewish Diaspora and the Israeli government. It is the vehicle through which Jews around the world are officially invited to make their views known to Israel and participate with Israelis in making policy.

When you go to www. myvoteourisrael.com you will see 11 slates competing in this year’s American election.

Included are Reform Judaism, Conservative Judaism, and three options of Orthodox Judaism. There are political “left wing” slates (such as the Hatikvah coalition) and “right wing” slates (notably the Zionist Organization of America). There is a “green” slate, and a Russian immigrant slate aligned with the Yisrael Beiteinu party in

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

JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY MISSION STATEMENT In order to unite, sustain, and enhance the Lehigh Valley Jewish community, and support Jewish communities in Israel and around the world, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is dedicated to the following core values:

• Supporting Jews in need wherever they may be.

• Supporting Israel as a Jewish homeland.

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

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

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

• Developing Jewish leaders.

• Building endowments to support implementation of core values.

• Committing to ongoing Jewish community strategic planning.

• Fostering cooperation among organizations and community building.

• Evaluating all decisions with respect to fiscal responsibility.

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

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

• Setting priorities for allocation and distribution of funds.

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

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

Muslim hero in Paris kosher market attack becomes French citizen Jewish Telegraphic Agency

end of his speech, when he said “I am very happy. Long live liberty! Long live friendship! Long live solidarity! Long live France!”

According to NBC News, Bathily “stood with his head bowed and his hands clasped as Cazeneuve praised his actions as ‘the highest gesture of Islam and peace’ and welcomed him as ‘the newest citizen at the heart of this country.’”

Bathily, who was in the basement when a gunman entered the Hyper Cacher supermarket on Jan. 9, hid the seven people, including a 2-year-old child, in the freezer.

Michel Emsalem, Hyper Cacher’s owner, attended the citizenship ceremony and called Bathily a hero.

“He represents a big message for many people, especially for us,” Emsalem said, according to NBC News.

North American immigration to Israel rose 7 percent in 2014 Jewish Telegraphic Agency Immigration to Israel from North America rose 7 percent in 2014 over the previous year to 3,762 olim from the United States and Canada, according to Nefesh B’Nefesh.

The immigrants came on 17 flights from North America arranged by Nefesh B’Nefesh in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael and JNFUSA. The flights included 296 families with 813 children under the age of 18 and 1,703 singles. The immigrants came mostly from the New York metropolitan area, Florida, California, Illinois, Maryland and Pennsylvania in the United States, and from Quebec and Ontario in Canada.

Aliyah from Britain rose 6 percent to 525 olim in 2014 mostly from London and Manchester.

In 2014, the number of lone soldiers, young people who make aliyah without their immediate family, rose by 10 percent to 350.

Some 3,000 lone soldiers are now serving in the Israel Defense Forces.

Erez Halfon, vice chairman of Nefesh B’Nefesh, noted in a statement that olim continued to come during the summer, the peak time for aliyah, despite Israel’s 50-day operation in Gaza and the hundreds of rockets that rained down on southern and central Israel.

“These olim, including hundreds of soldiers, left behind careers, families and communities, and their sacrifice and courage was widely acknowledged by the Israeli public,” Halfon said.

HADAS PARUSH/FLASH90

The Muslim store employee who saved seven French Jews during the terrorist attack on a kosher supermarket was made a French citizen.

Lassana Bathily, a 24-year-old immigrant from Mali, was granted citizenship at a Paris ceremony on Jan. 20 after his application, initially filed last summer, was expedited in response to a public campaign on his behalf.

At the ceremony, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve stood next to Bathily.

“People tell me I am a hero. I am not a hero. I am trying to stay myself,” Bathily said, NBC News reported.

Bathily, who has lived in France for nine years, received a standing ovation at the

After terror attacks, hundreds attend Jewish Agency aliyah fair in Paris

New French immigrants to Israel seen during a welcome ceremony at the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem, July 17, 2014.

Jewish News Service Days after Islamist terror attacks killed a combined 16 people at the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine and the Hyper Cacher kosher supermarket, both in Paris, hundreds of French Jews attended a Jewish Agency for Israel aliyah (immigration to Israel) information fair on Sunday, Jan. 11, in the same city. The fair was scheduled before the attacks took place.

“The Jewish Agency embraces the French Jewish community at this difficult time and is extending its full support by helping provide for the physical security of Jewish communities across France, increasing our assistance to any individual who wishes to immigrate to Israel and working to ease immigrants’

integration into the Israeli workforce and Israeli society,” said Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Jewish Agency, which is a Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley beneficiary agency.

According to the Jewish Agency’s statistics, France was the leading country for aliyah to Israel in 2014 with 7,000 new arrivals, up from 3,400 in 2013.

Days earlier, after the Charlie Hebdo attack but before the kosher supermarket attack, Sharansky cautioned against strategically promoting terrorism in France as a reason for aliyah.

“We’re not building our aliyah strategy on tragic events,” Sharansky told the Times of Israel. “We’re building it on the fact that there is this place in the world called Europe, where Jews are feeling increasingly uncomfortable.”

THANKS FOR BEING A SUPERHERO Super Sunday was a super success!

Visit the Jewish Federation’s Facebook page for photos, and be sure to check your March issue of HAKOL for complete coverage.

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS AND TO THE JCC FOR HOSTING SUPER SUNDAY

Balloons

by Paulette

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 3

THE VIEW FROM THE MIDDLE EAST

Rep. Mackenzie travels to Middle East Interview by Jennifer Lader Editor of HAKOL This past December, State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who represents the 134th District including portions of Lehigh and Berks counties, travelled to the Middle East as a delegate with the U.S. Department of State’s American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL). He recently spoke about the visit with representatives from the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s board and Community Relations Council. Here, he shares with us his experiences and observations.

What was the nature of the travel?

It was a fact-finding trip – educational and from various points of view. I traveled to Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan to learn more about the foreign policy and political dynamics of the Middle East.

Why was it important for you to make this trip?

Israel and the Middle East are hotspots as far as policy and it’s important to have an understanding of the issues, particularly in the Lehigh Valley where we have a large Jewish community, and to understand the working dynamics.

What were your major stops?

We spent four days with the Palestinians and met with the PLO in Ramallah, Hebron and Bethlehem. Then we went to Tel Aviv and travelled up and down Israel – to Sderot ... and the border by Lebanon.

We got their take on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and, while this issue is very important, it was just one of many. The Israelis also talked about Iran, Syria and Islamic extremism.

What were the issues that the Palestinians presented?

This [the peace process] was their top priority, the only issue of importance that they talked to us about. It affects all their ways of living and impacts their water, electricity, mobility within the Palestinian territories and the West Bank, their security. It was interesting to see the different ways [the two groups] prioritize.

What was a takeaway from this trip?

Of course we’re supporters of Israel because they are a strong ally and we share our values and views on the issues.

It’s a strong relationship because of shared values and shared interests. And, not too different from other issues we face in government, if there is going to be a real agreement in this process, both sides must

have to compromise.

friend’s house.

What did you find out that you didn’t know before?

What did you notice this time?

It was interesting to hear the Palestinian side of the story. It’s a perspective that isn’t often shared. [In a situation like this,] you do want to hear all of the sides and this was one I wasn’t familiar with.

What made the greatest impression?

The ACYPL is an exchange program and, in addition to sending people to the Middle East, they send young people involved with government in other countries to the U.S. We got to meet some of the Israeli delegates from past years and they took us into their homes for a Shabbat dinner where we got to interact with a family.

Was this your first Shabbat dinner?

I think I went to one in middle school, at a

The warmth of the people; the humanity of people all over the world. That’s always comforting. It was interesting to see someone I’d been interacting with for a few days in a professional setting, now with the whole family. It’s something I’ll remember forever.

What do you expect to do with what you’ve learned?

I’ll continue to talk about the experience with other groups as well, about the issues I perceived. As with many issues in government, it’s complicated and complex, and then you get there and take the intricate pieces and work with them if there is going to be peace. It was such a pleasure to meet with so many people who all did share a common interest in peace.

MEET THE PRESIDENTS

THURSDAY, MARCH 26 12 to 1:30 p.m., JCC of Allentown

With Lindsey Jancay, who will speak about the life and influence of Laszlo Matulay, the first artistic director of Rodale, Inc. Despite Matulay’s prolific art production, his work is relatively unknown. Jancay will provide a brief overview of materials in Matulay’s collection, which includes photographs, sketches from his time in the army, teaching notes, letters and his paintings. The collection is currently housed at Congregation Keneseth Israel and there will be an exhibition of his work at the Gallery at the JCC in August.

Program is $12, including lunch..

Men & women welcome. RSVP to 610-821-5500 or mailbox@jflv.org.

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

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

WELCOMING NEW BABIES to the Lehigh Valley 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 FEBRUARY 2015 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

KI leader shares ‘light and joy’

By Monica Friess Special to HAKOL Growing up, Patty Carlis’s life revolved around her synagogue, so it was only natural that she would seek this connection when she moved to the Lehigh Valley in 1974. She soon found a home at Congregation Keneseth Israel which she calls her “extended family,” and has recently begun a term as the synagogue’s president.

Beginning her career as a high school educator, Carlis was aware that theater could be a great teaching tool. She eventually earned a master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s in arts with a focus on educational theater from NYU. Carlis created and ran Stage Door Workshop – a theater program for kids – for 30 years. She taught educational theater at Cedar Crest College for 12 years and then at Muhlenberg College for another eight years.

She was president of the board of PA Stage, a resident professional theater. At Muhlenberg, she was the coordinator of the Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding for 10 years.

Carlis clearly brings a tremendous skill set to her role as president, and also a deep dedication to the task. She puts emphasis on collaboration within the community, and is grateful to Rabbi Seth Phillips for leading the way. “Working with Rabbi Seth is a joy,” she said in a recent interview. “He leads by example and has reconnected KI with both the Jewish community and the greater Lehigh Valley.”

For Rabbi Phillips, the joy is mutual. “As my cherished partner at KI,” he said of Carlis, “she embodies and promotes our focus on community, compassion and creativity.

Under her leadership, a growing number of congregants enjoy sharing their time and treasure with KI.” Comparing her with Queen Esther, Phillips said she is the president “for a time such as this” (Est. 4:14) and “For the Jews, it was a time of light and joy” (Est. 8:16).

Carlis is thankful to have the support of her husband, Ian, and a dedicated team on board who will help her realize her goals.

She is grateful to her predecessor, Eric Fels, for leading the team that stabilized the synagogue

during a transition period.

She will focus on listening to the evolving needs of younger families and attracting them to the KI family, and on capitalizing on multi-generational interactions. She has reinstated the Adult Education Committee and has seen an increase in volunteer participation in groups such as this, as well as in the Social Action Committee and the Sisterhood. She credits the rabbi with inspiring this surge in involvement and with driving rejuvenation of various activities.

A mother of three boys in their 30s and a grandmother of four, Carlis is happy to be able to benefit a community that has given so much to her. “It’s always been about giving back to the Jewish community,” she said.

“KI gave so much to me; I’m so happy to be able to give back to them.”

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

Why Israel’s elections are confusing, in one graph

By Ben Sales Jewish Telegraphic Agency Polls show that either the right-wing Likud or a newly formed center-left alliance called the Zionist Camp is poised to win Israel’s March elections.

If only it were that simple.

If current surveys bear out, Likud and the Zionist Camp will indeed compete for the most votes. But the one that wins the most seats in Knesset won’t necessarily lead the next government.

To understand why, take a look at the accompanying graph of Israeli polls created by J Street. The Zionist Camp and Likud are clearly switching places in a horse race on top. Each is poised to get 20-25 seats. But really, the election will be decided by the parties below the Likud-Zionist Camp double helix.

Because Israel has a coalition system, the elections’ magic number is not 25 but 61 – a majority of the Knesset’s 120 seats. No party in Israel’s history has ever gotten that many seats, so parties band together in governing coalitions based on common interests to form a majority.

Take a look, for example, at the black line running below the LikudZionist Camp race, but clearly above everyone else. That’s Jewish Home, the hawkish, pro-settler party that would join only Likud, and not the Zionist Camp. That means that when Likud tallies a potential coalition, it can add on the 15 or so seats Jewish Home is poised to win.

And that means that to beat the Likud-Jewish Home alliance, the Zionist Camp will have to dive into that jumble of parties on the bottom for coalition partners. To get to 61, so will Likud. The way those small parties choose to swing will determine Israel’s next prime minister.

That’s why Israel’s election is so confusing. The real race takes place at the bottom of the graph as much as at the top. Will Israel’s haredi Orthodox parties swing left in a political deal?

Or will the centrist parties lean to the right, which is what happened in the last government?

Those are the questions Israeli election observers are asking. They’re interested in the chaos at the bottom, no matter which party gets the most votes.

HAIM ZACH, GPO

On January 11, world leaders marched in the streets of Paris to condemn the attacks. To the right of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, French Prime Minister Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Union President Donald Tusk.

France Continues from page 1

leave the U.S. and elsewhere to join these extremists, the men as fighters and the women as brides, as reported recently by National Public Radio.

These activities map to something to which U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch referred during his visit to the Lehigh Valley in November. Extremists who link their activities to some form of religious mandate are increasingly evident. At times there is as well an agenda that demonizes Jews.

Particularly in the past year, this publication has covered political gains by right wing, outspokenly anti-Semitic groups in European countries such as Hungary, Bulgaria and Greece. There has been coverage, too, of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement that has been of growing concern to Jewish groups across the U.S., especially because of the BDS's dissemina-

tion of propaganda on American college campuses where currently reside the leaders of tomorrow.

"Fighting anti-Semitism around the world is integral to what the Federation does," said Mark L. Goldstein, JFLV executive director, "and this is a time to re-double our efforts to unite the Jewish community, support Jewish life in the Lehigh Valley and, as has been brought home to us with the events of the past month, around the world."

THE JEWISH FEDERATION

continues to be the safety net of our people because of the strength of the Annual Campaign.

Please make your contribution or consider increasing your previous 2015 Campaign commitment.

610-821-5500 www.jewishlehighvalley.org HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 5

WHAT’S UP, DOC? maimonides society

Q:

DR. PAUL LEMBERG COLUMN EDITOR

What can I do to stop or prevent nosebleeds?

One out of every seven people will develop bleeding from their nose some time in their life. The nose contains tiny surface blood vessels which can easily break, leading to a nosebleed or, if you want to sound really smart, you may prefer to use the medical term “epistaxis.”This can be a problem all year round but can be a particular issue during the colder months. Dry air is an enemy of the nasal membranes and can result in cracking, giving rise to bleeding.

Epistaxis can be caused by vigorous nose blowing, trauma and infections. Anything that can irritate the nose, such as allergies or cigarette smoke, can also lead to a nosebleed. Medical conditions or medications that make individuals less likely to clot can be a factor, and high blood pressure can increase the risk.

Rarely, this problem can lead to

A:

BY PAUL S. LEMBERG, M.D.

the discovery of a concerning growth in the nose. In children, nose picking (adults never do this, of course) can be a frequent cause.

Most of the time, the bleeding will stop by pinching the lower part of the nose for at least five to 10 minutes.

Keep the head up higher than the heart and lean forward slightly to minimize blood from draining into the back of the throat. A nosebleed from the back of the nose, known as a posterior nosebleed, will often be more intense and may not stop so easily.

If hemorrhaging is severe or continues beyond 30 minutes, it may be necessary to seek the attention of a health care provider. A professional may need to cauterize the nose, a technique by which the area of bleeding is burned with a chemical or with an electric current. Further intervention

such as packing the nose with gauze or placement of an inflatable balloon for several days may be needed to put pressure on an area in the nasal cavity.

Prevention can be a challenge, especially in those with high blood pressure or on medications that thin the blood.

Humidification in the winter months is key to reducing the likelihood of bleeding. This can include humidifiers in the home and, in particular, in the bedroom. Saline nasal sprays and gels can also be invaluable during the drier months.

If bleeding occurs, stay calm.

This may be easier said than done, but agitation can often raise blood pressure and make things worse. Persistent and severe bleeding can result in a visit to the emergency room but, fortunately, most mild nosebleeds do stop after a few minutes.

J To Go: The JCC is on the road in March

By Amy Sams JCC Adult Programs Coordinator Adults at the J and PrimeTime at the J are partnering together to offer two exciting day bus trips in March.

The first bus trip will occur on Wednesday, March 4, as we hit the road to the City of Brotherly Love.

We will visit “Lights, Camera, BLOOM!” and experience the magic of movies and horticulture as the 186th PHS Philadelphia Flower Show celebrates the silver screen. The trip includes motor coach round trip transportation, flower show ticket (10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and kosher wine and snacks on the return ride home. Lunch is on your own in or around the convention center.

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is the world’s oldest and largest indoor flower show and features large-scale gardens, elaborate landscapes and over-thetop floral creations. Visitors to the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show are treated to fabulous design, live entertainment, culinary demonstrations, gardening how-to workshops and lectures by experts.

Carb-load before Passover

WITH THE LEHIGH VALLEY JEWISH PROFESSIONALS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 The Pub by Wegmans 3900 Tilghman St., Allentown

Enjoy beer, bread and all the chametz you can eat while networking with other Jewish professionals. $18 in advance, $20 at the door Includes appetizers and first drink Visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org/ professionals to learn more.

6 FEBRUARY 2015 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

SIP. SCHMOOZE. CONNECT.

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is held in the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Center City Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Convention Center is a handicap accessible building. Elevators are available to guests who require them.

The bus will pick up at two stops: Temple Covenant of Peace in Easton at 7:45 a.m. and the JCC of Allentown at 8:30 a.m.

Approximate return to TCP is 6:30 p.m. and the JCC at 7:15 p.m.

Price is $75 per person (ages 18-64), $68 JCC members (ages 1864) or PrimeTime price of $53 per person for ages 65+. PrimeTime price is partially subsidized by a Groups on the GO grant.

To register, contact the JCC at 610-435-3571, stop by the Welcome Desk or visit www.allentownjcc. org. Limited spaces available.

Deadline to register is Feb. 18.

The second bus trip will lead us to the Big Apple on Wednesday, March 25. You are cordially invited to travel to the famous 30 Rockefeller Center in NYC, and be part of the studio audience during filming of The Meredith Vieira Show. The daily New York City-based show is produced and distributed by NBCUniversal Domestic TV Distribution with Vieira also serving as an executive producer. Vieira is a 14-time Emmy Award winner and previously co-anchored the “Today” show among many other accomplishments in the television industry.

This is sure to be a fun-filled experience with fascinating guests, celebrities, entertainment and surprises. The studio audience will be featured a lot on the show so be sure to look your best and dress in bright solid colors.

The trip includes bagels and coffee at the JCC (beginning at 8 a.m.) , motor-coach roundtrip transportation, VIP ticket to the 2 p.m. taping and refreshments on the return trip. We will board the bus at the JCC by 8:15 a.m. and arrive in NYC at approximately 11:15 a.m. Lunch is on your own, at or around Rockefeller Plaza. The taping of the 2 p.m. show should run approximately two hours. The bus will leave NYC around 5 p.m. and should arrive back at the JCC approximately 7:30 p.m.

Stay tuned for a fun viewing get-together at the J, approximately two weeks after the taping.

The price for the trip is $68 per person, $62 for JCC members.

There are limited Group VIP tickets for the show taping available. However, there are additional seats on the bus available for those who want to join in on the fun for a day of free time in NYC. Bagels and coffee, motor-coach roundtrip transportation and refreshments on the return trip are included.

The price for this “bus only” option is $58 per person, $52 for JCC members.

Register by visiting or calling the JCC Welcome Desk at 610435-3571 or on the web at www. allentownjcc.org. Limited spaces available. Deadline to register is March 11.

Be sure to check out the broad range of programs and events available for adults of all ages offered through Adults at the J and PrimeTime at the J. You can find details through the JCC website, www.allentownjcc.org.

Contact Amy Sams, Adults at the J coordinator, at asams@lvjcc.org and Melissa Hakim, PrimeTime coordinator, at mhakim@lvjcc.org to learn more.

JFS, MAZON team up to address hunger Thousands of U.S. senior citizens are hungry or food insecure every day and are eligible for government support to ensure healthy meals. But alarming numbers of seniors are either unaware of, or ignore, governmental support to alleviate their hunger. To assure that qualified seniors get their benefits, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger and Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley are joining forces to raise awareness that the food benefits are available and to give assistance to those in need.

There are a number of reasons seniors are not taking advantage of this assistance. “Too often, it’s a reluctance to accept government assistance,” said Abby J. Leibman, president and CEO of MAZON, “and while understandable, it’s important to remember that they’ve supported

these programs and benefits as taxpayers for many years and they are there to help them now. Others are simply unaware the benefits are there for them. The goal of this outreach is to dramatically reduce the alarming statistics.”

According to Leibman, one in six seniors lives in poverty and 65 percent of seniors who are eligible for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) funds do not use them.

This issue has reached a critical point as 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day and 56 percent of U.S. retirees have outstanding debt. One in three seniors is food insecure and/or disabled. Thirty percent must choose between food and medicine.

“The belief that the community has an obligation to sustain its most vulnerable is deeply embedded in Jewish tradition,”

Leibman said. “It is unacceptable that a rising number of our nation’s seniors struggle to put meals on the table when we have programs like SNAP that could help them buy nutritious food.”

Joining MAZON is Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley, one of 13 JFS agencies in seven states that are taking part in MAZON’s Senior Hunger Initiative. “Pennsylvania ranks fourth in the nation in senior population. We are seeing an increase of up to 50 percent in the number of seniors who are coming to our food pantry,” said Debbie Zoller, executive director of Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley. “Based on that number, we expect there is a very large senior population here in the Lehigh Valley that is suffering in silence. We want to help them access their benefits so they get the

nutrition they need. We are hoping that not only seniors, but those who care for them hear this message and help get their family member or friend to our offices to sign up.”

JFS works to ensure that no one in the community suffers from hunger, isolation or lack of care and support. Overall, the JFS Food Pantry program grew by 16 percent, providing over 16,000 meals in 2014.

MAZON is the only national Jewish organization focused exclusively on issues of hunger and is considered one of the leading anti-hunger organizations in the U.S. The educational outreach program is supported and sponsored by MAZON, with funding from the Walmart Foundation.

For more information on SNAP benefits for eligible seniors, call JFS-LV at 610-821-8722.

With anniversaries, Jewish Disability Awareness to fore

By Scott Berman, M.D. Special to HAKOL This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the first year of the Achieving A Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. During February, we also celebrate the seventh annual Jewish Disability Awareness Month. This year, the theme is: “From Awareness to Inclusion,” highlighting how far we’ve come.

Advocating for persons with disabilities has its roots in Torah. In Leviticus 19:14, we are commanded, “You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind.” More recently, polio survivor Chava Willig Levy wrote in her memoir “A Life Not With Standing,” “I want my words to shatter stereotypes, affirming that people with disabilities: Are neither patients to be cured, children to be taken care of, nor brave souls to be admired; they should be in charge of the assistance they require, that is, free to be independently dependent.”

I am a person with a disability acquired in adulthood. I have the privilege of serving as the co-president of Congregation Am Haskalah, and the board president of the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL) This is an Allentown-based non-profit organization that provides information, services and support to people with all types of disabilities. I recently pointed out to the LVCIL Board that, had I been born with a disability in the late ‘50s, I would never have gone to medical school and probably not even to college.

The opportunities I have to be part of the Lehigh Valley Jewish and secular communities would not have existed even 25 years ago. Being part of two inclusive organizations has strengthened my courage to live a full life despite disability; this June, I danced the hora in an electric wheelchair at my daughter Rachel’s

wedding.

Now is a time of great progress for those with disabilities, both in the Jewish and larger, secular communities. It is also a great time for the Jewish community to act. If you or a loved one has a disability, reach out to the Jewish Family Service or LVCIL to find out about resources. If your congregation needs to be more accessible or more inclusive, there is help both locally and through the parent organizations of each branch of Judaism.

Make full inclusion your goal; develop programs that bring persons with disabilities to your Jewish organization.

Full inclusion takes real effort; it is about creating spaces and programs that allow persons with disabilities to be fully part of the life of our Jewish organizations.

Scott Berman, M.D., can be reached at sibshrink225@msn. com for more information about disability and Jewish disability inclusion resources.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 7

Jewish Federations hail bill elevating Israel as 'strategic partner' Following the final passage on Dec. 3 of legislation declaring Israel to be a “major strategic partner” of the United States, American Jewish organizations celebrated the bill as furthering the ironclad commitment between the two countries. The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, in partnership with Jewish Federations across North America, hailed the importance of the bill, which would designate a unique strategic status for Israel and create a framework for increased cooperation in defense, energy and other sectors.

Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America, said, “Over the years, Israel and the United States have proven themselves to be the closest of allies. This legislation elevates cooperation in areas like energy and defense. It makes clear to the world that the two countries are strategic allies at the highest level. We thank those who worked to make this bill a reality, in particular Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-California) and Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), who authored the legislation [in the Senate]. It is truly heartening to know that Israel and the Jewish community at large will always be able to count on the United States for support.”

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida) and Ted Deutch (DFlorida) authored the bill in the House of Representatives and introduced it there. President Barack Obama signed the legislation on Dec. 19.

The Jewish Federations, collectively among the top 10 charities on the continent, protect and enhance the well-being of Jews worldwide through the values of tikkun olam (repairing the world), tzedakah (charity and social justice) and Torah (Jewish learning).

“Our parents are soul mates.

How could we move them apart?”

IN MEMORY SISTER (of Gerald Melamut) Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald BERNARD BERNSTEIN (Father of Dale Cucuel) (Father of Abbe Avart) Joan Lichtenstein IRVING BISHOP Randi and Donald Senderowitz DAVID FRIEND (Brother of Karl Friend) Mary and Allan Goodman LIBBIE GUSSOW (Mother of Susan Vengrove) Ross and Wendy Born NAOMI HALPERIN (Daughter of Marion Halperin) Elaine Lerner Randi and Donald Senderowitz MORTIMER HERTZ (Husband of Gladys Hertz) Selma and Sam Lauter GEORGE HIRSCH (Father of Larry Hirsch) Selma Roth RUTH LEDERMAN (Mother of Eileen Lederman) Randi and Donald Senderowitz LOIS MILLER (Wife of Stanley Miller) Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein ARNOLD RAPOPORT (Father of Jed Rapoport) Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein NORMAN SEIDEL (Father of Janet Panto) (Father of Judy Waldman) Stan and Vicki Wax (Colleague of Danny Cohen) Sam and Sylvia Bub

Barry and Carol Halper (Colleague of Phil Hof) Barry and Carol Halper ANITA SINGER (Sister of Mark Klein) Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein STANLEY SNYDER (Husband of Elaine Snyder) Ross and Wendy Born Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein Sandra and Harold Goldfarb Selma Roth Fred and Barbara Sussman HERB TELLES (Brother of Joel Telles) Elaine Lerner HARRIS WEINSTEIN (Father of David Weinstein) Cathy Sacher IN HONOR HENRIETTE ENGELSON Happy 100th Birthday Taffi Ney BRENDA FINBERG Speedy Recovery Barry and Carol Halper BOBBY HAMMEL 50th Anniversary of his Bar Mitzvah Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Sandra and Harold Goldfarb Speedy Recovery Barry and Carol Halper Stan and Vicki Wax ELAINE AND LEON PAPIR Bat Mitzvah of granddaughter, Cameron Doug and Marge Blake Stan and Vicki Wax PENNY AND ADAM ROTH Happy Hanukkah

Audrey and Jerome Cylinder NATE SCHIFF Happy 80th Birthday Elaine Lerner MARK AND DEENA SCOBLIONKO Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Barry and Carol Halper Bat Mitzvah of their granddaughter, Sabrina Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein Mark Goldstein and Shari Spark SY TRAUB St. Luke’s Shining Star Award Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein STAN AND VICKI WAX Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Barry and Carol Halper HELEN & SOL KRAWITZ HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL FUND IN MEMORY MORTIMER HERTZ (Husband of Gladys Hertz) Joani Lesavoy and Sid Greenberg RHODA ROTHMAN (Grandmother of Joy Rothman) Evelyn and Jay Lipschutz STANLEY SNYDER (Husband of Elaine Snyder) Joani Lesavoy and Sid Greenberg HOLOCAUST RESOURCE CENTER IN HONOR ABE ROSS In honor of his retirement Laura and Bob Black

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.

THE BENEFITS OF A CHARITABLE BEQUEST

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It costs you nothing today to make a bequest A bequest is free of federal estate tax Your bequest can be changed down the road You can still benefit your heirs with specific gifts A bequest may produce estate tax savings You can leave a legacy through a bequest

To learn more about opportunities for planned giving, contact Jim Mueth at 610-821-5500 or jim@jflv.org or visit www.lvjfgiving.org.

To learn more about bequest giving please contact us. Ask for your FREE Wills Kit!

Auschwitz Foundation close to endowment goal Jewish Telegraphic Agency Just prior to the 70th anniversary this January of the liberation of Auschwitz, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation said it has nearly reached its approximately $156 million campaign goal.

The total of $140 million includes $9 million in newly announced donations from six leading philanthropists, the foundation announced.

The campaign was created in 2009 by the independent foundation to fund a perpetual endowment to preserve the authentic remains, buildings, ruins, artifacts, documents and artworks at the Auschwitz Memorial, which includes the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau Nazi camps.

Jacek Kastelaniec, director general of the AuschwitzBirkenau Foundation, calls Auschwitz a symbol of the Holocaust.

“It is also a one-of-a kind educational facility where young people may learn about the terrible outcomes of antiSemitism, racism and hatred,” he said. “The AuschwitzBirkenau Foundation’s sole purpose is to make sure that the authenticity of this unique memorial will survive so next

generations will be able to understand what the words ‘never again’ mean.”

More than 1.5 million people from around the world visited the memorial in 2014.

The number of visitors has continued to rise over the last decade.

To date, 34 countries have donated $136 million, with the largest contribution from Germany, followed by the United States and Poland.

The private donors include Melinda Goldrich and Andrea Goldrich Cayton and the Goldrich Family Foundation; Elly Kleinman; Frank Lowy, a Holocaust survivor; Lily Safra and the Edmond J. Safra Foundation; Steven Spielberg’s Righteous Persons Foundation; and Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, whose prior funding modernized the memorial’s conservation laboratories.

Several hundred survivors were expected to attend the 70th anniversary commemoration on Jan. 27 along with donors and many heads of state. Auschwitz Memorial leaders said it is likely the last time that such a large number of survivors will be in attendance due to their advanced ages.

Study group to explore Judaism's beginnings Rabbi Jonathan Gerard's ongoing Wednesday study group at Congregation Brith Sholom has for the coming semester elected to subscribe to the Great Courses series entitled "The Beginnings of Judaism," taught by Hebrew University's Isaiah Gafni.

As with previous courses taught in this format, Rabbi Gerard will present one or two half hour lectures each week from a world scholar and expert teacher, punctuated by class discussion. Twenty four half-hour lectures will be covered in the 12 weeks of class.

The study group will investigate: How Judaism developed from its biblical roots to the highly developed system of today, what has changed and what has remained constant. The answers to these questions are relevant to all faiths, as well as to anyone seeking to broaden their understanding of ancient history – a past that is inexorably linked to the present.

The roots of Judaism reach back to the Hebrew Bible – also known as the Old Testament by Christians. For thousands of years, Jews have looked to these scriptures for their origins, and have located in them the tenets of their faith. The Bible provides Jews reasons for sadness and joy, wisdom and, most of all, a profound belief in what God expects of them and has promised to them.

Though Jews of every generation have recognized and cherished the Bible as the ultimate source of all Jewish existence, much of what is recognized today as Judaism does not appear in the Bible.

For example, worshipping in places other than the single, original Temple in

Jerusalem is expressly forbidden by the Bible. Nevertheless, Jews today worship in synagogues wherever there may be a Jewish community. Similarly, the Rabbinic model, for centuries the most visible example of religious and communal leadership among Jews, is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible.

In Beginnings of Judaism, Professor Isaiah M. Gafni of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem leads a spirited and provocative exploration of how the Jewish faith struggled to continually redefine itself during the first thousand years after the completion of the last books of the Hebrew Bible, tenaciously clinging to existence through circumstances that might well have torn it asunder.

This course explores the evolution of an ancient faith into a system of beliefs, practices and laws recognizable today as Judaism. We discover a tradition of vigorous and joyous debate – where reinterpretation coexists with profound acceptance of the original instructions from God regarding the practice of faith.

Insights into this historical evolution – especially with respect to the roles of Jerusalem and the Diaspora in Jewish history – can also deepen one's perception of the historical, psychological and religious forces at play in the Middle East today.

The study group meets Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. starting on Feb. 4 and running until the Wednesday prior to Shavuot. Tuition is $18. For more information or to register, contact the Brith Sholom office at 610-866-8009.

embassybank.com HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 9

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RABBI DAVID WILENSKY Congregation Sons of Israel Growing up, I had a friend for whom Tu b’Shevat offered a wonderful opportunity. On Tu b'Shevat, each class at our Hebrew Academy of Nassau County was treated to a platter filled with various Israeli-themed fruits: dried apples, dates, figs and the like. All of these fruity treats were quickly and thoroughly enjoyed by the class, leaving no leftovers … except for the bukser (dried carob).

Biting into that unbreakably tough outer skin for the barely recognizable trace of sweetness was just not worth it for any of us. Bukser seemed to share the same fate as black licorice; a token part of the food platter that was always left behind for the enjoyment of the atypical palate.

Well, that atypical palate was my friend’s, and enjoy it he did.

Many of us may have wondered over the years as to the significance of the bukser

What is the truth about eating bukser on Tu b’Shevat? and its particular connection to Tu bShevat, especially being that it is not included as one of the seven special species of the land of Israel.

The custom of conducting an elaborate Tu b’Shevat “seder,” a practice which has gained momentum in recent years, is first discussed by the 17th century kabbalastic work Chemdas Yamim. In it, the author describes the proper conduct and intentions that should be maintained when eating the following significant fruits on Tu b’Shevat: wheat, olives, dates, grapes, figs, pomegranates, esrogs, walnuts, carobs, quinces, peanuts, hazelnuts, pears, crabapples, pistachios, cherries, jujube, hackberry, lupine and “nishpolas.” (And you thought that preparing for the Pesach seder was difficult!)

However, the background to this work Chemdas Yamim gives us insight into why the Tu b’Shevat seder has not become a universally recognized practice.

Chemdas Yamim was written anonymously in the 17th century and, according to many classic rabbinic authorities, including the pre-eminent Rabbi Yaakov Emden of 18th century Germany, this work was written by none other than Natan HaAzati, or Nathan the prophet, the provocative collaborator of Shabtai Zvi whose selfproclamation as the Messiah wreaked havoc on 17th century world Jewry.

Nathan’s unconventional kabbalistic tendencies were considered the catalyst for his championing the cause of Shabtai Zvi and successfully convincing others to do the same. If

Nathan’s “corrupted” kabbalastic perspectives are in fact the source for the Tu b’Shevat seder, then abandoning such a custom would certainly have merit; and as such, the Tu b’Shevat seder has not gained universal acceptance throughout Jewish circles.

Although most of the fruits listed by the Chemdas Yamim are not used in contemporary Tu b’Shevat packages, the carob, or bukser, still is. One of the explanations given for its historic endurance is the fact that it emanates from the land of Israel and does not spoil; thus, European communities wishing to obtain a fruit from the land of Israel for their Tu b’Shevat enjoyment would find the bukser most readily available.

Additionally, bukser has strong kabbalistic associations.

The Talmud relates that when Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai hid from Roman oppression in a cave with his son, a carob

tree miraculously grew which gave them sustenance during their 12-year concealment. It is traditionally understood that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai authored the Zohar while hidden in this cave. If so, the carob is the very fruit that gave sustenance to the writing of the Zohar; in other words, the whole of Jewish mysticism is found in the seeds of the carob.

Perhaps the carob’s close ties to the world of the Zohar can also be seen in the tendencies of its modern consumption. The Zohar is not something that is to be enjoyed by the masses; its improper usage in the 17th century wreaked havoc on Jewish life, upending communal belief systems and derailing sacrosanct rituals. Kabbalah and Zohar are to be reserved for the select few whose vast knowledge and firm standing in Jewish life and tradition give them license to mine the ever-deep gems of

Jewish mysticism. The sweetness of and appreciation for the carob fruit is similarly reserved for the individual with the unique palate and unique perspective, as the attempts of many unseasoned tasters (myself included) to extract its sweetness have ended in futility.

Thankfully, Tu b'Shevat is not only about bukser, it is about all of the fruits of the land of Israel which, according to the Talmud, are all imbued with great meaning. The pomegranate is filled with seeds representative of mitzvot; the olive’s oil grants light and clarity just as does the study of the Torah; the sweetness of the date reflects the sweetness of the land of Israel. Let’s take the opportunity of Tu b’Shevat to take a sumptuous bite into the bread and butter of Judaism – mitzvah performance, Torah study and devotion to the land of Israel … and let’s leave the bukser for someone else to enjoy.

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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 11

At International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Roma remain ‘underreported’ victims

By Robert Gluck JNS.org Editor’s Note: Not to be confused with the people of Rome (see facing page), the Roma people suffered at the hands of the Nazis as well.

12 FEBRUARY 2015 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

GERMAN FEDERAL ARCHIVES.

Misunderstood and still persecuted, the Roma people (also known as Romani or Gypsies) remain what some experts consider a relatively underreported ethnicity during this year’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27, marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp.

Drawing support from many non-Nazi Germans who harbored social prejudice towards Roma, the Nazis judged Roma to be “racially inferior.” The fate of the Roma in some ways paralleled that of the Jews. Under the Nazi regime, German authorities subjected Roma to arbitrary internment, forced labor and mass murder. German authorities murdered tens of thousands of Roma in the German-occupied territories of the Soviet Union and Serbia, and killed thousands more in the concentration camps at Aushwitz-Birkenau, Chelmno, Belzec, Sobibor and Treblinka.

“The Roma are a small minority, and due to long-term persecution in the various societies Roma have lived, they have, as a group, tended to be reluctant to advertise their ethnic background,” Peter Black, a senior historian at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), told JNS.org. “The Roma have, for the past two or three centuries, been the victims of negative and violence-inciting stereotypes about them and their

The Nazi deportation of Roma from Asperg, Germany, in May 1940. behavior.”

Black explained that the Roma “were reputed as travelers to be indifferent to indigenous social mores and legal structures, and to be inclined to engage in smallscale criminal behavior.” Those tendencies, Black said, are what Americans will typically bring up today when asked about what negative stereotype they have heard about Roma or Gypsies.

The Roma were thought to have come from Egypt -- hence the name Gypsies -- but in fact, they trace their roots back to northwestern India, Pakistan and Iran.

“They migrated via the Middle East into southern Europe or via Russia into Eastern Europe,” Black said. “They came primarily as skilled craftsmen and musicians.

Initially, Europeans welcomed them, but eventually they tended to be suspicious of Roma mores and also envious in terms of competition of the skilled crafts.

By the late 16th and 17th centuries, Roma were already being excluded from the guilds which determined who could produce and sell hand-made goods.”

Black estimates that between 196,000 and 220,000 Roma were killed by the Nazis -- about 20 percent of the entire European Roma population at the time. “[The Nazi persecution of Roma has been] relatively underreported and there has not been the same level of study, country by country, that there has been about the destruction of the Jews in Europe,” Black said. “Part of this is due to widely differing policies toward Roma. There were vast differences between the treatment of Roma in Germanoccupied and German-controlled Europe than the Jews. The Jews [in those areas of Europe] were killed at levels of between 75 and 80 percent [compared to 20 percent for the European Roma].”

Born in Czechoslovakia, Petra Gelbart is a granddaughter of Roma Holocaust survivors. An ethnomusicologist, musician and singer, she uses both her research and her voice to educate and advocate for Holocaust remembrance of Roma victims.

“I try to take what people think they know about so-called ‘gypsies,’ and replace it with something that’s much more based in reality,” Gelbart said on a USHMM podcast called “Voices on Anti-Semitism.”

Gelbart said the main stereotype about Roma is that “we are nomadic, even though for most of history, for most of the past several hundred years, the majority of Roma have been settled.” There are also “stereotypes about us not wanting

to work, and being criminals,” she said.

“When you have a group, the majority of which lives in poverty, you’re going to have issues with unemployment, low education, and you’re going to have issues with petty crime,” said Gelbart.

“But in Europe it’s very hard for [Roma] to get a regular job because the employment discrimination is just massive. The thing that people should really be worried about is not are we a criminal or ‘workshy’ people, but rather what is the access to jobs that we have or don’t have.”

Are Roma still persecuted today? In 2011, the USHMM released a statement calling attention to the issue, saying it was “alarmed by the precarious situation of the Roma in today’s Europe” and urging European governments “to uphold the rights and freedoms of Roma in accordance with international and regional obligations.”

“Recent anti-Roma acts and sentiment span [across Europe],” USHMM said. “Violent attacks against Roma have occurred in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Serbia and the Russian Federation and government authorities have organized deportations in France and Italy. In many places, Roma are singled out for isolation and denied their civil rights, and a number of national and local government officials have recently made anti-Roma statements.”

According to Black, while the Jews were perceived in Nazi ideology as being a priority enemy, the Roma were seen as tools of the Jews.

“In the occupied Soviet Union and occupied Serbia, Roma and Jews were shot side by side,” he said. “The policy against them was more or less absolutely the same in terms of practical dayto-day actions. The Jews were a more important priority enemy, although the fact remains that nearly 80 percent of Roma who lived in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic prior to 1939 were dead in 1945.”

Black said it is important to “place the treatment of the Roma into a broader context,” but perhaps more important to remember the “individual stories” of the Roma who survived the Holocaust, which have not been as widely reported as Jewish Holocaust stories.

“Unlike Jewish survivors of the Holocaust who were writing about their experiences almost as soon as World War II was over, Roma have been reluctant because of ongoing discrimination and persecution up until the present day,” he said.

In Rome, events unleash anti-Semitism Great Synagogue of Rome

By Noah Diamondstein Special to HAKOL Editor’s Note: Many European communities observe Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, which occurred 70 years ago. This story is the second in a four-part series by Noah, who recently studied in Europe and who seeks “to see the world become a place where all can live together in peace.”

A week after I returned to Prague from Vienna, I packed my bags again and left for Rome, Italy.

Though I knew of anti-Semitism bubbling under the surface in Italy, I had limited accounts of the actual experience of Roman Jewry.

On my first day in Rome I was given an

excellent tour of the former Jewish ghetto and Jewish Museum/Great Synagogue of Rome. My guide told me of Roman Jewry’s over 2,000-year-old history beginning in the times of Judah Maccabee. As we sat in the awe-inspiring sanctuary of the Great Synagogue, she told me of the long, tumultuous history of the relationship between the Vatican and the Jews of Rome all the way up to the present day.

The dehumanization of Roman Jews had begun centuries ago, with the Vatican’s imprisonment of the Jews in the Ghetto.

Between 2,000 and 10,000 Jews (depending on the time) were forced to live in an area no larger than three square blocks, in tenement buildings with low ceilings, completely shut

out from the outside world for over 300 years.

Our discussion of the almost complete destruction of the community by National Socialism in the 1940s prompted me to ask about the current state of anti-Semitism in Rome and Italy. My guide’s response startled me to say the least. She told me that until a few months prior to my visit she would have said that there is none, or at least no more than any other place. This all changed after the kidnappings of the three Israeli teens and the ensuing operations in Gaza. The Jewish community held a rally for solidarity outside of the Jewish school located at the heart of the Roman Jewish quarter, and that same night Rome saw what my guide referred to as their “own little Kristallnacht.” Stores and homes had their windows smashed in; doors and windows were painted with swastikas.

There were even flyers posted around several neighborhoods in Rome denoting which businesses were known to be Jewish-owned, urging readers to boycott these businesses because their owners were proponents of “the Israeli-Palestinian genocide.”

My guide lamented, “We were shocked. It was never more clear to me that anti-Zionism had become a cover for real, volatile anti-Semitism.”

I tried my best to enjoy the rest of my weekend in Rome, but as I walked through the halls of the Vatican, I could not help but think of the history within the former ghetto walls, and worry for the future of Jewish life in a city where some gentile citizens have the propensity for such hostility.

Noah Diamondstein is a religious studies major at the University of Pittsburgh with a concentration in Jewish studies. He just completed his fall semester abroad in Prague, Czech Republic, attending the CET Academic Program with a focus on Judaic studies and will graduate in April. Noah will begin his studies at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion pursuing a career in the rabbinate. The next in Noah’s series of reports on European Jewry will appear in the March edition of HAKOL.

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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 15

HOME AWAY FROM HOME Summers with Camp JCC

By Mike Smith Camp JCC Program Coordinator Camp JCC has been my summer home for close to 20 years now. I started as a camper at age 7 in 1997 and quickly made a name for myself as the camper always in trouble for doing something ridiculous. They called me “Smith” back then, quite the opposite of the ubiquitous “Mr. Mike” I have come to be known as today. My journey from crazy camper, to CIT, counselor, unit head, and now camp program coordinator has been filled with laughter, fun and that fuzzy feeling you get when you know you belong somewhere.

My fondest memories of Camp JCC are by far the best memories of my childhood. They beat out my family trips to Disney, and I sit and ask myself, “why does Camp JCC rival the magic that a hug from a favorite Disney character can give? Why is the most magical place on earth for me a campsite 15 minutes from my house?” The reason is that Camp JCC, for me and many others like me, has always been a place to overcome my fears and go outside 16 FEBRUARY 2015 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

my comfort zone with an amazing group of people who have my back. As a child, I was able to prove to myself that I was capable and competent and that I could overcome any fears or anxieties that life threw my way. I made friends that understood me and accepted me for the crazy camper I was.

My new role for camp this summer has been several years in the making. After being a counselor for seven summers, I became a unit head. I was in charge of overseeing close to 80 children and staff and making sure everyone had the same great experience and good feelings about camp that I did when I was a camper. I think I succeeded at that, but feel that I can do more. Having almost 20 years of experience at Camp JCC has given me the unique opportunity to see what makes a quality camp experience. This summer looks to be unforgettable and will be filled with traditions old and new, a sense of community and quality programming. I’m proud of the summer that the camp team and I have planned, and I look forward to seeing our future camp leaders step off the bus on June 22 for their first day of camp!

Summer camp experience

By Julie Taffet JFLV Marketing Intern Despite the lingering extra-cold temperatures, Lehigh Valley families are looking ahead to summer camp. Here, several people reflect on their own camp experiences, even as some prepare their children’s summer plans.

MICKEY FREEMAN Mickey Freeman is a camp expert. Starting from his early childhood, Freeman attended Camp JCC. When he outgrew his camping days, he became an aide, a junior counselor, a counselor and eventually the assistant director.

Freeman’s experience of working with campers and leadership staff at camp went beyond the regular camp day. “I used to really like the overnights, they were always an adventure.”

The memory that stuck with Freeman while thinking back on his camp experience was the presence of music.

“Both as a camper and a leader, I did song leading.”

Music was a way to bring the whole camp community together.

Freeman’s mother was a Jewish nursery school director and his father

Camp Gan Israel new and improved!

worked at Temple Beth El. Through his Jewish camp experience, specifically Oneg Shabbat, the Jewish values Freeman learned at home were reinforced.

CAROL WILSON From the summer after third grade to the summer after eighth grade, Carol Wilson attended Camp White Pine in Haliburton, Ontario. “I can remember sitting by the lake on big rocks. We would talk about life and the universe.”

Wilson’s camp experience shaped the Jewish values that she still follows and practices today. “Camp reinforced Tzedaka , Shabbat, community, and the value of really good friends.”

Today, Wilson sends her children Ben, 15, and Rebecca, 11, to URJ Camp Harlam. ”It is remarkable watching them become independent, make new friends and test the waters in a safe place.” Ben and Rebecca will tell you that their favorite part about camp is Shabbat, when the whole camp comes together dressed in white, sing songs and experience a sense of community. As a mother and

By Sara Bressler-Rutz Chabad of the Lehigh Valley Camp Gan Israel has made some exciting improvements, and we are looking forward to this coming summer more than ever. In addition to our usual camp days, where our campers socialize with other Jewish children in a safe and warm environment, we are also adding special clubs where campers will be able to train in the things that interest them most. Each session, campers will have the option to choose from two specialty clubs: basketball and theatre.

We are expanding our trips as well. Instead of only taking small trips around the Lehigh Valley, we are now going even further every

session on full day trips, from aquariums to water parks.

What really makes our camp so special is our campers, Jewish pride and our staff. We recruit experienced Jewish counselors who are committed and devoted to ensuring your child will have the best summer experience. Our staff members are trained in CPR and First Aid. The counselors’ energy, excitement and care is what makes the camp so special and gives the campers a feeling of belonging and a friendship that lasts a lifetime!

For more information about Camp Gan Israel or to sign up, contact Chabad of the Lehigh Valley at 484351-6511, or visit us online at www.ganisraelpa.com.

Summer camp Continues on page 28

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 17

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When ‘perfect’ happens

Something extraordinary happened to me on a recent January morning. It was my day to volunteer for an organization in the Lehigh Valley called The Perfect Fit for Working Women. Due to a series of unexpected and fortuitous coincidences, I have been making the 16-mile ride from my home in Bethlehem to their location in the heart of Allentown for over a year.

On that particular day, Heidi Lennick, director of The Perfect Fit, and I were engaged in a conversation which led to her asking about an item she found months before.

As a Jewish woman, I was taught that many things are bashert but – let’s admit

it – there are times when circumstance and outcome are the result of things like timing, economics and socialization. Or are they?

Three years ago, following a photography exhibit at the Jewish Community Center of Allentown, I was asked if I would donate a piece to The Perfect Fit for their annual fundraiser. Until then, I had never heard of that organization but was impressed by their intentions and actions.

The Perfect Fit for Working Women is dedicated to empowering women of low income who are entering the workforce. Each client is provided with appropriate clothing and job assistance to instill confidence and raise self-esteem. Considering

hospitals in New Jersey and Florida for many years.

Their commitment was admirable and documented by recognition. Ironically, the day after donating my mother’s items, I received a call from Heidi stating that they found something personal amongst the clothing. I went back to discover that it was indeed, a lanyard with a collection of pins that had been awarded from the VA for volunteerism.

As a volunteer for The Perfect Fit, our time is filled with schlepping, organizing, tagging, hanging and folding clothing and other items. We share laughter, pride, hope and sometimes tears and treasures. When Heidi showed me on that recent January day what she had found, I didn’t recognize the outside cover but opened it anyway. There was something made from white linen, muslin or broadcloth.

It had rows of tape (almost like thin duck tape) at each end and it had a name on it, written in pencil … a first and last name … my name! This treasure in my hand was the tallis that I made for my dad over 50 years ago, as an 8-yearold attending Hebrew School.

My day was extraordinary … a day of laughter, tears and undeniable belief that things are indeed, bashert and … the Perfect Fit.

Presents

te ! a D w e N March 7, 2015 4:00 p.m.

Photos by Hub Willson

By Micki Auerbach Wechsler Special to HAKOL

my love of working with people and fashion, and helping and empowering women, this all sounded good to me and I readily agreed to help.

When my mom passed away in 2013, I inherently knew that I would be cleaning out her closet as a final task. As sad as that was, I found tremendous comfort in deciding that all of her clothes, shoes – she could have opened her own store – and accessories would be going to a place where they would be used in a positive and productive manner. I have no idea how I was able to drive my overly-packed Hyundai Elantra from the Jersey shore where my mom had been up to the Lehigh Valley. I was greeted by Heidi and together we filled bins with bags and boxes. I could not imagine how all these items would be distributed and was pleasantly surprised to see space for both showroom and storage. There were displays, dressing rooms and racks of clothing that rivaled any boutique. Mom’s things had a home!

Following my own retirement, I decided to become more involved in community service.

My parents were loyal volunteers at the Veteran’s Administration (VA)

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Local teens to attend large-scale BBYO convention

By Jenny Oswald JFLV Development Intern BBYO’s International Convention (IC) 2015 will take place in Atlanta over President’s Day Weekend. This year, over 2,200 BBYO members will attend IC in addition to more than 1,100 educators, professional staff, alumni, advisors, volunteers and philanthropists. The teen members will represent 20 different countries. Liberty Region

BBYO – comprised of chapters along Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and two areas of upstate New York – will be sending over 90 delegates. While the main convention will take place from Thursday through Monday, some teens will arrive early on Wednesday to take part in other programs such as the February Executive Conference, BBYO Global Partners Summit, or Jewish Enrichment Institute and Song Leading Workshop.

This year, both the Coalition of Jewish Teens and NFTY National Convention will run concurrent to BBYO IC, and will share some programming. This is a significant moment of unity for the different youth movements and should be a positive experience for them to learn from each other.

Over the course of the weekend, the teens will have the chance to participate in a large variety of activities. They will celebrate Shabbat together. They will hear their State of the Order as presented by the current international teen presidents and they will elect their new international leaders for next year. They will participate in “Limmud” or learning electives where they will hear from a variety of impressive speakers. On top of all that, the first day’s opening ceremonies and last night’s concert are simply giant celebrations. Overall they should be in for an incredible weekend.

Anti-Semitism watchdog: Belgian public schools becoming ‘Jew-free’ zones Jewish Telegraphic Agency A Belgian watchdog on anti-Semitism warned that the country’s public schools are becoming “Jewfree” zones because of harassment.

Joel Rubinfeld, president of the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism, made the remark in an interview for the weekly Le Vif/L’Express published in January. He revealed that the only Jewish student at the Emile Bockstael high school in Brussels left following harassment and threats from classmates after she posted a picture of an Israeli flag on Facebook.

The school “has become Judenfrei, there are no more Jewish students there,” Rubinfeld said, using the German-language term that the Nazis applied to locales which had been rendered “free of Jews.”

Rubinfeld also said that a growing number

of parents are being forced to pull their children from public schools all over Belgium.

According to the weekly, the last Jewish student at Emile Bockstael, identified only as Sarah, posted a picture of herself holding the Belgian flag alongside the Israeli one in summer. She received 288 abusive comments, including threats, on Facebook, also by classmates and other pupils she did not know.

In September, she began attending one of the Brussels region’s three major Jewish schools, but the harassment continued. On Sept. 10, she received a photo of a former classmate performing a Nazi salute telling her that she is missed.

Her parents, who have four children, pulled her two older twin brothers from public schools for similar reasons, the weekly reported. Only their eldest child was able to matriculate in a public school.

Muhlenberg College Hillel sponsors Birthright trip

Over winter break, a group of Muhlenberg College students toured Israel on a Taglit-Birthright trip sponsored

by Muhlenberg College Hillel. Led by Hillel staff, Hillel Director and Jewish Chaplain Rabbi Melissa B. Simon and Programs and Engagement Manager Jaimie Krass, the trip gave 40 American students and eight Israeli participants the opportunity to journey around the country and visit the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Tsipori, Tsfat and Haifa. Taglit-Birthright Israel aims to strengthen Jewish identity, Jewish communities and solidarity with Israel via a free, 10-day educational trip to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18-26 from around the world. Visit birthrightisrael.com for more details. To learn more about Muhlenberg College Hillel, go to Muhlenberg.edu/hillel.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 23

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By Chavie Lieber Special to HAKOL Just because they’re the same shape doesn’t mean they have the same soul.

Hamantaschen, the Purim season’s traditional triangleshaped cookie, are conventionally filled with jam, but the pastry has come a long way since its namesake ruled in ancient Persia. From New Orleans, where hamantaschen centers are filled with pecans and honey, to Texas, where the cookies are stuffed with onions and chili, Jews across the country have revised, redacted and reworked the holiday treat to create a new core.

“The greatest thing about hamantaschen is that you can fill them with anything and they’ll taste great,” Gabi Moskowitz, a food blogger in San Francisco and author of the cookbook "Brokeass Gourmet," told JTA. “You can really stick anything in there and they’ll still keep the tradition of the Jewish holiday.

Even something as simple as Nutella is good.”

Moskowitz’s latest creation is a pomegranate ricotta hamantaschen, which she says makes the perfect dessert. The cookie dough is made with cream cheese, giving the pastry a creamy consistency that is light and flaky, Moskowitz says.

The variations on hamantaschen go beyond cheese and vegetables. Alison Barnett, a food blogger from Ohio, came up with an alcoholic version, fashioning a mojito hamantaschen after contemplating the different ways she could expand Purim’s drinking tradition.

“One of the focuses of Purim is to drink – responsibly, of course – so I thought this adult

until golden-brown, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely before serving. version could bring out the kid in all of us,” Barnett said. “I brainstormed some fun cocktails that I dreamed I could roll into a hamantaschen because I was getting bored of the same ones every year.”

Barnett’s cookie features mint leaves and a rum curd filling with fresh lime and a raw sugar coating. She said her cookies taste more like a sugarrimmed mojito with a crunch.

GABI MOSKOWITZ’S RICOTTA POMEGRANATE CREAM CHEESE HAMANTASCHEN INGREDIENTS: 8 T. unsalted butter, softened 3 oz. cream cheese at room temperature 3 T. sugar 1 egg 1 t. vanilla extract 1/2 t. orange or Meyer lemon zest 1 1/3 c. plus 4 t. flour (plus more for rolling) 1/4 t. salt 2 c. ricotta cheese 1 egg yolk 1/4 c. superfine sugar 2 t. pomegranate molasses 1/2 t. vanilla extract 1 level T. cornstarch 1/2 c. dried golden raisins PREPARATION: Cream butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add sugar and mix for 1 minute. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, zest and salt. Add the flour, mixing until a sticky dough forms.

Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (up to 3 hours).

While the dough chills, make the filling: Place the ricotta in a mixing bowl. Beat in egg yolk, sugar, pomegranate molasses, vanilla and cornstarch. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the raisins. Chill until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly flour (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. Lightly flour a work surface, then roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is about 1/4-inch thick.

Use a floured three-inch cookie cutter (or a wine glass) to cut circles of dough. Gather scraps and re-roll the dough until you have cut all of it into circles. To assemble the hamantaschen, spoon about 1 t. of filling in center of a dough circle and fold the dough in from three sides.

Gently crimp the corners and twist to ensure they stay closed while baking. Arrange on the prepared cookie sheets and bake

24 FEBRUARY 2015 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

ALISON BARNETT’S MOJITO HAMANTASCHEN INGREDIENTS: Dough: 2 c. flour 3/4 t. baking powder 1/8 t. salt 1/2 c. Earth Balance or butter, softened 2/3 c. sugar 1 egg 1 egg yolk (reserve the egg white for assembling the cookie) 1 t. vanilla 1-1 1/2 t. peppermint oil 1 T. fresh mint leaves, minced Raw sugar (optional) Lime-Rum Curd Filling 1 c. sugar 1/4 c. Earth Balance or butter 1/8 c. corn starch 3/4 c. fresh lime juice 1 T. lime zest 2 eggs, beaten 2 T. rum PREPARATION: Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, egg yolk, vanilla, peppermint oil and mint leaves. Beat in flour mixture until combined. Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Filling: Place the sugar, Earth Balance, corn starch, lime juice, lime zest and rum in a saucepan. Heat the mixture until the butter melts. Pour some of the lime mixture into the eggs and stir together to temper the eggs. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and whisk constantly until mixture starts to boil and thicken. Whisk for about a minute, take off heat and strain into a bowl (this will separate any egg that may have curdled from the curd itself). Refrigerate the curd until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll out refrigerated dough on a lightly floured surface, about 1/8-inch thick. Cut rounds until dough is finished. Fill the rounds with the lime-rum curd filling and with your pinky, dip in egg white and lightly wet the edges around the hamantaschen.

Make the hamantaschen triangle shape by folding the bottom to make two corners and folding the top to make the third (requires both hands). Brush the outer part of the hamantaschen with egg white and sprinkle on the raw sugar. Bake for about 12 minutes until lightly browned.

Celebrate Purim in the Valley

By JFLV Staff The festive holiday of Purim begins on March 4 this year and some of the Lehigh Valley Jewish organizations already have plans afoot.

The Jewish Day School reports that Purim is “joyfully celebrated” with the children getting into a festive outlook with Spirit Week leading up to the holiday, including pajama day, backwards day, games, special foods and more. The celebrating culminates with the annual Purim Carnival in school on Friday, March 6, for all the students. Of course, there is the official reading of Megillat Esther ... groggers and all. With everyone in costume, and with the games and prizes, Purim is reportedly one of the most festive days of the year!

Starting the festivities early, the Jewish Community Center will host its annual Community Purim Palooza on Sunday, March 1, from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Planners say, “Come in costume and get ready for some fun!”

This will include games, moon bounce, and face painting. Tickets are 50 cents each. There will be prizes and there will be food.

Preceding the palooza, Temple Shirat Shalom will hold its Purim celebration at the JCC from 10 a.m. until noon.

For its part, Temple Covenant of Peace in Easton reportedly loves Purim! Rabbi Melody Davis said, “For our traditionalists, we will have an erev Purim service on Wednesday, March 4, at 6 p.m.” On Friday, March 6, at 6:15 p.m., the congregation hosts a Vegetarian Purim Potluck Dinner and then at 7:30 p.m., a “Jersey Boys Purim Service.”

On Saturday, March 7, Temple Covenant of Peace will present “The Little Per-maid: the Purim story told using the music of Disney's Little Mermaid.” This will be followed by a “SouperSupper” featuring three kinds of soup and wonderful bread from the Rockland Bakery. Donations are greatly appreciated for this evening. Game Night will follow after supper, with board games, Dungeons & Dragons and more.

Congregation Keneseth Israel kicks off the Purim festivities with a pizza party on Wednesday March 4, at 5:30 p.m. followed by “The Megillah According to Disney.” Children and adults are asked to come in costume.

With an even earlier start to the day, Congregation Sons of Israel reminds us that on March 4, The Fast of Esther starts at 5:20 a.m. with Shacharis at 6:30 a.m. Mincha will be at 5:35 p.m., and Maariv and Megillah Reading start at 6 p.m. The fast ends at 6:39 p.m. and the Youth Carnival begins at 7:30 p.m.

On March 5, Shacharis begins at 6:30 a.m. followed by a Megillah reading at 7 a.m. A late Megillah reading will begin at 4 p.m. and Mincha at 4:45 p.m.

Also on March 5 at Sons of Israel and beginning at 5 p.m. will be the Blues Brothers Purim Seudah. This features a live band, “Blues Brothers” cuisine, a moon bounce, and the mentalist and magician Denny Corby from “America's Got Talent.”

Tickets are $18 for adults and $10 children with a maximum of $45 per family. Maariv begins at 7 p.m. Reservations can be made at the synagogue office at 610-433-6089 until Tuesday, March 3.

Congregation Brith Sholom and Bnai Abraham Synagogue, which have partnered for religious school, are sharing Purim services and festivities. The religious school children will partake in a pizza party on Wednesday, March 4, before donning their costumes and joining in the 6 p.m. congregational Megillah reading at Brith Sholom. This will be immediately followed by handmade hamantaschen, a dance and a sundae bar.

Also on March 4 at 6 p.m., Chabad of the Lehigh Valley will host a Purim Bash, which is to include “a spiel by the Hebrew School students, lively music, Megillah reading and a top notch kosher dinner and, even better, surprise entertainment.”

Consult the synagogue offices for additional plans and for updates as Purim draws near.

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We are thankful to PJ library for helping to build our home library and we all enjoy getting the package every month.

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.

Gail Levine's Hearty Guacamole A big thank you to Sandi Teplitz for bringing us this recipe. Sandi says, “For a delicious way to use freshly grown vegetables and celebrate a holiday at the same time, try this delicious guacamole recipe, courtesy of Gail Levine -- it's the most flavorful one I've tried!”

INGREDIENTS: 3 small ripe Haas avocados (no other kind), mashed coarsely 4 cloves garlic, finely cut 1 small yellow onion, finely cut 1 large ripe organic tomato, chopped and seeded lemon juice -- 2 generous squeezes sea salt and black pepper to taste TECHNIQUE: Shortly before serving, mix all ingredients together. To prevent discoloration, bury the pit of an avocado in the mixture until served, and cover with Handi Wrap. Serve chilled, with multigrain organic chips and a Corona with lime.

PJ LIBRARY PASSOVER SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2015 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Congregation Sons of Israel

Celebrate Passover with PJ Library!

Learn about the holiday, visit interactive story stations, and enjoy snacks, crafts and a PJ Library story. There will be a story walk to the book “All of Me: A Book of Thanks” by Molly Bang.

Co-sponsored by Congregation Sons of Israel, Congregation Keneseth Israel, Temple Beth El and Temple Shirat Shalom.

RSVP to Abby Trachtman at 610-821-5500 or abbyt@jflv.org.

PJ Library is brought to you by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, the Jewish Community Center of Allentown and the Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley, in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 25

LifeTheatre 4x4_Layout 1 1/2/2015 11:01 AM Page 1

Allentown artist paints the vivid, the beautiful

By Jennifer Lader Editor, HAKOL

Tue., Feb. 17 - 7 PM - $30/$25 Mature Audiences 453 Northampton St., Easton, PA

. 1-800-999-STATE . 610-252-3132 .

Home of the FREDDY© AWARDS

www.statetheatre.org

The month of January saw not only cold winds and black ice but also flowers and sunsets in vivid hues – for those who knew where to look.

Months before, the owners of C. Leslie Smith, a silversmith and fine arts shop in Allentown, had contacted Camelot for Children with a new idea: Charles L. and Nadine Y. Smith had noticed that, while music teachers had venues for performance, art teachers had few avenues “for their art to be recognized.” At the same time, Dr. Flora Pestcoe had been teaching art at Camelot’s summer camp while, at home in her studio, she had been painting up, not a storm, but a collection of outdoor scenes – especially of flowers – in bright, lively colors. In the month of January, C. Leslie Smith exhibited Pestcoe’s work in the shop.

Pestcoe had begun painting as a child, but set her paintbrushes aside to attend medical school and start her career. Although busy with family since then, she has a bit more time because sons William and Ian are older now.

She and husband Dr. Andy Pestcoe are active with Camelot for Children, which is a nonprofit organization that is a gathering place for seriously, chronically and terminally ill, handicapped or disabled children; and fosters emotional support and social interaction. They are members of Congregation Brith Sholom and Pestcoe is active with Hadassah.

In addition, Pestcoe volunteers as an art therapist at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Center’s facility in Allentown. There, she and others make it possible for residents of varying abilities –whether artistic or physical – to express themselves through art. This can involve using a bit of ingenuity and, in one case, a lot of masking tape to frame up specific areas of a canvas for painting. “We’ve been pretty successful,” Pestcoe said of her work with residents, “with pictures we

Dr. Flora Pestcoe paints what she wants to remember; above, her work “Great Blue Herons.” Some of her other works were recently exhibited at C. Leslie Smith, a silversmith and fine arts shop on Cedar Crest Boulevard in Allentown that seeks to give art teachers a space in which to be recognized.

never would have expected.”

What a pleasure it is for Pestcoe and teachers like her to have a venue as well. C. Leslie Smith, located at 311 S. Cedar Crest Blvd. in Allentown, has set aside a corner of the store for exhibits of art teachers’ work available for purchase from the artist alongside the handmade fine arts and American crafts available throughout the rest of the store.

Of her own work, Pestcoe commented, “As my teacher said, ‘when you paint something, you kind of immortalize it,’ and I like to paint from pleasant memories or something beautiful.” Ever aware of what she is about, she later added, “I don’t do dark or sad or mysterious.”

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: PrimeTime at the Gallery

By Melissa Hakim JCC Senior Services Coordinator PrimeTime at the J teamed

ONE HAND, ONE HEART

SUPPORTING STRUGGLING FAMILIES ... a tzedakah event

HAVE A HEART, LEND A HAND. Proceeds from the concert will benefit struggling Jewish families in the community.

TOGETHER...

IN CONCERT

SAM

GLASER SATURDAY

MAR 14, 2015

8:15 PM AT THE

ALLENTOWN JCC

SUPPORTING STRUGGLING FAMILIES ... a tzedakah event

at the J gathered in the Auxiliary Auditorium for a delicious kosher lunch catered by the Noshery of Muhlenberg College. The meal was accompanied by champagne, adding a festive air to the gathering. Everyone enjoyed the fine food and time for socializing.

Afterwards, there was time to enjoy shopping in the gallery. Beautiful creations from 11 artists were available for purchase.

Egypt considering importing natural gas from Israel

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

ONE HAND, ONE HEART

up with the Gallery at the JCC for a very well-received opening program on Dec. 12.

More than 40 people attended this PrimeTime at the J inaugural program. The program started off with a packed audience in the Gallery to hear Susan Biebuyck speak about her pop art featured there. The talk gave a wonderful perspective on her work and attendees enjoyed the lecture.

After the talk, PrimeTime

TICKETS

$18 per person $10 students under Bar/Bat Mitzvah age $100 maximum per family

26 FEBRUARY 2015 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

ONE HAND, ONE HEART IS SUPPORTED BY: ALLENTOWN JCC JEWISH DAY SCHOOL JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY MUHLENBERG HILLEL BNAI ABRAHAM SYNAGOGUE CHABAD OF LEHIGH VALLEY CONGREGATION AM HASKALAH CONGREGATION BETH AVRAHAM CONGREGATION BRITH SHOLOM CONGREGATION KENESETH ISRAEL CONGREGATION SONS OF ISRAEL TEMPLE BETH EL TEMPLE COVENANT OF PEACE TEMPLE SHIRAT SHALOM

Tickets are available online at all participating organizations & synagogues and at:

• jewishlehighvalley.org/samglaser Inquire about additional tzedakah opportunities to sponsor ONE HAND, ONE HEART: Supporting Struggling Families.

Jewish News Service Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Sherif Ismail said that Egypt is considering importing natural gas from Israel to alleviate its shortage of the resource.

“Anything can happen. Whatever achieves the best interests of Egypt, and of the Egyptian economy and the role of Egypt in the region ... that will determine the decision to import gas from Israel,” Ismail told the state-owned Al Mussawar magazine, Reuters reported.

Private companies are reportedly already negotiating to bring Israeli gas to Egypt, but any agreement will need to be approved on the government level.

Despite the fact that Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty in 1979, many in Egypt’s government and society still view the Jewish state with distrust. But in recent years, the two countries have found themselves increasingly working together against terrorism in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, which borders southern Israel.

The Israeli company Delek Drilling has estimated that if an agreement is signed, gas can begin flowing from Israel to Egypt in 2017.

ON THIS DATE

Blue Lady remembered

By Josh Goldin Teen Correspondent Billie Holiday, one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, was born 100 years ago, making this year’s Black History Month the perfect time to honor this incredible performer. It turns out that several Jewish musicians were instrumental in forwarding Holiday’s career, beginning with Benny Goodman, and including Artie Shaw, Abel Meeropol and Milt Gabler.

While Holiday’s career path crossed early with that of Benny Goodman and they both had to grow up fast, their journeys were very different. Born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915, Holiday was raised by her single teenage mother. Her father Clarence Holiday, whose surname she later adopted, was also a jazz musician, yet his infrequent visits made father and daughter strangers while she was growing up.

Young Eleanora learned to sing from music she heard while cleaning the steps of a brothel at which her mother worked as a maid. At the age of 14, she was incarcerated for prostitution. Despite or

because of these and other difficult early experiences, she found her soul and solace in music and, being a fan of actress Billie Dove, adopted the name Billie.

Goodman, on the other hand, left school at the age of 14 to join the American Federation of Musicians. Son of Russian immigrants, when his tailor father died, Goodman supported his family by playing the clarinet — and there were 13 mouths to feed.

While both Goodman and Holiday spent most of their childhoods struggling with poverty, the stability of their families and home life was quite different. Goodman was immersed in the Jewish community; in fact, he studied music at the Kehelah Jacob Synagogue.

When Holiday was between the ages of 16 and 18, her luck took a turn for the better. Producer John Hammond was impressed by her performance in a Harlem jazz club and compared her to Louie Armstrong, an improvisation jazz genius. Hammond was close with Goodman, who at the time was an upand-coming bandleader and clarinetist.

Goodman was equally impressed with Holiday when he first heard her in 1931 at the club, The Bright Spot; so much so, that he became a bright spot in her musical career: Holiday’s first commercial releases and her 1934 top 10 hit, “Riffin’ the Scotch,” were done with Benny Goodman.

It is ironic that her first hit was about scotch, since alcohol and drugs were her final demise. Billie Holiday suffered from mental and physical health problems, abetted by her life of addictions.

Holiday was often the only African American traveling with all-white bands. In fact, Jewish musician and band organizer Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky) was the first white bandleader to hire a full-time black female singer to tour the segregated South in 1938. Holiday had to use the service elevator because white hotel patrons complained if she rode in passenger elevators. It was most infuriating to her that other members of her band could be served in the bars and dining rooms where they played while she could only perform in these venues and was made

to enter and leave through the kitchen. After recording “Any Old Time,” she left Shaw’s band because the hostility in the South was too much.

Another one of Holiday’s hits, “Strange Fruit” was based upon a poem written by a Jewish Bronx schoolteacher, Abel Meeropol, about a lynching. It reminded Holiday of her father’s death. While her record label, Columbia, found the subject matter too sensitive, Jewish record producer Milt Gabler agreed to produce the song in his father’s family music business, Commodore. It became her best-selling record in the 1930s and remained strong in Holiday’s repertoire for 20

years. After the song became a hit, Holiday demanded that her manager at the time, Joe Glaser, also Jewish, give her a raise.

Holiday continued to struggle with health and addiction, which eventually affected her voice, and she died in 1959.

The title of Holiday’s 1956 autobiography, “Lady Sings the Blues,” plays on color metaphors as well as invoking the nickname “Lady” bestowed by her longtime friend and fellow musician Lester Young.

“Blues” honors this jazz icon and “blues” recognizes the depression from which Billie Holiday suffered for most of her turbulent life.

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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 27

Summer camp

them to Young Judea Camps.

Continues from page 17

a former Jewish camper herself, Wilson loves watching them make friendships that will last their whole lives.

MONICA LEMELMAN Monica Lemelman reflects on her time as a camper at Camp Massabeeth, a Hebrewspeaking, Jewish camp. “I loved Havdalah services. People would march in with candles and we would sing.”

Through singing Jewish songs, Lemelman began to shape her Jewish values. “I learned about the beauty of the holidays and Shabbat, and learned how to enjoy being Jewish with other Jewish kids.”

Although Camp Massabeeth no longer exists, Lemelman holds the memories she had from there close to her heart. She wanted her children to experience the same magic that she felt at summer camp, and sent

ROBBY WAX Robby Wax started going to Pinemere Camp in Stroudsburg when he was 8 years old. Wax, as an adult, is still in the midst of his camp experience. He continued as a counselor until he was 19, and continues to participate now as president of the board.

Wax’s favorite thing about camp was and still is the sense of community. “You arrive in this place outside of your home, and within days you have this tremendous sense of community.”

Having had such an incredible camp experience, today Wax sends his two sons to Pinemere Camp. “When we pick up our older son, he asks if he can stay for a third session, but there is no third session. If he could move out of my house and live at Pinemere, he would be very happy.”

As a camper, Wax was unaware of the Jewish values that were being instilled in him. As a parent, however, he sees his sons learning about the importance of Judaism.

Bess Myerson, only Jewish Miss America, lived colorful life Jewish Telegraphic Agency Bess Myerson, the only Jewish woman to be crowned Miss America, has died.

Myerson, who also was a spokeswoman for the AntiDefamation League and donated $1.1 million to help found the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, died on Dec. 14 at her home in Santa Monica, California, The New York Times reported. She was 90.

After being crowned Miss America in September 1945, days after the close of World War II, Myerson went on tour expecting to be welcomed by the public.

Instead, The New York Times quotes Myerson biographer Susan Dworkin as saying “everywhere she went, she was met with terrible bigotry. People didn’t want her at their country clubs. People didn’t want her at their hotels.”

One mother screamed at Myerson, blaming “the Jews” that her soldier-son was dead.

Nevertheless, Myerson went on to have a career in public affairs. She led two New York City departments — consumer affairs and cultural affairs — before becoming a spokeswoman and national commissioner for the ADL. Myerson also served on various boards and commissions under presidents Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.

Throughout the late 1970s, Myerson became one of the faces of Ed Koch’s mayoral campaign.

She appeared on his posters and was often seen holding hands

with him in public.

In the late 1980s, Myerson became romantically linked to wealthy sewer contractor Carl Capasso and subsequently was involved in a series of legal controversies, or what was known as the “Bess Mess.” In 1989 she was acquitted in the bribery of a New York judge. A year earlier she had been caught shoplifting, which in a Jan. 11 New York Times article, gossip columnist and Myerson friend Cindy Adams linked to the dementia that was developing in Myerson.

Following the bribery acquittal, Myerson stayed out of the public eye for the rest of her life.

Myerson was born in the Bronx in 1924 to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. She lived in the Shalom Aleichem Co-operative with a few hundred other Jewish families and attended the High School of Music & Art. As a talented piano player and performer, she went on to play at Carnegie Hall and appear on television shows such as “I’ve Got A Secret.”

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28 FEBRUARY 2015 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

SONS OF ISRAEL ENLIVENS WINTER EVENINGS

World-renowned cantor to lead services

By Rabbi David Wilensky Congregation Sons of Israel Chazzanut, Jewish liturgical music, is experiencing a renaissance, and Congregation Sons of Israel will be hosting one of the best of the new breed of Chazzanim.

On Feb. 19 and 20, as part of Son’s of Israel’s “Shabbat of the Month” program, Chazzan Yaakov Lemmer will be conducting services.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Cantor Yaakov “Yanky” Lemmer’s beautiful lyric tenor voice, dramatic color and precise coloratura have garnered him universal praise among his peers and connoisseurs alike.

Lemmer began his singing career as the star soloist of the Young Israel of Bethel Choir, where world renowned Cantor Ben Zion Miller took him under his private tutelage. He earned a scholarship to the Belz School of Jewish Music at Yeshiva University, where he studied with cantors Joseph Malovany and Bernard Beer, and cantorial legend Noach Schall.

As an internationally renowned concert artist, Lemmer is in constant demand on the concert stage, as well as synagogues, thrilling audiences throughout the world. He has appeared at the Tel Aviv Culture Hall with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and has been featured throughout the United States, Canada, England and at various European Culture Festivals. In addition, he has performed with jazz/klez legend Frank London and received rave reviews for his unique interpretations of traditional liturgical music. He has also officiated at some of the world’s most prominent pulpits throughout the world.

Lemmer’s repertoire spans many genres and languages, including traditional Hebrew liturgy, Yiddish folk, Opera, Broadway, Israeli and more.

In additional to his cantorial vocation, Yaakov is a licensed special education therapist, working with special needs children in Brooklyn, New York. He currently serves as cantor of Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York City.

SOI Cholent cook-off warms tummies

By Rabbi Yoshua Mizrachi Special to HAKOL Cholent noun - /’CHô-lǝnt - A dish of baked meat and vegetables, prepared on a Friday and left to slow-cook overnight, so as not to violate the Biblical prohibition of cooking on the Sabbath.

Basically, beef stew. Sounds simple, right?

Wrong. Cholent is serious business: the quintessential combination of beef and bean, cholent recipes take years to perfect. Recipes are handed down from generation to generation, and are as closely guarded as the recipe for Coca Cola (or is it the other way around?).

For the 11th time, contestants in the Congregation Sons of Israel Annual Cholent CookOff put their best recipes to the test. For the Dec. 20 event, five intrepid cholent-ologists prepared entries. Beef, beans, potatoes, barley, vegetables, water, secret ingredients – all added in stochiometric quantities, in the hopes that, 24 hours later, the

result would be a rich, moist hearty cholent that would leave Bubbie kvelling.

Shabbat morning, the judges were solemnly ushered out of the sanctuary to render a verdict.

Congregants and contestants alike were held in suspense as each judge tasted and evaluated each entry. Then, the cholents were presented to the community at large to taste. During kiddush, as congregants sampled the various cholents and other savory delicacies, all thoughts were on one question alone: Which cholent would claim the 2014 title as undisputed cholent champ? Team Dana (veggie)? Team Wiener?

Team JDS? Team Wilensky? Or Team Daugherty/Herman?

In the end, although all the entries were very, very good, Team Wiener took top prize.

Kudos to Tamar Wiener for her second win! (The rest of us had better start cholenting now (is that a verb?) in preparation for the 12th Annual Cholent Cook-Off …

TAMAR’S WINNING CHOLENT RECIPE Cooking times are based on putting

the cholent up on Friday before Shabbat and not eating until around noon on Saturday.

2 T. oil 1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped 2-4 strips of flanken or 1-2 packages of beef cubes/stew meat (the more meat, the better it will be!)

2-3 large potatoes cut into chunks 2 c. small white beans 1 c. of barley 1/4 c. honey 1/4 c. ketchup 1 T. hot sauce, or to taste 1 T. garlic powder 1 T. onion powder 1/4 c. onion soup mix 7 c. of water, or cover to top of the ingredients plus 2 inches Salt and pepper to taste Put oil in bottom of crockpot. Add onions and rest of ingredients. Stir ingredients together. Cook on high for the first 2-3 hours then turn to low and cook for at least 12 more hours. Right before Shabbos, check the cholent. If it looks a little dry add water. Enjoy!

“

Note: Sons of Israel’s YACHAD Shabbaton, which was featured in last month’s HAKOL, will be held in May, following a sensitivity workshop to be held in preparation for the special Shabbat. Please stay tuned for coming details.

Purim Gala to honor LV Holocaust survivors

By Scott Brenner President, Congregation Sons of Israel Congregation Sons of Israel in Allentown is honored to announce that at this year's Purim gala dinner, the congregants will be recognizing and celebrating the lives of members of our community who survived the Holocaust.

In the year marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, we must reaffirm our commitment to remember and never forget the atrocities that befell the Jewish people of Europe during the Holocaust.

In addition, we must recognize those who survived for their undaunting courage and continued commitment to the survival of the Jewish people.

All of our local survivors, including marquee honoree Julius Jacobs, have lived exemplary and productive lives while maintaining a commitment to their Jewish heritage. While many events surrounding Holocaust

remembrance reflect the somber nature of this horrific period in Jewish history, at this year's Purim Gala, we celebrate the lives of these remarkable individuals and the successes they have achieved in spite of their trying beginnings.

We at Congregation Sons of Israel are humbled to honor these remarkable individuals as a living symbol of the survival and perseverance of the Jewish people. We invite you to join us and the entire Jewish community of the Lehigh Valley so that we may pay tribute to them and celebrate their lives at a gala event on March 15 at 6 p.m. at the JCC of Allentown.

Our goal is to have as many members of our community as possible present at this monumental event.

Transportation for those in need of it will be provided.

For more information about the Purim gala, please call the Sons of Israel synagogue office at 610-433-6089.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2015 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, FEBRUARY 1 KI Brunch and Lecture: The Allentown Renaissance 9:30 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel. Congregation Keneseth Israel’s Adult Education Committee invites the community to join them for brunch and a presentation given by three distinguished leaders who played key roles in bringing the redevelopment of downtown Allentown to life. Learn how it came about, why it was important to do and what it means for you, for Allentown and the Greater Lehigh Valley. The morning’s speakers will include Seymour Traub, chairman of the Neighborhood Improvement Zone Development Authority; J. B. Reilly, the real estate developer with a big vision who is the president and founder of the City Center Investment Corporation; and three-term Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski. They are uniquely qualified to discuss how the redevelopment came about and what we can expect in the future. The brunch is hosted by the KI Brotherhood and will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the presentation to begin at 10:15 a.m.

Please RSVP to the KI temple office at 610-435-9074. The cost is $5 per person with RSVP or $7.50 at the door.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5 TBE 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, FEBRUARY 5 Thirsty Thursdays 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., JCC of Allentown TV Lounge (outside the board room). Happy Hour at the JCC! Stop by the J at the end of the day. Join other adults, sit back, relax and chat with others. Enjoy light refreshments including adult beverages. FREE for JCC Members. $5 for community members. Reserve your space by calling 610-4353571 or stopping by the JCC Welcome Desk OR register online at www.allentownjcc.org. Contact Amy Sams at asams@lvjcc.org to learn more about Adults at the J events and programs.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8 Oy Vey: Understanding the Israeli Elections 10 a.m., Congregation Sons of Israel. It starts with the primaries and the party lists and it culminates with the formation of a collation to form a majority government. Understanding the Israeli elections is not an easy task, and just when you think you know, a new party is formed and the political landscape changes. Join us for a brunch to discuss the upcoming Israeli elections with Gil Tamary, “the Israeli Matt Lauer” and Washington Bureau Chief for the Israel Broadcasting Authority. $8 per person. A free Tu b’Shevat youth program will run concurrently and additional babysitting will be available. RSVP by Monday, Feb. 2, to Aaron Gorodzinsky, 610-821-5500, aaron@jflv.org.

Co-sponsored by Congregations Sons of Israel and the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8 JCC and JDS Family Snowtubing Day 1 to 4 p.m., Blue Mountain. Sponsored by the JDS PTO and JCC Children Committee and open to All JDS and JCC families (must be 36 inches or taller). Each family should purchase tickets in advance at www.skibluemt. com. Tickets are $27 per person. Questions? Contact Lisa

Ellis at lisa.b.ellis@gmail.com or Arnon Gavish at PTO@ jdslv.org.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9 TBE 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 to play. For questions or to RSVP, contact Ilene Rubel, 610-776-1577 or IRUBEL@aol.com.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13 Grandbuddies at the J 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., JCC of Allentown. PrimeTime at the J members are invited to join the JCC Kindergarten class for a Shabbat celebration followed by an activity and lunch. $5 per Shabbat. Brought to you by PrimeTime at the J, a division of Jewish Senior LIfe Connection.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19 Bethlehem Easton Hadassah Book Review 1:30 p.m., home of Roberta Diamond. “Outwitting History: Adventures of a Man who Rescued a Million Yiddish Books” by Aaron Lansky. Free event. Contact Roberta Diamond, 610-865-3357.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19 Adults at the J Paint & Party 6:15 to 9 p.m., Paint and Party Studios, 1901 W. Allen St., Allentown. An evening of fun and adventure. Private party for Adults at the J group. Relax. Create. Socialize.

Discover your inner artist. Professional instructors will walk you step by step through painting your own work to take home. All paint supplies and instruction included. Wine and light fare included. Cost: $40 JCC members, $48 community members. Call 610-435-3571 or stop by the JCC Welcome Desk to register. Online registration also available at www.allentownjcc.org. Adults 21+ are welcome!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20 PrimeTime Lunch & Lecture 12 p.m., JCC of Allentown. “Telling Your Story” with Debbie Zoller, executive director of Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley. $5 for lunch and program. Brought to you by PrimeTime at the J, a division of Jewish Senior Life Connection.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20 CBS Shabbat: Comfort Food to Warm Your Heart 6 p.m., Congregation Brith Sholom. Join Congregation Brith Sholom for Shabbot dinner and Friday night services. This kosher dinner will feature pot roast and kasha varnishes and other side dishes guaranteed to keep you warm on a cold winter evening. Make your reservations by 12 p.m. on Feb. 13 (reservations are required). The price is $15 per adult and $5 per child between the ages of 5 and 13. There is no charge for children under 5 and the maximum charge for a family will not exceed $45.

Checks should be made out to “CBS - Shabbat Dinners.”

Payment should be made in advance, no payment will be accepted on Shabbat. For reservations or questions, call Tammy 610-866-8009. For those who need transportation, please contact Tammy.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Comedy at Temple Beth El 7 p.m., Temple Beth El. Winter Blues? Join us for a “Night of Laughter.” $36 admission, includes snacks, desserts and drinks. Doors open at 7 p.m., showtime at 8 p.m.

Join us for a hilarious night of fun with Dick Capri and Steven Scott. For reservations, call 610-435-3521.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27 TBE Shira Chadasha Service 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, FEBRUARY 28 Java & Jeans Shabbat: Yoga Body, Jewish Mind 10 a.m., Bnai Abraham Synagogue. Veronica Grant will provide an introduction to her yoga philosophy. This program will feature light movement, appropriate for all ages and skills. A vegan oneg will follow. Contact office@ bnaibraham.com. Sponsored by Bnai Abraham Synagogue and the Easton Leadership Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 J Nights: Let’s Play! (Adult Game Night) 7 to 9 p.m., JCC Lower Level. It’s all about the GAME! Enjoy board games, sweet and savory light fare, adult beverages, door prizes and friendly competition. Ages 21 years and up. Price: $25 per adult, JCC member value price: $18. Call 610-435-3571, stop by the Welcome Desk or visit www.allentownjcc.org to register. Contact Amy Sams at asams@lvjcc.org to learn more about Adults at the J. NOTE: J Winter Games will be running at the same time for children 2nd through 8th grade in the gym. Separate sign up under recreation. Special pricing of $12 for adults when a child in the same family is registered for J Winter Games.

SUNDAY, MARCH 1 Yoga Body, Jewish Mind 9 a.m., Bnai Abraham Synagogue. Veronica Grant will lead a “traditional” yoga class, incorporating her Jewish approach to practice. Please wear workout clothes.

Contact office@bnaibraham.com. Sponsored by Bnai Abraham Synagogue and the Easton Leadership Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

SUNDAY, MARCH 1 Author Talk: The New Senior Woman 11 a.m., Bnai Abraham Synagogue. Bnai Abraham and the Easton Jewish Book Council welcome Thelma Reese to discuss her book, “The New Senior Woman.”

A deli lunch will follow this discussion. About the book: Today’s senior women live longer, are healthier, better educated, more involved in the world and more active than the women who preceded us. Figuring out these uncharted years without role models or guideposts can be challenging, but, here, the authors gather the stories of today’s senior women, who have jumped hurdles, answered questions and made decisions they never saw their mothers make. Contact office@bnaibraham. com. Sponsored by Bnai Abraham Synagogue and the Easton Leadership Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

SUNDAY, MARCH 1 Community Purim Palooza 12:30 to 3 p.m., JCC of Allentown. Family-friendly carnival with activities including games, a moon bounce and face painting. Tickets are $0.50 each. There will be prizes and food. For more Purim events, see story on Page 25.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 Adults at the J and PrimeTime at the J Bus Trip: Philadelphia Flower Show 7:45 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., Pennsylvania Convention Center, Center City Philadelphia. Day bus trip to visit “Lights, Camera, BLOOM!” at the 2015 Philadelphia Flower Show.

Experience the magic of movies and horticulture as the 186th PHS Philadelphia Flower Show celebrates the silver screen. Trip includes motor coach round trip transportation, flower show ticket (10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and kosher wine and snacks on the return ride home. Lunch is on your own in or around the convention center. To register, contact the JCC at 610-435-3571, visit the Welcome Desk or visit www.allentownjcc.org. Sponsored by PrimeTime at the J AND Adults at the J. The bus will pick up at (and return to) two stops: Temple Covenant of Peace in Easton at 7:45 a.m. and the JCC of Allentown at 8:30 a.m. Price is $75 per person, $68 JCC members ages 18-64 or $53 per person for ages 65+. The Pennsylvania Convention Center is a handicap accessible building.

Elevators are available to guests who require them.

Wheelchairs are available for rent on a first-come, firstserved basis.

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 FEBRUARY 2015 | 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, Feb. 6

5:08 pm

Friday, Feb. 27

5:33 pm

Friday, Feb. 13

5:17 pm

Friday, Mar. 6

5:41 pm

Friday, Feb. 20

5:25 pm

Friday, Mar. 13

6:49 pm

Community Calendar Ongoing Events SUNDAY to FRIDAY DAF YOMI 7:30 a.m., Congregation Sons of Israel 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 Veterans and their significant others are invited as the guest of the Ladies Auxiliary.

Come and enjoy comradeship; we’ll even listen to your “war stories.” A brunch follows each meeting. Questions? Contact Commander Sheila Berg at 610360-1267 or sh-berg1@hotmail.com.

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 610-905-2166.

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 for lively and enjoyable programs and a delicious lunch. Annual dues $25; paid up members are treated to two major programs with a catered luncheon.

Regular weekly meetings and lunch - $6.

First visit - NO CHARGE. Weather permitting. Contact Betty at 610-395-6282 for reservations.

SOUL MATES: JEWISH SECRETS TO MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS Once a month, 7 p.m., Chabad of the Lehigh Valley The Rosh Chodesh Society presents a new, seven-session course for women with instructor Devorah Halperin. This course draws upon millennia of Jewish wisdom, from the mystical to the down-to-earth, allowing women of all ages and walks of life to explore the intricacies of love and marriage from a Jewish perspective. The course will delve into a diverse array of Jewish sources, seamlessly weaving together the philosophical, the spiritual and the practical. $50 for the entire course (textbook included) or $10 per class.

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 lifecycle observances. The 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 TORAH STUDY 12 p.m., Temple Covenant of Peace Join Rabbi Melody to delve into the heart and soul of the Torah and how it applies to your life! No knowledge of Hebrew is necessary, nor is registration. Join us when you can and do the Jewish thing: LEARN! Contact 610-253-2031 for information.

PIRKEI AVOT (THE ETHICS OF THE FATHERS) 1:15 p.m., Temple Covenant of Peace Join Rabbi Melody in TCP’s new “lounge” for this wonderful new class. All welcome!

Contact 610-253-2031 for information.

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.

Moderated by Rabbi Yehoshua Mizrachi.

Held in the Teachers’ Learning Center/ Holocaust Resource Room (lower level, JCC). Call 610-435-3571 for information.

100,000 MILES/YR FOR KOSHER! First Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m., Congregation Beth Avraham Open to all. Fascinating vignettes from a mashgiach who drives approximately 100,000 miles/year (yes, per year!) to keep the kosher supply chain intact. From rural Arkansas to frigid Nova Scotia, winter and summer, the demands are always there. Contact Rabbi Yitzchok I. Yagod, Kashruth Hotline (24/6), 610-905-2166, rabbiyagod1@gmail.com.

LATTE & LEARN 8 to 9 p.m., Starbucks, Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem Grab your favorite Starbucks quaff and jump right in as we relate the weekly Torah portion to world events, western civilization and even our own relationships. No Hebrew is required, but a spirit of inquiry and a sense of humor might come in handy! Contact Rabbi Mizrachi 207-404-0474; opshiloh@gmail.com; www.torahovereasy.blogspot.com.

WEDNESDAYS 101 JUDAISM CLASS 10 a.m., Temple Covenant of Peace Join Rabbi Melody for the 101 Judaism Class. All welcome! Contact 610-2532031 for information.

THE BEGINNINGS OF JUDAISM 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Congregation Brith Sholom Join Rabbi Jonathan Gerard for a new course starting Feb. 4. Tuition is $18. All are welcome to attend.

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 610-439-1851.

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, 610-9052166, rabbiyagod1@gmail.com.

HUSBANDS ANONYMOUS First Wednesday of the month, 7:30 p.m., location upon signup Calling all wives! Send your husbands to this class! Rabbi WIlensky guides us on how to become more attentive, caring, sensitive partners, and how to strengthen and deepen our spousal relationships in the context of Torah. Contact Sons of Israel for exact dates and locations.

TORAH STUDIES: A WEEKLY JOURNEY INTO THE SOUL OF TORAH 7:30 p.m., Chabad Torah Studies by JLI presents: Season One: An 11-part series. Cost is $36 for the complete 11-week series (textbook included).

For more information contact 610-3516511 or rabbi@chabadlehighvalley.com.

ORTHODOX JEWISH LIVING: WHAT IS IT & HOW? 8 p.m. To learn more, contact Rabbi Yizchok I. Yagod, 610-905-2166 or rabbiyagod1@gmail.com THURSDAYS ADULT EDUCATION CLASS 10:15 to 11:15 a.m., Bnai Abraham Synagogue No preparation or prior knowledge is required. Rabbi Daniel Stein leads an eager-to-learn group. We examine the Torah, Judaism, the holidays, Hebrew and Yiddish literature, well-known stories and poetry. Cost: $10 each semester. Contact 610-258-5343, office@bnaiabraham.org.

MOMMY & ME 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., Chabad Led by Devorah Halperin and 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.

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

FRIDAYS KINDERLIGHTS 2:45 p.m., Jewish Day School and Congregation Sons of Israel Have your kids and their friends bring some Erev Shabbat cheer, flowers and songs to elderly members of our community. Friday afternoons after school with Rabbi David Wilensky and Mrs. Eva Levitt. Starts at the Jewish Day School with pickup at Congregations Sons of Israel.

Children of all ages are welcome. Free, but RSVP required. Contact Congregations Sons of Israel at 610-433-6089 to learn more.

SIMCHA SHABBAT 1st Friday of the month, 6:30 p.m., Bnai Abraham Synagogue Please join us for our musical Simcha Shabbat and stay for a special oneg. For more information please call Bnai Abraham Synagogue at 610-258-5343.

SHABBAT BEGINNER’S GEMARA 8 a.m., Congregation Sons of Israel Facilitated by Dr. Henry Grossbard, this is an excellent primer for developing the analytical tools necessary for in-depth study of the Talmud. Dr. Grossbard, a dynamic and erudite scholar in his own right, helps students understand the argument-behind-the-argument, using Rashi, Tosafos and commentaries.

JAVA AND JEANS 4th Saturday of the month, 10 a.m., Bnai Abraham Synagogue Join us for our monthly Shabbat service to discuss current topics of interest as they relate to Jewish laws and practices. For more information, call 610-258-5343.

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 as we discuss Torah together.

ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY HALACHAH 12 p.m., Congregation Sons of Israel Applying the ancient wisdom of Jewish Law to modern challenges is one of the most fascinating aspects of Jewish life. Join Rabbi Wilensky as he takes Halachah from the weekly Torah portion and brings it to bear on some of the most pressing issues of our time.

BNEI AKIVA 5:45 p.m., Congregation Sons of Israel 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 Leiah Moser, 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 Michael Singer, Conservative MINYAN is at 7:45 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. on Saturdays and holidays. RELIGIOUS SCHOOL classes every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at Brith Sholom and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. at Bnai Abraham Synagogue.

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. MINCHAH/MAARIV: 20 minutes before sunset. FRIDAY EVENING: 20 minutes before sunset, 7 p.m. in the summer. SHABBAT MORNING: 9 a.m. SHABBAT AFTERNOON: 90 minutes before dark.

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 Style Shabbat morning service on the 4th Saturday of the month at 10:30 a.m. A Family Shabbat Service is held on the second Friday night of each month at 6:30 p.m. 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 a Family Game / Movie night on the first Saturday of every month at 6 p.m. 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 | FEBRUARY 2015 31

weis wishes you a Happy Purim Fresh Kosher

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$ 49 Per pound

Hamantaschen Mechaya - 10 ounce

Parve K Pas Yisroel

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Holiday Candies Cashew Caramel Clusters

Savion Fruit Slices

1.99 2.99 2/ 5

6 ounce

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12 ounce

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Joyva Ring Jells 9 ounce

2.49

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Magic Max’s Cotton Candy 1ounce

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Weis Proudly Accepts Prices Effective through March 14, 2015

We also carry many of your favorite Kosher deli, dairy, frozen and grocery products.

We reserve the right to limit quantities. Not responsible for typographical or pictorial errors.

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