HAKOL - March 2025 by Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley

Community unites to honor hostages after bodies returned

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

Community members gathered at the JCC on February 20 to honor the Israeli hostages whose bodies Hamas had just returned to Israel and to support one another in their effort to maintain hope through these difficult times.

In a public spectacle of disrespect and humiliation for the dead, Israel, and Jewish people everywhere, Hamas had handed over the bodies it said were Shiri Bibas and her young children Ariel and

Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz, all of whom were captured and taken to Gaza in the attacks of October 7, 2023.

The evening began with Jeri Zimmerman, executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, organizer of the event, taking to the podium to welcome the audience that had driven through snow and over slick roads to attend. She delivered a fresh news update: the body that Hamas said was Shiri’s may not actually be hers.

“The mind games continue,” Zimmerman said. Indeed,

testing on the body later showed that it was not Shiri’s (Hamas did return the body that proved to be Shiri’s the next day).

“We are too heartbroken and shattered,” Zimmerman said, placing

By Simon Katz JCC Membership and Program Associate

As we flip our calendars to March, one thing on most of our minds is how many more days until we can bid this foul weather adieu and welcome spring back into our lives. Fortunately, before we get to do that, there’s fun to turn our attention to: Purim! Mark your calendars to come to the JCC for the 2025 Community Purim Carnival on Sunday, March 9, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

The celebration will feature

this latest incident in con text of the long year and a half of tragedy that began on October 7. “Yet we come together.”

Following Zimmerman at the podium were Lehigh Valley Rabbis Allen Juda, Moshe Re’em, Shoshanah Tornberg, Steven Nathan, Michael Singer, and Yaacov Halperin. The rabbis offered thoughts and prayers and poems. Rabbi Moshe Re’em played guitar

carnival games and activities from 11 a.m.–noon. Kids can enjoy Drop-a-Latke, Mordechai’s Fishing Hole, Persian Putt-Putt, grogger making, a dance party, and other games and attractions. Following this carnival fun, be prepared for cuteness overload: the costume parade. Meanwhile, you can grab a delicious hamantaschen or purchase other snacks to enjoy (all food served will be kosher).

The community Purim celebration is particularly significant to me. My tenure working at the JCC began

LEHIGH

ning, there was a break to show a video for “A Song for Shira,” a lullaby with lyrics written by Yehonatan Geffen for his daughter and sung by well-known singer Corinne Allal who passed away recently. The tune’s chorus offered the simple message, “A new and good world I

just after Purim last year, so this is the first carnival I have the pleasure of planning and executing. As much of a joy as that is for me, there’s another layer to my personal connection to this event. For those of you who know me from the front desk and elsewhere, you may be looking at one of the photos here and thinking that one of those kids looks familiar. Your suspicion is correct! That’s me wrapped in a bright blue blanket and

Shiri Bibas z”l Kfir Bibas z”l Ariel Bibas z”l

Empowered women empower the world

March marks a time of renewal and growth, as spring emerges and the cold, short days of winter are left behind. It’s also the month we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. Since the first Women’s History Month was declared in 1987, each year has had its own theme. The 2025 theme is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations.”

Women’s History Month was created to challenge stereotypes about women’s roles throughout history and to promote gender equality in education. The stories of both ordinary and extraordinary

women have been shared in schools and communities, offering inspiration and educational resources year-round. For Jewish organizations, this month also serves as an opportunity to reflect on the unique issues facing women.

Since International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month often coincide with Purim, it’s natural for Jewish women to connect with the Purim story—a tale of resilience and determination featuring two remarkable women, Vashti and Queen Esther, who deserve to be celebrated.

Vashti, the first wife of King Ahasuerus, defies his

orders during a royal feast and is dethroned. She refuses to be treated as an object for display, even knowing her decision will cost her position as queen. Her act of defiance was seen as a threat to the established order, and her refusal to comply with the king’s demands sent a message of empowerment to women across the kingdom.

Esther, chosen through a beauty pageant to be the king’s second wife, initially hides her Jewish identity. But when she learns of a plot to exterminate her people, she courageously reveals her heritage and risks her life to save them. Both women could have

chosen an easier path, but instead, they made difficult decisions that changed the course of history.

Jewish women represent a rich legacy of resilience. They have not only endured countless exiles, persecutions, and massacres throughout Jewish history, but also championed social causes and nurtured new generations of Jews, even amid threats to our very survival. These women have inspired generations, and each has her own story of bravery, courage, and standing up for what is right—whether it was to protect others, to challenge unjust rules, or to fight for equality.

This spirit of empowerment is what International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month celebrate: women who take action, even when it’s difficult. As we reflect on the lessons from the heroines of Purim, we honor the progress we’ve made—and the work that remains—toward greater equality for all women.

How blessed are we to be able to celebrate and advocate for those who cannot.

Chag Purim Sameach!

HAKOL STAFF

CARL ZEBROWSKI Editor

CHARLENE RIEGGER Director of Marketing

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

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

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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

Continued from page 1

holding a very DIY staff, attending the 2004 JCC Purim celebration with my preschool class. I believe my costume was supposed to be King Achashverosh, but it certainly takes a child’s imagination to fully sell that!

Having attended early childhood education at the JCC and now working here, I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with the building and the people. From talking with those who taught me to finding old pictures of myself on the walls, I’ve loved the experiences I’ve had here this past year. I’m excited now to be able to say that I am running an event that I attended as a child.

I sincerely hope that you, faithful Hakol reader, and your family will join us at the Purim carnival this year. Who knows, perhaps your child will be planning the JCC’s Purim events in the future and will remember their experience from 2025.

The Community Purim Carnival is free and open to the whole community. Adults who are not JCC members are required to bring photo ID for entry.

Parsley for Passover

Life and Legacy sends thank-you cards with symbolic seeds to contributors

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

As a token of gratitude to those who have made gifts to the Life and Legacy program, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley mailed thank-you cards in time for Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of the Trees, with packets of parsley seeds tucked into the envelops.

“Thank you!” the message on the seed packet read. “Your gift has planted seeds of hope in the lives of so many!” The cards encouraged the Life and Legacy contributors to plant the seeds soon, so the pots can be placed on the windowsill and fully grown bundles of green will be ready for the Passover seder

table.

“As we await the arrival of spring on this Holiday of the Trees,” said Lynne Shampain, Life and Legacy chair, “it is an opportune time to thank our Life and Legacy members for their vital part in ensuring our Jewish future. May their parsley seeds sprout and flourish for Passover and into Rosh Hashanah.”

The seeds represent the seeds the recipients are sowing through their generous Life and Legacy commitments that will help ensure that the values, culture, and heritage of Jewish life remain strong and vibrant in our community for years to come.

The donors were asked to take photos once the seeds have

To find out how you can do your part through the Life and Legacy program to ensure that the Jewish

sprouted and as the parsley is used at their seders. Photos should be emailed to Aaron Gorodzinsky at aaron@ jflv.org. You may see them turn up in Hakol or on the Federation’s social media.

community continues to thrive into the future, contact Aaron Gorodzinsky at 610-821-5500 or aaron@jflv.org.

Are you missing Israel? Israel can come to you!

By Alicia Zahn Special to Hakol

Do you have Israel on your mind? Are you loving Israel, supporting Israel, thinking about Israel, but can’t actually travel there anytime soon? Then Israel can come to you!

Each summer, I host Israelis from Yoav in my home through the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Partnership2Gether program. Most of the time, it’s been

for just two weeks (although it can be longer or shorter), and every time, I have made a personal connection with Israel.

I wish everyone could experience this connection. It’s been a different experience each summer. In the beginning, when I had small children at home, the Israelis returned from their day at Camp JCC and played games with my children, cooked a meal with them, and taught

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

Scholarships are provided by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley's annual campaign, on a non-needs basis. Teens may request scholarships for: Conventions Jewish youth group summer programs Jewish summer camps Certain trips to Israel Leadership development programs LIMITED FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.

Scholarship forms are available at www.jewishlehighvalley.org/scholarships

DEADLINE: MARCH 24, 2023

them funny Hebrew words. As my children grew into teenagers, the Israelis we hosted became their friends, and when my children went to Israel, they all got together, often staying in Yoav for Shabbat. Still later, when we were empty-nesters, the young adults infused evenings of life and laughter into our quiet home.

The connections we have made are forever. I visit the Yoav area whenever I go to Israel and have met some of the families of teens we hosted. The young adults update me on their many adventures. Some of them have been called to military reserve duty now and shared how the war has upended their lives. Some of them visited us years ago and now have children of their own. It’s amazing that this connection could be so strong after only two weeks in my home!

You may have questions like I first did, so ask and explore the possibility of hosting. The Israeli shlichim (emissaries) work full days

at the JCC during the week. Those coming this summer are post-military age. Their English is terrific and, judging from my past experiences, they will be polite and appreciative. The Partnership2Gether team is there to help work out whatever kinks might arise, so you’re not alone. Whatever stage of life you’re in, you can host and you’ll be glad you did.

Over the years, we have hosted almost 25 teens and young adults from the Yoav area. Each time was a different experience and each time I was so glad that we said yes! While the Israelis got a house to call home for a couple of weeks, I got the opportunity to make very personal and deep connections to Israel that forever changed my life. For more information about our Partnership2Gether with Yoav and about hosting shlichim in your home, contact Connor Hayes at connor@jflv.org.

Bruce Zahn, Alicia Zahn, Tahel Schemer, and Maya Katzab.

Community unites

Continued from page 1

will give you.”

Rabbi Singer, noting that 503 days had passed since

the Hamas attacks, offered a prayer for the return of the slain hostages. “Even in these moments,” he said, “we

Lucy Korsky

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

As I stand up to leave Lucy Korsky’s house in Allentown, she offers me a baggie to take home some of the Russian cookies she’d served me along with hot tea and honey as we talked.

“If you don’t mind,” I say. “If I minded, I wouldn’t have offered” is her reply.

That captures a couple of traits I learned fast about Lucy: she’s generous and she’s direct, speaking with the accent rooted in her childhood in Kyiv, Ukraine. The generosity was why I was there to talk with her—specifically, her generosity to the Lehigh Valley Jewish community realized in a commitment to the Life and Legacy program administered through the Jewish Federation.

Lucy thinks of this com-

stand and acknowledge God no matter how hard it is, and maybe because it is so hard.”

shattered and broken?”

Rabbi Halperin wondered, “How do we live our life? How do we continue? How can there be a complete heart when the heart is completely

He said the only thing we can do is to act the opposite of all we have suffered through, with tears and broken hearts and strained hope. “Those tears have the power of prayer to climb all the way up to heaven.”

The night ended with the Mourner’s Kaddish and then the gathering joining in for the Israeli national anthem. “And now we sing ‘Hatikvah,’” said Rabbi Re’em, “and hope for a better future.”

MY LIFE, MY LEGACY

mitment as the legacy of generosity passed down by her mother and father, both of them Holocaust survivors, and continuing through to her 11-year-old grandson, Jaden. “I’m doing this in memory of my parents and for him and his generation,” she says. “I’d like to have a bridge between the old generation and the young generation of my grandson.”

That bridge runs all the way back to 1918, when her father, Yeremey Feldman, was born, just after the Russian Revolution, at the time Ukraine was in a fight for independence that ended with its incorporation into the Soviet Union in 1922. It was a time of famine and poor nutrition, so when he suddenly stopped walking at age 5, it may not have seemed as odd as it sounds now. “Then, a year later, he just started to walk,” Lucy says. “They found out later he had polio.”

World War II brought much tragedy to his family. He lost a brother and brotherin-law who were soldiers, and his oldest brother was murdered with his family in September 1941 among 30,000 Jews the Nazis killed in Kyiv in two days. Yeremey volunteered for the military but was exempt due to his childhood polio. He finished

his engineering degree and went to work in the military steel industry in Donbas, until 1946.

Lucy’s mom, Dora, was born in 1920 and experienced her share of tragedy and loss during the war, too. Three members of her immediate family were killed.

Yeremey and Dora had met before the war, but lost contact. Only by “divine intervention” did they find each other again, Lucy says. This is just one miraculous event in a lifetime that she describes as “miracle after miracle.” Yeremey went to Kyiv from Donbas for a couple of days in July 1944 to find information about his family. He also hoped to find the young friend he’d called Dorochka: Dora. Instead, he found the building where she’d lived destroyed by bombs.

Depressed, he went into downtown Kyiv. Walking around there, he ran into Dora. “He told her,” Lucy reports, “I won’t let you go.” They got married the next day. They remained together for 63 years until Yeremey’s death in 2007 at age 89. Dora would live until 2018, to 98 years old. Both would die at home, by their choice. A powerful, spiritual experience near the end of Dora’s life

made a lasting impression on Lucy. Lucy asked her mother, “What would you like to ask God? I will pray on your behalf.” Dora responded in a very quiet voice with one succinct request: “Peace in the world.”

After the war, Yeremey worked in construction management, in the effort to rebuild Kyiv. He and Dora had Lucy, their only child.

In just one example of Yeremey and Dora’s generosity, when Lucy was 14, the government provided the family with a one-room place to live. Employed as a manager, Yeremey was entitled to two rooms, and a two-room accommodation was available. “But he gave this to his worker because the worker had two children and my father had only one,” Lucy says.

In 1978, Lucy and her husband at the time emigrated with their son, Michael, to New York City, seeking freedom and a good future for Michael. Her parents followed the next year. Both Yeremey and Dora became American citizens and graduated cum laude from Touro College in their 70s; they both had a higher education from the Soviet Union.

All the family members originally settled in New

York. Then Lucy, a civil engineer like her father, moved to Reading, Pennsylvania, for her first engineering job in the United States. Later she worked on a large AT&T construction project along what is now Route 222 in Breinigsville. In 1987 she moved to Allentown, where she remains today.

Yeremey and Dora moved to Allentown in 1996 to be closer to Lucy. In 2001 they were honored by the Lehigh County Office of Aging and Adult Services as Unsung Heroes. “It’s great to be

Korsky

Continues on page 7

Yeremey and Dora Feldman.

Lucy Korsky with son Michael and grandson Jaden.

Teaching tough topics PSU program to nip antisemitism, other hostility in the bud expands to Allentown

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

The Pennsylvania State University is expanding a program already in the Lehigh Valley that helps school students from diverse backgrounds understand one another and get along better.

The university-wide Hammel Family Human Rights Initiative has been working with the Bethlehem School District to guide teachers in providing effective instruction on difficult topics, including those that may tie into antisemitism and other hostility. Soon it will get started in the Allentown School District, with planning for the 2025-26 school year set to happen this spring and the launch expected as classes start this fall.

Though the goal is to make positive changes in kids, the program focuses on educators. “We actually have a partnership with teachers of 2-, 3-, and 4-year-olds up through 12th grade to empower the students to be critical thinkers, to foster empathy, and to engage in civic discourse,” said Danielle Butville, assistant director of the initiative. “We believe the best way to get at that is through their teachers.”

The initiative brings together teachers in groups and offers them guidance, including strategies and tools, to achieve the goals they’re hoping for with their students. Then it helps them put what they learned into action and make adjustments along the way.

“We don’t have a canned curriculum or canned presentations,” Butville said. “There’s enough information in our world. What we do is help teachers navigate it.”

The participating teachers are those who requested that the initiative help them find ways to deal with challenges that have arisen in classes or with students. “A lot of the time,” she said, “educators are afraid or hesitant, sometimes because of this cancel culture world, to even navigate these things. Or they’re just unsure of how to do it responsibly. That’s why we partner with them to figure out how to do it in a way that is not going to get the educator into any issues, really centering them as a facilitator of conversation, not as a provider of content.”

Butville ticked down the problems the initiative sees most often that can lead to challenges in the classroom. She named student apathy

first. “It’s like that post-Covid,” she said, “just student apathy toward learning. They’re just not invested. There’s trauma there. There’s heightened anxiety there. It’s really like our schools aren’t serving them the way they should be. We’re not meeting their needs.”

Other problems are “hotbutton curricular topics— slavery, Civil War”; “current events, with the election, inauguration”; and “technology, a lot of it.”

She named social media last—but not least. “They’re feeding the algorithm,” and it’s shooting back to them exactly what they’ve already heard,” she said of the students. “They don’t necessarily even understand what their own perspective is, or why they have it, or how it was informed.

“They also don’t understand that other perspectives might exist. And I’m not just saying one versus the other. We’ll present that there’s multiple sides to difficult issues.”

The reported experience with the initiative in the Bethlehem School District has been positive. “We go in person approximately monthly, but we talk to them all the time,” Butville said. “There

are one-onones with them. If they invite us into their classroom, we’re coming into their classroom.”

How different might the problems and possible solutions in Allentown be from those in Bethlehem?

Based on experience, Butville said, not much. “If it’s a school in inner-city Reading, or it’s a school in Aspen, Colorado, or it’s a school of pre-service teachers in Sanford, Alabama, it’s really all the same the issue at the root,” she said. “It’s understanding that others have different perspectives, and those might broaden your own perspective, or they might strengthen your perspective. But ultimately we’re working with students so they understand how to think, not what to think.”

The ultimate goal is to

2025 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN FOR JEWISH NEEDS

encourage students to be agents of their own learning.

“By that I mean students who realize, regardless of their age and their context, that they have a voice as a citizen,” Butville said. “And when we engage in civic discourse, and when we approach others with empathy, and when we develop these critical thinking skills, they have the power to take informed action.”

ADVOCATES for security and combats antisemitism

ALLOCATES funds to support our local agencies, Hillels, synagogues, camps, and to support Israel and overseas communities

ARRANGES programming to meet the needs of our community

Participants and their students develop an inquiry mindset about responding to the difficult issues they encounter. Their approach weaves in trauma-informed, asset-based practices and is contextually responsive.

Continued from page 5

independent and we’re very happy to be here in America,” Dora said at the time. They earned the award, presented during Older Americans Month, for their work helping older immigrants who spoke Russian read and write letters, documents, and other communications.

Lucy made her eventual commitment to the Life and Legacy program through the Jewish Federation to preserve their legacy. “For me it’s important that I would do something that they would do themselves,” Lucy says. “They treated people so nice. Everybody loved them. They were compassionate and very humble people.”

With that commitment, Lucy wants to make sure that grandson Jaden learns the lessons of her parents, their values and their focus. “My parents never had any material possessions yet never felt that they were poor because they were spiritually rich,” she says, pointing out that Jaden has lived a comfortable life, never in need. “I’d like him to know what is important in life. I’d like him to pay attention to qualities that you can’t buy. There are things you cannot put a price on.”

Jaden is understanding that lesson. Lucy’s letters to him every year on his birthday make that clear. “You are kind, respectful, open-minded, philosophical, analytical, funny, and most importantly, you have a big heart,” read her most recent birthday letter in early February.

One day when Jaden was 8 years old, Lucy says, his school had a holiday season store set up where kids could shop for gifts. Jaden had

recently received $20 as a gift to him for the upcoming holiday, to spend on something for himself. Instead, he took that money with him to the school store to buy gifts for everyone in his family.

“He noticed one kid who was crying,” Lucy says, explaining that this story came to her not through Jaden himself, but through a school friend’s family. She says he gave the boy some of his own money to shop.

When asked about this later, Jaden nonchalantly defended the boy’s dignity too, for good measure: “No, he was not crying,” Lucy says Jaden reported. “He was just sad.”

Count that as one more miracle in a lifetime of miracles that Lucy has been blessed with, from coming to America and finding freedom, independence, and new horizons to explore, to having two successful careers, in engineering and later in physical therapy, to having her grandson, to being in a position to make a commitment to the Life and Legacy program.

“It’s a miracle for me that I’m participating in something so meaningful,” she says. “I hope it can inspire other people.”

If you’d like to continue your own legacy of generosity, you can make a commitment to the future of the Jewish community through the Life and Legacy program. Visit lvjfgiving.org or contact Aaron Gorodzinsky at aaron@jflv.org for information.

MAIMONIDES SOCIETY BRUNCH

& LEARN

Car hits 2 IDF soldiers running out to catch a bus

By Avraham Sacks United Hatzalah

The Jewish Federation’s Maimonides Society donated a motorcycle-ambulance to the all-volunteer United Hatzalah of Israel in memory of Dr. Mickey Ufberg in 2022. EMT Yonatan Auoat operates the ambucycle on the crowded streets of Netanya, slipping through traffic and usually arriving first on the scene.

During this difficult period in Israel, where much is yet unknown, we are still confident in our future. One thing that remains steadfast throughout: our committed volunteers, the backbone of United Hatzalah.

The over 7,000 EMTs are at the forefront of emergency response efforts across the nation.

One day in late 2024, Yonatan Auoat had an important work meeting in Shoham, so he hopped on his ambucycle and headed south along the highway. As luck would have it, his communication device started beeping, suggesting a sudden change of plans. A pair of uniformed Israel Defense Forces soldiers had just been struck by a car, and his help was needed urgently.

This wasn’t a terrorist incident. The soldiers had darted into the road to catch a bus.

The driver spotted them and tried to hit the brakes, but it was too late. Both men sustained traumatic injuries. One of them collided with the windshield of a car before landing on the road.

Yonatan got to work caring for the injured soldiers, applying trauma bandages to their wounds to stem the bleeding, affixing cervical collars, and immobilizing them on backboards. Meanwhile, an additional United Hatzalah volunteer arrived to provide “psychotrauma” support (emotional first aid) for the woman who hit them with her car.

When the ambulance arrived, Yonatan assisted the crew in transferring his patients for medical evacuation. Though he was late for his meeting, he was grateful to have been there for the young men in their time of need.

SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2025 | 10:00 A.M. CONGREGATION KENESETH ISRAEL

To register, scan the QR code or visit the link below, or call 610.821.5500 or email mailbox@ jflv.org

jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/maimonides-brunch-andlearn-glp-1 a presentation by Dr. Marc Vengrove

BE AWARE TRAINING

How to recognize suspicious or potentially dangerous behavior and threats, and what to do. Designed for every member of the community, no background in security is required. The course will cover the basics of situational awareness.

Training Dates (choose one):

Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, at 1:00 PM

Monday, June 16, 2025, at 7:00 PM

Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at 2:00 PM

COUNTERING ACTIVE THREAT TRAINING

A comprehensive training program to counter an active threat event developed for faithbased institutions and houses of worship.

Training Dates (choose one):

Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, at 7:00 PM

Monday, July 21, 2025, at 2:00 PM

Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, at 7:00 PM

STOP THE BLEED TRAINING

This training provides community members with the skills to save lives by applying emergency first aid to control bleeding.

Training Dates (choose one):

Monday, March 17, 2025, at 2:00 PM

JUDITH WEISS In celebration of your Special Larry Levitt IN MEMORY MILDRED ERNEST (Mother of Linda

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

SECURITY SQUARE WITH TIM BROOKS

Does your organization need a new threat vulnerabilities and risk assessment? A physical security assessment is valid for three years and is required for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. That’s the federal program. A valid assessment is not required, but good to have, if your organization is applying for the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

This service is one of the core functions of the Secure Community Network. It’s free to organizations because of the partnership between the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and SCN. Please contact me if interested.

Tim Brooks, SCN Regional Security Advisor tbrooks@securecommunitynetwork.org | 872-400-0239

FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2025 3:30-4:30 PM CONGREGATION BNAI SHALOM

Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at 7:00 PM

GUARDIAN TRAINING

WEAR YOUR COSTUME FOR SOME PURIM & PI DAY FUN!

Guardians take responsibility for the safety and security of themselves, families, and community. Learn skillsets that help you identify, protect, and respond to all hazards, enabling you to become an Active Bystander in your community.

Registration required.Please scan the QR code or visit jewishlehigh valley.org/pj or call 610.821.5500.

Training Dates (choose one):

Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7:00 PM Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, at 9:00 AM

DE-ESCALATION TRAINING

De-escalation Training equips people with the knowledge, skills, and techniques to defuse or reduce tension, hostility, or conflict in a situation.

Training Dates (choose one):

Monday, May 19, 2025, at 2:00 PM Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM

All training sessions are located at the Jewish Community Center. Registration is required. To register, scan the QR code or visit jewishlehighvalley.org/security-training-schedule or call 610.821.5500. of the Lehigh Valley of the

Kreithen) Lynne and Mark Shampain

Son recalls dad’s role in getting Ethiopian Jews to Israel

By Connor Hayes Director of Community Programming

When Yoav Community Center director Benny Aklum joined us via Zoom for a Partnership2Gether film discussion on Sunday morning, February 23, only a few of the gathered knew in advance a rough outline of the life of his father, Farede: he was an Ethiopian activist and aided Israel’s Mossad in evacuating Ethiopian Jews from Sudan. This was the main plotline of the film we came to discuss, “The Red Sea Diving Resort.” Little did we know how far into detail Benny would go with the story surrounding

his family’s legacy—the effort to save Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews).

Beginning thousands of years ago, Benny systematically guided the audience through the long history of Beta Israel, specifically its contact with the rest of the Jewish Diaspora and its struggle to be recognized. He finally arrived at the start of the Ethiopian Civil War in 1975 and the deposition of Haile Selassie, the last Ethiopian monarch. Covering the overarching history, Benny interjected some stories closer to home: “Most Jews in Ethiopia lived in center of the country (in Gondar). My father taught English there,

but the native languages (Hebrew and Amharic) belonged in the home.”

Benny detailed how his father attempted to help broker a weapons deal between the government run by Mengistu Haile Mariam, the dictator of Ethiopia, and Israel. Farade was responsible for setting this up, and when the deal fell apart and the Mengistu government’s actions were found out by its Arab neighbors, Farede became the government’s primary target. Even with this pressure, Benny says, “when people speak about my father, they speak about the man who opened the gates to Sudan.” Farede would personally make the long trek from Ethiopia to Sudan numerous times, and without any support whatsoever, he attempted to contact the Israeli government to assist in getting Ethiopian Jews (who were also under pressure from the government) to safety.

Israel sent a Mossad operative by the name of Danny Limor to make contact with Farede. This proved a bit harder than it seemed. “They had no picture of my dad,” he says. Eventually contact would be established, only after Farede was sure

Danny was not an agent serving the Mengistu regime. Within months, Farede and Danny were working with the Israeli navy to shuttle Ethiopian Jews to Israel by way of a cover: a hotel and “diving resort” on the coast of Sudan. Thousands of Jews were saved this way, until detente with Egypt in the late 1970s and early 1980s made it easier to evacuate Ethiopian Jews.

Recognizing and respecting his father as a hero, Benny nonetheless had a difficult time describing him in relation to family life. Although Farede’s courageous actions saved thousands of people, it also left him estranged from his father for long periods of time.

“Now I am able to speak about my pain,” Benny shares. “At 10 years old I met

him for the first time, and to be honest, I hated him for a long time. He never heard me say the word ‘father.’ I know it was hard for him too.” This led Benny to be proactive with his own children: “With my kids, I’m 100% there.” Despite the myriad painful emotions regarding his father’s role in his life, Benny respects him and all of the work that he did: “His story is part of Jewish history.”

In health care, there are specific honors – based on objective measures of quality, safety and overall performance – that matter.

St. Luke’s is the ONLY health system in the United States to be recognized for excellence for ALL OF THEM:

Leapfrog Safety Grade – Straight A’s at all St. Luke’s acute care hospitals! Medicare & Medicaid Star Ratings – Five stars for quality! Fortune / PINCAI 100 Top Hospitals – 10 years in a row!

50 Top Cardiovascular Hospital – Eight times!

Congratulations to St. Luke’s and the Network’s 20,000+ doctors, nurses and all employees who have made St. Luke’s #1 in the nation.

There can only be one #1.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Benny Aklum via Zoom with an image of his father, Farede Aklum.

Welcome Jen Moyer, Early Childhood Education Assistant Director

By Lisa Yoskowitz ECE Director

The phrase, “It takes a village” could not be truer than when applied to the field of Early Childhood Education. During my 5.5 years here at the JCC, I have worked alongside many in my community to create and continue to build a successful program. So, I am excited to introduce Jen Moyer, our new Assistant Director in Early Childhood Education. With a passion for fostering young minds and a wealth of experience in early childhood development, Jen brings a

fresh perspective to our team. She holds a degree in English Language and Literature and is currently working towards a Masters in Early Childhood Education (with a focus in administration, management and leadership). Jen has worked in various early childhood settings, demonstrating a deep commitment to creating nurturing, inclusive environments that support both children and educators. As Assistant Director, Jen will work closely with staff and families to ensure the continued success and growth of our programs, with a focus on enhancing

curriculum, professional development, and family engagement. We look forward to the positive impact she will make in our community!

ECE registration for the 20252026 school year will open on February 1, 2025. And with that, we are excited to announce the opening of a new preschool classroom this upcoming fall! As with all our classrooms, this classroom will provide a nurturing and enriching environment where young learners can grow, explore, and develop essential skills. Our goal is to foster a love for learning from an early age,

offering a curriculum designed to engage children through play, creativity, and hands-on experiences. We are excited about all of these positive additions and changes for our ECE program!

Jen Moyer, ECE Assistant Director

ECE Celebrates Rosh Hashanah With Some Sweet Guests

ECE Teacher, Peggy Waite, Celebrates 50th Anniverary at the JCC

By Jackie Weiss Early Childhood & Jewish Education Coordinator

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

By Kaitlyn Stefanowicz Marketing Coordinator

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

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

at the JCC.

This past month, ECE celebrated a very special milestone for one of its own. Peggy Waite celebrated her incredible 50th year at the JCC. Peggy, who is better known as “Miss Peggy” by the children in ECE, has made such a difference in countless lives during her time

beekeeper for 35 years, along with his wife, Adrienne London, are beekeepers in the Lehigh Valley. The presentation was a fun and interactive experience with props, beekeeping supplies, a honeybee song, and a waggle dance! The students enjoyed pretending to be bees and buzzing around the gym. The students learned that honeybees get all their food from flowers and the food consists of nectar and pollen. Afterwards, the students had the opportunity to look at a container of nectar and a container of pollen. The students now know that nectar is a liquid and pollen looks like dust.

Simon Katz recounts, “Back when I was in preschool here at the JCC and she was my gym teacher, we were celebrating her 20th anniverary. I’ll look forward to celebrating 60 years with her.“

Her kindess and spirit immediately light up whatever room she enters and you can hear the children calling for her

The honeybees then flap their wings very quickly to remove the excess moisture. Afterwards, the honeybees make a wax to create a seal over the honeycomb for protection. Finally, beekeepers harvest the honey by collecting the honeycomb frames and scraping off the wax cap that seals the honey. The frames are then placed in an extractor to spin honey out of the comb. After the honey is extracted, it is strained to remove any remaining wax or other particles. After straining the honey, it is time to bottle, label, and bring it to you! How does honey connect to the High Holidays? Because eating apples and honey is a tradition on Rosh Hashanah, of course! We

as soon as she steps through the door. Thank you Peggy, for your decades of love and dedication. We are so thankful to have you as part of our community. Congratulations on 50 years!

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

JSeals Is Back, Making a Splash This November

progress throughout the season. The 2023-2024 JSeals season begins on November 27.

Each member has the opportunity to practice up to three times a week to build their swimming skills. Practices will consist of clear, concise, proven workouts,

watching the swimmers earn their trophies and medals, but watching these children become a family Registration is now open for the JSeals 2023-2024 season. For more information, call the JCC at 610435-3571 or visit lvjcc.org/JSeals.

The JCC would like to thank these additional donors who participated in the annual Friends of the J Campaign

Donors who have pledged at least $750 toward the campaign JoAnne Abrams Vicki Wax Mary Beth and David Weinstein

Cintas Linda and Elliot Sheftel

Amy and Doug Jaffe Vanguard Cleaning

Likun Ma and Gong Feng

Jane and Arthur Kaplan

Phyllis and Hank Perkin

Susan Hoffman List as of 2/17/25 Keystone Society

Friends of the JCC Donors

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

March Happiness!

Why JDS?

By Joanna Powers Head of School

According to people who know a lot more about sports than I do, March Madness is a college basketball tournament that inspires intense attention and thrilling competition. This sounds exciting for those of you invested in the results, but I prefer a different focus: March Happiness. In case you’re having trouble deciding between the two (although combining both is very possible), it is a mitzvah in the Talmud to embrace joy in the

By Megan Hyman

we’d be here only a few weeks at most. As the pandemic continued, we made decision after decision to establish roots and

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

Why JDS?

Hebrew month of Adar, which usually coincides with the month of March: Mishenichnas Adar Marbim Bi'Simcha—when Aar begins, we increase our joy and happiness.

The month of Adar lines up perfectly with the month of March this year, and the JDS plans on packing as much happiness as we can into this special time that holds Purim as its centerpiece. March 10 begins the much anticipated Spirit Week of Purim festivities. Every day of the week leading up to Purim will have a different dressup theme and activities to celebrate the holiday.

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

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

an early childhood education program, the welcoming, intimate, and warm environment at JDS was an obvious place for us to turn. The administration and staff worked tirelessly to adhere to everchanging guidelines from the CDC and

Why JDS?

When it came time for Joseph, our now five-year-old son, to get back into an early childhood education program, the welcoming, intimate, and warm environment at JDS was an obvious place for us to turn. The administration and staff worked tirelessly to adhere to everchanging guidelines from the CDC and still make the magic of school very real for its students. Joseph FLOURISHED

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

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

demic as built-in playmates

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

One of the major tenets of the JDS is a devotion to the development of bright, confident students who are well prepared to meet the world. This couldn’t be more

ing to a close. For professional reasons, we -

When it came now five-year-old an early childhood the welcoming, vironment at for us to turn. staff worked tirelessly changing guidelines still make the for its students. in this environment, his third year as he loves the dynamic ing experience forget when he full Pledge of Allegiance words to the Hatikvah

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

sion of the school year. Our love for the community that Amy Golding, her staff, and volunteers have created will stay with us forever. The friendships we’ve made as a family through the school will remain and we know these memories made here

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

The students will be packing beautiful misloach manot packages for our community fundraising (and joy raising!) project, as well as their own mishloach manot for one another. The pre-K-plus

Editor’s note: On Saturday, February 4, JDS parent Anastasiia Zavodnyk, was invited to be a guest

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

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

Who is the refugee? It’s me.

ing the quarantine stage of the pan-

ish values.

lentown for nearly 50 years), we assumed

Our kids became ing the quarantine

and kindergarten will perform their magnificent Purim show to guaranteed rave reviews.

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

Who is the refugee? It’s me.

During our color-warthemed day, the classes will compete with one another by playing Purim-

So, who is the refugee? It’s me. I can’t speak for everyone, only for myself and my family. But let my story be something that can show the general picture. The beginning of 2022 It was a happy time for me. I had a beautiful house near Kyiv, capital of Ukraine. I had a garden full of fruit trees and berry bushes. I had great plans – I was opening my own cafe and bakery store, I was setting up a big greenhouse to plant many vegetables there. My children went to great preschool and afterschool smart classes. My daughter started to go to ballroom classes at the best dance school in the area. My husband had a very important role with great career opportunities in the biggest energy company in

to our village. At

the Amerihealth Mobile Unit, and our second set of parent-teacher conferences, which can also be a source of joy!

Who is the refugee?

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

ties at home, used to see our parents when we wanted to. It was really a very great period of life; I was truly

And then, on 24th of February, all was ruined. The war started. And what did we know about war? Onlyrible stories from our grandparents. We decided to stay, because it was our home. We thought that our village was now a target for the enemy and even if they would come. We heard stories from our grandparents who cupation during WW2 so we kind of could guess how it could be in our case. But we were wrong, very very

related games. On the fast of Esther, we’ll have a PJ day and a Purim movie playing during lunch. In the classrooms, students will learn the story of the Megilah and about the four mitzvot of Purim. The annual “Shushan’s Got Talent” show will highlight all the ways the JDS students can wow an audience. The celebrations will culminate on Purim with a whole-school carnival led by the student council and a school-wide Megilah reading. Costumes, hamantaschen, and groggers? That makes for just about the happiest time of the JDS school year!

ficult to feel panic. We heard sounds of missile strikes, the house was shaking every time, but personally I really felt it on the second week, end of February. I needed to take my youngest daughter to doctor. So, we were going by car there. It wasn’t far but we needed to go through a checkpoint which was created as a part of countrylets laying on the ground, tanks for the first time in my life. And it wasn’t museum exhibition, it was real life situation. But worst was that something just fly above my head and then I heard and felt shot near me. It was enemy drone. It scared me to death, I never ever felt like this before. Next weeks were very scary for me. The enemy soldiers were closer and closer to our village. At

We will also be celebrating March Happiness with a puppy visit from Cold Nose Lodge, Little Learners on-the-road and at school, an onsite field trip from

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

Now we are here. And we are very lucky, because we met people with very big open hearts full of love and kindness, people who helped us with so many things. People from Jewish Day School, Jewish Community of Lehigh Valley, Jewish Community Center. Not enough words to describe how grateful we are for it. And this great opportunity to know Jewish traditions and lan-

And then, on 24th of February, all was ruined. The war started. And what did we know about war? Only history WW2 from books and movies…and some hor rible stories from our grandparents. We decided to stay, because it was our home. We thought that our village was now a target for the enemy and even if they would come. We heard stories from our grandparents who remembered a time when their homes were under oc cupation during WW2 so we kind of could guess how it could be in our case. But we were wrong, very very wrong. Because in village aren’t many people – it’s dif ficult to feel panic. We heard sounds of missile strikes, the house was shaking every time, but personally I really felt it on the second week, end of February. I needed to take my youngest daughter to doctor. So, we were going by car there. It wasn’t far but we needed to go through a checkpoint which was created as a part of country protection actions. There I saw real soldiers, guns, bul lets laying on the ground, tanks for the first time in my life. And it wasn’t museum exhibition, it was real life situation. But worst was that something just fly above my head and then I heard and felt shot near me. It was enemy drone. It scared me to death, I never ever felt like this before. Next weeks were very scary for me. The enemy soldiers were closer and closer to our village. At

When times are hard, it becomes even more important to find a reason to smile. At the JDS, the reasons are all around us: kids who love to learn, teachers who love to teach, and Coach Josh, who can bring the conversation back to basketball whenever needed, no madness required!

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

Chag Purim Sameach!

evening we needed to shut all lights, because our ter ritorial defense was looking for hiding russian soldiers. I realized that I couldn’t stand any more. I couldn’t pre tend as nothing serious was happening and it was safe enough for kids. The worse for me was to let then feel fear, to feel war. It’s not what children should feel, not until they are enough old to understand everything and not be hurt by it. I want my children to be happy, to be confident and have strong and healthy mental health. So, I asked my husband to leave our home. We left on 7th of March and on 8th of March rus sians* came to our house. They occupied all village, killed men, raped women, stole a lot of things, ruin our houses… it lasted 4 weeks. So, it was nothing like occu pation during WW2… it was worse, much worse. And

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

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

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

evening we needed to shut all lights, because ritorial defense was looking for hiding russian realized that I couldn’t stand any more. I couldn’t tend as nothing serious was happening and enough for kids. The worse for me was to fear, to feel war. It’s not what children should until they are enough old to understand everything not be hurt by it. I want my children to be confident and have strong and healthy mental So, I asked my husband to leave our home. We left on 7th of March and on 8th of sians* came to our house. They occupied killed men, raped women, stole a lot of things, houses… it lasted 4 weeks. So, it was nothing pation during WW2… it was worse, much

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

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

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

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

this before. Next weeks were very scary for me. The enemy soldiers were closer and closer

Cheers for Volunteers Honorees

Join us as we honor exceptional individuals who have gone above and beyond for JFS and the greater Lehigh Valley Jewish community. These volunteers give time, energy and heart to the work that they do, whether it is delivering prepared meals or stocking food pantry shelves.

Sunday, April 27, 10:00 a.m., Temple Beth El, Allentown visit www.jfslv.org for tickets and information.

Clara Bergstein

Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley

Clara has worked in the JFS Community Food Pantry unloading the Second Harvest Truck. She makes deliveries to Gress Mountain Ranch of extra produce. She is always willing to help in any way possible.

Larry Center

Brith Sholom

Larry has volunteered at the JFS Community Food Pantry once a week for the past 6 years. Whether it’s helping a client, bagging bagels, or sorting mustard packets, Larry performs his volunteer work with enthusiasm and kindness.

Jane Cohen

Congregation Keneseth Israel

Janie has been running Shabbat Outreach Programs at Country Meadows since 2016. The older adults love Janie’s programs and she attracts over 20 participants.

Sandi Fine

Jewish Community Center

Sandi volunteered with JFS during 50 Acts of Kindness and she did a beautification of the JCC front lawn area. She also participated with the Mitzvah women’s group delivering flowers for older adults.

Beth Kozinn

Jewish Federation

Beth has been a ShareCare driver, worked on JFS marketing and fundraising, served on the JFS Board and volunteered at Ladies Who Lunch.

Roberta Kritzer

Chabad Lubavitch of the Lehigh Valley

Roberta volunteered before the pandemic weekly at the Food Pantry. She volunteered at the Memory Cafe and Ladies Who Lunch. Roberta has applied her social work education to volunteering at JFS.

Larry Levitt

Sons of Israel

Larry and his late wife Eva, z’l worked with two other families to establish Tikvah House, a Jewish residence for adults with special needs, where his son Adam now resides. Larry’s passion for the entire Lehigh Valley Jewish community is an inspiration!

Howard Nathanson

Bnai Shalom

Howard has been doing holiday outreach for all the major Jewish holidays. He brings a terrific program to facilities across the Lehigh Valley where Jewish older adults live. Howard recently joined the JFS Board.

Phyllis Perkin

Temple Beth El

Phyllis has been a longtime volunteer for JFS. She assisted with the Benefits CheckUp Program, was the 2016 fundraiser co-chair and has continued to serve on the Fundraising Committee. She is a past JFS board member.

Marsha Timmerman

Am Haskalah

Marsha helped JFS develop its Accessibility and Inclusion Program. She worked with the staff to develop programs and activities that promote inclusion.

Crissy Toff

Jewish Day School

Crissy has volunteered as a photographer, including photos of the JFS staff for our website. She is a very active at the JDS, volunteering her time and marketing talents.

We thank those individuals who have graciously supported Jewish Family Service with tributes:

IN HONOR

CHEERS HONOREES

Marilyn Claire

ALLEN AND ROBIN ABBOTT

(Birth of granddaughter, Nessa Abbott)

Audrey and Richard Nolte

VIKKI DUNN

Martina and Michael Obenski

LYNDA AND STUART KRAWITZ

(Birth of granddaughter, Celia Helen)

Carol and Bob Wilson

AUDREY NOLTE

(Dedication and service to JFS)

Jeff May

JUDY AND LARRIE SHEFTEL

Pat Beldon

IN LOVING MEMORY

RAMONA BOTZUM

(Mother of John Botzum, James and Joseph Kormanik, Mary Beth Koss, Susan Schweitzer, and Helen Burrell)

Ruth and Douglas Nathanson

LAWRENCE BROWN

(Father of Joshua Brown)

Monica and Henry Friess

RHODA FUTTERWEIT

(Mother of Wendy Ashby and Melanie Kenney, sister of Priscilla Radick)

Amy Radick

Marvin Slepian

MARVIN HARRIS

(Husband of Sheila Auspitz, father of Darryl and Robert Harris, Leslie Outten, Robin Wolin, Jonathon and Aron Auspitz. Grandfather of Chelsea Karp.)

Bill Bergstein

Ross and Wendy Born

Robin and Alex Rosenau

Rachel and Andy Shurman

Tama and Frank Tamarkin

Carol and Bob Wilson

JEWELL HIRSCHORN

(Mother of Joshua Hirschorn)

Casey Goldblatt and Irving Kaplan

ROLAND JOSEPH

(Husband of Dorothy Joseph, father of Michael, Paul, David, and Mark Joseph and Debra McCal.)

Laura Bachman

Joan Brosious

Dennies DiPrete

Jean and Kenneth Gies

Kenneth and Roxanne Gies

Richard and Linda Heintelman

John Hutnik

Ann Joseph

Lora Marzuoli

Carol Minnich

Ira Mitzner

Eston and Clara Morgan

Joe and Irene Panto

Gary Poliner

William Sharp Jr

Carina Sitkus

Richard and Ann Smith

Sue and Jim Worley

JOSEF KRAKAUER

(Husband of Bella Krakauer)

Carol and Bob Wilson

SUSAN LEHRICH

(Wife of Henry Lehrich, mother of Deborah, Thomas, and Darren Lehrich)

Ellen and Darren Lehrich

Audrey and Richard Nolte

Roberta and Alan Penn

Linda and James Wimmer

Artist

By Ann Friedenheim

Congregation Keneseth Israel

What would you bring if you had to leave your home, not knowing if and when you would return or where you were going or for how long? What would be in your suitcase with a limit of 50 pounds? This question was posed by Jennifer Levine, Congregation Keneseth Israel’s artist-in-residence for the weekend of February 21-23

as she began introducing KI to the life of artist-educator Friedl Dicker-Brandeis.

Levine, herself a prolific multimedia artist and educator, spent the weekend leading an educational and creative learning experience based on the life journey of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, a heroine who taught art to the children imprisoned in the Terezin ghetto in Czechoslovakia during World War II. And she did much more

than teach art. What was in her suitcases? Art supplies to give to the imprisoned children so they could use art in an expressive and often therapeutic way.

Born in 1898 in Vienna, Dicker-Brandeis lost her mother when she was 4 years old. Her father, trying to help her deal with the loss, provided her with art supplies and classes and encouraged her to express her emotions through art. It seems that this chapter of her personal history later informed her life’s mission to use art in a therapeutic way.

Levine shared this history at KI, along with many of Dicker-

Brandeis’s artistic works. A student of the Weimer Bauhuas (1919-23), DickerBrandeis was held in such esteem that she received scholarships and a paid studio at the school. She continued her work as a painter, designer, printmaker, and multidisciplinary artist through her adult years until 1942, when she was deported to Terezin.

Terezin was the so-called model ghetto, designed by the Nazi propaganda machine as a cultural community. Although not an extermination camp, 33,000 people died there due to the extreme conditions. Dicker-Brandeis was allowed to teach art to the children. Using whatever materials she could pull together, she taught watercolors, painting, collage, paper weaving, and drawing to over 600 children. Her purpose was “to unlock and preserve for all the creative spirit as a source of energy to stimulate fantasy and imagination and to strengthen the children’s ability to judge, appreciate, observe and endure.” She wanted to provide the children with a respite from their tragic daily experience while helping them also face their reality in a therapeutic way. She is considered by some to the one of the founders of art therapy.

Levine also talked of the foundation of creativity in

Judaism, offering three main ideas:

• Humans were created in Gd’s image. When people are creative, they are inspiring and fulfilling G-d’s expression.

• Creativity is every human’s birthright. Everyone has the ability for artistic expression.

• When people collaborate together, they create something powerful. The weekend was full of enriching experiences. It was emotional, creative, and inspiring and provided a wonderful opportunity to learn and connect. Levine’s warmth and clear guidance made every participant feel open to explore with artistic freedom. Like DickerBrandeis, Levine helped participants understand that in the midst of pain and suffering, art can be used to help people preserve their dignity, access hope, and find courage to persevere. Levine said, “It is important to think about history, but it is also important to think about today.” And as Freidl said, “If we were given only one day, we have to live it.”

The latter quote reverberates strongly, as we know the last chapter, where all but 150 of the children of Terezin were transported to their deaths in 1944. This was also the fate of Dicker-Brandeis.

But that’s not the end of the story. Not long after the end of World War II, two suitcases from Terezin were found. The contents included children’s drawings, paintings, and collages, their names clearly signed on each piece. In an act of defiance and resistance, Dicker-Brandeis had insisted every child sign every piece of artwork with their full names—not a tattooed number but a unique individual’s real name. These artworks now serve as a reminder of Dicker-Brandeis’s courage and artistic activism. This exhibit is now housed at the Jewish Museum in Prague and is also part of traveling tours around the world.

All photos courtesy of Donna Fisher Photography.

Open a fund, ensure your legacy

By Mike Miller Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation Chair

Our endowment fund performance has been excellent and has exceeded our expectations for many years. By giving during our lifetimes, and on a testamentary

basis, we get to share our passions, provide a legacy, and see and feel the value of our philanthropy for today and for future generations in perpetuity. Judaism teaches the belief that donors benefit from tzedakah as much or more than the beneficiaries. There are many opportuni-

ties to do this through a variety of fund offerings such as charitable gift annuities, donor advised funds, and perpetual annual campaign endowments.

For more information, visit lvjfgiving.org or contact Aaron Gorodzinsky at aaron@jflv.org.

American Jewish world music group coming to Lehigh

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

Pharaoh’s Daughter, an American Jewish sevenpiece world music ensemble fronted by singer-musician Basya Schechter, is coming to Lehigh University’s Zoellner Center for the Arts on Thursday, April 10.

The concert, at 7:30 p.m. in Baker Hall, will feature Hasidic chants, Mizrahi and Sephardi folk-rock, and spiritual elements. The diverse musical mix, fusing pan-Mediterranean and psychedelic influences, will take the audience on a trip through continents, key signatures, and languages.

The concert is part of the Year of Jews and the Arts, a year-long series of events celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Philip and Muriel Berman Center for Jewish Studies at Lehigh. The series began at the start of the 2024-25 school year and continues through the end of April. Events are open to the public and have ranged from talks and workshops to an art exhibit to this concert.

“We’re thrilled to bring Basya Schechter and Pharoah’s Daughter to the Lehigh Valley,” says Professor Jodi Eichler-Levine, director of the Berman Center. “Their eclectic, world music approach to Jewish sound echoes the theme of wandering—very appropriate for a 40th anniversary!

“It also reflects the fact that scholars in Jewish studies today use transnational approaches to understand Jewish history. We’ve tried to emphasize that throughout our Year of Jews and the Arts, starting off with Indian-born Jewish visual artist Siona Benjamin and including scholars and artists who explore many regions and eras.”

Schechter’s soulful voice rings out over percussion, flute, strings, and electronica instruments that explore tradition while staying contemporary, meditative yet ecstatic. The sound is rooted in Schechter’s Hasidic music background in Brooklyn and her travels to the Middle East, African, Turkey, Kurdistan, and Greece, as well as

in her studies of ethnomusicology and collaborations with folk musicians worldwide.

“The Berman Center has always combined scholarship with the arts,” EichlerLevine says. “The second volume of the center’s newsletter, published in 1986, describes a field trip to see Jewish objects at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Thirty years later, in 2016—during my first year here—we hosted a special evening of big band music with local musician Ron Sunshine and musicologist Dr. Judah Cohen at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley (there was even dancing!).”

London.

Schechter and a cadre of New York City musicians have recorded five albums as Pharaoh’s Daughter, while she has recorded two under her own name. “Songs of Desire,” Pharaoh’s Daughter’s sixth album, brings its groove-oriented jam-band style to life with passion and poetry from the biblical Song of Songs. Improvisations and orchestral arrangements create a kaleidoscope of sound.

During the month of March, you can help our Community Food Pantry families by donating paper towels. They can be dropped off at JFS during business hours, in the bins at the JCC and Temple Beth El, or ordered through the JFS Amazon Wish List

Thank you so much for the support you provide!

Dancing is the norm at Pharoah’s Daughter concerts, which have been staged across the Americas, Europe, and Israel, including as part of Central Park’s Summer Stage series and at Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park in New York City and at Queen Elizabeth Hall in

A reception to celebrate the Berman Center’s 40th anniversary will follow the concert. Tickets are $10, $9 for seniors, and $8 for students. Visit zoellner.cas. lehigh.edu and click on the events calendar to find the concert and tickets link.

celebrate Shabbat at home. Register for one date or all! Registration required.

We’ll learn about Shabbat and celebrate with songs and PJ Library stories. Light dinner provided. Participants will receive everything they need to

JDS’s Little Learners meets PJ Library

By Billy Thompson Digital Marketing Associate

What better way to start the weekend than by attending the Jewish Day School’s recurring Little Learners gathering? It was “on the road” this time, at the Scherline family’s lovely eatery, Jay’s Local, and PJ Library was invited to come and engage in the program

Toys were laid out in a cozy, carpeted corner where families sat for some play time. Not just typical toys, though—bubble wands were distributed! Jay’s Local was the place to be if you love giggling toddlers with bubble wands. I know I do! Next came singing, and, of course, a PJ Library story.

PJ Library coordinator Abby Trachtman was given time to speak to this widerthan-usual audience made up of Jewish and non-Jewish families alike. Some of the crowd were familiar faces

from PJ Library events, but we were delighted to meet some new interested families. Any opportunity to spread the joy of reading to children is worth taking.

Lisa Kucsan, M.S., CCC-A Clinical Audiologist

Megan Hunt, Au.D. Clinical Audiologist

GOOD NEWS FROM ISRAEL

Meet your medical provider’s new best friend—AI

Israel21c

Lavaa Health, an Israeli startup, watches over all patient data, ready to spot early signs of potential health issues, and uses its vast medical database to identify hard-to-diagnose or rare illnesses. It’s a virtual assistant that works in the background to offer help and alerts, but leaves the physician very much in the driver’s seat, from making the diagnosis to drawing up a treatment plan.

The company was founded after a family tragedy.

Adam Amitai, Lavaa’s CEO, watched helplessly as his 55-year-old mother-in-law succumbed to ovarian cancer. It had taken a year for the doctors to correctly diagnose her, by which time it was too late. She died eight months later. Amitai doesn’t blame the physicians and says they provided excellent care. But he realized they weren’t exploiting the power of AI to get quicker and more accurate insights.

And so he interviewed 200 physicians in the United States, to fully understand how AI could best help them.

And he drew on his seven years’ experience as an “offensive cyber officer” in the IDF–where a key challenge was sifting vital details from masses of data.

Amitai had also continued to work in intelligence afterwards, and had set up an automated trading platform for institutional investors. So he wasn’t from the world of healthcare, but he recognized that it could benefit from advanced systems that had been developed elsewhere. “I understood there was a big problem with data handling in the healthcare industry,” he tells ISRAEL21c.

He saw it when each of his three children were born. Every time, the doctor asked for the family’s medical history. And he saw it with the death of his mother-in-law. He believes AI would have suggested ovarian cancer as a diagnosis much sooner.

“It’s not the physician’s fault, it’s not the care team fault, they’re doing their best, but they just don’t have the tools,” he says. “The main problem is in primary care, the people who are in charge of your health on a daily

basis. They’re reactive instead of proactive. They’re trying to solve a single problem, not your whole health.” And they generally lack the resources to understand what the problem is and to diagnose it correctly. Lavaa’s AI-powered Preventive Care Engine Platform assists the physician by offering evidence-based insights.

“We are not allowing the computer to try to automatically detect the conditions. We’re using the accepted worldwide care protocols, but we’re using AI to extract the data,” says Amitai. “Physicians cannot go through all of this data by themselves in the amount of time that they have. It’s just impossible, so this is giving them a huge backup. “The number of parameters for a physician to check and the number of possible diseases is infinite, and time is limited. But computers are really good at matching parameters to diseases. “I realized that technology from the intelligence world already did this, so it was a question of applying it to healthcare.”

Lavaa is all about prevention and early intervention. Its AI platform can generate

questions for a particular patient based on what it sees in their records. It may, for example, ask if a female patient remembers the age at which she had her first period –something that’s relevant for breast cancer, but is never recorded in an EMR (electronic medical record). Or it may send targeted messages, questionnaires, or notifications. It acts as an early warning system, designed to prevent the development of chronic or psychological diseases, and cancer.

Lavaa currently looks after over 700,000 patients, all in the US, though the company has plans to expand globally. Amitai estimates the technology has so far saved 1,500 lives. “These are people who had a condition that could have been terminal but caught it on time and we managed to alert the physician, which meant the patients got either the right or better drugs, and better treatment, or a referral to the right place,” he says.

Lavaa is not the only such AI solution, but Amitai says the healthcare market is big enough for everybody. Some other companies use AI to

both inform and to diagnose–unlike Lavaa–or as a “black box” providing a diagnosis but no explanation of its “thinking.”

The company has 12 staff members at its offices in Ra’anana, central Israel, and a team working in the US. Lavaa was founded in 2021, has attracted $5 million in investments. A Series A funding round will be launched later this year.

“We want to go global,” Amitai says. “Our solution can work anywhere, and we believe it can improve healthcare around the world.”

Adam Amitai, CEO of Lavaa. (Lavaa photo)

FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

There are 4 Lehigh Valley Jewish agencies. Women head 3

By Carl Zebrowski Editor

You don’t need to tell the Lehigh Valley Jewish community that women need to be in leadership roles. It’s had women at the head of three of its four Jewish agencies since 2018.

Not that this should be a surprise. The Jewish community globally has done more than most to put women in leadership roles. Just 20 years after Israel became a state, for example, Israelis voted Golda Meir one of the first women to head a democratic government (note that the 249-year-old United States still hasn’t joined the club).

The three women currently heading Lehigh Valley Jewish agencies are Debbie Zoller, named executive director of Jewish Family Service in 2012; Jeri Zimmerman, named executive director of the Jewish Federation in 2019; and Joanna Powers,

named head of school at the Jewish Day School at the end of 2023. (Eric Lightman is executive director of the fourth agency, the JCC.)

Zoller moved here from North Carolina in 2012 to join Jewish Family Service as executive director. She arrived with eight years of experience in the same position with the DurhamChapel Hill JFS.

Since she’s been in the job here, Debbie has expanded JFS’s capacity by developing new and innovative programs, led an accomplished professional staff, and tripled the agency’s operational budget to effectively support the community.

“I have been surrounded by predominantly female staff who are amazing!”

Zoller said. “Frequently, these women came to JFS part-time after being home raising their children.

“The core competencies a woman needs to be a mother

and the qualities one needs to work in social services include organization, listening skills, and empowering individuals to make decisions, to name a few. While these skills may not be unique to women, as a woman leader, I’ve often felt that in order to be taken more seriously, I have to channel qualities associated with being male, such as strength and authority. I believe the best leaders exhibit kindness, compassion, and empathy and those attributes should be associated with character, not gender.”

Zimmerman brought years of experience in Jewish

13 years as director of the Center for Israel and Overseas at the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia, with her when she joined the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley staff in 2016 as assistant executive director. In that role she managed the fundraising effort that is the Federation’s primary purpose: the Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs. After Executive Director Mark Goldstein died in 2018, she kept things running smoothly in the interim, and the board of directors named her his successor in 2019.

“There have traditionally been fewer women serving as executive directors of Jewish Federations, and I feel fortunate in my career to have led two communities and established a full Israel and overseas department in a third,” Zimmerman said.

“As a woman in leadership, I’ve always believed in the power of mentorship and have been proud to guide younger colleagues, both male and female. However, my greatest achievement lies in seeing them step into leadership roles themselves, carrying forward the lessons of resilience and collaboration.

“Throughout my time as executive director, I’ve faced some of the most significant challenges our community has seen—from the Covid shutdown to the October 7 pogrom in Israel and the escalating waves of antisemitism. These difficult moments have tested our strength, but they’ve also highlighted the unique leadership qualities women often bring to the table—empathy, adaptability, and a deep commitment to unity.

I’ve been privileged to work alongside extraordinary lay leaders and professional

stands together in the face of adversity.”

Powers is still relatively new to her position as head of school, but she knows the JDS as well as anyone. She began working there in 1997 as a kindergarten general studies teacher. In 2016 she became the director of Hebrew and Judaics. Then, when Amy Golding resigned as head of school in mid2023, Joanna took over as interim head. Soon afterward the board of directors made her position permanent.

Since she took over as head of school, the JDS team has added a new Development, Arts, Science, and Humanities program for upper elementary and middle school; a semester dedicated to public speaking; and an event calendar expanded with programs like Little Learners, parents’ night out, and the Mental Health Matters speaker series.

“We have a truly spectacular team of staff, faculty, and volunteers at the JDS that makes it possible to guide our school toward success and offer the best possible education and environment for our students and families,” Powers said.

“I believe that as a female leader among a crew of inspirational women, we can model dedication and commitment to the children of the JDS every day.”

With women staffers and volunteers filling roles from top to bottom in all the Lehigh Valley Jewish agencies, it’s a good bet that women will maintain their strong leadership voice in the community for the foreseeable future. The biggest challenge could be to avoid taking the support for and success of women leaders for granted.

Joanna Powers Jeri Zimmerman

Debbie Zoller

CELEBRATING WOMEN

A time to remember heroines of American Zionist history

By Rabbi Moshe Re’em

Temple Beth El

Zionism has a long, venerable history in the United States. Since the founding of the Federation of American Zionists in 1897, the first official Zionist organization in the United States, the role of women in the American Zionist movement has been central.

With the founding of Hadassah in 1912 and then with the establishment of the Woman’s Mizrachi Federation in America in 1925, women have made significant contributions to the Zionist cause. Reflecting the ideals of the late 19th and early 20th century Progressive Era, with its focus on settle-

ment housing, middle-class Jewish women in the United States devoted their time and energy to alleviating poverty and promoting healthcare and education not only in the United States, but also in Palestine. In New York, Lillian Wald, founder of the Henry Street Settlement House, started a visiting nurses service that later influenced the thinking of Henrietta Szold.

March is Women’s History Month. This year it is also the month in which the Festival of Purim falls. Both Purim and Women’s History Month connect nicely with the theme of women in Jewish history.

The story of Purim is told in one of the few books of the Hebrew Bible that takes its name from a female heroine, Esther. Seymour Epstein, in his book “The Esther Scroll: The Author’s Tale” (2019), offers a new and radical thesis of the book. He contends that the Scroll of Esther was written neither as a light comedy, nor as a sacred history or romance, nor as a handbook for Jewish survival in the Diaspora. Rather, Epstein argues, the Scroll of Esther is a satire on Jewish life in the Diaspora.

“My theory,” writes Epstein, “is that the author wrote

what we would call a satire to transmit two key ideas that are never mentioned explicitly in the text: 1) Jews should never live outside of Israel, their homeland, and 2) Jews should dwell under the kingship of G-d, not a king of flesh and blood, like Ahashverosh.” As such, the Scroll of Esther serves as a critique of Diaspora Judaism, with a focus on emphasizing the supremacy of Jewish life in the land of Israel. If scholars are correct at placing the composition of Esther to the fifth or fourth centuries before the Common Era, during the Achaemenid Persian period, Esther serves as a type of ancient “Zionist” text.

Henrietta Szold’s form of Zionism was a little different from the anti-Diaspora approach. For Szold, American Jewry needn’t make aliyah (although Szold herself did). The Yishuv (the Jewish communities in Palestine) served culturally as a vehicle for breathing new life into American Jewish culture. On February 24, 1912, a small group of 38 women met in New York City’s Temple Emanu-El, calling themselves the Daughters of Zion, Hadassah Chapter. They

adopted the name Hadassah, Esther’s Hebrew name, in honor of the holiday of Purim, which fell about the time that the group met. When it held its first national convention in Rochester, New York, two years later, the delegates voted to drop the cumbersome title Daughters of Zion and elected to go with the shorter name Hadassah as the organization’s official name.

Henrietta Szold, of course, was the organization’s founder. Having visited Palestine three years earlier, Szold was struck by “the unspeakable filth and disease that meet the eye at every turn in the cities.” In Jaffa and in Jerusalem, Szold witnessed the unclean conditions of open-air markets with filthy stalls, swarming with flies; homes that lacked basic sanitary facilities; and children blinded by trachoma. She was moved to address the health needs of the local inhabitants. By doing good work for the Jews in Palestine, Szold believed that American Jewry would strengthen and renew itself spiritually. As Francine Klagsburn has pointed out in her excellent biography of Szold, “Hadassah made a point of extending its health services to people of all religions, races, and nationalities without discrimination— Muslim and Christian women

and their children would be treated along with Jewish ones.” As a Zionist, Szold believed in a form of cultural Zionism whereby a strong Jewish community in Israel would strengthen Jewish life in America. As a nation, we were one people, connected in spirit. Szold also was an active member and promoted Brit Shalom, which raised the banner of a binational state under the British Mandate where Arabs and Jews would have equal status.

Locally, Allentown had one of the early chapters of Hadassah. It was founded in 1922, just 10 years after Szold established the first Hadassah group in New York. Sadly, today there is no longer a Hadassah group in Allentown, although there is an active Easton-Bethlehem chapter. They continue to meet on Zoom for book and movie discussions. My hope is that a younger generation of women will step forward and volunteer to continue this important legacy in Allentown, as well.

As we made Women’s History Month, we ought to take time to remember the brave courage of ancient figures like Esther and modern heroes like Henrietta Szold and celebrate their tremendous contributions to our tradition.

CELEBRATING WOMEN

Artificial breast milk could be a base for oral meds and vaccines

Israel21c

Researchers in Israel are a step closer to replacing injections with swallowable medicines and vaccines. They’ve done so by developing artificial particles that mimic the properties of human breast milk. The

problem they’re solving is that the body prevents anything it suspects of being potentially harmful—such as insulin for diabetes and a range of vaccines—from passing out of the intestine into the bloodstream.

But a team at the Technion-Israel Institute of

THINK SPRING!

Technology in Haifa realized that breast milk does cross the baby’s intestinal barrier—the large protective layer of mucus and epithelial cells that allows essential nutrients to enter the bloodstream while blocking suspected toxins. “If compounds in breast milk can cross this barrier, it means breast milk contains ‘keys’ that enable them to do so,” said Si Naftaly, a PhD candidate who jointly led the study.

The team’s challenge was to identify and recreate those keys so that medicine and vaccines could also cross the barrier. They discovered that certain proteins in human breast milk form a coating–or a corona–around nanoparticles, which “unlock” the intestinal barrier. Cows’ milk and infant formula can cross the barrier to some extent, but human breast milk does it best, they concluded. They describe this effect as the Human Breast Milk Protein Corona.

From these donations, they developed “milkosomes”—artificial particles

that are based on human milk and mimic exosomes, the nanoparticles responsible for infant development and immune system support. These milkosomes are able to cross the intestinal barrier.

“Breast milk is a remarkable biofluid,” said Assistant Prof. Assaf Zinger, who co-led the study. “It contains a wide range of essential compounds. To impact the baby’s health, these compounds must pass from the digestive system into the bloodstream by crossing the intestinal barrier.” The hope is that in the future, milkosomes will

be able to deliver medicines and vaccines through the gastrointestinal tract, instead of injections.

The advantage would be that oral medication is generally cheaper and more convenient than a jab . . . and less troubling for anyone squeamish about needles.

The study, “Harnessing the Potential of Human Breast Milk to Boost Intestinal Permeability for Nanoparticles and Macromolecules,” has been published in the Journal of Controlled Release.

Topaz Pery, Si Naftaly, and Kiros Rawan Mhajne helped develop “milkosomes” that cross the intestinal barrier. (Photo by Rami Shlush/Technion spokesperson’s office)

CELEBRATING WOMEN

Pinemere Camp revives traditional women’s HillTop Sing

By Eytan Graubart Pinemere Camp Executive Director

At Pinemere Camp, traditions run deep, and some of the most powerful moments are shaped by the women who lead, inspire, and carry those traditions forward. For Women’s History Month, it feels fitting to reflect on the role of women at the camp and how their leadership and dedication ensure that camp is a place where young girls and women can thrive, grow, and find their voice.

When I first arrived at Pinemere, I was eager to learn about the rich traditions that have defined this place for so many years. Some of these traditions—like Maccabi, Shabbat services, and Havdalah—are familiar to many camps. But there was one unique tradition that stood out: HillTop Sing.

HillTop Sing dates back to the fifties and has always been a special moment for the oldest girls at camp. In this tradition, the girls are divided into teams and tasked with creating songs and choreography around themes focused

on women’s empowerment, leadership, and how to make the world a better place. For years, the HillTop Sing was a beloved and powerful event, a showcase of creativity and camaraderie, as the girls poured their hearts into their performances. The energy was palpable, and the themes were always inspiring.

However, when I arrived, I learned that HillTop Sing no longer had the same excitement. It had become something that felt more like a pageant than a celebration of women’s voices. The young women had been required to pull their hair back tight and wear makeup—rules that detracted from the empowering message the event was meant to convey. Over time, the themes also lost their spark, and the girls began to feel like they were going through the motions rather than embracing the true spirit of the tradition. Worse still, the event was no longer so well received by the rest of the camp. The excitement had faded.

This tradition, once so powerful, was on the brink

of being sunsetted. But when such discussion arose, two voices stepped forward to defend HillTop Sing’s legacy. Linz Haft, our then assistant director and current director of camper care and communication, and Aimee Schwartz, the HillTop unit leader at the time (and now program and events manager at Shaarei Tikvah in New York), both remembered how impactful HillTop Sing had been and wanted to revitalize it, rather than let it fade away. They asked for my trust, and with that, they got to work.

What followed was nothing short of a transformation. Linz and Aimee breathed new life into HillTop Sing, returning to the roots of the tradition while embracing the evolving needs of the girls it was meant to inspire. They focused on the true spirit of the tradition: the power of friendship, the strength of young women, and the importance of individual expression. Gone were the days of strict rules about appearance—no longer would

creativity, to share their voices, and to present their messages of empowerment in ways that resonated with them personally.

Now, HillTop Sing is once again one of our most beloved traditions. The performances, filled with music, dance, and poetry, offer inspiring messages that leave a lasting impact on both the participants and the audience.

One moment from last summer stands out as a powerful reminder. One of the teams wrote a prayer in music for the return of the hostages, a moment that I still relive as I watch the news today. The energy in the room that evening was palpable, as the girls’ words filled the air with hope and empathy. In that moment, it was clear that HillTop Sing was no longer just an event at camp—it was a force for change.

Today, HillTop Sing represents the best of Pinemere. It is led by powerful women, honoring our history while helping to create a better future. Through song and dance, our campers learn the importance of leadership, empathy, and resilience.

They learn that they have the power to make a difference in the world, no matter how young they are. And for all of us at Pinemere, it serves as a reminder that the incredible women who have led this camp in the past have laid the groundwork for future generations of leaders. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Linz and Aimee for their dedication and vision. Their leadership and hard work have ensured that HillTop Sing remains a cornerstone of our tradition, empowering the young women of Pinemere to find their voices and lead with confidence.

At Pinemere, we celebrate women every day—not just in March, but throughout the year. From the leadership of our staff to the strength of our campers, we know that empowering young women is the key to a better future. And as we look ahead to another summer, I am filled with hope and excitement for the next generation who will continue to shape this camp and the world beyond it.

CELEBRATING WOMEN

Welcome to our Women’s Philanthropy division!

By Lee Kestecher Solomon Director of Community Engagement

Whether you’re new to the Lehigh Valley or you’re one of the pillars of our community, it’s good for us to refresh and share with you our communal programming with the hope of seeing new faces getting involved!

Our Women’s Philanthropy is a multigenerational group of Lehigh Valley women from all walks of life who have discovered the ful-

fillment and powerful impact that comes from individual commitment to the Federation’s work locally, in Israel, and around the world. Our generous group of women raises nearly $1 million annually for Jewish Federationsupported programs and services. Their collective philanthropy enriches their own lives while improving the lives of others. Women’s Philanthropy stays on top of issues affecting the Jewish community, while helping people in need and keep-

ing Jewish life in the Lehigh Valley and around the world strong and vibrant.

Together with our passionate Women’s Philanthropy board volunteers, the Jewish Federation works to plan yearly programming for our community. These events vary from mitzvah projects to campaign-oriented events with high-end speakers to missions to Israel.

How can you get involved? Join our division by attending our events and contributing to our Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs,

and help ensure our thriving Jewish community for generations to come.

Mitzvah projects

As part of Women’s Philanthropy’s programs, you can find our mitzvah project committee, which meets two or three times a year to create opportunities for our women to come together and help our neighbors in need by cooking a warm meal, packing totes bags filled with women’s hygiene products that are donated to shelters, and much more.

Dollar-a-Day $365

Have you ever thought of what a dollar a day can do to help others? Have you ever thought about how much you spend on groceries a week? Or about how much a spontaneous run to Target costs? Or even how much you spend a year at Starbucks for a grande latte with an extra shot of espresso?

Now imagine how families who can’t afford to think about a Starbucks run or a Target shopping spree would appreciate that extra dollar a day. This is what a Dollar-a-Day $365 donor understands. This is the level of giving of the women who attend our annual Spring

Women’s Philanthropy Continues on page 23

DEADLINE: MARCH 21, 2025

CELEBRATING WOMEN

Women’s Philanthropy

Event (and other events). The Spring Event is an opportunity for our women to connect, schmooze, and learn from the meaningful and insightful speakers we host at the event. This year, on May 15, we’re very excited to have Yaniv Cohen, the Spice Detective!

Pomegranate

This recognition for a special

level of giving has a place close to the heart, as it started here in the Lehigh Valley in 1981 by the then-president of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, Sybil Baiman. Campaign chair Jeanette Eichenwald felt that a pin recognizing gifts at this midlevel would help increase gifts in the upper levels. Today, over 125 Federations

participate in the Pomegranate pin program.

Our Pomegranate women donate $1,800 or more to the Federation’s annual campaign and help make a big difference in our community and overseas. They enjoy the Women’s Philanthropy’s Fall Event along with our Lion of Judah donors.

Lion of Judah Lion of Judah is similar to the Pomegranate: a symbol of the strength of today’s Jewish

woman and of her care for the organized Jewish world. The Lion pin represents a gift of at least $5,000 to the Federation’s annual campaign.

Each spring the Lions of the Lehigh Valley gather for a luncheon that features a speaker discussing a topic important to the community and gives the women a chance to catch up with one another and to reenergize as they continue with the year’s philanthropic efforts.

More than 16,000 women

worldwide are Lions of Judah. Every other year or so, Lions from all over the world gather at a conference to learn about challenges facing Jewish communities everywhere and to exchange ideas about and plan for a better Jewish future.

Keep an eye out in Hakol, our emails, and our social media for more information about Women’s Philanthropy, reach out to Lee Kestecher Solomon at lee@jflv.org.

Women feature in 3 lauded novellas translated from Hebrew

“The Hebrew Teacher,” by Maya Arad, translated from Hebrew by Jessica Cohen, New Vessel Press, 2024, 320 pages.

By Sean Boyle

Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley

Maya Arad’s award-winning book “The Hebrew Teacher” is three novellas, each of whose main character is a different Israeli woman who has emigrated to the United States.

The first novella, “The Hebrew Teacher,” centers on Ilana, who has been a Hebrew teacher for almost 45 years in a small Midwestern college town. She began teaching Hebrew in 1971, when there was still excitement after Israel’s overwhelming victory in the Six-Day War. She started at the local Jewish Day School and synagogue and then became an adjunct professor at the local college.

Her views of Israel and the Diaspora clash with those of a new Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions-supporting faculty member, the young, male Israeli American Yoad, with a doctorate from Berkeley and postdoc at Columbia.

Ilana’s life work is at risk due to falling enrollment numbers for her class as well as her challenges to Yoad’s and several students’ post-Zionist politics. The story is set in 2015 and was published in Hebrew by Arad in 2018, well before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

The second novella, “A Visit (Scenes),” is much like a play as it shifts in point of view between the three adult characters. Miriam is an older Israeli widow who has come for a three-week visit to her only child, Yoram, who has been working for decades in Silicon Valley. Late in life, he married Maya, and they have a toddler son, Yonatan. Yoram and Maya have been to Israel, but this is Miriam’s first visit to America. She worries about the differences between the life Yoram has led her to believe they live and the one she witnesses when she finally visits.

The last novella, “Make New Friends,” has Israeliborn Efrat worrying about her 12-year-old daughter Libby, who is obsessed with the girls at school who snub her at every opportunity. It focuses primarily on Efrat’s

efforts to help her daughter adjust to middle school life and avoid the pitfalls of social media, but she ends up crossing forbidden lines. It also portrays the struggles immigrant parents have with their U.S.-born children—the misunderstandings of not sharing a common childhood experience and the attempts to have their bilingual children speak Hebrew to them at home but getting responses mostly in English.

Arad is a bestselling author in Israel, where 11 of her books have appeared in Hebrew. She has lived for 20 years in California, and is a writer-in-residence at Stanford University’s Taube Center for Jewish Studies.

“The Hebrew Teacher” is her first book translated into English, and it is the National Book Award winner for Hebrew Fiction in Translation and was selected as an honor winner for several other book awards.

Highly recommended for ages 16-120, especially for anyone interested in the themes of the passage of time, questions about living a useful life, and the problems of generational differences.

One girl, many mothers

By Sandi Teplitz Special to Hakol

It goes without saying that parents want the best for their children, but we often differ in ways to reach that goal. This novel is devoted specifically to what happens

when such plans go awry.

Annabel, a free-thinking member of the Good Shepherd Church, eventually gets involved romantically with a politically liberal Jewish man. With good intentions, they try to change the world, one social upheaval at a time. They and four other couples figure that by raising their children collectively in a commune with one couple in charge, the others can be free

Sean Boyle is the librarian of the Jewish Day School and of Congregation Keneseth Israel and serves as president of the Association of Jewish Libraries.

to undo the harmful effects of government and society and thereby change the future for their own families and ultimately for their country. Set in the 1960s and extending to the present-day United States, the story is told through the lens of mother and daughter, alternating between the two. Until a tragedy occurs, the reader is exposed to both positive and negative consequences of the

unusual commune lifestyle.

Author Randy Susan Meyers, who identifies herself as “culturally Jewish,” is no newcomer to writing; she has penned five other novels and received praise from authors of bestsellers from the New York Times and USA Today. She is a skilled journalist and paints a detailed picture of our country’s emotional and social issues through the decades, crediting her four years as a bartender in Boston for giving her insight into domestic issues. The surprise near the book’s end evolves in a logically driven way and provides a satisfying conclusion.

If the story has a flaw, it’s probably that, without explanation, members of the extended family do not intervene when the lifestyles of the children prove very different from their own. Yet this does not detract from the family members’ eventual unity and ultimate understanding.

Meyers makes this book conducive for book club discussions by developing questions at the end meant to elicit a variety of responses. Readers will likely want to reach for other books by Meyers and hope for more to come.

Sandi Teplitz reviews books and provides recipes for Hakol.

“The Many Mothers of Ivy Puddingstone,” by Randy Susan Meyers, Koehler Books, 2024, 205 pages.

Poppy Seed Chicken Salad with poppy crunch croutons

By Sandi Teplitz Special to Hakol

2 poppy bagels

3 cups diced roasted chicken

1 cup canned bean sprouts, drained

1 rib celery, diced

1/4 cup French dressing with 2 teaspoons poppy seeds added

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Pepper to taste

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/8 teaspoon soy sauce

Slice the poppy bagels in thirds. Brush both sides with olive oil and bake at 400 degrees for a total of 10 minutes, flipping about half way through. Cool, then break into croutons. Set aside.

Combine the chicken with the next five ingredients and chill for an hour. Add the soy sauce to the may onnaise and mix with the chicken. Place the finished mixture on salad greens, top with croutons, and serve.

SUNDAY, MARCH 2

PJ Library Make, Bake, and Take Hamantaschen

3:30 p.m., Congregation Sons of Israel

Join PJ Library and Sons of Israel for a little Purim fun and crafts, Hamantaschen making and, of course, a PJ Library story. The cost is $5 per child. Registration required at jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/pj-library-makebake-and-take-purim by February 26.

TUESDAYS, MAR 4-APR 8

KI Introduction to Judaism 7-9 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel

Are you curious about all things Jewish? This six-session class will give you a deeper understanding of Judaism, through a Reform lens. Taught by a variety of Jewish educators, the class is open to everyone of all faiths and those with no religious upbringing. Topics covered include the Bible and other sacred texts, Jewish holidays, Shabbat, and more. Total cost for the six classes is $15 for KI members and $30 for nonmembers. Registration required at kilv.org/event/intro-to-judaism2. html#registration.

THURSDAYS, MARCH 6, 20, AND APRIL 3

Tzedakah: The Jewish Approach to Giving

7:30-8:30 p.m., via Zoom

Why do you give? How does your Ju-

daism affect your giving habits? Congregation Bnai Shalom will examine what Judaism has to say about the need to give charity: Who needs to give? How much should we give and to whom? As a group and in chavruta (paired learning), participants will explore these questions and more through traditional sources and modern answers. Sign up by calling the Bnai Shalom office at 610-2585343.

FRIDAYS, MAR 7, APR 4, MAY 9

PJ Library Monthly Tot Shabbat

4-5:30 p.m., Congregation Brith Sholom

Kids and their families will learn about Shabbat and celebrate with songs and PJ Library stories. A light dinner will be provided. Participants will receive everything they need to celebrate Shabbat at home. Registration required at jewishlehighvalley. regfox.com/pj-library-monthly-totshabbat. Register for one date or all.

SATURDAY, MARCH 8

NextGen Purim Fest

7:30 p.m., B Social at Saucon Valley Square

Dress up in a Purim costume and join NextGen for an adult’s night out celebrating the holiday with ax throwing, bowling, and more. “Hearty appetizers” will be served; dietary laws observed. Community members ages 30-50 who have made a gift to the Jewish Federation’s 2025 Annual

Campaign for Jewish Needs are invited to attend (couples should have one person within the age range). Couvert is $36. Registration required at jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/ nextgen-purim-fest-2025.

SUNDAY, MARCH 9

Purim Carnival

11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., JCC

Celebrate the holiday with games, activities, snacks, prizes, crafts, and a costume parade. Games and activities are from 11 to noon; parade begins at noon. Kosher snacks will be available for purchase. All are invited and admission is free; adults who are not JCC members must bring a photo ID to enter. The event is sponsored by the JCC, Jewish Federation, and Jewish Day School.

FRIDAY, MARCH 14

PJ Library Tot Shabbat Purim and Pi 3:30 p.m., Congregation Bnai Shalom

Join PJ Library and Congregation Bnai Shalom for a Purim Tot Shabbat on Pi Day. Wear your costume for some Purim and Pi Day fun. We’ll light the Shabbat candles and, of course, there will be a PJ Library story. Registration required at jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/pj-librarypurim-and-pi.

MONDAY, MARCH 17

Stop-the-Bleed Training 2 p.m., JCC Holocaust Resource

Center

This training led by Tim Brooks provides community members with the skills to save lives by applying emergency first aid to control bleeding. Registration required at jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/stopthe-bleed-training.

SUNDAY, MARCH 23

Maimonides Society Brunch and Learn: GLP-1 Agonist Therapy 10 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel

Join us for a presentation by Dr. Marc Vengrove, an endocrinologist with Lehigh Valley Health Network, about GLP-1 agonist therapy. He will discuss the multiple indications for using this class of drug, including, diabetes, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and obesity. A bagel breakfast will be served. The event is free; registration required jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/maimonidesbrunch-and-learn-glp-1.

SUNDAY, MARCH 23

Six13 a Cappella Concert at Sons of Israel

4-6 p.m., Congregation Sons of Israel

This award-winning six-man vocal group brings their unique style and energy to Jewish music. Doors open at 4, concert is from 4:30 to 5:30, and merchandise will be on sale until 6. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. All are

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.

welcome. Adults $50 and children and students $36. Buy tickets at jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/csoiconcert-2025.

THURSDAY, MARCH 27

Miriam’s Song Seder

5:30-8:30 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel

The Women of KI, the Bnai Shalom Sisterhood, and the Sisterhood of Temple Beth El will celebrate Passover with the theme “A Celebration of Freedom Shared through Women’s Voices.” Led by KI’s Rabbi Shoshanah Tornberg and TBE’s Shari Spark along with Rabbi Adrienne Rubin and Katyah Gohr. The complete seder with Pesach meal will be catered by chef Eric Rappaport. Ages 13-100 are welcome. Tickets are $55 for Women of KI, Bnai Shalom Sisterhood, and TBE Sisterhood members and $60 for nonmembers. RSVP at kilv.org/event/miriam39s-songseder-2025.html with payment by March 17.

SUNDAY, MARCH 30

“Making Your Voice Heard in Israel” 10 a.m., Temple Beth El Guest speaker Rabbi Amy Levin, former president of the Rabbinical Assembly in Israel, will lead an urgent conversation about how American Jews can make their voices heard in Israel and help secure Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state. All are invited; registration required at bethelallentown.org/event/mercazspeaker.html.

SUNDAY, MARCH 30

Simmering Secrets: A 2nd Helping of Soup and Community 10 a.m.-noon, Congregation Keneseth Israel

Join the Women of KI to learn the secrets of soup making with Chef Eric Rappaport and enjoy his mushroom barley soup, served with bread and salad. Bring some of your own soup to swap (not required) and bring a can of soup for the Jewish Family Service Community Food Pantry. $5 per person. RSVP at kilv.org/event/ soup-swap--cooking-demo.html by March 22.

THURSDAY, APRIL 3

Women’s Philanthropy Mitzvah Project

10:30 a.m.-noon, JCC Board Room

Save the date. Details to come.

SATURDAY, APRIL 5

Bread before Passover! Baking with Martina

10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel

Become a star baker! Make star

bread, a soft and fluffy treat infused with your favorite filling. It’s perfect for holidays, brunches, or dessert, and it’s surprisingly easy to make. RVSP at kilv.org/event/bread-beforepassover-baking-with-martina.html by March 30. Space is limited.

SATURDAY, APRIL 5

Bridge of Hope Israeli Folk Band

8:30 p.m., Temple Beth El

From Kibbutz Get in southern Israel, Bridge of Hope brings the sound and soul of Hebrew musical heritage, blended with melodies of American and traditional folk. $36 per ticket includes the concert and a dessert reception. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Emergency Appeal for Kibbutzim Near Gaza. Buy tickets at bethelallentown.org/.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10

Basya Schechter and Pharoah’s Daughter Concert

7:30 p.m., Lehigh University Zoellner Arts Center

Basya Schechter and Pharoah’s Daughter will perform as part of the Philip and Muriel Berman Center for Jewish Studies’ year-long 40th anniversary celebration. A reception will follow the concert. Tickets are $10, $9 for seniors, and $8 for students. For tickets, visit zoellner.cas.lehigh. edu/content/pharaohs-daughter and click on Get Tickets.

ONGOING EVENTS

FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

Bnai Shalom Cash Bingo

1 p.m., Congregation Bnai Shalom

Join Bnai Shalom for its monthly bingo game fundraiser, the first Sunday of every month. For more information call 610-258-5343.

MONDAYS

Yiddish Club

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

Experience the joys of Yiddish via Zoom as part of Adults at the J. The group meets weekly to discuss topics like cooking, humor, music and all kinds of entertainment in the Yiddish language. No cost. Call 610-4353571, ext. 501.

MONDAYS

The Importance of Tefilah/Prayer

8 p.m., Congregation Sons of Israel via Zoom

Join Rabbi Michael Belgrade of Congregation Sons of Israel for an online class about the importance of tefilah/prayer. The class draws from all Jewish sources: Tanach (Bible), Talmud (Gemara), law (halacha), hashgafa (philosophy), ethics (pirkei

FRIDAY, MARCH 7 5:42 PM

FRIDAY, MARCH 14 6:50 PM

FRIDAY, MARCH 21 6:57 PM

FRIDAY, MARCH 28 7:04 PM

FRIDAY, APRIL 4 7:12 PM

avot), and introspection (mussar). This class is free and open to the entire community. Email office@sonsofisrael.net or call 610-433-6089.

WEDNESDAYS

Yoga with Miriam Sandler: ChairSupported Yoga

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

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

WEDNESDAYS

Torah Studies: A Weekly Journey into the Soul of Torah

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

Torah Studies by the Jewish Learning Institute presents Season Two 5785, a 12-part series offered in person and via Zoom. Cost is $54 for the course, including textbook. For more information, call 610-351-6511 or email rabbi@chabadlehighvalley. com.

EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY

Hadassah Study Group

12:30 p.m., via Zoom

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

WEDNESDAYS, DEC 4, JAN 8, FEB 12, MAR 12, APR 9, MAY 7

JDS Little Learners Class

9:30 a.m., Jewish Day School

Jewish Day School is offering a free Little Learners class for caregivers with children ages 3 and under. Storytime, movement, and music with a Jewish twist. Register at jdslv.org/little-learners.

THURSDAYS

Basic Yiddish Class

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

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

FRIDAYS

Kol HaEmek

9-10 a.m., WMUH 91.7 “The Voice of the Valley” radio show. For information go to muhlenberg. edu/wmuh.

SECOND FRIDAY OF THE MONTH

KI Shabbat Friends

5 or 5:30 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel

Join this enthusiastic group for pre-

FRIDAY, APRIL 11 7:19 PM SATURDAY, APRIL 12 8:21 PM SUNDAY, APRIL 13 8:22 PM

FRIDAY, APRIL 18 7:27 PM SATURDAY, APRIL 19 8:29 PM

Shabbat dinner and conversation. Bring your own food, drink, and topics for discussion. Call 610-435-9074 for more information or to register.

SATURDAYS

KI Torah Study

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

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

SATURDAYS

Wisdom of the Talmud Class

After Shabbat Lunch and Schmooze, Congregation Brith Sholom

Join Rabbi Michael Singer in a discussion about Jewish law, ethics, customs and history as found in the pages of the Talmud. For information email tammy@brithsholom.net or call 610-866-8009.

SECOND SATURDAY OF THE MONTH Shabbat Out of the Box 10 a.m., Keneseth Israel

Celebrating the sixth year of creative and interesting activities to inspire your Shabbat experience. Everyone is welcome. All events are free. Registration is required at kilv.org/ shabbat-out-of-the-box.html.

LAST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH Shabbat Yoga

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

Jett Ulaner Saracheck and Ann Friedenheim lead this experience of Shabbat through movement. All are welcome. For questions, call Ann at 610-462-2549 or Jett at 610-7621450. Register at kilv.org/event/ shabbat-yoga1.html

DAILY

Jewish Broadcasting Service

JBS is a Jewish television channel featuring daily news from Israel; leading Jewish figures, issues and events of Jewish importance; call-in programs; Jewish studies; 92nd Street Y; live Friday and holiday services for those at home; children’s programs; films; music; books; and entertainment. jbstv.org.

DAILY

Congregation Sons of Israel Minyanim

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

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

Daily Online Meditation 12:30 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality

Lehigh

We’re

Together