The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community
www.jewishlehighvalley.org
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Issue No. 436
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October 2020
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Tishrei/Cheshvan 5781
AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION EST. 1977
Meet the artists and entrepreneurs of Yoav p6
Get the scoop on the 2020 election p12-13
FROM THE DESK OF JERI ZIMMERMAN p2 LVJF TRIBUTES p8 JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE p11 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER p14-15 JEWISH DAY SCHOOL p16 VIRTUAL COMMUNITY CALENDAR p22-23
UAE and Bahrain officially ink ties with Israel The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed historic agreements at the White House on Tuesday, Sept. 15, to normalize relations with Israel, the first of their kind in 26 years. In front of a crowd of about 200 people on the South Lawn, the UAE signed a normalization accord that was verbally agreed upon on Aug. 13, while Bahrain signed a similar agreement with the Jewish state, the status of which was announced on Sept. 11. Additionally, all three countries and the United States signed a document affirming the “Abraham Accords.”
These were the first normalization deals between Israel and other Mideast nations since Israel’s peace deal with Egypt in 1979 and with Jordan in 1994. The UAE and Bahrain are the first Gulf countries to normalize ties with the Jewish state. The UAE and Bahrain were represented at the ceremony by their foreign ministers, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. The Israeli delegation was led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We’re here to change the course of hisUAE and Bahrain Continues on page 2
OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY JOYCE N. BOGHOSIAN
Jewish News Syndicate
U.S. President Donald Trump, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Foreign Affairs for the United Arab Emirates Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyani sign the Abraham Accords on the South Lawn of the White House, Sept. 15, 2020.
SARAH SILBIGER/GETTY IMAGES
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, first Jewish woman to serve on Supreme Court, dies at 87
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates in a discussion at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., Feb. 10, 2020. By Sarah Wildman Jewish Telegraphic Agency Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the first Jewish woman to serve on the Supreme Court and a tireless advocate for gender equality,
has died at 87. A fierce jurist known for her outsized presence and outspokenness, Ginsburg died from “complications of metastatic pancreas cancer,” the Supreme Court announced Friday, Sep. 18, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. She had survived multiple bouts of different cancers over the course of two decades, vowing that she was healthy enough to continue her work and at times returning to the bench shortly after hospital stays. In her 27 years on the court, Ginsburg emerged not only as the putative leader of the court’s liberal wing but as a pop cultural phenomenon and feminist icon, earning as an octogenarian the moniker Notorious R.B.G. — a play off the deceased rapper Notorious B.I.G. She won liberal acclaim by penning blistering dissents in high-profile cases concerning birth control, voter ID laws and affirmative action even as she main-
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tained a legendary friendship with Justice Antonin Scalia, the staunchly conservative firebrand who died in 2016. Ginsburg was frank as well about the importance of Jewish tradition in influencing her life and career, hanging the Hebrew injunction to pursue justice on the walls of her chambers. “I am a judge, born, raised and proud of being a Jew,” she said in an address to the American Jewish Committee following her 1993 appointment to the court. “The demand for justice runs through the entirety of Jewish history and Jewish tradition.” Ginsburg was nominated to the nation’s highest bench by President Bill Clinton following the retirement of Byron White. In her Rose Garden nominating ceremony, Clinton lauded Ginsburg for standing with the “the outsider in society … telling them that they have a place in our legal system, by giving them a sense
that the Constitution and the laws protect all the American people, not simply the powerful.” Ginsburg attributed that outsider perspective to her Jewish roots, pointing often to her heritage as a building block of her perspective on the bench. “Laws as protectors of the oppressed, the poor, the loner, is evident in the work of my Jewish predecessors on the Supreme Court,” she wrote in an essay for the AJC. “The Biblical command: ‘Justice, justice shalt thou pursue’ is a strand that ties them together.” The Brooklyn native was the daughter of Nathan Bader, a Russian immigrant and furrier, and the former Celia Amster. She often noted that her mother was “barely second generation,” having been born a scant four months after her parents’ Ruth Bader Ginsburg Continues on page 3
Your time
Learn what's happening in the older adult community in our special Your Time section p18-21
To everything there is a season One of my favorite holidays is Sukkot—possibly because I appreciate that Sukkot represents a change in season and in mood. My birthday usually coincides with Sukkot, and back in the day, I became a Bat Mitzvah during the holiday. Sukkot is known as the “season of our rejoicing,” and these days, we can all welcome a reason to rejoice. The word sukkah means booth, referring to the temporary dwellings that the Torah commands us to live in during the holiday, commemorating our wandering in the desert and the harvest. This year, in particular, the sukkah also reminds me, that
as we come through the High Holiday period, pretty soon it will also be time to think about another type of booth—the voting booth and Election Day. Rabbi Yitzhak taught that “A ruler is not to be appointed unless the community is first consulted.” This ethic of political participation has guided us to participate in the electoral process. At stake are vital political, economic and moral issues of concern to all Americans. The Talmud asserts that it is our duty to create and support our government and it is one of the few obligations that Jewish law recognizes
UAE and Bahrain
and more countries,” added Netanyahu. “This is unimaginable a few years ago. But with resolve, determination [and] a fresh look at the way peace is done, this is being achieved.” In Arabic, Nahyan declared that “we are witnessing a change in the heart of the Middle East, a change that will send hope around the world.” Under the Israel-UAE deal, the two countries agreed to sign bilateral agreements on security, tourism, direct flights, investment, telecommunications, technology, health care, reciprocal embassies, culture, energy and the environment. They also agreed to increase and fasten cooperation in developing a vaccine for COVID-19. Under the deal, however, Israel agreed to suspend ap-
Continues from page 1
tory,” said Trump, speaking from the first-floor balcony of the White House overlooking the South Lawn. “These agreements prove that the nations of the region are breaking free from the failed approaches of the past.” Netanyahu called the occasion a “pivot of history” and “new dawn of peace.” “To all of Israel’s friends in the Middle East, those who are with us today and those who will join us tomorrow, I say, As-salamu alaykum. ‘Peace unto thee.’ Shalom.” “And you have heard from the president that he is already lining up more
for all people. As we know, government is important. To Maimonides, its purpose was to ensure public order. To others, the purpose extends to include all social welfare, public safety, health, social equity and the rule of law. The fabric of modern life in this world requires wise, effective and representatively accountable government. As members of the Jewish community, we value the power of the collective. Collective action guides our operating principles to be agents of change, to actively repair the world, engaging in tikkun olam. The prophet Jeremiah taught that wherever
plying sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria—a part of the deal Nahyan touted in his remarks in that it would allow Abu Dhabi to “continue to stand by the Palestinians.” The Israel-Bahrain agreement states that the two nations “agreed to establish full diplomatic relations, to promote lasting security, to eschew threats and the use of force, as well as advance coexistence and a culture of peace,” in addition to agreeing to seek “agreements in the coming weeks regarding investment, tourism, direct flights, security, telecommunications, technology, energy, healthcare, culture, the environment and other areas of mutual benefit, as well as reaching agreement on the reciprocal opening of embassies.”
The Lehigh Valley-Yoav Partnership Park in Blessed Memory of Mark L. Goldstein We gratefully acknowledge those individuals who have offered expressions of friendship by requesting that trees be planted in the Mark L. Goldstein Friendship Park, a Yoav-Lehigh Valley Partnership Forest. IN HONOR ALISON AND KENNETH BARTOMEO In honor of the birth of your son Elias Bartomeo Shalom Baby TRACEY AND JASON BILLIG In honor of the birth of your son Mathias Matan Billig Shalom Baby SALLY AND ADAM HAZAN In honor of the birth of your daughter, Kylie Hazan Shalom Baby JAMIE GORDON AND MIGUEL RODRIGUIZ In honor of the birth of your son Mikhael Gordon Shalom Baby JIM JESBERGER In appreciation of your willingness to always lend an ear The Boston Fischmanns STACY AND MATTHEW KANDEL In honor of the birth of your son Harry Kandel Shalom Baby
MELINDA AND DAVID KAROLY In honor of the birth of your son Griffin Karoly Shalom Baby BRITTNEY AND MATTHEW KING In honor of the birth of your daughter Penelope King Shalom Baby JESSICA AND KYLE LEWIS In honor of the birth of your daughter Emmeline Lewis Shalom Baby MARGO AND ERIC LIGHTMAN In honor of the birth of your son Asher Levi Lightman Shalom Baby ALEXANDRA AND JOSEPH SABBIA In honor of the birth of your son Miles Joseph Sabbia Shalom Baby KATERINA AND MICHAEL WEINSTEIN In honor of the birth of your son Luca David Weinstein Shalom Baby
MELISSA AND SAMANTHA WEINSTEIN In honor of the birth of your son Patrick Henry Weinstein Shalom Baby HALEY AND JOEY ZIMRING In honor of the birth of your son Stanley Zimring Shalom Baby IN MEMORY FATHER (Father of Jill and Mark Krieger) Mindy and Eric Holender ARNOLD GLASS (Husband of Judy Glass) Nancy Bernstein ROBERT LEVINE (Husband of Cindy Levine) The Rifkin Family SANDY ZALES (Mother of Saul Zales) Barbara and Fred Sussman
TO ORDER TREES, call the JFLV at 610-821-5500 or visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org. 2 OCTOBER 2020 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
we find ourselves, we are to engage deeply in our communities in order “to seek the welfare of the city” and work toward a better world. It is through government that Jews fulfill their civic duty to our communities. Most of us think about the Jewish vote in terms of Israel and Mideast policy, but the real Jewish issue is any government’s effectiveness to accomplish its public responsibilities. Government’s agenda of public health, safety, social policy, environmental protection and more is a “Jewish issue.” Voting is one of the most important acts of public service, a
chance to give voice to our values. Judaism teaches that “You do not need to finish the work, but you are not free to desist from it.” Judaism’s value of collective action mandates Jews to participate. Please do not to stay away on Election Day. That is the Jewish commitment to our tradition and values – whatever our personal politics or leanings may be. Vote.
HAKOL STAFF STEPHANIE GOODLING Editor
HAKOL is published 11 times per year for the Jewish communities of Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and vicinity by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.
COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS Submissions to HAKOL must be of interest to the entire Jewish community. HAKOL reserves all editorial rights including, but not limited to, the decision to print any submitted materials, the editing of submissions to conform to style and length requirements, and the placement of any printed material. Articles should be submitted by e-mail or presented as typed copy; “Community Calendar” listings must be submitted by e-mail to hakol@jflv.org or online at www.jewishlehighvalley.org. Please include your name and a daytime telephone number where you can be contacted in the event questions arise. We cannot guarantee publication or placement of submissions. MAIL, FAX, OR E-MAIL TO: JFLV ATTN: HAKOL 702 N. 22nd St. Allentown, PA 18104 Phone: (610) 821-5500 Fax: (610) 821-8946 E-mail: hakol@jflv.org
ALLISON MEYERS Graphic Designer DIANE MCKEE Account Representative TEL: 610-515-1391 hakolads@jflv.org BAYLEY CARL Marketing & Engagement Associate
JFLV EXECUTIVE STAFF JERI ZIMMERMAN Executive Director STEPHANIE SMARTSCHAN Director of Community Development & Operations TEMPLE COLDREN Director of Finance & Administration AARON GORODZINSKY Director of Campaign & Security Planning JIM MUETH Director of Planned Giving & Endowments WENDY EDWARDS Office Manager GARY FROMER JFLV President
Member American Jewish Press Association
All advertising is subject to review and approval by The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley (JFLV). JFLV reserves the right to decline, withdraw and/or edit any ad. The appearance of any advertising in HAKOL does not represent an endorsement or kashrut certification. Paid political advertisements that appear in HAKOL do not represent an endorsement of any candidate by the JFLV.
JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY MISSION STATEMENT
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
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Continues from page 1
arrival from Hungary. Ginsburg was keenly aware of the Jewish immigrant experience and her own good fortune to be born on these shores. The Holocaust colored her perspective of the world and the law. “Our nation learned from Hitler’s racism and, in time, embarked on a mission to end law-sanctioned discrimination in our own country,” Ginsburg said at a 2004 Yom HaShoah commemoration at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. “In the aftermath of World War II, in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, in the burgeoning Women’s Rights Movement of the 1970s, ‘We the People’ expanded to include all of humankind, to embrace all the people of this great nation. Our motto, E Pluribus Unum — of many one — signals our appreciation that we are the richer for the religious, ethnic and racial diversity of our citizens.” But while Ginsburg was fortunate to be born in the United States, even brilliant women in the 1950s had no easy path. Following her graduation from Cornell University, where she met her husband, Martin Ginsburg, Ginsburg lived for two years in Oklahoma and experienced the setbacks that women faced at the time: She was demoted from her job at the Social Security Administration after her supervisor discovered she was three months pregnant. Two years later, Ginsburg was one of only nine women in
her Harvard Law School class with about 500 men. She had a 14-month old daughter and had to battle the endless skepticism of her professors and colleagues. A wellknown story has it that at a meeting of her female classmates with the law school dean, the women were asked why they deserved a spot taken from men. When Martin, a Harvard Law graduate, took a job at a New York law firm, Ginsburg transferred to Columbia. At both schools she served on the Law Review, and she finished Columbia tied for first in her class. Yet not a single law firm would hire her. Ginsburg eventually clerked for Judge Edward Palmieri and went on to teach law at Rutgers University. She created the Women’s Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union and was the first tenured woman to teach law at Columbia. Ginsburg quickly built a reputation for establishing gender parity before the law, arguing six major sex-discrimination cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, winning all but one. In one of those winning cases, Weinburger v. Wiesenfeld in 1975, Ginsburg represented a widower left with a child in his care when his wife died in childbirth. The father requested the childcare benefits that a woman would receive if her husband died but which were then denied to men. “From the outset, she insisted that gender discrimination was not only an issue of women’s rights, demonstrating how using gender as a basis for different treatment was also harmful to men,” Judith Rosenbaum of the Jewish Women’s Archive said. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter named Ginsburg to the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Her nomination to the Supreme Court was approved overwhelmingly by the Senate on Aug. 3, 1993. She took her judicial oath of office a week later, becoming only the second woman to serve on the court after Sandra Day O’Connor. As a Supreme Court jurist, Ginsburg continued her fight for gender equality. In 1996, she wrote the majority opinion in United States v. Virginia, which deemed the Virginia Military Institute’s policy of not admitting women unconstitutional. She also authored the dissent in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire, a pay discrimination case that would lead to the 2009 Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Though a critic of the landmark Roe v. Wade case that decriminalized abortion nationally, Ginsburg consistently argued for protecting the right to abortion. Late in her career, she emerged as a cultural icon. In 2013, law student Shana Knizhik started a Tumblr blog collecting all manner of Ginsburg fan art, from celebratory tattoos to coffee mugs, T-shirts and onesies. The blog spawned a 2015 book with the Notorious R.B.G. tag co-authored with Irin Carmon. “Justice Ginsburg more than earned her Notorious crown and the admiration of millions of people with her fearless advocacy for marginalized people and her stubborn belief that women are people,” Carmon said. “People felt moved to make fan art and tattoo her face on their bodies because she spoke for them when it mattered.” Ginsburg is survived by two children — Jane, a law professor at Columbia, and James, a music producer — and four grandchildren. Martin Ginsburg died in 2010.
Federation announces new matching opportunity By Stephanie Smartschan JFLV Director of Community Development and Operations New donors to the Jewish Federation and those increasing their gifts will have an opportunity to maximize their impact this fall. From now until Dec. 31, all of these gifts will be matched by 50 percent. The matched funds will go directly to our local agencies and synagogues to address increased human service needs in the wake of COVID-19. “Our goal is to raise an additional $120,000 in new, lapsed and increased gifts so that we can access the additional $60,000 to our campaign,” said Vicki Wax, Annual Campaign co-chair. “That $180,000 will prove to be an additional lifeline to our agencies and synagogues.” The money will provide emergency financial aid for individuals in need, increased food assistance, support for mental and physical health and safety and emergency operating support for local Jewish human service and educational agencies, Wax said.
The money is being made available through the Jewish Federations of North America’s new Human Services Relief Matching Fund. In total, $18 million in matching funds will incentivize Federations to raise an additional $36 million, for a total of $54 million injected into North American Jewish communities. National foundations are providing the Federations with the matching funds. While the matching opportunity will extend to the end of the year, donors are encouraged to make their pledge by Oct. 25 and join Federation for its Main Event. That evening, the Federation will welcome famed mentalist Sidney Friedman for an extraordinary performance that will take place via Zoom. Attendees will have an opportunity to make a pledge that evening. “Please consider making your gift with an increase and encourage others to do the same,” Wax said. To learn more, make a donation and sign up for The Main Event, visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org or email mailbox@jflv.org.
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | OCTOBER 2020 3
Inspiration for my shaliach journey
By Gavriel Siman-Tov Community Shaliach Embarking on a new path to a new world is never easy. It was not an easy decision to get up and leave my family and friends in Israel and fly to the other side of the world. Since I was a kid, there has been one book that accompanies me up until this day, “Oh, the Places You'll Go!” written by Dr. Seuss. The book talks about the courage it takes to go out and leave the familiar to the unknown, to go out to unfamiliar places and experience new places and new people. That is the attitude that accompanies me from childhood. I arrived in a new world full of new people, and I am super excited to meet my new friends and my new family, and, as the book says, I went out and ar-
Federation keeps busy kicking off the new year
Above, LIFE & LEGACY donors raise a glass to celebrate the success of Year 3 of the program. Left, Bari Weiss, former New York Times op-ed writer, speaks to Federation’s major donors about her viral resignation from the newspaper and the state of anti-Semitism and how to fight it.
rived at a wonderful new place. One of my favorite quotes from the book: “On and on you will hike and I know you'll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are. You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed!”
Left, James Beard award-winning chef Michael Solomonov demonstrates how to cook Rosh Hashanah dinner live for thousands of participants at a virtual event with dozens of Federations attending. Right, Dr. Gilia Barkai, head of telemedicine at the Sheba Medical Center in Israel, talks to Maimonides Society members about the innovative work being done to treat COVID-19.
Lehigh professor launches new book on Jewish American crafters SPONSORED BY THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY’S WOMEN’S DIVISION
WELCOMING NEW BABIES
to the Lehigh Valley
PENELOPE KING
Daughter of Brittney and Matthew King
EMMELINE HANNAH LEWIS Daughter of Dr. Jessica and Kyle Lewis
ASHER LIGHTMAN Son of Margo and Eric Lightman
If you’re expecting, know someone who is, or have a new baby, PLEASE LET US KNOW! Contact Abby Trachtman, 610-821-5500 | abbyt@jflv.org
4 OCTOBER 2020 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
Jodi Eichler-Levine, Berman professor of Jewish civilization at Lehigh University, will host a virtual launch of her new book, “Painted Pomegranates and Needlepoint Rabbis: How Jews Craft Resilience and Create Community” on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. Joined via Zoom by Laura Arnold Leibman of Reed College, Eichler-Levine will discuss her new published text. Exploring a contemporary Judaism rich with the textures of family, memory and fellowship, “Painted Pomegranates and Needlepoint Rabbis” takes readers inside a flourishing American Jewish crafting movement. As she traveled across the country to homes, craft conventions, synagogue knitting circles and craftivist actions, EichlerLevine joined in the making, asked questions and contemplated her own family stories. Jewish Americans, many of them women, are creating ritual challah covers and prayer shawls, ink, clay or wood pieces, and other articles for family, friends or Jewish charities. But they are doing much more, Eichler-Levine shows: armed with perhaps only a
needle and thread, they are reckoning with Jewish identity in a fragile and dangerous world. The work of these crafters embodies a vital Judaism that may lie outside traditional notions of Jewishness, but, as Eichler-Levine argues, these crafters are as much engaged as any Jews in honoring and nurturing the fortitude, memory and community of the Jewish people. Craftmaking is nothing less than an act of generative resilience that fosters survival. Whether taking place in such groups as the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Needlework or the Jewish Hearts for Pittsburgh, or in a home studio, these everyday acts of creativity—yielding a needlepoint rabbi, say, or a handkerchief embroidered with the Hebrew words tikkun olam—are a crucial part what makes a religious life. Pre-register to attend the event via Zoom at https://lehigh.zoom.us/meeting/register/ tJwpcOiqpjIiGNM9CuNYmgNI3q-I-WNh0xxJ or livestream the event on YouTube at https://www. youtube.com/channel/UC5uSIWsBoS8n_q1CpcG03w.
Handmade Afghans
BY EVA LEVITT
All proceeds benefit projects in Israel:
Food Banks in Israel Neve Michael Youth Village
For prices or to place an order, call Eva 610-398-1376.
All payments are made payable to the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
PJ families have fun with Rosh Hashanah kits To celebrate Rosh Hashanah, PJ Library and the JCC provided local families with kits this year that could be picked up curbside. Along with honey sticks and applesauce, kids received supplies to do a craft-along. They then came together on Zoom for songs, crafts and a PJ story.
Author Lisa Rose to take PJ Library on a ‘Zombie Vacation’
PJ Library families will have a chance to go on a “zombie vacation” on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 3 p.m. via Zoom. Kids are encouraged to dress like zombies while getting a zombie’s eye view of the Sea of Galilee, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and Luna Park in Tel Aviv. It’s an Israel Vacation they’ll never forget! As author Lisa Rose reads her book “A Zombie Vacation” dressed like a zombie, kids will discover why there’s no place in the world like the Dead Sea. Plus, Rose will do STEM activities that will explain why things float in the Dead Sea and talk about the importance of saving endangered animals and preserving natural resources. Register for this free Zoom event at jewishlehighvalley.org/pjathome.
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | OCTOBER 2020 5
Meet the artists and entrepreneurs of Yoav Dr. Schlomo Mizrahi
Yariv Ben Dayan By Annette Mashi Partnership2Gether The Yoav Region has many entrepreneurs and artists in their midst. As we learn to work globally due to COVID-19, we are excited to introduce a few of our talented and professional business people to our Lehigh Valley partners. Discover the Artwork of Yariv Ben Dayan from Kfar Menachem The Yariv Ben Dayan Studio specializes in the field of decorative paint finishes, murals and oil paintings for projects in Israel and around the world. Their
Rachel Kama professionalism and implementation capabilities enable them to attain high-level finishes and to provide uncompromisingly creative and optimum solutions for any project. At the Yariv Ben Dayan Studio, they create a range of faux finishes such as copper, stone and Corten steel, faux marble and wood graining, intricate glazing, gilding, handmade plaster finishes, ornamentation and architectural trompe l’oeil, achieving an astounding artistic finish that perfectly resembles the original raw material. Their works can be completed on any material, any shaped surface and on any scale. Their clients include
hotels, heritage sites, restaurants, reception halls, public buildings, structures for preserving private homes and more. Their oil paintings are custom made by the painter, Yariv Ben Dayan. The work process is done by sketches up to the painting itself. Check it out at yarivbendayan.com. Ready to Play? Contact Dr. Schlomo Mizrahi from Revadim Dr. Schlomo Mizrahi is 52 years old and has lived in the Yoav area since 2014 with his wife and three daughters (15, 12 and 8 years old). He’s a dentist and specialized in oral and maxillofacial surgery, but also has a few hobbies. For eight years, he’s been a member of the older “Hora Reim” Folklore dance company, performing mainly in Israel. In 2006, he invented a set of card games, “Mishakey Hamea,” sold mainly in Israel. The second edition is called Cento, with instructions in four languages, aiming at new markets. Hoping to expand their business to the U.S., they registered the trademark “CENTO” in the U.S. Cento is a set of seven card games for 2 to 6 players to play at home and on the road. High versatility and different levels of difficulty make these games interesting and exciting for everyone regardless of age. Find them at www.100spiel.com/en/.
The stunning jewelry of Rachel Kama from Kfar Harif Rachel Kama has been engaged in the arts dealing with handcrafts all her adult life. As a biologist, she worked for many years in one of the world's most prestigious institutes, the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. Two years ago, she retired from this stunning place, and started making jewelry for herself, her family and friends. She got so many compliments, she decided to turn the biology passion into jewelry making. She started to focus on learning a variety of jewelry-related topics and designs, and at last she summoned up all her courage to open her Etsy shop. As a biologist, she sees the beauty and supreme nature around us. She uses a variety of techniques to create her designs, just as nature offers us endless designs of beauty, joy and light. She uses a variety of high-quality materials including semi-precious stones and quality beads. She feels very creative when making handmade jewelry and hopes you will find them beautiful and especially designed only for you. Please do not hesitate to contact her, through the Etsy convo system or by email, if you have any questions about your order, product information or shipping. Visit her shop at www.etsy.com/ il-en/shop/RachelKama.
“Every Week, All Year Round Guided Imagination Meditations: The Book” provides you with the perfect solution for introducing guided meditation to groups or classes you facilitate, including yoga, and features a brand-new weekly meditation for an entire year! You can also use it for one-onone sessions. The book contains an abundance of topics and themes: aspects of body, breath, inner cleansing, seasons of the year, energetic balancing, self-empowerment, self-compassion, kindness, support, gratitude, choice, freedom, clarity, joy and many more. SEND therapy is an energetic session that overcomes distances, allowing you to enjoy the energetic benefits from wherever you are in the world. Whether coping with a health issue or simply looking for some inner balance and peace. You don’t need to leave your house! All you have to do is be willing to receive, and she will send the therapy to you from her clinic. Learn more at www.noahealing.com/en. Artists and entrepreneurs of Yoav Continues on page 9
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6 OCTOBER 2020 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
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PARTNERSHIP2GETHER UPDATE FROM YOAV
How Yoav is dealing with Israel’s second lockdown
By Nurit Galon Partnership2Gether When way back in March our lives and vocabulary changed and centered around a rather pleasing word, “Corona,” little did we think that here in September, much of the world would be overcome by doubt and economic insecurity. Studying and working through Zoom conferences and virtual teaching and perhaps worst of all, the uncertainty. How long is all this going to last? Will there be a vaccination? Will the world ever be the same again? And how are we dealing with all this? Israelis’ attitude toward Corona is based on confusion and conflicting information— but to be fair, also a genuine awareness that we are below the bottom line, and the red graphs are going crazy! From a country that at the start of the Corona pandemic was way up front with its program for control and apparent ability to limit the number of people affected or potentially to be affected by the virus, today we are amongst the increasing casualties, with close to 4,000 new cases or suspected cases every day. Hospitals are taking over needed wards and marking them for Corona victims, with obvious effects on the population at large. Schools are closed, the long-awaited opening of hotels and cultural centers has been cancelled, unemployment is over 20% and rising—hey! How did this happen? Too many political interests have led to the difficulty of making the correct decisions, resulting in great difficulty for the people of Israel to know what is expected of them. The schools are open tomorrow— no, they’re not! Public transport will be available—no, it won’t! And so on. All as we try to contain the spread of this devastating virus. Admittedly, it is very difficult to know officially what is expected of us. But, we all do know that the basics of Corona prevention are masks, social distancing (six feet apart) and personal hygiene of frequent hand washing. And these are
actions which all of us can do, but not everybody does. So this lockdown, which probably should have taken place weeks ago, is again unclear and confusing. Those who understand the ramifications are doing their best to obey the lockdown. Others? Yes and no. Where does all this leave us? Not in a good place. Can we change it? If the people decide to follow the minimum guidelines, I believe the Corona can be dealt with. Only if the people truly realize that we are sliding down a slope which can only be halted by a united effort, then we may see the light at the end of the tunnel—or a straight and safe road ahead! But it is not enough for only parts of the public to follow the guidelines. For example, the Regional Council of Yoav is exemplary in doing what has to be done at every level, making the Yoav Region a green area. But around us, we have less compliant communities, and as we don’t live in a glass community, it is clear that even Yoav could be affected. Really hoping that the next column will prove me totally wrong and Corona will be waning—but honestly? I don’t see it. Meanwhile, we follow events and activities in Lehigh Valley and see that you are as busy as ever! The Steering Committee of Partnership2Gether meets regularly to plan for the day after, and to encourage the communities to take part in activities presented by the Jewish Agency. The newest member of the Yoav Steering Committee, Noam Creme from Kibbutz Galon, age 23, speaks English fluently and is really excited at being part of the Partnership. We hope this is the beginning of a trend to bring young people to become leaders of our communities! Many of you who have visited with us here in Yoav will remember the caves of Beit Guvrin, especially the vast and lovely Bell Caves, which in the past years have become home to choir concerts, exhibitions
and even weddings and bar mitzvahs. Before the second lockdown, a well-known Italian sculptor exhibited wooden statues and art videos in the caves and it seems the Bell Caves are an ideal museum in which to display natural materials. Many of you who have visited Yoav may also recall Tel Zeita, the archaeological site in Kibbutz Galon’s fields where the very first sample of written Hebrew carved into stone was found. Just a few weeks ago, the Israel Antiquity Authorities announced the discovery of a 3,200-year-old fort. The fort, the site of epic battles in the Biblical era corresponding to the Biblical book of Judges, was unearthed in Southern Israel near the city of Kiryat Gat. The 12th Century BCE Canaanite citadel next to Kibbutz Galon and the Guvrin Stream some 40 miles south of Jerusalem was built by the Egyptians who ruled the area at that time, as a defense against the Philistines, and was built in a strategic point in the road linking the coast to the Judean lowlands. The site is open to the public at no charge. So next time you visit Yoav, we promise you an amazing journey back through time via the many wonderful archaeological sites in Yoav! To all our friends and family, to the entire Jewish community and its neighbors: stay well, stay safe and stay sane!
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | OCTOBER 2020 7
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Artists and entrepreneurs of Yoav Continues from page 6
Noa Zalle
Check out the stained glass Judaic products by Eli Yashar from Kibbutz Beit Nir Eli Yashar is a stained glass artist who designs and creates Judaica products like mezuzahs, Chanukah menorahs, candlesticks, dreidels and broken wedding glass keepsakes. He has also been selected as a permanent artist at the well-known Nachalat Binyamin street market, a popular stop for many American tourists who visit Israel. Visit his website and online store at Etsy.com to see his work. And hopefully sometime soon you’ll have the chance to meet in person at the art market in Israel! Find him at www.eliyashar.com/english/ or www.etsy.com/il-en/shop/ EliYasharArtGlass.
sight, inner guidance and inspiration and broadening points of view of our perceived surroundings. “Hand Path Cards” guide us on a new journey, awakening the subconscious and enabling observations of meaningful experiences. The cards offer a wide range of situations in the life-cycle from birth to maturity to death to rebirth. People work with them in many places around the world. The hands appearing on the cards were photographed and developed by her as a photog-
rapher, artist and art therapist. The cards were chosen from a collection of photographs taken over a period of more than 15 years in various cultures and locations across the globe. "The Alphabet of Eve," is a travelling exhibition, shown in the Jewish Museum of Melbourne, Australia (2010), with hand path workshop cards at Sanctuary Gallery in Baguio City (2014), Philippines and in the Jewish Museum of Rio (2017), Brazil. Visit her at www. doritdrori.com/home.
From Kfar Harif, Dorit Drori’s Hand Path Cards develop insight, inner guidance and inspiration
Eli Yashar
Dorit Drori
Dorit Drori is an Israeli photographic artist, art therapist and Certified E.M.D.R. therapist, specializing in the treatment of post-trauma. She has five children and six grandchildren. She created different hand photograph cards: "Hand Path Cards 1, 2" and dreams one day to conduct a workshop in the Lehigh Valley. The workshop can be used to strengthen and empower the participants and the community, while acquiring tools through breathing, to improve the quality of life. The “Hand Path Cards” are a powerful tool in developing in-
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The sweetness of honey
RABBI YAACOV HALPERIN Chabad of the Lehigh Valley What a year. You can't help but wonder, can I just simply skip directly to the new year? Can we hit a ctrl+alt+del and cancel this year from our memories? With
the challenges of the pandemic, and the current tension in the political climate, how can we enter blissfully into a new year without forgetting the many struggles? Among the customs of the High Holiday season, we begin with apples dipped in honey and conclude with the four species we use, known as the lulav and etrog. Any small child could tell you that we dip the apple in the honey to be assured a sweet New Year. But why do we choose honey to represent sweetness rather than any of Israel's bountiful species like the figs or the dates? Honey is unique. It is the only kosher food in existence that comes from a non-kosher creature, the bee. The stinging non-kosher insect has the ability to create sweet and delicious honey representing
a total transformation on Rosh Hashanah. We dip the apple into honey symbolizing that as we close the door on the past year, a brand new one awaits, and no matter how challenging the past year may have been, the possibilities of the new one are endless. And we conclude the High Holiday season with the lulav and etrog that play a central role in the observances of Sukkot. The Torah, however, does not explicitly name the etrog. The Talmud reads the phrase pri etz hadar (“the magnificent fruit of a tree”) and the Hebrew word hadar can also be read ha-dar, “that which dwells.” Unlike other fruits which wither and fall off after a single season, the etrog continues to grow on its tree throughout the entire year, enduring and growing
through each season change. The etrog, in fact, can remain fresh and alive on a tree for five years. This sets the etrog apart from all other fruits. What does this represent psychologically? The year is a microcosm of life. The bud and bloom of youth, the fruitfulness of maturity, the autumn of one's later years, the wither of winter—all find expression in its seasons. The year includes mundane days and exciting days. All the seasons of the year we have in our own lives, sometimes each day. The year incorporates the full spectrum of human experience. This is the deeper significance of the Torah's description of the etrog. The etrog is one who “dwells in his tree from year to year”— who weathers all changes and fluctuations, whose integrity,
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growth and connection with his source. Many people do well in a particular season. But when you take them out of their “comfort zone,” when you remove them from their “natural habitat,” they often wither away or run from the tree. The Torah teaches us to become the etrog: to learn how to endure the diverse seasons of life. And even more, just like the etrog, to learn how to grow and develop from each season and change in our life. So I don’t want to erase or ctrl+alt+del 5780. Not the moments that forced me to take a step back from the hustle of life. Not the moments that reminded me what’s important and what’s less important. Not the feeling of closeness to G-d when I prayed from the bottom of my heart that things should get better already. Not the time spent with my family with very little distraction. Do I want more of the pandemic challenges? Not even if you pay me millions. But I do know that 5780 had many gifts. Hidden, but gifts nonetheless. When we dip the apple in the honey and when we hold the etrog in our hand, we ought to remember not only to go through the motions and survive the four seasons but also how to deal with our challenges and uncertainty, to know how to take those things that sting us and turn them to honey.
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Pollster to provide election insight
Now is the time to come to the aid of your cookie By Sandi Teplitz Special to HAKOL
Dr. Chris Borick The final weeks leading up to Election Day are here. So what should we expect? “So much attention is being paid to Pennsylvania as perhaps the most pivotal state in the 2020 election,” said Dr. Chris Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. Borick will discuss the latest on what the polls are saying and what it might mean on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. via Zoom at a forum sponsored by Congregation Brith Sholom, Congregation Keneseth Israel and the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Community Relations Council. “I’m a numbers guy, so I’ll be taking the viewers through what the imperial data tells us about this race and what we might be looking for come November,” he said. Currently, all polls are indicating that turnout will be high, Borick said. ‘I’d be absolutely shocked if it wasn’t higher than 2016,” he said. “We’re seeing in our polls a very interested electorate right now, people that are following this race, that are engaged in this race, and that usually translates to higher turnout.” Borick will be joined by Gordon Goldberg, professor emeritus of history at Kutztown University, who has presented biannual election forums for Brith Sholom since 2002. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions via chat. To register, visit www.jewishlehighvalley. org/crc or call 610-821-5500.
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These days, it's hard to have a political conversation with anyone whose opinion differs from your own. But one thing all of us can agree on is that at the end of the day, nothing is quite so satisfying as a chocolate chip cookie. Or a few. On Nov. 3, two lovely ladies are running for Congress from the 7th congressional district. Both Lisa Scheller, a Republican, and Rep. Susan Wild, a Democrat, graciously volunteered to submit their favorite chocolate chip recipe for HAKOL readers and bakers. Both women declined to divulge the calories, but I can personally attest to the deliciousness of each recipe.
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies By Sandi Teplitz (Independent Cookie Baker) Ingredients: 1 3/4 c. unbleached flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. baking soda 2 sticks unsalted butter, preferably European 1 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla 1 c. sugar 1 c. dark brown sugar, packed firmly 1/3 c. cocoa 2 Tbsp. half and half 1 c. Ghirardelli semi sweet chips
1 c. pecans, broken in pieces Technique: Grease two large cookie sheets. Mix together first three ingredients and set aside. Cream butter with two sugars and vanilla. Beat in cocoa and half and half. Add dry ingredients on low speed. Stir in pecans and chips by hand. Form 58 cookies and place 29 on each sheet. Bake 11 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove cookies after a minute. Cool on rack.
Coffee-Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies By Lisa Scheller (Republican) Ingredients: 2 1/4 c. flour 1/4 c. Hershey's unsweetened cocoa 1 1/2 tsp. instant espresso 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 3/4 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar 3/4 c. regular sugar 2 large eggs 2 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla 1 1/4 c. coarsely chopped Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate bar 1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped Hawaiian macadamia nuts, salt rubbed off 1 pt. chocolate ice cream 1 pt. coffee ice cream
Technique: Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix the butter with both sugars until creamed in a mixer. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla; beat well. Turn mixer on low. Sift first five ingredients and add slowly to the mixture, scraping the bowl often. Add chocolate and nuts by hand. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form 60 even balls. Place on prepared cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake 14 minutes, until slightly firm, reversing trays from front to rear after about 7 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes; transfer to rack to cool completely. Remove ice cream from freezer. After 10 minutes, spread a spoon of coffee and chocolate ice cream on 30 cookies. Top with remaining cookies. Press firmly. Refreeze until serving time. Yield: 30 sandwiches
Chocolate Caramel Chip Cookies By Rep. Susan Wild (Democrat) Ingredients: 1 3/4 c. flour 3/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled 3/4 c. regular sugar 1/2 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar 1 large egg 2 tsp. pure vanilla 1 Tbsp. light Karo syrup 1 tsp. milk 1 1/2 c. Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips Technique: Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Mix together first three ingredients and set aside. In a mixer, beat the butter with two types of sugar until combined. Beat in egg, vanilla and corn syrup until creamy. On low setting, beat in flour mixture gradually followed by the milk. Turn off mixer, and stir in chips well by hand. Set oven to 375 degrees. Form 36 cookie balls. Place on prepared sheets, at least 2 inches apart. They spread a lot. Bake 9-10 minutes, until edges are golden. After 5 minutes, remove from cookie sheet to rack to cool. Cooled cookies optionally may be sandwiched with pistachio or salted caramel ice cream. Yield: 36 cookies or 18 sandwiches.
PJ stories with the candidates
Candidates for PA-7 to participate in Federation forum
Thank you to the candidates for PA-7 for reading PJ Library stories to our youngest community members via video. Lisa Scheller, Republican, read "Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride" in advance of the holiday. Rep. Susan Wild read "I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark," coincidentally days before the justice passed away. Both videos were posted on the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley Facebook page. Lisa Scheller, Republican
Rep. Susan Wild, Democrat
Two Jewish women running to represent Pennsylvania’s 7th district in Congress will field questions from the Jewish community on Oct. 13. Lisa Scheller, Repulican, and Rep. Susan Wild, Democrat, will participate in a forum hosted by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley. The candidates will be live at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley in Allentown while community members are invited to watch the broadcast on YouTube. The forum will be moderated by David Bernstein, president and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Community members are invited to submit questions in advance for consideration by the moderator by emailing Aaron Gorodzinsky at aaron@jflv.org. Topics on the table will include the U.S.-Israel relationship, Iran, combatting anti-Semitism and BDS. Visit jewishlehighvalley.org or check your inbox for the live link as the event approaches.
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KI continues to find ‘Out of the Box’ ways to celebrate Shabbat By Ann Friedenheim Congregation Keneseth Israel As my most beloved and influential dance teacher, Dolly Haltzman z”l, taught us, “the show must go on,” and so we have all embraced this attitude and that of our lineage that no matter what the situation, we will find ways to participate in the events and with the people we value. Even in this time of COVID challenge, Congregation Keneseth Israel, along with all our area synagogues, has found ways to “meet” and worship. And so this is also true for our desire to celebrate the Shabbat with Shabbat Out of the Box—Take 2!
Last year was the inaugural year for Shabbat Out of the Box, this new effort for Congregation KI. We scheduled interesting and creative ways for people of our congregation and our community to celebrate the Shabbat on the second Saturday of each month. Meditation, hiking, art journaling, writing six-word memoirs and Israeli dancing were all a big hit. There was learning, laughter and lots of connecting in a different way. This year, our calendar is packed with some old and some new activities including hiking, Israeli dance, creating mandalas, a phone photography workshop, yoga, quigong and several others,
AZA is back in season By Jared Lazansky AZA AZA is back, and Allentown is starting off the new year right! In the last parts of the summer, the board finished up preparations for the new year. They began writing programs, recruiting new members, and working with the BBG chapter for a more coexisting year. Right before the new year started, both the AZA and BBG boards got together for some board bonding. We had a socially distant movie night. It was a lot of fun and it was nice to get to see some new people before the new school year began. The new school year started off, with all of the new scheduling, rules and regulations. It was a little tough for us all to get acquainted with it, but we’re managing. Through the tough start however, Allentown held our first official meeting of the
as well. There is something for just about everyone’s tastes, and it is always positive to color outside of the box and try something new. The schedule and how to register will appear in the HAKOL calendar, the KI bulletin and also on the KI website. We are planning to have social distancing outside when possible and the “plan B” of Zoom when needed. Registration will be required to receive locations or Zoom links, so please do plan ahead. These Shabbat Out of the Box activities are free and open to the entire community. If you have questions or interest, please contact the KI office 610-435-9074 or go to the website at kilv.org.
year. We saw many fresh new faces, which shows a great future for the chapter. We discussed some plans for the year, and talked about plans for the Allentown AZA and BBG kickoff event. As of the day I am writing this, the kickoff has not yet happened but we’re all very excited for it. This year, the board came up with some new ideas to keep the virtual meetings more engaging and exciting. Each week we will hold an open debate, usually about two competing items/brands/ideas/etc. And our first of the year was between waffles and pancakes. The debate was heated and passionate, and when it came down to a final vote the results were: waffles 10, pancakes 12. All of us from Allentown AZA are very excited for this new year, regardless of any restrictions we may have. We are continuing to work at making this year a beneficial year for everyone in the community. If you have any questions, just email us at allentownaza@gmail.com, and we will gladly get back to you. Thanks and stay safe!
Bring Jewish stories home To learn more about PJ Library and register to receive free Jewish-themed books for children from birth through 8 1/2 years, visit www.pjlibrary.org. HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | OCTOBER 2020 17
Friendship Circle going strong with adapted format
By Stephanie Goodling HAKOL Editor With in-person events being cancelled, the Jewish Com-
munity Center of the Lehigh Valley’s Friendship Circle had to find new ways to connect. With a little innovation, the social club for older adults
has launched this year with new options for members. Meetings still take place on Monday mornings, but now they are over Zoom.
“Each week starts out with just schmoozing and everyone gets to chit chat, and then we usually do some trivia,” said Beth Kushnick, adult coordinator for the JCC who runs the program. The trivia topics range from history and food to TV and music. Recent weeks’ entertainment were a cooking demo from a French baking chef and a flute recital. “It’s been really great. We’re getting from 20 to 35 people a week,” said Kushnick. Members don’t need to have a computer to be a part of the fun. They can also dial in from their phones to participate. In addition to the Zoom calls, Kushnick has created other ways to keep in touch. For Rosh Hashanah, she
e f i l , e m o l c We
At Country Meadows, we’re keeping retirement living enjoyable while taking all possible precautions. We’re making sure our residents are staying safe and getting the support they need. And, we’re finding new ways to help them stay connected and enjoy life. Our residents can safely socialize with friends, share family visits and stay active. If you have questions about how retirement living can be vibrant and safe at the same time or would just like more information, please contact us today at CountryMeadows.com.
dropped off holiday gift bags at members’ houses. And there have also been a few casual meet-ups. Recently, Kushnick facilitated visits outside at Country Meadows, and Wegmans, where small groups met in person while wearing masks and practicing social distancing. “It’s been a really vibrant group, and everyone who’s in it feels they’re part of a club. I urge anybody to join us, all are welcome. Whether they live in the Valley or not, they can join us. The more, the merrier we always say,” said Kushnick. Membership is $36/year, including all entertainment and gift bags. Anyone interested in joining can contact Beth Kushnick at bkushnick@lvjcc.org or call the JCC at 610-435-3571.
Staying safe Staying connected Staying social
Photos of residents, summer 2020
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Special Mazel Meal helps older adults celebrate High Holidays
Jewish Family Service Staff On Sept. 17, a very special High Holiday Mazel Meal was delivered to 45 older adults across the Lehigh Valley through Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley. The meal included everything necessary to celebrate Rosh Hashanah: challah, grape juice, flameless candles, apples and honey and the blessings. Boscov’s catering prepared a traditional erev Rosh Hashanah brisket dinner, complete with kugel and apple cake. Ron Sunshine, of the Sunshine Café, created a lovely afternoon lunch for the next day including fresh fruit, egg salad, gefilte fish and homemade rugelach. Mazel Meals is the monthly kosher meal delivery program created to help provide older adults with prepared well-rounded meals, as well as help them feel more connected to their Jewish community by enjoying traditional Jewish dishes and celebrating holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Chanukkah and Passover. Mazel Meals began as a pilot project for Super Sunday in January 2018. It has expanded from a once a year trial, to four times a year, to monthly which now includes two meals with each delivery. The program was created both for people who are aging in place and may no longer be cooking and sharing meals with someone and for individuals who may be the only Jewish person in their
assisted living facility. “We’re looking to support people’s independence and help them age in place successfully,” said Carol Wilson, program coordinator, “as well as provide those in residences with a connection to their Jewish heritage.” Each month, JFS volunteers provide a friendly call to participants one week prior to the delivery date. They check in with the client to share what the menu will be, have a phone visit and confirm if they would like to receive the meals. For many of these participants, this is the only access they have to a traditional holiday meal, especially
now during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jewish Family Service is able to run this program with no charge to the meal recipients because of the annual JFS fundraiser, an allocation from the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and private donations. For many individuals and their families, they express their gratitude by sending lovely handwritten notes. One recipient sent a letter saying, “Thank you for the delicious Mazel Meals. The food you send reminds me of my mother.” Both family members and program participants have sent donations to show their appreciation. “My sister and I are tremendously grateful for the outpouring of support you have shown my mother since our father’s passing. The meals are a bright spot in her day and mean very much to her,” said one participant’s daughter. Meal recipients and program volunteers are represented by synagogues across the Lehigh Valley. Our partners are far reaching, including local clergy, catering companies, assisted living marketing administrators and individual community members who donate food to enhance the meals. “In the spirit of agency partnership, community connection and donor participation, Mazel Meals is a signature program for Jewish Family Service,” said Executive Director Debbie Zoller.
HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | OCTOBER 2020 19
Local assisted living residences mark High Holidays
Due to COVID-19 restrictions still being in place over the High Holidays, older adults living in assisted living residences didn’t get a chance to visit and celebrate with loved ones in person this year. Thanks to committed staff, however, the holidays were not without their meaning. One such staff person is Pastor Diane McCready, chaplain at Country Meadows in Allentown. “As part of the holistic
approach we take toward the lives of all residents, we have done our best to cultivate and nurture the spiritual lives of our Jewish residents,” noted McCready. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Country Meadows had visits from Jewish clergy on a regular basis, as well as volunteers from Jewish Family Service who would join residents for Shabbat and lunch. Most weeks, a group would also be taken to
Friendship Circle at the JCC. Because of necessary precautions, these events have come to a temporary halt. Yet, McCready knew with the High Holy Days approaching, she would have to find a way to fill in the gaps. “We have a delightful and robust Jewish community here and have been working hard to take good care of them. This year, in Cantor Ellen Sussman’s absence, we are doing our best to fill in
the gaps. Thank goodness we have a good relationship with folks from Temple Beth El and Congregation Keneseth Israel, as well as ongoing contact with family members of our Jewish residents. We were able to have a member of TBE come on campus to blow the shofar—signifying that Rosh Hashanah was approaching. This gentleman was kind enough to make a presentation in front of our various buildings so that all
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20 OCTOBER 2020 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
levels of care could hear the shofar—a mitzvah for this holiday. The event was wellattended,” said McCready. Televisions were also connected to the 10 a.m. Rosh Hashanah main service from TBE via iPads in each level of care on the Country Meadows Allentown campus. Prayer books on loan were available for the service so that those residents who are able could follow along in the liturgy. Goody bags with grape juice, challah, and apples and honey were also made for the residents. Elsewhere in the Valley, similar celebrations occurred. At Legend of Allentown, the life enrichment department hosted a discussion group about Rosh Hashanah to learn about the customs of the Jewish neighbors in the community. In addition to the educational experience, they also have a themed social to enjoy the Jewish New Year. At Devon House Senior Living, Laura Crossan, director of marketing, said, “We accommodate traditional Jewish holidays with cultural foods and lighting of candles. For instance, the two-day holiday features challah, apples with honey, gefilte fish, brisket, pomegranate salad, honey cake and various other dishes in the tradition of the holiday.” Atria Bethlehem also made sure the holiday was special in a few different ways. “We did have a program about the history of Rosh Hashanah so that our Jewish and non-Jewish residents could learn a bit more about the history and traditions. We also received Mazel Meals and gifts from Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley; and the residents here received a special package from Atria filled with honey sticks, dried apples and chocolate. Our residents also attended a virtual service hosted by Rabbi Singer of Brith Sholom here in Bethlehem,” said Atria Engage Life Director Nicole Verret. With Sukkot following Rosh Hashanah this month, activities are already planned for more celebrations.
Co-living creates community for midlifers By Brian Blum Israel21C Before COVID-19 upended everything, “the biggest epidemic in the Western world was loneliness,” Asaf Engel, co-founder and CEO of Tel Aviv-based startup Willa, told ISRAEL21c. Willa aims to do for “creative midlifers” – financially comfortable empty-nesters between 55 and 75 years old – what cohousing ventures like WeLive already offer to millennials: an antidote to the loneliness epidemic. WeLive (an offshoot of the popular coworking giant WeWork) and dozens of businesses like it, with Internet-friendly names like Ollie, Zoku and Israel-based Venn, are essentially building luxury dormitories for postcollege twentysomethings. You rent a room with a toilet and shower and maybe a small kitchen and gain instant community, with lots of extras – from classes to beer pong tournaments. But millennials aren’t the only demographic in need of community, the 42-year-old Engel thought. What about his parents’ generation left with a large house in the suburbs and few familiar faces nearby? Wouldn’t it be better to move to a vibrant, happening city and gain a WeLive-style community in the process? Willa is the only co-living company targeting hip (and well-heeled) Baby Boomers. Engel prefers to call them “Generation W” – the W stands for wisdom. “These are not the senior citizens you imagine,” Engel said. “These are people with active Instagram accounts, people that local businesses will want as their patrons and local professionals will want as mentors.” Picture yourself in Portugal Willa is hard at work on its first building – a 3,300-square-meter property in Porto, Portugal, a city picked in part because it has a thriving community of expats from across Europe. Willa’s Porto proof-ofconcept, located close to the city’s cultural and leisure attractions, will house 40 fully furnished luxury apartments. A third of its space will be allocated to shared and commercial purposes. Residents will have access to a wellness center, a coffee shop, a recording studio and a shared kitchen for larger events. A “family CTO” will be on call to help with any technical problems, such as using the Willa app. Engel expects most Willa
members to rent out their home in the suburbs and move to Willa for several years. As more Willa buildings open around the world – the company has ambitious goals to launch 170 locations comprising 9,000 units by 2030 – you could buy a “membership” and move from city to city. There’s no place for a livein caregiver in Willa’s model. So, if you need assisted living, Willa won’t do. And it’s not for people who prefer to sell their house and move to a senior community. “Retirement homes are very much a one-way move,” Willa COO Shany Peleg todl ISRAEL21c. “Being flexible for our tenants is part of our mission.” Peleg knows a thing or two about flexibility: Her parents are Israeli, but she grew up in the New Jersey suburbs and moved back to Israel 15 years ago. A $550 billion market Commercial real-estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield estimates the size of the co-living opportunity – including all demographics, not just “creative midlifers” – at $550 billion over the next decade. Trying to learn from the fumbles of WeWork, Willa is raising money for operations and property separately. The company’s €530,000 pre-seed round might seem small, but the money to buy and renovate the Porto facility is coming from traditional realestate investors. A 20-year lease from its partner property owners in Porto will allow Willa to offer lower prices to tenants. Opening slowly rather than in multiple locations all at once ensures that Willla won’t be forced to grab poor locations – a problem that has plagued
some coworking spaces. Engel says that Willa is aiming toward breakeven by 2025, with revenue coming 75% from rent and 25% from fees for extra services. If all goes according to schedule, Willa will be running in Porto by June 2021, with another two locations in Europe – most likely Barcelona and Athens – ready by 2022. Less lonely Co-living to combat living alone later in life is not unique to Willa – there are individuals looking into it on a smaller group level. Co-Housing in Israel (CHI), for example has 40 members, four of whom moved into a rental building in Jerusalem together earlier this summer. CHI appeals to “middle and lower middle-class folks who can’t afford a senior home,” the organization’s former chairperson David Kurz told ISRAEL21c. “We’re looking to create a community where we all get old together.” Peleg gives groups like CHI a lot of credit, but said that “larger chains bring more value.” And Israel is not on Willa’s initial radar. “Loneliness is not a big part of our lives here,” Engel explained. Israelis tend to have bigger families than in most Western countries. And the country’s small geographic size helps. “It’s not the same as in other countries where the kids are coming home only twice a year on Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Peleg added. Willa’s four co-founders – May Shur and George Vinter are the heads of customer experience and real estate, respectively – work out of the SOSA Open Innovation Hub in Tel Aviv. There are also two real-estate employees
Senior Real Estate Specialst
Willa founders Asaf Engel and Shany Peleg. already in Portugal. Why has no one else tried to tackle co-living for creative midlifers? “Most entrepreneurs are in their twenties,” Engel said. “Often, their own parents are still young.” According to the World Health Organization, by 2050, 22% of the world’s population will be 60 or older, compared to just 12% in 2015. Has the coronavirus crisis changed the desirability of living in close communities?
The opposite, said Peleg. “Anyone who experienced isolation during the outbreak will not want to experience it again. Willa offers a built-in social circle and activities.” “I don’t want to say that corona is a good thing,” Engel added. “But even the most cynical people understand now what being lonely or isolated means. A platform for social relationships seems to the world to be more relevant than ever now.”
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610.216.5232 610.398.0411 HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | OCTOBER 2020 21
Virtual 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.
MONDAYS, OCTOBER 5, 12, 19 & 26
Friendship Circle
11:45 a.m., JCC via Zoom $36 for membership for the year. Contact Beth Kushnick at bkushnick@lvjcc.org for the Zoom link.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10
KI Shabbat Out of the Box: Phone Photography
10 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel Discover how to best capture the moment with your phone. Learn how to compose a picture with Joan Tilton, a professional photographer from Houston, Texas. She will share some fun apps to increase your picture taking pleasure. Registration by Oct. 8 required. Go to www.kilv. org or call 610-435-9074.
OCTOBER 11 - 31
KI Harvest 5K Virtual Run/Walk
Run or walk anywhere and anytime between Oct 11-31, 2020 Due to safety concerns related to COVID-19, Harvest 5K has made the painful decision to convert this year’s run/walk event into a virtual event. No face-to-face racing will be held. Instead, you get the freedom to finish the race anywhere and anytime between Oct. 11-31. Shirts and finisher’s rewards are optional to anyone who registers today. Deadline to register and still get a shirt and reward is Sept. 30. All proceeds will benefit the students of the Central Elementary School of Allentown. Most of its students are very poor with 89% of families classified as low income, and everyone receives free/reduced lunch. Register or donate at runsignup.com/ race/PA/Allentown/Harvest5Ki.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13
Election 2020: An Evening with the Candidates for PA-7
7 p.m., Jewish Federation via YouTube A pivotal contest will take place in the PA-7 district on Election Day. Here’s a chance to discuss issues of unique importance to the Jewish community with the Congressional candidates and get your questions answered before you head to the polls. With Lisa Scheller, Republican, and Rep. Susan Wild, Democrat. Moderated by David Bernstein, President and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Email your questions to aaron@jflv.org. Visit www.jewishlehighvalley. org for the link.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20
What to Expect from the 2020 Pandemic Election
7 p.m. via Zoom Where do things stand in the race for the White House in the final weeks before Election Day? How does Pennsylvania shape up as one of the premier swing states in the nation? What do the polls say about the race, and how confident should you be in them? Get insight into the upcoming elections from Dr. Chris Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, along with Dr. Gordon Goldberg, professor emeritus of history at Kutztown University. Register at jewishlehighvalley.org/crc or mailbox@jflv.org. Sponsored by the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, Congregation Keneseth Israel and Congregation Brith Sholom.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
Painted Pomegranates and Needlepoint Rabbis: How Jews Craft Resilience and Create Community
7 to 8:15 p.m., Lehigh University Virtual Book Launch via Zoom or YouTube Come celebrate the release of this innovative book, and learn about how the voices of Jewish American crafters give us a whole new feeling for Jewish life. Jodi Eichler-Levine, Lehigh University, in conversation with Laura Arnold Leibman, Reed College. Pre-register to attend via Zoom: lehigh. zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwpcOiqpjIiGNM9CuNYmgNI3q-I-WNh0xxJ or Livestream the event on YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC5uSIWsB0S82n_q1CpcG03w. Presented by the Philip and Muriel Berman Center for Jewish Studies.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25
The Main Event: Mentalist Sidney Friedman’s Virtual Impossibilities
7 p.m., Jewish Federation via Zoom You are invited to take part in an interactive, fun event for the whole family! This exclusive experience will take place LIVE in your home! And, specifically, in your own mind. An event to benefit the 2021 Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs. A pledge is required to attend. You will have the opportunity to make your pledge at the event, or you can pledge now. Go to www.jewishlehighvalley.org/mainevent to learn more and register. Premier sponsor: Country Meadows Retirement Communities.
TUESDAYS, OCTOBER 27 & NOVEMBER 10
Jewish Film Nights
7:30 p.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley via Zoom Discussions about different films. Sponsored by JCC of the Lehigh Valley and the Jewish Federation. Contact bfinberg@lvjcc.org for more information.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1
PJ@Home Zombie Vacation
3 p.m., Jewish Federation via Zoom Join Author Lisa Rose to hear her read her newest book and PJ selection, “Zombie Vacation.” Children may dress like zombies as they get a zombie’s eye view of the Sea of Galilee, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and Luna Park in Tel Aviv. Find out why there’s no place in the world like the Dead Sea. This event will take place via Zoom. Register at www.jewishlehighvalley.org/ pjathome.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
The Great JFS FoodFestFaire
Videos streaming on the Jewish Family Service Facebook page all day leading up to the big event via Zoom at 4 p.m. The Great JFS FoodFestFaire is an all-day virtual food festival culminating in a judged Food Pantry Throwdown with local cooks creating signature dishes from pantry items. Join us for this unique, fun-filled online event and then carry on the celebration by recreating recipes at home from a one-of-a-kind cookbook that each participant will receive. Sponsorship deadline Sept. 30. Purchase your tickets and cookbooks by Nov. 1. Visit jfslv.org/foodfestfaire or call 610-821-8722 to learn more.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14
KI Shabbat Out of the Box: Hiking with Social Distance
10 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel Join Melissa and Harvey Hakim for a vigorous hike with a social distancing bent. We will get our heart rates up and also take some time to notice the beauty that surrounds us. Registration by Nov 13 required. Go to www.kilv.org or call 610-4359074.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15
KI Gardening with Native Plants 10 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel via Zoom Presentation by Elsbeth Haymon and Maryann Snyder via Zoom. Go to www.kilv.org for the invite.
with Cantor Wartell FRIDAYS 8-9:30 AM WMUH 91.7
muhlenberg.edu/wmuh | 484.664.3456
Celebrate the beauty of Shabbat
Shabbat & Yom Tov Candlelighting Times
Friday, Oct. 2 Friday, Oct. 9 Friday, Oct. 16 22 OCTOBER 2020 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY
6:24 pm 6:12 pm 6:02 pm
Friday, Oct. 23 Friday, Oct. 30 Friday, Nov. 6
5:52 pm 5:42 pm 4:34 pm
MONDAYS
Yoga with Miriam Sandler: Hatha Yoga, mixed level
8:30 to 9:45 a.m., Congregation Brith Sholom via Zoom. No flow but best of you can go from seated on the floor to standing poses and then back again to seated. $10 Drop-In fee suggested. Payable via Venmo, Zelle or by check except where noted*. Venmo ID: @Miriam-Sandler. For more information, email: mbserow@gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting: https://tinyurl.com/y6xl8ozr
Yoga with Miriam Sandler: Chair Supported Yoga
10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Congregation Brith Sholom via Zoom. Be seated in a comfortable chair, preferably armless (folding works well). $10 Drop-In fee suggested. Payable via Venmo, Zelle or by check except where noted*. Venmo ID: @Miriam-Sandler. For more information, email: mbserow@gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting: https://tinyurl.com/y7qzv87v
Online Jewish Yoga Studio
sion. There is something for everyone no matter if you know a few words, or are a fluent speaker. Enjoy fun, fellowship, stories and more. Participants Zoom in from five states. No cost. Contact Janis Mikofsky at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley, 610-435-3571 ext. 501.
limited but, based on demand, another day/ time may be offered. No cost except textbooks (brand new from Yiddish Book Center). Contact Janis Mikofsky at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley, 610-435-3571 ext. 501.
Torah Tuesdays with Bnai Shalom
1 p.m., Bnai Shalom via Zoom. Register in advance for this meeting: www.tinyurl.com/ ya4ysbbv.
7 p.m., Bnai Shalom via Zoom. Interactive Torah study group. Register in advance for this meeting: www.tinyurl.com/y9xt6qpy.
Basic Hebrew Tuesdays with Bnai Shalom
8:15 p.m., Bnai Shalom via Zoom. Register in advance for this meeting: www.tinyurl.com/ yb9jazch.
WEDNESDAYS
Judaism 101 Wednesdays with Bnai Shalom
11 a.m., Bnai Shalom via Zoom. Register in advance for this meeting: www.tinyurl.com/ ycfw2fz2.
11 to 11:45 a.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Mindful body practices help us find shelter right where we are, in our bodies in this very movement. Join yoga teacher and IJS faculty member Cantor Lizzie Shammash as she guides you in all-levels yoga and movement sessions informed by Jewish spiritual teachings and designed to relieve stress as we increase awareness of breath and grounding through our bodies. Open to all, no experience needed. Sign up now at jewishspirituality.org.
Yoga with Miriam Sandler: Chair Supported Yoga
TUESDAYS
Yoga with Miriam Sandler: Vinyasa Flow, Level 1 & 2
Weekly Torah Study
1 to 2 p.m. Congregation Brith Sholom via Zoom. Be seated in a comfortable chair, preferably armless (folding works well). $10 Drop-In fee suggested. Payable via Venmo, Zelle or by check except where noted*. Venmo ID: @ Miriam-Sandler. For more information, email: mbserow@gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting: https://tinyurl.com/y82hsryd
11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Rabbi Jonathan Slater will lead a weekly program: “Torah Study to Sustain The Soul,” aimed at addressing an aspect of spiritual life that will help us navigate this time of uncertainty and isolation. Open to all, no previous knowledge needed. Sign up now at jewishspirituality.org.
5:30 to 6:45 p.m., Congregation Brith Sholom via Zoom. Able to do Downward Facing Dog and support some weight on your hands. Best with a yoga mat. $10 Drop-In suggested. Payable via Venmo, Zelle or by check except where noted*. Venmo ID: @Miriam-Sandler. For more information, email: mbserow@gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting: https://tinyurl.com/yag3twpd
Yiddish Club
THURSDAYS
2 to 3:30 p.m., JCC via Zoom. Experience the joys of Yiddish via Zoom as part of the J-DAYS program. The group meets weekly to discuss topics like cooking, humor, music and all kinds of entertainment in the Yiddish language. All are welcome to join this lively, weekly discus-
Basic Yiddush Class
12 p.m. to 1 p.m., JCC via Zoom. Join one or both to finally learn or improve your Yiddish in a fun, structured setting. “Basic Yiddish” course will Zoom on Thursdays,12 to 1 p.m, Eastern (11 a.m. Central), starting Oct. 8. Enrollment
Virtual Coffee Klatch
FRIDAYS - SHABBAT SERVICES
Kabbalat Shabbat with Brith Sholom 6 p.m., Congregation Brith Sholom via Zoom. Join Congregation Brith Sholom for a Kabbalat Shabbat service with Rabbi Singer and Chazan Sam. Join in at www.tinyurl.com/ y7pt9zeq. Meeting ID: 677 083 639; Password: SHABBATLUV.
Kabbalat Shabbat with Temple Beth El
6 p.m., Temple Beth El Facebook. Join Rabbi Moshe Re’em for a Kabbalat Shabbat service via Facebook LIVE. Like the Temple Beth El Facebook page, at www.tinyurl.com/ybl795te, to follow along.
Shabbat Services with Temple Shirat Shalom
rector@gmail.com.
Bnai Shalom Friday Night Services
7:30 p.m., Bnai Shalom via Zoom. Bnai Shalom will be holding virtual Friday evening services on Zoom for the foreseeable future. All are welcome. Go to www. tinyurl.com/yd9dwkho to join Zoom meeting.
SUNDAY through FRIDAY
Daf Yomi
7:30 a.m., Congregation Sons of Israel via Zoom. Are you intrigued by thought-provoking, stimulating and provocative religious discussion? Are you enamored by the depth and scope of the Jewish legal system? Are you curious about Judaism’s perspective on marriage, tort law, Jewish burial, holiday observance, prayer, blessings and, for that matter, nearly any Jewish topic? Then Sons of Israel’s daily “Daf Yomi” class is for you. Meeting all year long -- and right now via Zoom -- this class covers the gamut of Talmudic law, studying one page of the talmud each day, and completing the talmud over the course of seven and a half years. Basic Jewish background is recommended. To access the daily Zoom conference, go to www.zoom. us/j/5598767191.
Morning Prayer Group
6 p.m., Temple Shirat Shalom via Zoom. Please join us for Shabbat services this Friday night. Just click on the link below and then use the ID number below that. We will be able to see each other and hear each other. The meeting will begin promptly at 6:00. I am looking forward to seeing you all on Friday. Register for the Zoom meeting here: www.tinyurl.com/ y2konnh3. Meeting ID: 831 3581 6927, Password: 418062
8:30 a.m., Congregation Sons of Israel via Zoom. Join Rabbi Nisan Andrews of Sons of Israel for a morning prayer group. To access the daily Zoom conference, go to www.zoom. us/j/5598767191. Along with the prayer group, Rabbi Andrews will also be sending out a daily insight email. To subscribe, email him at rabbicsoi@gmail.com.
Virtual Shabbat with KI
12:30 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality. One of their master teachers will lead a live daily guided meditation. Join with people from around the world to share 30 minutes of Jewish mindfulness. Open to all, no experience needed. Sign up now at jewishspirituality.org.
7 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel via Zoom. Join Congregation Keneseth Israel for a virtual Shabbat service. Email vdunn@kilv.org for the link to the Zoom meeting.
Congregation Am Haskalah: Online Erev Shabbat Services
7:30 p.m., Congregation Am Haskalah via Zoom. Please join us for weekly Erev Shabbat services, held here: www.tinyurl.com/ y6vg37je. Open to ALL. For tech support or any additional questions, email Liz at AmHaskalahDi-
MONDAY through FRIDAY
Daily Online Meditation
DAILY
PJ Library Virtual Events
PJ Library has got a packed schedule of activities available for families. Find story times, craft projects, virtual field trips and more on their Facebook page. Learn more at www.facebook. com/PJLibrary.
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