HAKOL - May 2022

The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community

www.jewishlehighvalley.org

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Issue No. 454

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May 2022

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Nisan/Iyyar 5782

AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION EST. 1977

Check out the participants’ scrapbook of our Maimonides mission to Israel p14-15

See how PJ Library families celebrated Passover p20

FROM THE DESK OF JERI ZIMMERMAN p3 WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY p4 LVJF TRIBUTES p8 JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE p13 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER p16-17 JEWISH DAY SCHOOL p18-19 COMMUNITY CALENDAR p27

Jewish Heritage Night at the IronPigs is back!

After a hiatus, Jewish Heritage Night at the IronPigs is back and better than ever!

For the first time, the giveaway item will be a drawstring backpack, complete with zippered pocket and opening for earbuds. As always, the souvenir includes the team’s logo and name in Hebrew.

“We are so excited about being back at Coca-Cola Park this year after having to cancel due to the pandemic. This event is always such a wonderful opportunity for all members of the Jewish community to come together and have fun while showing our Jewish pride,”

said Jewish Federation Director of Campaign and Security Planning Aaron Gorodzinsky.

This year’s game is on Thursday, May 26, at 7:05 p.m. versus the Worcester Red Sox, AAA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Kosher food will be available, and attendees who purchase tickets as part of a group will receive the IronPigs backpack created just for the occasion.

Many Jewish organizations have purchased group tickets to allow community members to take advantage of two exciting ticket packages. $22 tickets include a field-level ticket and the back-

pack, plus a voucher for a Glatt Kosher meat meal under the supervision of the Lehigh Valley Kashrut Commission. $16 tickets include field-level tickets, the backpack, and a $2 ballpark credit.

To purchase tickets, contact Chabad of the Lehigh Valley, Congregation Am Haskalah, Congregation Bnai Shalom, Congregation Brith Sholom, Congregation Keneseth Israel, Congregation Sons of Israel, the Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley, the Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley, Temple Beth El, or Temple Shirat Shalom, or visit www.jewishlehighvalley. org/ironpigs.

Federation seeks nominations for annual awards

Non-Profit Organization 702 North 22nd Street Allentown, PA 18104

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

The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley will hold its annual end-of-year celebration meeting June 9, where leaders and volunteers will be honored, including recipients of several awards. Federation is seeking nominations for two important awards by May 6.

An exceptional cadre of young leaders have been recipients of the George Feldman Achievement Award for Young Leadership since it was first given in 1973.

The award was named for Feldman, past executive director of the Allentown Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Allentown.

It recognizes those individuals who have exemplified the finest qualities of leadership in volunteer life serving the Jewish community.

Feldman was “small in stature,” but he was “a giant in his adopted community, Allentown,” according to a story in The Morning Call in 1984 upon his passing. Known as “Mr. Jewish Community Center,” Feldman directed fundraising efforts to complete the former center at 6th and Chew streets and to build the current center

at 22nd and Tilghman streets, according to The Morning Call story.

Nominees for the Feldman Award should be between the ages of 25 and 45 by December 31, 2022, have demonstrated tangible evidence of promise in community leadership and have demonstrated an understanding of the Jewish purpose of community work.

The Federation is also seeking nominations for the Mark L. Goldstein Award for Outstanding Jewish Communal Professionals.

The award was established in 2019 in memory of Goldstein, who served as executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley for 16 years and committed his entire career to Jewish communal service.

The award will be presented to an individual in recognition of extraordinary work as a communal professional.

The recipient will have made a significant impact through his or her professional role, demonstrating dedication and commitment to Jewish values, pursuing collaborative efforts and exhibiting optimism and leadership in the Lehigh Valley

Jewish community.

Nominees should be professionally employed in the field of Jewish communal service in the Lehigh Valley at the time of nomination; serving at, for example, an agency, synagogue or other Jewish communal organization.

To submit a nomination for the Feldman or Goldstein award, visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org/awards or email jeri@jflv.org.

In addition, the Federation will also present two additional awards this year.

The Mortimer S. Schiff Award for Prejudice Reduction was established in 1999 by Vera Schiff to honor her husband Mortimer’s memory. It is given to members of the Lehigh Valley community who are committed to spreading and teaching tolerance by both word and action.

The Daniel Pomerantz Award was established in 1990

by Bernice Pomerantz in the hopes that campaign volunteers would follow in her husband Daniel’s footsteps as dedicated solicitors in the Jewish community.

Award winners will be announced in June.

2 MAY 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Season of independence Having recently returned from an incredible mission experience in Israel (please see pages 14-15 with more detail about the trip itself), we are looking forward to hosting a delegation of volunteers from our Partnership2Gether community, Yoav.

Our Israeli partners are arriving just in time for the next holiday ‘season.’ They are coming to the Lehigh Valley at a particularly significant moment in the Jewish calendar and will be here to help us commemorate Yom Hazikaron and then to celebrate Yom Ha’Atzmaut. I hope you will have an opportunity to meet our Israeli family while they are here at a number of special programs highlighting our connection to Israel.

The holiday season that I refer to is the period of time beginning with Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) followed

by Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day) and then, Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day).

By the time you are reading this, our Yom HaShoah commemoration will have taken place on April 27. Also known as

Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day, it was established by the State of Israel to honor the victims and survivors of the Nazi effort to exterminate the Jewish people. Around the world, Jewish communities, schools and congregations will have gathered for meaningful programs and ceremonies, and to utilize this time as an opportunity to remind ourselves of the importance of remembering the pain and the tragedy, the lessons and the legacy of the collective memory that we inherit.

On Yom HaZikaron, Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism, the State of Israel stops to remember, to mourn, and to honor their legacy. The contrast of Yom HaZikaron directly followed

by Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, conveys a powerful message: Israelis owe their independence and the very existence of the Jewish state to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for it. For American Jews, marking Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’Atzmaut strengthens our connection to Israel.

Our Jewish communities view

Israel as a core element of Jewish life, and so we share a continuum of enriching opportunities and experiences that engage with, educate about, and celebrate Israel.

The day after the Declaration of Independence, Israel was at war with enemies who wished to eliminate her entirely. In the following seven decades, Israel has been forced to defend herself in numerous wars and military operations. It is important to take the time to remember and honor those who lost their lives defending Israel.

This special holiday season is about people. It is about family.

Despite our collective sorrow, Israel is a land of hope and joy.

On May 14, 1948, David Ben Gurion read aloud the Declaration of Independence, officially announcing to the world that the Jewish people had returned to our ancestral homeland for the third time. The children of Israel returned from slavery in ancient Egypt. The people of Israel returned from exile in Babylon.

The Jewish people returned from the diaspora, to become, once again, free in the land of

our ancestors – an ingathering of exiles. Those who wanted to come home, now had a home to come to and a global family strong enough to help them make the dream a reality. As we are reminded in the words of ‘Hatikvah,’ “the hope of two thousand years, to be a free people in our land: the land of Zion and Jerusalem.”

You helped to build Israel.

Today, you help to keep it strong.

Through your support of Jewish Federation, we are able to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable, and we advocate for those in distress. When Israel is threatened, we mobilize to come to her aid. Our global connection is also fostered by experiences for young Jews and programming that brings Israel to life in our community. We’ve helped hundreds of thousands of young Jews create personal connections to Israel through programs like Birthright Israel, MASA, and Shlichut, while building strong

relationships between communities through Partnership2Gether.

We have seen the immigration of over one million Jews from over 100 countries to the State of Israel. Jewish Federations have helped millions of immigrants move to Israel and start new lives. Even today, 500 Ukrainians a day are being absorbed, educated, set up with housing, and integrated into a vibrant society.

We take great pride in Israel’s achievements in technology, health and medicine, the environment, social action, and culture, helping to make the world a better place. Again, I hope you will meet our family members from Yoav and take time this season to remember and to celebrate – Chag Atzmaut Sameach!

HAKOL STAFF STEPHANIE GOODLING Editor/Marketing Associate

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.

MAIL, FAX, OR E-MAIL TO: JFLV ATTN: HAKOL 702 N. 22nd St. Allentown, PA 18104

ALLISON MEYERS Marketing Project Manager & Senior 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 AARON GORODZINSKY Director of Campaign & Security Planning DENISE AHNER Director of Finance & Administration AMY ZYLBERMAN Director of Community Development JULIA UMANSKY Director of Gift Planning & EITC GARY FROMER JFLV President

The Editor/Copywriter is a key member of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s professional staff team and Marketing Department. This full-time position covers two main areas of responsibility.

As copywriter, the position will assist with the overall needs of the Federation Marketing Department, primarily by serving as the copywriter for both the Jewish ederation of the Lehigh Valley and the Jewish Family Service.

As editor, the position will direct the publication of HAKOL. This advertising-supported paper is a primary communication vehicle promoting the message, mission, and programs of the organization; as a community paper it also provides news and information of particular interest to its constituency, including being a primary marketing tool for other related non-profit organizations serving the same affinity.

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.

TO APPLY: Please send a resume, cover letter, and a recent work sample or portfolio link to allison@jflv.org. Include a brief description of your contribution to the work sample.

JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY MISSION STATEMENT

To see more information about the job, go to www.jewishlehighvalley.org/ career-center

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 CAROL AND ROBERT LERNER In honor of your Anniversary Elaine Lerner

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

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

WENDY EDWARDS Office Manager GINGER HORSFORD Donor Services Associate Member American Jewish Press Association

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

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | MAY 2022 3

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

Dignity Grows packing parties and Good Deeds Day combined at two sites this April

By Amy Zylberman JFLV Director of Community Development On Sunday, April 3, Women's Philanthropy joined millions of others from around the world to do good right here in the Lehigh

Valley. Good Deeds Day is a global effort that started in Israel in 2007 and now spans to over 100 countries. The Good Deed of the day here was a Dignity Grows hygiene tote packing party, with two sites packing 150 bags that benefit three local

organizations — Jewish Family Service, a beneficiary of the Jewish Federation, as well as Project Hope of Easton and Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley.

Rachel Levin hosted volunteers at her home in Nazareth, and students and Director Ira Blum from Muhlenberg College Hillel joined volunteers at the Jewish Community Center in Allentown. The JCC site hosted Meredith Mecca, Turning Point’s Outreach Director, to share more information about the importance of an organization like Turning Point and how a client would benefit from receiving one of the bags for free. Turning Point is a safe place where all survivors of domestic and intimate partner abuse and their children can find refuge. They provide services in Lehigh and Northampton counties and reach nearly 2,200 people a year through their trauma-informed,

inclusive programs and services.

Those include a 24-hour emergency safe house, empowerment counseling and groups, legal advocacy, outreach education, and medical advocacy. Volunteers were able to hear from Mecca, ask questions, and then pack bags full of eight full-sized products that would directly benefit clients.

At the home of Rachel Levin, participants filled bags for Project Hope of Easton, which began in 1989 when families in the community of Easton wanted to help their neighbors during the holiday season. Project Hope has created a big impact during COVID-19 and will get the Dignity

Grows bags to clients as well.

The other set of bags will benefit Jewish Family Service, providing emergency assistance to those in the 18104 area regardless of religion, and serving Jewish clients across the Lehigh Valley.

Their Community Food Pantry allows clients to choose the items they receive and is generously supported through the community and maintained by generous volunteers.

Good Deeds Day is an annual event that brings millions together to brighten the lives of millions more. We are grateful for the volunteers who joined us last month.

We look forward to all the good we can do together in 2023!

WINE AND DESSERT GATHERING WITH MOMENTUM AND YOAV THURSDAY, MAY 5 7 to 9 p.m. at Jay's Local

Come together at Allentown hotspot, Jay's Local, for drinks, dessert, and togetherness.

RSVP to Amy Zylberman, amy@jflv.org,

by May 2.

RECHARGE YOUR SOUL: A JOURNEY Handmade Afghans TO BECOMING

BY EVA LEVITT welcoming new babies YOUR to the Lehigh Valley BEST SELFAll proceeds benefit projects in Israel:

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

Food Banks in Israel Neve Michael Youth Village

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

For prices or to place an order, call Eva at 610-398-1376.

All payments are made payable to the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley

your spirit with a meaningful experience in Israel.

4 MAY 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

YOUR YEAR-LONG JOURNEY WITH MOMENTUM INCLUDES

JOIN WOMEN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

ENJOY EMPOWERING JEWISH CLASSES

for a revitalizing year of selfexploration, unforgettable experiences in Israel, and

led by world-class speakers and Israeli thought-leaders.

Wine reception for Momentum and Yoav at Jay’s Local for Yom Ha’atzmaut

By Amy Zylberman JFLV Director of Community Development Past and future participants of the Momentum Year-Long Journey trip to Israel will get to sip and savor the moment on Yom Ha’atzmaut together at Jay’s Local during a wine and dessert gathering held just

for them! This gathering will take place during a full week of commemoration and celebration events sponsored by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and Partnership2Gether.

The cohort of Israeli participants from Yoav will get to meet women from the upcoming Momentum Year Long Jour-

ney trip whom they’ll be traveling alongside in Israel. The event is meant to introduce the Israeli cohort to some of the community and charm of the Lehigh Valley and provide an opportunity for Momentum (formerly Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project) alumni to share their memories with the 2022 cohort.

We would especially like to thank the Scherline family for their hospitality, hosting the Momentum Gathering at Jay’s Local. HAKOL Once the skies open up, refresh readers will see much your spirit with a meaningful more from Momenexperiencethe in Israel. tum trip over the comingYOUR months!YEAR-LONG JOURNEY WITH MOMENTUM INCLUDES 8 DAYS IN ISRAEL JULY 11–18, 2022

Letter from the Editor Dear readers, When I first stepped into the JCC eight and a half years ago, I had never lit a menorah or tasted whitefish salad. Very quickly, however, I felt welcomed into the warmth of the Lehigh Valley Jewish community. Differences in religion, age, or background fell away as I built relationships with so many of you over the years. I have learned so much from all of you about Jewish values, culture, and history, and my life is much the richer for it. I have loved getting to know you and to experience some of your beautiful traditions munications Director for the throughout my time here.

Department of Health.

It is a bittersweet feeling to be I will go forward into the future writing my farewell to you and to always holding a special place in HAKOL this month. I’m sure I will my heart for the Jewish communished a few tears as I turn in my ty, especially in the Lehigh Valley, JCC member badge. I am looking and doing what I can to continue forward, however, to starting the to advocate against antisemitism. next chapter in my life and in my Thank you for sharing yourselves career, as I move to my husband, with me and allowing me to be Brandon’s, native Harrisburg area a part of your community for so where we will both be starting long. new jobs soon. I have accepted a position with the Commonwealth Shalom, WOMEN FROM ENJOY EMPOWERING ofJOIN Pennsylvania as Deputy ComStephanie (Bolmer) Goodling

RECHARGE YOUR SOUL: A JOURNEY TO BECOMING YOUR BEST SELF

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spiritual Tsfat, dynamic Tel Aviv, Masada’s desert magic, Shabbat in Jerusalem, and many more unique experiences.

with yourself, your family, and your community.

For more information, please contact: Amy Zylberman | amy@jflv.org | (860) 810-3597 Jeri Zimmerman | jeri@jflv.org | (610) 821-5500 ext 332

Trips will be designed with Covid modifications.

MomentumUnlimited.org |

#ItStartsWithWomen

Working in partnership with:

.

Ministry of Diaspora Affairs

Creating a common Jewish future

* Momentum Trips are free for participants excluding airfare. Additional costs for participants include $100 for tips and a "Year of Growth" book, a $99 acceptance fee, and some meals. Participants pay a $500 deposit, which is fully refundable upon returning from the trip. This journey is designed for women with children 18 and under. The Momentum Year-Long Journey continues with monthly gatherings and Jewish learning.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | MAY 2022 5

KI to host An Evening of Celebration honoring Rabbi Seth Phillips

By Dr. Michael Stroock Congregation Keneseth Israel When you first sit down to talk with Rabbi Seth Phillips, you immediately notice how friendly and welcoming he is, and how invested he is in hearing what you have to say and answering your questions. That made my interview with him a very enjoyable experience.

Rabbi Seth has led an incredibly interesting life in many diverse locations and many different rabbinic job descriptions, but he told me that he has lived in Allentown longer than any other place in his adult life and that he feels “truly at home” at Congregation Keneseth Israel and the Lehigh Valley. On June 26, we will honor Rabbi Seth for his ten years of service as our spiritual leader, and will help him celebrate his retirement at zip code 18104.

Rabbi Seth was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, along with his younger brother. He was the salutatorian of his high school class, and his speech was so well received that he has since used it as a Kol Nidre sermon.

He has two sons from a previous marriage. They were both born while he was serving as a congregational rabbi in Australia for eight years. One son returned to Australia about five years ago, and the other is in Maryland. He has five grandchildren so far.

After graduation from Hebrew Union College and

6 MAY 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

ordination as a reform rabbi, Rabbi Seth served congregations in Ohio; Melbourne, Australia; and Naples, Florida. While he was in Florida, the first Gulf War broke out, and he decided to serve his country by becoming a Navy chaplain at the age of 40. He planned only one tour, but enjoyed it so much that a job became a career. He served tours of duty in several parts of the Middle East, at Guantanamo Bay, and on ships at sea. He returned home to serve in Connecticut and Virginia. The final three years of his naval career were spent as a chaplain at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. He is proud to say that he was the first Jewish chaplain of the Navy football team. He retired from the Navy in 2012 after 20 years of service.

While in the Navy and stationed at Naval Station Norfolk, Rabbi Seth first met his lovely wife-to-be, Marge, in 2002. He was doing volunteer work for an organization called Operation Understanding that brought together Jewish and African-American teens to explore their heritages. Marge was the newly appointed Assistant Director at the local Jewish Community Center, and he noticed her during a meeting they both attended. He introduced himself and asked her out for coffee.

That, he says, “was the start of something wonderful.”

Rabbi Seth first came to Congregation Keneseth Israel (KI) in 2012 to interview for the position of Interim Rabbi.

He had just retired from the Navy and was planning what to do next. He got a phone

call from a retired colleague, Rabbi Don Berlin, who told him that KI, where he himself had served as rabbi and of which he had fond memories, was looking for an Interim Rabbi and that Seth should apply for the position. After a Skype interview, he came to Allentown for a visit. He drove up and down Chew Street a couple of times until he noticed his name on one of the buildings, which turned out to be KeneSETH Israel.

(He is very proud that the two beautiful signs we now have at the corners of our building are a part of his legacy).

The Rabbi Search Committee interviewed him, liked what they saw and heard, and hired him. After only three months, Rabbi Seth already knew that he had given his heart to KI. At the same time, the lay leadership of the congregation had also decided that they wanted him to stay.

Normally, the Interim Rabbi position is for only one or two years, but the leadership petitioned the Central Conference of American Rabbis to make an exception in our case. They agreed, and the rest is history.

It did not take Rabbi Seth long to get involved at KI and in the Jewish Community at large. An avid runner, he was running the Boston Marathon during his first year here when the bombs went off. He remembers the tremendous outpouring of concern for his well-being from the entire Jewish community, which further served to endear him to the Lehigh Valley. As a Navy Rabbi Seth Phillips Continues on page 21

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | MAY 2022 7

IN HONOR JULES BARINGOLD In honor of your 90th Birthday Suzanne Lapiduss SHEILA BERG In honor of being recognized at PA’s 6th Annual Female Veterans Day Ceremony Sheryl and Rance Block Marilyn Claire SUSAN BERMAN In honor of your Birthday Lynda and Richard Somach IRIS AND JON EPSTEIN In honor of your son Charlie’s Bar Mitzvah Lynda and Richard Somach ROBERTA EPSTEIN In honor of your grandson Charlie’s Bar Mitzvah Lynda and Richard Somach SARA AND KARL GLASSMAN In honor of Josh’s engagement to Janelle Cogan Marilyn Claire LYNDA AND STUART KRAWITZ In honor of Josh’s engagement to Ali Goldstein Marilyn Claire DANIEL LEISAWITZ In honor of receiving tenure and getting promoted to Assoc. Prof at Muhlenberg Carol and Barry Halper ARLENE AND IRA LEVINE In honor of your grandson Jack’s Bar Mitzvah

Evelyn and Jay Lipschutz NANCY AND STUART MELLAN In honor or your daughter Jamie’s marriage Evelyn and Jay Lipschutz LESLIE AND MICHAEL SHEFTEL In honor of the birth of your grandson, Mason Noah Poles Lynda and Richard Somach EILEEN UFBERG AND FAMILY In honor of the dedication of the Mickey Ufberg Ambucycle in Israel Audrey and Art Sosis

(Husband of Susan Israel) Lynda and Richard Somach MORTON MILLER (Husband of Judy Miller) Shirley Furmansky Randi and Donald Senderowitz DAVID SUSSMAN (Husband of Barbara Sussman) Beverly and Ronald Wasserman LAWRENCE WEITZ (Brother of Arlene Levine) Evelyn and Jay Lipschutz

IN MEMORY BETZALEL AVITZUR (Husband of Pnina) Lynda and Richard Somach HELEN BESEN (Dear friend of Elaine Atlas) Beverly and Ronald Wasserman SETH BLOOM (Husband of Kathy Bloom, Father of Adam Bloom and Rachel Bloom) Adam and Penny Roth Nikki and A.J. Silverberg HELEN COOK (Mother of Jan Simon) Lisa and Ellis Block and Family Karen and Myron Kabakoff IRENE HOLTON (Sister of Irwin Schneider) Lenny Abrams and Family HOWARD ISRAEL

HELEN AND SOL KRAWITZ HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL FUND

8 MAY 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

IN MEMORY GAIL FOSTER (Mother of Tracy Shar) Lynda and Stuart Krawitz ELOISE ENGELSON (Mother of Susan Engelson Friefeld) Lynda and Stuart Krawitz Jill Meldon We gratefully acknowledge those individuals who have offered expressions of friendship through recent gifts to the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation. The minimum contribution for an Endowment Card is $10.

Call 610-821-5500 or visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org to place your card requests.

Thank you for your continued support.

Melvin M. Goldberg Undergraduate Fellowship awarded to UPenn student

Yoni Perla, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, has been awarded the 2022 Melvin M. Goldberg Undergraduate Fellowship to conduct cancer metabolism research at the Weizmann Institute under the guidance of Dr. Ayelet Erez. Perla is from the Bronx and is interested in both science and medicine. At UPenn, he studies computational biology and history of art, with a minor in chemistry.

The fellowship is a $5,000 prize supporting summer travel and living costs to perform supervised technical research at one of Israel’s universities or

research centers. Funding is provided by the Goldberg Family through the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation in memory of Dr. Melvin Morris Goldberg, z”l (BSE UPenn 1961 / Ohio State PhD 1963).

Research can be on any STEM topic. Candidates for the fellowship are required to work with an advisor at their home university to identify and confirm a willing supervisor in Israel. The fellowship is awarded annually to a U.S. junior or senior who demonstrates the initiative, enthusiasm, and aptitude to make such arrangements.

Levy Hillel awards distinguish young leaders

Lisa Green

Michael Hill

Simone Nachman

The Levy Hillel Leadership Award is an annual prize given to students from area Hillel’s who have demonstrated evidence of promise in community leadership through active participation in campus organizations and awareness of needs and concerns of the Jewish community. The award was founded

by Mort and Myra Levy, z"l, through the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation, the community's endowment fund of the Jewish Federation.

a week) to check in on an organizational level, as well as a personal one. I go out of my way to ensure everyone feels important, helpful and supported. I’ve worked through several issues with them, and whenever they tell me they feel better and more empowered, I beam for the rest of the week. Making our community more inclusive means everything to me and is and will forever be my life’s purpose."

first year student to heart, and served as the First Year Student Liaison on the Hillel board during his sophomore year. In addition, for the past three years, he has served as a member of our Peer Engagement Staff. But this was not just a 'job' for Michael. It was never about the stipend for him. It was, and is, about reaching out to Jewish students and making them feel welcome at Hillel."

Nathan credits Hill for bringing many new students into Hillel, both from the LGBTQ community, and from the band and orchestra community.

"Hillel was my home away from home. All the people are very welcoming, and it made me want to sign up as a board member and later a peer engagement staff. I enjoy talking to people about their Jewish journeys and discussing the importance of Judaism. In the conversations I would emphasize that Judaism to me is about community, inclusivity, and of course, the food," said Hill.

Meet the 2022 winners: Lisa Green is a Lafayette College student focusing on psychology and religion and politics. She is currently the president of her Hillel, previously serving as the vice president of religion and culture. She also serves as the interfaith fellow and host of an interfaith podcast for the Office of Intercultural Development and writes for campus publications.

"Lisa has been a member of the Hillel board since her first year on campus. Lisa is an exceptional communicator, and without question, she played a key role in maintaining a Jewish presence on campus during a very difficult time," said director Ethan Berkove. "Lisa’s commitment to Hillel and Jewish life at Lafayette College has continued to grow.

After two difficult pandemic years, Lisa is leading Hillel back to towards its pre-pandemic level of activity."

Berkove describes Green as "outgoing and gregarious," and filled with "enthusiasm."

"I view my personal responsibility, my life’s mission, my passion all as the same thing - to make my Jewish community as inclusive and accepting for as many people as possible," said Green. "I was so touched

by Lafayette’s Hillel community and how inviting it was when I visited that it was my deciding factor in attending. I hold this job [as Hillel president] near and dear to my heart and consider it a great honor. I reach out to almost every board member regularly (some as often as multiple times

Michael Hill is a senior at Lehigh University majoring in chemical engineering and minoring in music. He is a member of their Hillel Board, as well as being involved with the marching band, wind ensemble, and running club. Hill also served as a Changemaker Fellow for the Jewish Federations of North America in 2020.

"Michael is one of the first faces you see when getting involved in Hillel," said Rabbi Steve Nathan, the Hillel advisor. "His smile and his laugh are infectious, but that is not why he is receiving the award. He has been involved with Hillel in some way, shape, or form, since his first Shabbat at Lehigh. He took what he experienced as a

Simone Nachman is a Levy Hillel Awards Continues on page 10

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | MAY 2022 9

A time to laugh and a time to cry

By Gavriel Siman-Tov Community shaliach What is a memory? Why do we remember?

Why do we need to remember?

Growing up in Israel, those questions come to your mind almost every year around this time.

And it’s not just remembering. We are sharing the pain and the burden of remembering together. We are all crying for the death of our soldiers, for the innocent people who have been murdered by terror attacks. We are sharing the heartache together as one. This is something that is so special to me, that I cherish so much about Israel - we all experience that pain, and we all share it together.

Terror attacks and wars are no strangers to us. I can promise you that if you go and ask any Israeli if they have lost someone or know someone who was murdered, unforcedly their answer will be yes. This is something that was told to me a few years ago, and it kept echoing in my head. I was thinking I was so lucky I never had to go to shiv'ah. I still knew people who had died like friends of friends, but never someone close to me….

Then, this past March and April, Israel suffered from another wave of terror. There was

For

shooting in the streets, and it was just scary.

A week before Passover, there was a shooting in Tel Aviv, and two young men were murdered while sitting in a bar. Once I heard that newsflash, I was calling my family and my friends, praying that everyone was okay, that everyone was safe.

The next morning, I learned the name of the victims, and a name sounded familiar. I looked it up and found out one of the victims was the older brother of a friend of mine from my service in the IDF. I was shocked.

I contacted a few of my friends and said we will go to the shiv'ah (since I was flying to Israel for Passover the following day). We went, and that sentence, “If you go and ask any Israeli if they have lost someone or know someone who was murdered, unforcedly their answer will be yes,” came back to me.

And I kind of added another part in my head saying, “know someone or will know….”

Yes, this is my, and our, reality in Israel. I know it’s not always fun to hear about it, but it was important for me to share it with you, to say it.

This month is full of memory and remembering, as well as full of happiness, joy, and festivity. This is Israel. This month is us. This time to cry and time to laugh, and we do it all.

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Levy Hillel Awards

Continues from page 9

Muhlenberg College junior majoring in psychology while also earning a certificate in grades Pre-K through 4 in the education program. She has served as president at her Hillel and is presently the engagement intern. She is also active in the Phi Mu Fraternity and works as a Hebrew tutor.

"My first experience with Hillel was during my first Shabbat on campus. I felt the light and warmth of the sanctuary as I participated in Kabbalat Shabbat and was able to connect with more Jewish peers over Shabbat dinner.

I ended up staying until almost 11 p.m., playing board games and laughing with my new friends. Since that Shabbat, Hillel has functioned as my home," shared Nachman. "Through my extensive involvement with Hillel at Muhlenberg,

I have been able to learn so much about Jewish students from different denominations. Taking part in what the organization has had to offer has given me a feeling of purpose and a sense that I am contributing to something bigger than myself. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone, and I feel such freedom to explore and ask questions, and not feel restricted from or ashamed for doing so. Through this feeling, I believe that being Jewish means to learn and explore your faith, to challenge your own beliefs and to ask questions. To be Jewish is not to be static in your beliefs; it is to debate and search and take in the ambiguity of your path. To be Jewish is to accept the ways of your friend, even if they are so drastically different than your own.

To be Jewish means to take in your uniqueness and individuality, while still finding community and oneness in diversity," she added.

Never Again?

BY RABBI ALLEN JUDA Congregation Brith Sholom Emeritus Do you remember the 1993 Academy Award winning movie, “Schindler’s List”?

Brilliantly directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie captures the transformation of Oskar Schindler from a German Nazi Party industrialist seeking wealth to a compassionate human being who gave up wealth to save over one thousand Jews. Near the end of the movie, there is a scene where the Jews rescued by Schindler give him a gold ring which is inscribed with the Talmudic saying:

“Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.”

We will never know what brought about Schindler’s transformation from villain to hero.

I suspect we will also never know what transforms an average human being from a nationalist into a monster. The corollary to the saving of a life is also found in the Talmud: “Whoever destroys one life destroys an entire world.”

And for weeks, we have been watching not only homes and memories being blown into oblivion, but also men, women, and children, whole worlds, being cruelly, viciously destroyed.

Social media along with the television networks have brought the devastation in Ukraine into our homes and into our lives. After the Holocaust, many Germans and other Europeans claimed they did not know that Jews were being tortured and murdered. And the civilized world said: “Of course you knew! You saw the smoke from the chimneys; the smell was in the air.” No one, in what we still call the civilized world, will be able to plead ignorance about the human

tragedy that is now Ukraine.

Can we watch hospitals being bombed and men, women, and children being shot in the streets and not weep? What should we Jews think and do when we hear an old Ukrainian woman tell the cameras that the Russians are worse than the Nazis were?

In the aftermath of World War II, the United Nations in 1948 adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is a majestic, visionary document. But it sadly feels like one more hollow expression of hope delayed or denied. A sign at the Dachau Concentration Camp has the words “Never Again!” There are debates whether the phrase refers specifically to Jews or is more universal in scope. But as antisemitism increases in the United States and around the world and we see not only the attempted genocide in Ukraine, but recall other events of the last few decades, does “Never Again” really mean any more than the words of the United Nations?

The Kosovo conflict occurred in 1998-99 when ethnic Albanians fought

ethnic Serbs and the government of Yugoslavia in Kosovo. The conflict gained widespread international attention and was resolved with the intervention of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The conflict in Kosovo killed about 13,000 people, most of them ethnic Albanians.

The Darfur genocide was the systematic killing of ethnic Darfuri people which had occurred during the conflict in Western Sudan.

It has become known as the first genocide of the 21st century. Although official casualties are difficult to confirm, one April 2018 study estimated that nearly 400,000 people were killed during the five years of war, an additional nearly 4 million were internally displaced or fled the country.

The Syrian civil war is ongoing. It is being fought among the Syrian Arab Republic and various domestic and foreign forces that oppose both the Syrian government and each other, in varying combinations.

International organizations have accused virtually all sides involved of severe human rights violations.

The conflict has caused a major refugee crisis, with millions fleeing mainly to neighboring countries.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as of December, 2021, counts at least 350,000 people killed and millions displaced.

Tragically, “Never Again” has become “Again and Again!”

We are challenged as Americans and as Jews.

Our government does not want to commit troops on the ground or to trigger a nuclear exchange with Russia. Israel provides humanitarian aid to Ukraine and condemns the invasion, yet has ties to Putin which appear necessary to protect Israelis from some of its enemies. If every life is an entire world, how do we measure an appropriate response to murdering thousands and thousands of worlds? In the movie, after receiving the gold ring with the inscription, Oskar Schindler says: “I didn’t do enough.” I don’t know if the real Oskar Schindler felt that way, but I surely hope we won’t be saying that about the invasion of Ukraine in a few months.

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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | MAY 2022 11

PARTNERSHIP2GETHER UPDATE FROM YOAV

Celebrating Pesach in Yoav

By Nurit Galon Partnership2Gether Israel is always quite breathtaking with its multiple landscapes in such a tiny land, but right now, it is out-

THE

i4

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doing itself. After a long and extremely cold winter, with plentiful rainfalls – definitely very welcome – the month of February brought with it flowers of every color, in every nook and cranny, and Yoav is no exception. Rain, icy temperatures, nothing stopped our roads from being blocked by the whole country, with guests, visitors, schools, all unable to resist the scenery of Israel blooming in every direction!

It is Pesach time, the flowers are celebrating, and with all the problems of the past two or three years – the Coronavirus, unemployment caused by the shut down of restaurants, theaters, sports, and travel – Pesach is in the air, and with it we remember all it represents.

Freedom, independence, renewal, the celebration of Nature.

This year yet again we are witness to war, this time between Russia and Ukraine.

For Israel, this raises a bitter question – are we capable of putting aside our memories of the harsh treatment of the Jews by the Ukrainians during the Holocaust? It is a difficult question, but one that should be asked, and has raised fierce opinions not only here in Israel, but around the world, and much to Israel’s credit, and the answer I personally like, we must behave as Jewish ethics and beliefs have guided us over the centuries.

At the Pesach table this year, many Israeli families will have Ukrainian guests who will be meeting a different Israeli to those their grandparents met during the years of the Holocaust. With the establishment of Israel, the State made it clear. Never again would Jews have nowhere to go, nowhere to turn to, and as the Ukrainians have discovered, this humanity extends to non-Jews also.

Visitors to Israel are constantly amazed at the amount of building taking place all over the country, and this during years when there has been a slump in building all over the world.

In Yoav also, the region is expanding, with waiting lists of children of the kibbutzim and moshavim waiting impatiently to be added to the lists. Our schools are now full, to the extent that our policy of taking students from outside Yoav is no longer possible.

The Yoav Steering Committee of Lehigh Valley– Yoav Partnership2Gether is arriving in the Lehigh Valley soon to meet the community and to take part in the Independence Day celebrations.

Here in Yoav, we can’t wait for a similar visit from members of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community. We have so much to show you!

Meanwhile, we hope you all had a wonderfully happy, healthy and peaceful Pesach.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | MAY 2022 13

THE ESSENCE OF ISRAEL IS STILL THERE

By Aaron Gorodzinsky JFLV Director of Campaign and Security Planning

A RETURN TO ISRAEL

By Julia Umansky JFLV Director of Gift Planning & EITC The last time I was in Israel was in 2006 during the war with Lebanon. I was lucky enough to receive full funding from an anonymous donor in Cleveland to attend a six-week youth program in Israel called Nesiya. While I was able to feel the true heartbeat of Israel through the friendships I made with Israeli participants on the trip, my physical tour of the country was interrupted due to conflict breaking out in the north. I was yearning to return to the Jewish homeland and experience the places and cultures that were inaccessible to me during my first trip and to see how the country had changed in the last 16 years.

Joining the recent Federation Maimonides mission to Israel allowed me to accomplish all that I looked for, and more, and I couldn’t be more grateful for having taken advantage of this amazing opportunity.

As someone new to the Jewish community in the Lehigh Valley, I had been looking for ways to connect with people and build a Jewish life for my husband and me. We were off to a good start as my husband, Jon, grew up in the Valley, and I started working for Federation about a year after moving to the area. Having these two connections allowed me to come face to face with people in our community who value Jewish life and who want to help build a bright and sustaining future.

But something was still missing, and I was craving the relationships and connection that are typically built in a pre-COVID, non-social distancing world. When Jon’s dad told us he was chairing a Maimonides mission to Israel and he would love for us to join the trip, I jumped at the opportunity to go back to the holy land and, of course, told Jon he had no choice but to join me.

As a young married couple in our thirties, we joined the trip as the youngest participants, but never thought twice about

14 MAY 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

the age difference between us and the rest of our group as everyone was thrilled to be in Israel and had such positive energy.

When we landed in Israel, we immediately set out for the north of the country, an area I did not have the opportunity to visit on my previous trip, so I was already checking things off my travel list. We toured the Galilee and the Golan Heights, saw the first established community in the Kinneret, and saw snow at the Syrian border. We made it to Tel Aviv (a city I had to miss out on seeing my first time in Israel) and had a food tour of all the different cultures that have settled there, saw a reconstructed ancient synagogue, met dessert puppies, ate way too many tomatoes, and drank locally made wines. We stayed at a hotel overlooking Maktesh Ramon (a large crater in the Negev) which was a full circle moment for me considering my first time in Israel, I camped out in the crater for four days.

We saw and experienced more sites and cultures than I can list here, but what surprised me the most, was the feeling of family I got from our trip participants.

Eleven days in a foreign country traveling in close quarters brought for me the missing piece of the puzzle; the closeness and community I had been looking for that came so easily to me in my hometown of Cleveland. Age was nothing but a number as we shared stories, connections, laughter, and way too many jokes (some of which landed and some of which didn’t). Not only did participating in this trip allow me a return to Israel after 16 years, but it also gave me a return to the Jewish community that I had been so desperately seeking.

I am so thankful to live in a community where opportunities like this are available and encourage others, of all ages, to take advantage of programs available as you never know what might come of it. For me, I found family and a renewed connection to Israel and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.

I was in Israel in December 2019 with my mom when we first started to hear on the news about a new virus that was getting people very sick in Asia. Little did we know how things were about to change for everyone a few months later.

Going back to Israel for me always feels like a homecoming. I feel a great sense of pride and excitement to go to the only place in the world where we, as Jews, are not a minority. But this past trip was even more meaningful, after not being able to be in Israel for over two years. Having the opportunity to co-lead a Federation mission and reconnect with the land and the people was a very special opportunity.

A lot of things have changed in Israel since the last time I visited, but the essence of what makes Israel special is still very much there. For the first time, I heard more Hebrew than English at each hotel we stayed at, and most tourist sites were mostly being visited by Israelis. It took me a couple of days to realize how important it was for us to be there as one of the first community-wide missions to visit Israel since the pandemic started, a message that was shared with us by many shopkeepers and staff everywhere we went. More than once we were thanked profusely for going back to Israel and restarting a connection to the people, a connection that has been broken for the past two years. Daniel, our tour guide, talked about this connection in detail, as this was his first opportunity to lead a trip in over two years.

Yet, Israel remains that special place that we all remember. The food is better than ever, but, even more importantly, the Zionist dream is thriving, with young people, speaking Hebrew, and living their lives in the Jewish nation. Something that even fifty years ago was not a given. Only in Israel can you be sitting by the pool and start a conversation with a stranger and realize that they have a connection to the Lehigh Valley Jewish community somehow, a situation that happened to me repeatedly during our trip.

As for our mission, this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip. It was such a special opportunity to be standing at the United Hatzalah building surrounded by the Ufberg Family and friends, and donating our second ambucycle in five years, and the first one in person.

We got to meet the driver who is saving lives every day because of the efforts from our community to raise the funds needed, and to continue the legacy of Dr. Mikey Ufberg, z”l, was a moment I will never forget.

I was at Kibbutz Beit Guvrin when I first heard about COVID-19, and having the opportunity to be back there after two years and see our Partnership2Gether family at that same kibbutz, sharing a meal after being apart for over two years, was also a special highlight of the trip.

As we prepare ourselves to celebrate Israel’s 75th birthday next year, I encourage everyone to join our community mission and experience Israel once more.

WHAT I LEARNED ON THIS TRIP TO ISRAEL

By Bill Markson Maimonides Society President This was my third trip to Israel. The most recent was in 2005. Israel is the same place and yet so much has changed. This article highlights some lessons learned from our Maimonides trip.

Israel is a dynamic, booming place with interesting and intelligent people.

Take the time to get to know folks. You will be well rewarded.

Traveling to Israel in late March and in the early post-COVID era has advantages. Crowds at the usual tourist sites were never not a problem, although it helps to have a driver that can make pinpoint turns in heavy traffic to get to some of these sites. Despite most of us having been there multiple times, there are new places to visit.

Having a focus for part of the day, like cycling, can help shape the experience.

Having great experiences for non-bikers like foraging and driving ATVs in the desert is also a good idea. The negative to this is that you may come out of such an experience with a new nickname such as “Dusty” Zimmerman.

For a small country, we experienced weather. In the Golan we had snow and hail.

The Negev was dry and warm but not hot. Tel Aviv was cool but not cold enough to stop some of us from swimming in the Mediterranean Sea alongside kite surfers.

Traveling as part of a curated firstclass mission captained by Jeri and Aaron is a great choice. In addition to their being enthusiastic and bright, they work extremely hard prior to and during our trip to make sure the mission fulfills everyone’s expectations and to efficiently overcome inevitable glitches. Although they couldnt' intercede to stop two days of rain and snow for the beginning of our time in the Galilee/Golan, they arranged for perfect weather for the remainder.

Watching them work quietly, efficiently, and persistently on our behalf whenever a snafu developed was reassuring and impressive.

Hotels in Israel, at least the ones selected for us, are terrific. In particular the Isrotel’s Mitzpe Hayamim in the north and Mitzpe Ramon next to the crater in the Negev are two of the nicest hotels I have every stayed in my life. The source of an active debate amongst us as which was better.

Light switches at these hotels can be challenging.

I am not sure I have ever had such consistently great/interesting/healthy/ delicious food for 10 consecutive days.

I still love cheese.

Tehina needs to be an accessory at more meals.

Eating outside is wonderful, particularly if you listen to Vicki Wax layering admonitions. If you can, eat at the bottom of the crater in Mitzpe Ramon and then look at the stars and learn of the constellations guided by an animated Israeli astronomer, his telescopes, and powerful laser like pointer.

Cycling in Israel is great. Ascending

in the Golan is hard, but the views are breathtaking. Using up the gained potential energy with a fast descent to the Kinneret or the Mitzpe Ramon crater is a bit terrifying. Keep your distance from other riders.

Bring a newbie to a mission by traveling with a sibling like Beth Kozinn/Ann Falchuk and Marty Katz/Lisa Koelewyn.

Other good choices to bring on a mission would be the greater Ufberg clan or a squash friend like Paul Oberbeck. Everyone else will enjoy having them.

I thought that Houman Ahdieh and Marty Katz were the nicest people I knew.

While the trip confirmed their niceness, Eileen Ufberg and her adult children might surpass them.

Suzanne Katz can hear in her sleep and chime in with clarifications of conversations several rows away.

Vicki is the funniest Wax, even though she is considered an “outlaw” by her son.

Larry Levitt can headline in Las Vegas. He has an unlimited number of stories with professional delivery. In addition to telling jokes, he can fix someone else’s. I suppose that’s why they call him “Dr.” Levitt.

Eva is as sharp and wry as ever. You might just need to be next to her to know.

An ibex is not the Apple product version of my daughter but a wild goat ubiquitous in the Ramon Mitzpe region of the Negev. It likes 5-star hotels.

Don’t leave your terrace door open.

An ibex will come inside and eat your COVID antigen test kits.

Have a birthday on a trip (Amy Morse), especially if you have a great spouse like Rich Morse and have the logistic help of Jeri “Dusty” Zimmerman and Aaron. The rest of the group will be even happier on that day to be part of the celebration.

Don’t try to keep up with the exercise level of Houman Ahdieh and Marc Berson. They are relentless.

If you want to see a smile, show Laurie Berson a Hebrew sign that is actually a transliteration of an English word.

If you need to crack the COVID test, ask Lori Ahdieh for a potion contained in her sartorially matching sanitizer container.

If you want to be reminded of being young and in love, bring Jon Markson and Julia Umansky.

Visit Yoav. They treat you like family.

Be part of giving back. The dedication of an ambucycle to honor Mickey Ufberg, z”l, was a demonstration of the principles of the Jewish Community of the Lehigh Valley. Connection to life, community, health, and Israel.

All of these lessons learned are critical to your happiness.

Study these lessons.

There will be a test soon!

It has been said that money can’t buy happiness.

This may or may not be true.

I would counter that money spent developing deep friendships, love and appreciation of Israel, and a fantastic shared experience is a big exception to that rule.

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PJ Library takes a Passover river ride On April 10, PJ Library families gathered for an interactive walk through the Passover story, along with crafts, snacks, and a story.

VEGETARIAN STUFFED CABBAGE

BY SANDI TEPLITZ Let’s celebrate the contributions of mothers in Eastern Europe for all that they’ve done recently by making a popular dish that all mothers will love.

INGREDIENTS: 1 large cabbage, cored, boiled for three minutes, and separated into leaves 2 cups cooked green lentils 2 cups cooked brown rice 1 large carrot, minced 1 yellow onion, minced 3 large mushrooms, minced 1 cup farmers cheese mixed with an egg Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste 1 30 oz. jar of your favorite tomato sauce TECHNIQUE: Mash lentils, then blend in carrots, onion, mushrooms and cheese. Unfold cabbage leaves, then add 1/2 rice, seasoned with spices, and 1/2 lentil mixture. Place a heaping Tbsp. in each leaf and fold up. Repeat with rest of mixture and leaves.

Heat tomato sauce in Dutch oven on low heat. Add stuffed cabbage and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve with pumpernickel bread.

20 MAY 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Rabbi Seth Phillips Continues from page 6

chaplain, he was responsible for seamen of every creed and religion, so it was no surprise when he became involved with and also continues to play a large role in interfaith initiatives.

Rabbi Seth is proud of many accomplishments during his tenure at KI, not the least of which is helping to lead the congregation forward from our troubling times into our current state of togetherness and accomplishment.

He is very proud of the “KI Is Your Home” campaign that raised money to allow us to redesign the bimah and bring the rabbi closer to the congregation, and that the money came from contributions by fully 50% of the membership rather than from only several wealthy donors. Rabbi Seth has become a bridge between the various Lehigh Valley synagogues, encouraging interaction between the various clergy and their congregations. He loves the fact that the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform congregations in Allentown do not consider themselves in competition, but rather each does their own thing while encouraging their congregants to belong to more than one synagogue it they wish. The number of Lehigh Valley residents who belong to more than one synagogue has definitely increased during his tenure. He had not experienced that in any of his previous positions, and finds it to be very fulfilling. He also cites the role he and KI have played in growing the annual interfaith Thanksgiving service.

Rabbi Seth feels that although there are obvious areas where strong leadership is vital, just “being there” when and where you are needed is just as important. He is very modest about his achievements, as shown by his story about a seaman who received a medal for humility, but had it taken away when he chose to wear it.

Rabbi Seth is happiest when he is interacting with other people, whether at a class he is teaching or when participating in a life cycle event. He says that both of those allow him to really get to know the people involved and vice versa. Although they are all different, in each situation he looks for a way to make everyone feel at ease.

He gives an example of how important he feels it is to get to know the members of the congregation: When he first came to KI, he asked the staff to call members and ask them to come in and meet the new rabbi. They did not get much of a response, but Rabbi Seth persisted. He asked the staff to assure the congregants that he would not be asking them for money or to attend services when they met, and his solution proved to be very successful.

Rabbi Seth is not just retiring from the duties and responsibilities of being the rabbi at KI, but is also retir-

ing to Jewish learning first and foremost. He has come to recognize the gaps in his Jewish education and is instituting a program to fix the issue.

He reminds me that the study of Torah is the most important mitzvah, as it leads to all the others. He also plans to increase his exercise regimen.

He has run 65 marathons, but none in the past three years, and plans to change that. He has always been a fan of movies and plans to watch and study various film genres to deepen his understanding of the art form. He has been blessed in his life to have books that have guided him through his passions, like the one about the history of Japanese cooking that enabled him to become an excellent Japanese chef.

Rabbi Seth plans to volunteer at various venues in the community, such as Jewish Family Service, and is willing to help whenever needed at KI. He is especially grateful to have worked for ten years with Vikki Dunn and the rest of the staff, the past and present presidents and Boards of Trustees, all of whom have proved to be invaluable to him. He believes all that has been accomplished during his time at KI has been because a group of people saw the importance of an issue and put in the countless hours of hard work to make it a reality.

He says: “Being the rabbi is a job for me, but I work with great people who volunteer their time to ensure that I can do it well.”

Rabbi Seth hopes that his excitement about Judaism has rubbed off on those people with whom he has worked over the past ten years, and that enthusiasm has led them to a deeper understanding of their own Jewishness. He concludes with: “I hope KI remains a place of comfort and continuity—comfort in both the good times and the bad, and continuity for at least another 119 years. Thank you for the privilege of allowing me to serve as your rabbi for the past 10 years.”

GIVE A MITZVAH, DO A MITZVAH

Raising funds for World Central Kitchen Abigail Marquardt will be crisis. They don’t just deliver called to the Torah on Saturraw ingredients or dump free day, June 11, at Congregation food in a disaster zone — they Keneseth Israel in Allentown. source and hire locally, put After having postponed her people to work preparing it, bat mitzvah last year due to and put lives back together the pandemic, the Springby fighting hunger. WCK house Middle School eighth rapidly expanded in their grade student began planning #ChefsForUkraine response to her mitzvah project a few deliver fresh hot meals in five months ago. Abby is a huge countries affected by the war. reader, so she had planned to “In addition to her pashold a book drive to benefit sion for cooking, Abby is also Central Elementary School in drawn to helping children.

Allentown, however, once the When she heard about how war started in Ukraine, Abby the children were being affect- the occasion with both focus and grace. We are excited to decided she wanted to do ed by the war in Ukraine, she continue to raise both awaresomething to help the people recognized that the comfort ness and funds for this importhere. Abby absolutely loves food provided by this orgatant organization that does to cook, so to combine her nization could provide some such important and valuable love of cooking and her idea emotional as well as physical of helping those in Ukraine, support,” Abby’s mother, Beth work around the world.”

Abby is raising money for Marquardt, mentioned. Abby Abby has set up a fundraising World Central Kitchen. liked that WCK is a differsite on WCK at https://donate.

World Central Kitchen ent organization. They don’t wck.org/fundraiser/3759138.

(WCK) started with a simple just send food, they cook and idea: when people are hunfeed people. They use familiar gry, send in cooks. Not tomor- foods and ingredients to make In addition to her mitzvah project, Abigail has made her row, today. WCK is the first people feel better. first adult gift of tzedakah to the to the front lines, providing Beth Marquardt is exJewish Federation of the Lehigh meals in response to humanitremely proud of her daughValley Annual Campaign for tarian, climate and communiter. “From the disappointing Jewish needs. For help developty crises. They build resilient news last year that her bat ing your mitzvah project, contact food systems with locally-led mitzvah would be delayed, Abby Trachtman, Project Coorsolutions. Everyone knows to how hard she is working dinator at abbyt@jflv.org or call that food is essential to life on her Torah portion, and of her at the Federation office at 610 and family all over the world course, her mitzvah project, Newspaper_ad_Yom Ha'atzmaut Sameach.pdf 5 8:59 PM 5500. andhofreid_20_007_Hakol is even more essential in a Abby has more than risen to4/3/20 821

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | MAY 2022 21

The Frank and Ada Segel Family Student Scholarship Program was established through a philanthropic bequest by Frank and Ada Segel's daughter, Helen Segel. Miss Segel recognized the importance of higher education and the need for financial assistance to students in the Jewish Community. Frank and Ada Segel were members and friends of Congregation Sons of Israel, and Miss Segel wanted to honor the memory of her beloved parents with this wonderful act of tzedakah.

Applications will be accepted from Lehigh Valley Jewish students who (a) have been accepted or are enrolled in a post-secondary educational institution, (b) have a demonstrated record of service to the Jewish community and to the Lehigh Valley community at large, (c) meet additional specific criteria established by the Frank and Ada Segel Family Student Scholarship Program Committee. Decisions for awarding scholarships will be at the discretion of the committee.

A scholarship may be awarded to one or more students on an annual basis for an amount up to $3,000.00.

Please call Congregation Sons of Israel at 610-433-6089 or email april2715@gmail.com for more information and to obtain an application.

Applications, along with supporting materials, should be submitted by Wednesday, June 15, 2022.

Sons of Israel dinner party to honor office manager’s 40th anniversary

By Jeannie Miller Congregation Sons of Israel On Sunday, May 22, at 4:30 pm, Congregation Sons of Israel will host "Cheers to 40 Years!" — a Dinner Party celebrating our wonderful April Daugherty, who has been the Office Manager for over four decades. The congregation is delighted that three former rabbis who have had the good fortune of working with April are returning to Allentown to honor her at this event: Rabbi Daniel Korobkin, Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner, and Rabbi David Wilensky.

Sons of Israel will also hold a Basket Raffle, with a selection of over 50 lovely theme baskets filled with gift items and donations from members, friends, and local businesses. Some of the

exciting items in the baskets include: tickets to the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, tickets to the Allentown Symphony and Civic Theater, 2 rounds of golf from the Allentown Municipal Golf Course (cart included), car passes to Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre, and a 90-minute session from Elements Massage.

The community is invited to stop by the synagogue and participate in the raffle during office hours (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) the weeks of May 9-13 and May 16-20. The cost of tickets are $10 for 25, or $25 for 75. Basket winners will be notified after the drawing, which will take place at April's Dinner Party.

In conjunction with the dinner and raffle, an Advertising Journal will be published to honor April. For more details on how to place an ad and/or attend the dinner, please visit our website at www.sonsofisrael.net. Phone contact is at 610-433-6089.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s ‘dissent’ collar, judicial robe, bobblehead and more join Smithsonian’s permanent exhibition

By Jackie Hajdenberg Jewish Telegraphic Agency The late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s children have donated dozens of objects that symbolize her time on the court and her role as a pop culture icon to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

The objects include her famous “dissent” and “majority” collars, which she famously liked to wear to telegraph her votes on cases; her judicial robe; a bobblehead and Legos of her likeness; as well as various documents and awards.

The museum, which has enshrined the donations in its permanent collection, posthumously awarded the late justice with its Great Americans Medal at a ceremony honoring her achievements.

The medal “has honored those who have not only made a lasting impact in their fields but those whose philanthropic and humanitarian endeavors set them apart,” read a press release from the Smithsonian. Past recipients of the award include Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell, Tom Brokaw, Cal Ripken Jr., Billie Jean King, Paul Simon and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The virtual tribute for Ginsburg featured a biographical film narrated by Gloria Steinem and testimonials from President Jimmy Carter, Chief Justice John Roberts, Barbara Streisand and Oprah Winfrey, as well as a conversation between the museum’s director, Anthea M. Hartig, and the justice’s children, Jane and James.

Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993 and served until her death on Erev Rosh Hashanah in 2020.

PHOTOS BY JACLYN NASH, COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY

Sons of Israel offering scholarships in memory of Frank and Ada Segel

Justice Ginsburg's white lace jabot (L) and her black robe from Maison Blanc (R) are two of the artifacts the late justice's children are donating to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

The Washington Post reported that Ginsburg’s family invited curators from the Smithsonian to her chambers a few weeks after she died.

“There was always an understanding there, that the Smithsonian would be a big part of where some of the more significant items would go,” James Ginsburg said.

“That Mom kept all of this stuff does not surprise me. That was in her nature. She was someone who preserved things.”

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22 MAY 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Book Review: ‘Israel’

Women’s Seder unites congregations

By Sean Boyle Special to HAKOL Israeli-American writer-actress-producersinger Noa Tishby’s first book, “Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth'' is her answer for when her Hollywood progressive friends would ask for a good book to learn more about Israel.

Written in a casual conversational tone, but backed with eleven pages of notes, Tishby’s book comes across not as a college lecture, but as an impassioned talk with a Ph.D. student over drinks. Tishby is a secular Jewish liberal who states, “I’m a Zionist. I’m pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian, and these things are not at all mutually exclusive.” She has been an active advocate for Israel for over a decade, even creating an Israel advocacy organization to help collaborate with the Israeli government in order to deal quickly with global PR issues. Tishby wrote this book to help people learn more background about Israel, while countering the disinformation put out by anti-Israel organizations.

Tishby breaks the book into three sections. The first section traces the Biblical accounts and archaeological evidence of ancient Israel, and explains the reality that Jews have been living continuously there for thousands of years. Her second section gives the history of Zionism, the creation of the British Mandate, the Israeli War of Independence, as well as the later wars, peace deals, and settlements that form the reality of current Israel. The last section is a rebuttal to the BDS movement’s claims, as well as the numerous UN resolutions vilifying Israel.

Tishby wanted to make a single, easy-tounderstand book explaining the history of Israel, that wasn’t over 600 pages long and written by an academic. Each of her sections could easily be several 600-page long academic books, which leads to several critics stating that she oversimplifies many historic events and social issues. Her goal is to

provide a concise basic understanding while actively countering disinformation, and she succeeds in doing that. Tishby comes from a historic-politically important Israeli family, and provides fascinating personal and familial anecdotes to the second and third sections of the book.

Highly recommended for ages 14-120, especially for anyone looking for a candid, easy-to-read, well-researched book about Israel.

Sean Boyle is Congregation Keneseth Israel’s librarian and is also serving as President of the Schools, Synagogues, Centers, and Public Libraries Division of the Association of Jewish Libraries.

fa ll

On April 20, a 25-year-old tradition was revived as women and their guests from multiple synagogues gathered for the Lehigh Valley Women’s Seder, hosted by the Sisterhood of Bnai Shalom in Easton. Attendees enjoyed a Kosher for Passover dairy/vegetarian meal and learned about many of the unsung Jewish women who have contributed to freedom as Cantor Katyah Gohr led the group in joyous song.

Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth. (Tishby, Noa, New York, Free Press, 2021, 352p.)

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | MAY 2022 23

PHOTO COURTESY CLEAN THE BUTTS

Top 10 ways to green your visit to Israel

By Naama Barak ISRAEL21c

Above, Some of the cigarette butts are turned into artwork, and a whole load are shipped off to a designated recycling facility.

PHOTO BY ANAT HERMONY/FLASH90

Below, Watch out for endangered and protected species while hiking around Israel.

Feel like you’ve done it all in Israel? Masada, Jerusalem’s Old City, Tel Aviv’s beachfront? Then we recommend doing a little something extra next time you’re in the Holy Land by turning your visit green.

Whether endangered plant species, rescued animals or mud huts are your thing, there’s plenty to do to go ecofriendly and do some good to yourself and your environment.

Here are our 10 top recommendations – enjoy your trip!

1. Go foraging If you want to both get up

close with nature and fill your tummy with delicious produce, look no further than foraging tours available across the country through private guides and local authorities.

Simply locate the date and destination most convenient for you and start walking.

Interesting and edible local plants include delicacies such as wild asparagus, mallow and mustard leaves.

2. Clean up a beach or two Unfortunately, Israel’s beaches can sometimes feel like the bottom of a long-forgotten ashtray. Luckily, beach cleanups have become a big thing here in recent years, and you can join in. One of our favorite groups is Clean the Butts, a

June 19 | 2 PM & 7:30 PM | $75/$65/$55

Sponsored by Alvin H. Butz, Inc., Capital Blue Cross, Fulton Bank and 100.7 WLEV

www.statetheatre.org 453 Northampton St., Easton, PA 610-252-3132 1-800-999-STATE

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Paid for by Susan Wild for Congress

Yom Ha'atzmaut Sameach REP. SUSAN WILD IS HAPPY TO CELEBRATE ISRAEL'S BIRTHDAY WITH OUR COMMUNITY I firmly believe that support for Israel should be a non-partisan issue. I look forward to continuing to serve our community in Congress. I’ll keep working in a bipartisan manner to improve the lives of everyone in the Lehigh Valley. That includes addressing the challenges burdening our manufacturers and employers and the unique issues facing our healthcare providers and hospitals.

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grassroots movement to clean up public spaces, beaches included, from the filthy habit.

Check out their Facebook page to learn more.

3. Rescue food Food waste is a horrible phenomenon that occurs more often than we’d like to think.

Leket Israel, the country’s leading food rescue organization, runs volunteering activities such as picking surplus produce from fields or sorting and packing foods in its logistics center. Either way, you’ll be doing your bit for the environment by reducing waste, as well as benefiting people in need, all in a day’s work.

4. Check out a mud house Kibbutz Lotan in the southern Arava desert is one of the greenest locales in the country.

The ecological kibbutz offers all kinds of activities, ranging from year-long, pre-army programs to shorter residencies on topics such as food sustainability, renewable energy and water management.

The most luxurious option, however, is staying at one of the kibbutz’s green guest rooms with amenities such as eco-friendly toilets, and participating in family-friendly fun at the Eco-Kef ecological playground and natural building workshops.

5. Meet rescued farm animals The Freedom Farm Sanctuary in central Israel is home to animals rescued from industrial farms and the food industry and welcomes visitors young and old to get to know their stories. The farm runs ageappropriate tours for children aged four and up, and is an opportunity for all to practice compassion and awareness when it comes to our fourlegged friends.

6. Tour an organic farm Tur Sinai Organic Farm might be on the outskirts of Jerusalem, but it feels like a whole world away. A favorite location for weddings and events, the farm also offers tours of its orchards, during which visitors can hear all about the place’s unique history, enjoy the stunning sights, learn about organic farming and of course get a taste of the produce.

7. Go climbing atop a mountain of garbage Once upon a time, Hiriya was a huge mountain of garbage where local municipalities

Green Israel Continues on page 26

An update on the Jewish Agency’s lifesaving work in Ukraine The Jewish Agency from Israel As the Russia-Ukraine war rages on, The Jewish Agency for Israel continues to do vital lifesaving work with the assistance of our partners and supporters: • So far, 11,500+ Jews have come to Israel as olim (immigrants) or as eligible to make Aliyah from Ukraine and Russia. As our operations continue, we expect this number to keep growing based on the volume of calls to The Jewish Agency and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews’ hotline. To date, the hotline has received over 32,000 calls from Ukraine, 35,300 from Russia and Belarus, and 3,900 from the rest of the former Soviet Union.

• We continue to operate 18 facilities at 5 different border crossings for thousands of refugees, many of whom will make Aliyah, with 85 people on the ground, including Israeli emissaries, local workers and volunteers helping carry out our efforts. More than 1,500 refugees are being accommodated in the Agency's transit facilities in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Hungary and Moldova while their Aliyah paperwork is processed; many arrived at our centers on the nearly 400 buses we’ve coordinated with local organizations.

• The Jewish Federations of North America, in partnership with The Jewish Agency, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, and IsraAID, launched a first-ofits-kind central volunteer hub in support of refugees fleeing Ukraine. The new initiative will recruit and place hundreds of skilled volunteers, especially those who speak Russian and Ukrainian, on the ground over the next few months.

ers Michael Siegal (Chairman of the Board of Governors), Steven Lowy (Member of the Board of Governors) and Beth Kieffer-Leonard (Member of the Board of Governors) traveled to Poland to see our operations on the ground at Ukraine's borders firsthand, volunteering alongside staff and volunteers and meeting with Jewish refugees. They were joined by Israel’s Minister of Aliyah and Integration Pnina Tamano-Shata, Jewish Agency Acting Chairman Yaakov Hagoel and CEO Amira Ahronoviz, as well as Keren Hayesod Chairman Sam Grundwerg, and other senior leaders. Dan Elbaum, The Jewish Agency’s Head of North America, also traveled to the field last week, joining a JFNA mission visiting our operations in Poland and Budapest before flying alongside 141 olim to Israel on an American Jewish Committee-sponsored flight.

Chief Rabbi of Poland for the holiday activities the community is organizing for Ukrainian refugees.

Editor’s Note: The Jewish Agency for Israel is an overseas partner of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

• For the Passover holiday, we organized Seders -- sponsored by UJA Federation of New York -- for 300 refugees in the hotel rooms we’ve booked for them across Eastern Europe. We are also sent Haggadot in Russian, produced by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s PJ Library program, to our centers in Eastern Europe and provided them to the immigrants who are being accommodated in hotels in Israel, with an opening letter from Tamno Shata and Hagoel. Additionally, we sent a delivery of kosher food for Passover weighing nearly one ton (~2,000 pounds), to the

• JReady, The Jewish Agency’s platform for emergency preparedness, response and rehabilitation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israel Trauma Coalition, sent a delegation to Sofia, Bulgaria, to implement training for some 50 community leaders to assist them in the treatment and absorption of the refugees. The training included several workshops and seminars, providing tools and resources to best equip the variety of community professionals and volunteers in addressing the refugee crisis.

• Jewish Agency lay leadHAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | MAY 2022 25

Green Israel Continues from page 24

dumped their waste. At the beginning of the 21st century, however, the whole area was transformed into an environmental rehabilitation project and overall green lung that’s now called Ariel Sharon Park. Visitors to the large park just outside of Tel Aviv can enjoy eco-friendly activities and tours, or just wander around for some magnificent views and a fun day out.

8. Look out for endangered species You can do your bit for the environment even when out on the most regular of hikes with nothing more than your mobile phone at your side.

The Israel Nature and Parks

Authority invites the public to update its endangered plants “red book” upon seeing any of the 400 listed species out in nature. By participating and keeping an eye out for rare flowers and greenery, not only will your uphill trudge become so much more interesting, but you will be contributing to an ever-changing body of knowledge 9. Become a forester for a day Ever wanted to be a forest ranger? Now’s your chance.

Courtesy of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) Forester for a Day program, you can assist local authorities in pruning trees and clearing underbrush to prevent the spread of future fires and

maintain a healthy forest.

You can join foresters in several forests across the country, and leave the day with a hat, pin and certificate for your hard work.

10. Scooter your way Skipping polluting cars, taxis and buses is a sure way to give your holiday that extragreen edge, and also an easy one if you happen to stay in Tel Aviv. The city is awash with electric scooters for rent, and the service is straightforward and simple to use.

We do, however, urge you to ride cautiously, wear a helmet and take care to avoid accidents. And if scooters seem a bit much, you can always rent a good oldfashioned bike from multiple municipal pickup points.

Travel safely!

Looking forward to ‘safety and community’ in Israel The Jewish Agency for Israel Polina Primislova, 20, is an only child from Kyiv. Her parents have remained in Kyiv because her father is still of recruitment age for the army. The family’s house is on the outskirts of the city, where it is particularly dangerous. Polina’s mother is not ready to leave her husband or her

elderly parents.

“I told my father, ‘I want to leave for Israel.’ He supported me. My mother was not as eager to say goodbye, but within two days, I was out of Kyiv,” Polina shared.

Polina decided she wanted to live in Israel after participating in a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip in 2019. The problem was, she was in high school at the time and did not want to make Aliyah before graduation.

“My parents worked all their lives to get a good home, cars, a vacation home, status, and so many other things,” said Polina.

“It’s hard for them to start over again in Israel. They prefer to hope and believe that Ukraine will succeed in recovering.”

Polina arrived in Truskavets exhausted, with nothing except a small backpack. She will never forget seeing that whole city ruined and in flames.

“In the early days of the war, every loud noise made me scared and stressed,” she recalled. “Only now am I slowly starting to recover.

I also worry constantly about my parents and my friends. I hear stories every day that give me nightmares and anxieties about the war. I do not have anyone in Israel.”

At the same time, Polina added, “I’m sure I’ll be fine in Israel. I feel lucky that I was able to leave Ukraine like this, and that I have a place to go. I would love to come to a kibbutz at first, to feel safety and community.”

Editor’s Note: The Jewish Agency for Israel is an overseas partner of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

26 MAY 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

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

All events listed in the Community Calendar are open to the public and free of charge, unless otherwise noted. Programs listed in HAKOL are provided as a service to the community.

They do not necessarily reflect the endorsement of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley. The JFLV reserves the right to accept, reject or modify listings.

SUNDAY, MAY 1

SATURDAY, MAY 14

THURSDAY, JUNE 9

Broadway Bus Trip: Dear Evan Hansen

Shabbat Out of the Box: Israeli Dancing with Don Shillinger

Jewish Federation Community Celebration & Annual Meeting

SUNDAY, MAY 15

ONGOING EVENTS

8:30 a.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley to New York City. Join us at the J for a Broadway bus trip to see Dear Evan Hansen the Musical. Your ticket includes private motor coach round-trip transportation and free time for meals/shopping before and after the show. The JCC will require all attendees to wear masks while on the bus. The theater requires proof of vaccination (ages 5+) for theater entry and masks are required to be worn by all guests at all times except while eating or drinking when seated in the theater. This is only a reminder for those who have registered.

MONDAY, MAY 2

Friendship Circle

11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley. Programs vary and often include musical entertainment, special speakers, demonstrations or hands-on activities. Friendship Circle is a wonderful opportunity to connect with others in the community. Ages: 50+, Annual Membership Fee: $36. Contact: Beth Kushnick (bkushnick@lvjcc.org) or at 610-435-3571.

TUESDAY, MAY 3

Yom Hazikaron Ceremony: Israel Memorial Day Observance 7:30 p.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley. Services will be held prior to the ceremony at 7 p.m. Join the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Israeli Shaliach Gavriel Siman-Tov and our partners from Yoav to honor, through personal stories, fallen IDF soldiers and those who lost their lives in terrorist attacks.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4

Israeli Happy Hour: A Night of Celebration

7 p.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel. Make some hummus and dance the night away at this Yom Ha’atzmaut adults-only event (ages 18+). Register at www.jewishlehighvalley.org/yom. Hosted in partnership with the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, Congregation Keneseth Israel, and Partnership2Gether.

THURSDAY, MAY 5

Yom Ha’atzmaut: Yoav in the Valley Israeli Family Festival

3 to 6 p.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley. Celebrate Israel’s 74th birthday with our partners from Yoav! Israeli music, face painting, photo booth, craft stations, and food for purchase. Free admission. Sponsored by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley. Go to www.jewishlehighvalley. org/yom for more information.

THURSDAY, MAY 5

10 a.m., Congregation Keneseth Israel. Come join us and bring your friends and families for one of our most popular Shabbat activities! You will laugh, learn, and enjoy the wonderful teaching of Don Shillinger.

Wear your dancing shoes and join the fun. Early registration requested

by Monday, May 1 to receive the location. Register on kilv.org or call 610-435-9074.

2022 Phyllis Ringel Memorial Lecture: Anxiety and Depression in Children with Carey E. Gross, M.D.

10 a.m., Jewish Family Service via Zoom. Dr. Gross is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with over 35 years of experience. She will address the treatment of anxiety and depression in children and how the brain responds. This Phyllis Ringel lecture is in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of JFS. Register at https://tinyurl.com/yckxa4y3.

SUNDAY, MAY 15

PJ Library Goes to JDS

1 to 3 p.m., Jewish Day School. Please join PJ Library at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new playground at the Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley. Cupcakes, face painting, music and fun! There will also be tours of JDS and, of course, a PJ Library story, read by Head of School, Amy Golding. Free and open to the community. For more information, contact Beth Kushnick at bkushnick@jdslv.org.

REGISTER BY MAY 15 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29

JCC Broadway Bus Trip: Funny Girl

8:30 a.m., Allentown/New York City (2 p.m. Matinee). Join us at the J for a Broadway bus trip to see Funny Girl the musical. Your ticket includes private motor coach round-trip transportation and free time for meals/shopping before and after the show. Recommended for ages 10+ (Children under 4 are not permitted in the theater). Featuring one of the most iconic scores of all time by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, a revised book from Harvey Fierstein based on the original classic by Isobel Lennart, tap choreography by Ayodele Casel, choreography by Ellenore Scott, and direction from Michael Mayer, this love letter to the theatre is ready to step back into the spotlight. Price: $220/person | JCC Members: $190/person. Deadline to register: May 15. Contact Tracy Sussman at tsussman@lvjcc.org.

MONDAY, MAY 16

FRIDAY, MAY 6

12 to 1 p.m., Via Zoom. JCRC is hosting a series of online briefings with David Horovitz, Founding Editor of the online newspaper The Times of Israel. In this session, hear Horovitz speak about the recent uptick in terror in Israel, the status of the current coalition government, the war in Ukraine, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the latest issues facing Israel and the Jewish people. Register at https://tinyurl.com/2remuwby. To submit questions for Mr. Horovitz, please contact JCRC@jewishphilly.org.

Healing Service

12 p.m., Jewish Family Service via Zoom. Led by Rabbi Melody Davis, Congregation B’nai Shalom, and Debbie Zoller, Executive Director of JFS. The Lehigh Valley Clergy Association and Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley invite you to a virtual Healing Service. The purpose of this service is to help participants cope with challenges in their lives through song, prayer, sharing and self-reflection. Register at https:// tinyurl.com/bd93r5k4.

FRIDAY, MAY 6

First Friday: Hinduism with Nirmala Sivakumar

12:30 p.m., Muhlenberg College, Moyer Hall, Miller Forum. Join us as we continue to learn about the diversity of religious traditions in the Lehigh Valley through conversations with community members about their beliefs and practices. We welcome you to engage with guests as we continue the Institute’s focus on understanding religious diversity in the local community. Unable to attend in person? The event will be livestreamed! Visit www.religionandculture.com for more information and to join the livestream. Sponsored by Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding of Muhlenberg College.

MONDAY, MAY 9 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley. Programs vary and often include musical entertainment, special speakers, demonstrations or hands-on activities. Friendship Circle is a wonderful opportunity to connect with others in the community. Ages: 50+, Annual Membership Fee: $36. Contact: Beth Kushnick (bkushnick@lvjcc.org) or at 610-435-3571.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

“Within Your Reach...”

Jewish Federation Women’s Philanthropy Spring Event

6:30 p.m., Jewish Community Center. The past two years have been anything but relaxing, but Deborah Glassman wants you to breathe.

Glassman, a urologist at Jefferson Medical College and a registered yoga teacher, is an expert in women’s health, and also leads Shabbhakti, a series of Jewish-inspired yoga workshops. $50 couvert, including spa-themed dinner. Dietary Laws Observed. Please RSVP by April 13 at 610-821-5500 or amy@jflv.org. A minimum gift of $365 (a dollar a day) to the 2022 Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs is required to attend.

Celebrate the beauty of Shabbat Shabbat & Yom Tov Candlelighting Times

Friday, May 6 Friday, May 13 Friday, May 20

David Horovitz Web Series

TUESDAY, MAY 24

JUniversity presents an in-person concert with Parkland Jazz Band

6:30 p.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley. Free concert, sponsored by the JCC and The Block Family, featuring the talented Parkland High School Jazz Band. Contact Beth Kushnick at 610-435-3571 for questions.

THURSDAY, MAY 26

It’s Back! Jewish Heritage Night at the IronPigs

7:05 p.m., Coca-Cola Park, Allentown. Join the community and the IronPigs for the annual Jewish Heritage Night. Watch the IronPigs take on the Worcester Red Sox. $22 tickets include a voucher for the kosher food stand (LVKC supervised) and a special Jewish Heritage Night backpack. $16 tickets include the backpack and a $2 ballpark voucher.

To learn more or purchase tickets, visit www.jewishlehighvalley.org/ ironpigs. Sponsored by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1

Friendship Circle

7:45 pm 7:52 pm 7:59 pm

Friday, May 27 Friday, June 3 Friday, June 10

8:05 pm 8:10 pm 8:14 pm

MONDAYS Yiddish Club

2 to 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. All are welcome to join this lively, weekly discussion. 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 5 states. No cost. Contact Janis Mikofsky at the JCC of the Lehigh Valley, 610-435-3571 ext. 501.

PA Small Jewish Communities Learning Initiative

7:30 p.m., via Zoom. Our Tri-Community class new Topic is “Speaking to G-d: Twenty Weeks to Understanding the Shemoneh Esrei.” Join Rabbis Nisan Andrews, Dovid Kaplan, Elisha Friedman, Alex Hecht, and various guest teachers for this virtual learning. This class is sponsored by Congregation Sons of Israel, Congregation Ohav Zedek of Wilkes-Barre, Congregation Degel Israel of Lancaster, Kesher Israel of Harrisburg, and the Orthodox Union. Go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5014709078 to join.

MONDAYS & THURSDAYS Online Jewish Yoga Studio

Mondays 11 to 11:45 a.m., Thursdays 4 to 4:45 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Mindful body practices help us find shelter right where we are, in our bodies in this very moment. Join yoga teachers and IJS faculty members Rabbi Myriam Klotz or Cantor Lizzie Shammash as they guide you in an all-levels yoga and movement session 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 at https://tinyurl.com/7mtxyjz5.

TUESDAYS Weekly Torah Study

Wine and Dessert Gathering with Momentum and Yoav 7 to 9 p.m., Jay’s Local. Come together at Allentown hotspot, Jay’s Local, for drinks, dessert, and togetherness. RSVP to Amy Zylberman, amy@jflv.org, by May 2.

6 to 8 p.m., Jewish Community Center. Kick-off Israel’s 75th Anniversary with the Jewish Federation Community Celebration & Annual Meeting! Join us for an end-of-year Israeli-style picnic catered by Around the Table Catering to celebrate our award winners, leaders & volunteers!

RSVP by June 2 to 610-821-5500 or mailbox@jflv.org or register online at www.jewishlehighvalley.org/annualmeeting.

Monthly Mindfulness with Women’s Philanthropy

7:00 - 7:45 p.m., Jewish Federation via Zoom. Relax with Women’s Philanthropy and Holly Hebron Moyer over Zoom, where you’ll learn mindfulness and meditation exercises. All levels of experience are welcome. Open to all women in the community. Register at https://jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/monthly-mindfulness.

FRIDAY, JUNE 3

Healing Service

12 p.m., Jewish Family Service via Zoom. Led by Debbie Zoller, Executive Director of JFS. The Lehigh Valley Clergy Association and Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley invite you to a virtual Healing Service. The purpose of this service is to help participants cope with challenges in their lives through song, prayer, sharing and self-reflection.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/mxmj8kby.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8

JDS 8th Grade Commencement

7 p.m., Jewish Day School Auditorium. The Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley invites you to the 8th Grade Commencement for the Class of 2022. Please RSVP by Friday, June 3 to Adrienne Weaver at amanger@jdslv.org or 610-437-0721.

with Cantor Wartell FRIDAYS 8:30-9:30 AM WMUH 91.7

muhlenberg.edu/wmuh | 484.664.3456

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 at https://tinyurl.com/rbs3dctj.

Torah Tuesdays with Bnai Shalom

12:30 p.m., At the home of Cindy Danies. Interactive Torah study group. Contact office@bnaishalomeaston.org for more information.

WEDNESDAYS Judaism for Our Time with Bnai Shalom

11 a.m., Bnai Shalom via Zoom. Register in advance for this meeting at https://tinyurl.com/jmx2zmw9.

Yoga with Miriam Sandler: Chair Supported Yoga

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

Be seated in a comfortable chair, preferably armless (folding works well). Some standing poses holding onto chair offered, though students may choose to remain seated. Modifications given. Open to the public in person and live stream available to all via zoom. *$10 Drop-In fee payable to Congregation Brith Shalom. For more information, email: mbserow@gmail.com. Join Zoom Meeting at https://tinyurl.com/3pf88d8d.

Torah Studies: A Weekly Journey into the Soul of Torah 7 p.m., Chabad of the Lehigh Valley via Zoom and in person.

Torah Studies by JLI presents Season Three, a 12-part series. Cost is $36 for the course including textbook. For more information, contact (610) 351-6511 or rabbi@chabadlehighvalley.com.

EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY Hadassah Study Group

1:25 p.m., Via Zoom. We discuss short stories from an anthology. Contact Marilyn Claire at mjclaire@gmail.com or 620-972-7054 to sign up.

THURSDAYS Basic Yiddish Class

4 to 5:30 p.m., JCC of the Lehigh Valley via Zoom. Learn to read, write, speak and comprehend Yiddish. Textbooks from Yiddish Book Center available for purchase. Contact: Janis Mikofsky 610-435-3571, ext. 501.

SUNDAY through FRIDAY Daf Yomi

Weekdays at 7:45 a.m., Sunday at 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 https://zoom.us/j/5598767191.

MONDAY through FRIDAY Daily Online Meditation

12:30 p.m., Institute for Jewish Spirituality. One of their master teachers will lead a live daily guided meditation. Join with people from around the world to share 30 minutes of Jewish mindfulness. Open to all, no experience needed. Sign up at https://tinyurl.com/rbs3dctj.

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | MAY 2022 27

HAVE SOME PIE, SALLY. YOU DESERVE IT.

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