HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community
Consul General to speak at Federation Annual Meeting
JUNE 2013 |SIVAN/TAMUZ 5773
Jewish groups join tornado relief effort
SPRING EVENT See what’s happening at Federation’s women’s events. See page 4.
WORKS OF ART Lisa Fraenkel’s exhibit debuts at the JCC. See page 6.
GRADUATES Join us as we say mazel tov to our high school graduates! See pages 15-18.
No. 357 com.UNITY with Mark Goldstein 2 Women’s Division
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LVJF Tributes
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Jewish Family Service
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Jewish Community Center Jewish Day School
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Community Calendar
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Eight months on the job as consul general of Israel to the Mid-Atlantic Region and Yaron Sideman has already been to the Lehigh Valley twice. He met with the mayors of Allentown and Easton to discuss their trip to Israel last year with the Conference of Mayors. He visited the Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding at Muhlenberg College. On June 13, Sideman will pay a third visit to the Valley as the featured speaker at the Jewish Federation’s Annual Meeting. In addition to introducing himself and the consulate, Sideman will give an update on recent developments, challenges and opportunities in Israel and the Middle East. “I’ll talk about the strong desire to broaden the conversation about Israel and engage in partnerships between Israel and the [Mid-Atlantic] Region, including of course Lehigh Valley,” Sideman said in a recent interview. “That’s a huge part of what we undertake here as a consulate, trying to foster those relationships between Israel and the region.” Federations are an important platform for engaging American Jews, he said. This year’s meeting theme, “a shared vision, a bright future,” speaks not only to the relationship between the United States and Israel, but also the aspirations of our own Jewish community to continue to grow. Local leaders, including Federation President Barry J. Halper, will take to the podium to discuss their thoughts on the year past and the year ahead. Some of our community’s most dedicated volunteers will be honored for their efforts. After receiving nominations from the community and being voted on by past winners, Iris Epstein will be honored this year with the George Feldman Achievement Award for Young Leadership. She joins a prestigious group of community leaders who have received this award since its establishment in 1973. “Iris exemplifies the word volunteer,” said Judy Diamondstein, assistant executive director of the Federation, who works closely with Epstein in her position as Women’s Campaign Co-Chair. “From Super Sunday to the Women’s Division Spring Event, there is nothing that Iris won’t -- or can’t -- do. We are truly blessed to have someone like her in our community.” The Federation’s Annual Campaign relies heavily on volunteer efforts to meet and exceed its goals every year, and this year, two volunteers who went above
Annual Meeting Continues on page 5 Non-Profit Organization
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By Stephanie Smartschan JFLV Director of Marketing
Yaron Sideman, Consul General of Israel
A man walks over the ruins of his destroyed house following the deadly tornado in Moore, Okla., May 20, 2013. Jewish Telegraphic Agency and JFLV Staff
Iris Epstein, George Feldman Achievement Award for Young Leadership
Eileen Fischmann, Pomerantz Award for Campaign Excellence
Michael Miller, Pomerantz Award for Campaign Excellence
Jewish babies around the world As the fourth annual reunion for Shalom Baby families approaches, we take a look at how local Jewish births stack up to the growth of the global Jewish population. See story and ad on Page 5.
Jewish groups are joining the effort to help those displaced by the May 20 tornado in suburban Oklahoma City. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, announced the following day that his organization will collect donations and distribute them to the American Red Cross and others on the ground in Oklahoma. “We are numb with grief, and yet inspired by the heroic resilience of the people of Oklahoma,” Jacobs said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those impacted by this horrific tragedy. “As other needs arise, perhaps including volunteers to assist with the clean-up and rebuilding, we stand ready to help in any way possible.” In the past, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley collected donations for disaster relief from the tsunami in Japan, the earthquake in Turkey and wildfires in Colorado. Now the Federation is accepting donations to assist with the tornado relief efforts. To learn more or to donate, go to www.jewishlehighvalley.org and click on Oklahoma City Tornado Relief. Such donations are pooled with those from other Federations from across North America to make the greatest impact possible. “Our hearts go out to all those who were in the path of this disaster and who are grieving the loss of their loved ones,” said Michael Siegal, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America Board of Trustees. B’nai B’rith International has opened its Flood, Tornado and Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund. Meanwhile, the Chabad Community Center of Southern Oklahoma has opened its building as a shelter and is collecting supplies for those displaced by the tornado that hit Moore.