8 minute read
FROM THE DESK OF JERI ZIMMERMAN
I appreciate you
It is at this time of year, with Thanksgiving and the end of the year quickly approaching, that I am always reminded of the expression “an attitude of gratitude.” As I may have noted before, this is the notion of making it a habit to express thankfulness and appreciation in all parts of your life, on a regular basis — for the big things and small things alike. Taking a moment, whether giving thanks to God or just feeling grateful in our own reflections, “an attitude of gratitude” resonates with me on so many levels.
With all the negativity and pessimism around us, Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity to reflect on the positives, our blessings, instead of focusing on the negatives. It is also a time to think about how to extend the season of gratitude to improve your life year-round. The Hebrew term for gratitude is hakarat hatov, which means, literally, “recognizing the good.” Practicing gratitude means recognizing the good that is already yours.
Scientists have discovered all sorts of positive outcomes from practicing gratitude: improved physical health and immunity against disease; fewer expressions of toxic emotions such as resentment, frustration and regret; better sleep; more self-respect; more satisfying relationships; and enhanced resilience.
According to author Melody Beattie, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, and confusion into clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
I am grateful for family and friends who provide support and encouragement through good times and, sometimes, tough times and for the many things that make day-to-day life so wonderful. I also appreciate a community that demonstrates caring and compassion and a desire to welcome and engage its members.
I am grateful to each one of you for your time, talent and financial support working to make our community a rich and vibrant one. It is our Jewish Community Center, our Jewish Day School, our Jewish Family Service, and all our synagogues and other organizations that enrich our Jewish life here in the valley. In addition, our Jewish Federation, Jewish Foundation and affinity groups all work to provide opportunities to engage you in helping to make our community and the world a better place. How wonderful to be surrounded by you, as together we address important and meaningful work each day. Please accept my sincere appreciation and thanks to each of you for inspiring me.
In this edition of Hakol, we take a moment to recognize the generous and valued support of sponsors and advertisers and all that they do to support our mission and community efforts. I hope you will join me in recognizing their ongoing support by patronizing their businesses. Together, we are here for good and we appreciate their generosity and community-minded care.
Wishing you and your families an attitude of gratitude and a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday!
If you’d like to share some thoughts on things you’re grateful for, please put them in an email and send it to hakol@ jflv.org.
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 MEMORY RENEE GITTLER (Mother of Susan Musselman) Carole and Michael Langsam STUART SCHWARTZ (Husband of Janice Schwartz)
Eileen and Roberto Fischmann DAVID WIWIERSKI (Husband of Susan Engel-Wiwierski)
Aaron Gorodzinsky MARGIE ZIMMERMAN (Mother of Kathy Zimmerman)
Lisa and Barnet Fraenkel
HAKOL is published 11 times per year for the Jewish communities of Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and vicinity by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.
COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS
Submissions to HAKOL must be of interest to the entire Jewish community. HAKOL reserves all editorial rights including, but not limited to, the decision to print any submitted materials, the editing of submissions to conform to style and length requirements, and the placement of any printed material. Quotes may be edited for grammar and clarity. Articles should be submitted by e-mail or presented as typed copy; “Community Calendar” listings must be submitted by e-mail to hakol@jflv.org or online at www.jewishlehighvalley.org. Please include your name and a daytime telephone number where you can be contacted in the event questions arise. We cannot guarantee publication or placement of submissions.
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HAKOL STAFF
CARL ZEBROWSKI Editor
CHARLENE RIEGGER Director of Marketing DIANE McKEE Account Representative TEL: 610-515-1391 hakolads@jflv.org
JFLV EXECUTIVE STAFF
JERI ZIMMERMAN Executive Director
AARON GORODZINSKY Director of Campaign & Security Planning DENISE AHNER Director of Finance & Administration
JULIA UMANSKY Director of Gift Planning & EITC
ROBBY WAX JFLV President
WENDY EDWARDS Office Manager GINGER HORSFORD Donor Services Associate
JEWISH FEDERATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY MISSION STATEMENT
In order to unite, sustain, and enhance the Lehigh Valley Jewish community, and support Jewish communities in Israel and around the world, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is dedicated to the following core values:
• Supporting Jews in need wherever they may be. • Supporting Israel as a Jewish homeland. • Supporting and encouraging Jewish education in the Lehigh Valley as a means of strengthening Jewish life for individuals and families. • Supporting programs and services of organizations whose values and mission meet local Jewish needs.
To accomplish this mission the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley is committed to the following operating guidelines: • Raising and distributing funds to support the core values. • Developing Jewish leaders. • Building endowments to support implementation of core values. • Committing to ongoing Jewish community strategic planning. • Fostering cooperation among organizations and community building. • Evaluating all decisions with respect to fiscal responsibility. • Identifying unmet needs and investing in community initiatives to help get them started. • Coordinating and convening a community response as an issue or need arises. • Setting priorities for allocation and distribution of funds. • Acting as a central address for communication about events, programs and services of the Jewish community as a whole.
Wild and Scheller speak directly to the community at Federation forum
The Community Relations Council (CRC) of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley hosted a candidates forum with Lisa Scheller and Susan Wild on October 13, giving them the opportunity to speak directly to our community on topics they may not have had a chance to address at any other public forum.
The forum was cohosted in person by the chair of the CRC, Bruce Reich, and me, and broadcast on YouTube to allow all members of the community to hear directly from the candidates.
What made our forum different from other debates the candidates have had this past few months was the opportunity for each to present without interruption. We designed the forum to give the floor to each candidate individually for 40 minutes, and we asked the same questions of each of them, allowing them to present their visions to solve some of the most urgent issues for our community.
Both Wild and Scheller addressed a question on the rise of anti-Semitism in our community and our country and shared their vision on how to combat this epidemic. They both shared their views specifically on the rise of anti-Semitism, discussed as anti-Zionism at college campuses across our nation, and what can be done by Congress to fight back against this hate disguised as free speech.
Both candidates also shared their concern for the physical safety of our community institutions and reiterated their support for the nonprofit security grant program, which provides nonprofit organizations funding for physical security improvements.
Switching topics, but bringing the same sense of urgency, Wild and Scheller shared their visions for the role the United States can play to fight against Iran, its nuclear ambitions, and the role its regime is playing in supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They both agreed on the need to address significant concerns before the United States continues to negotiate a reentering to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (aka the Iran nuclear deal).
When it comes to Israel and combating the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, both candidates shared their deep connections to Israel as the home of the Jewish people and rejected any calling for putting conditions on aid to Israel. They also showed enthusiasm for the new reality on the ground since the Abraham Accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain became a reality.
When answering questions from the audience, each candidate shared her distinct position on reproductive freedom following the recent Supreme Court decision on abortion, and what she is willing to support moving forward, presenting two very clear paths.
Finally, the candidates both shared a willingness to speak louder against voices inside their own parties when needed to reject hateful rhetoric and a willingness to work across the aisle for the benefit of our district.
If you missed this forum, you can watch a recap on the Federation’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=P0GO3_MnKDA.
Above: Susan Wild with the moderators. Below: Lisa Scheller.
