By Stephanie Goodling Forget fighting traffic to get to the mall or spending hours scrolling online. The Lehigh Valley boasts some great synagogue gift shops that have everything you need to find your next gift. At Temple Beth El in Allentown, they will help you pick it out, wrap it and even do drop-offs. “We’ve set up contactless pick-up now, too. I’ve even FaceTimed people from the shop. We all appreciate our customers,” said Jill Steigerwald, who runs the store which supports the TBE Sisterhood. Their #1 best-seller is mezuzahs, but they have anything and everything Judaica: Kiddush cups, menorahs, Seder plates, shofars, tzedakah boxes, Shabbat candlesticks, challah boards, dreidels and more. They carry jewelry, hostess gifts and children’s toys.
“We have things at every price point. Some are pretty unique, and we have things made in Israel,” added Steigerwald. At Congregation Brith Sholom in Bethlehem, they have a smaller shop, but one that is curated with just as much care. “One of the things I’ve tried to do is support small and local businesses. I’m just always looking for different things because I really want to provide something unusual. A lot of our suppliers are women-run businesses, too,” said Micki Wechsler, who organizes the shop for her congregation. While Wechsler’s displays in the Brith Sholom building are smaller, they still have a lovely selection of Judaica such as tallit and holiday items that change with the seasons. Both shops take special orders and work with their customers to find just the right item for them. You can also shop online at www. bethelallentown.org or www.brithsholom.net.
www.shalomlehighvalley.org
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