After big city life, Allentown impresses the Andrews Family

By Rabbi Nisan Andrews

My family and I were happily settled in London when, unexpectedly, we found ourselves moving back to North America. I interviewed for several positions and, fortunately, was offered three different pulpits. One was in Chicago, the city where I attended Rabbinical seminary, married my wife, and two of my children were born. Another was in my native Canada, to where I have always wanted to return. However, Hannah (my wife) and I chose the third option, Congregation Sons of Israel in Allentown.

Allentown impressed us immensely. It is a city that has a small-town feel with a true sense of community. We observed widespread volunteerism; the work of the community did not just fall to a select few.

Allentown wants for nothing in terms of Yiddishkeit, as Sons of Israel facilitates three minyanim every day, a Daf Yomi, and other regular classes given by rabbis and laypeople. The LVKC provides kosher facilities, a Chevreh Kadisha and Mikvah. We even have an Eruv which covers a substantial portion of the city. In addition to demonstrating that this is a growth-oriented community, these are all ventures that neither a single person nor a small coterie could create.

Education is also a strong suit of this community, with a local day school that creates an individualized curriculum for every student. Hannah is proud to be a Judaics teacher at the Jewish Day School. There are further options for continued Jewish education with busing to secondary schools in Philadelphia.

All of these factors brought us to Allentown. This hospitable community affectionately welcomed my family and me, and we are thrilled to carry that forward by warmly welcoming you.

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