HAKOL - July/August 2022

The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community

www.jewishlehighvalley.org

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Issue No. 456

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July/August 2022

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Tamuz/Av 5782

AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION EST. 1977

Federation elects new leaders p3

The valley’s best food truck is kosher p20

FROM THE DESK OF JERI ZIMMERMAN p2 CLERGY COLUMN p7 LVJF TRIBUTES p8 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER p14-15 JEWISH DAY SCHOOL p16 JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE p17

Take us out with the crowd

By Carl Zebrowski Editor of Hakol May 26 was a night of rarities at Allentown’s Coca-Cola Park. Besides the unusual concentration of Jewish spectators in the right field stands, kosher food was being served on the concourse, and the Israeli national anthem was sung over the loudspeakers for the first time since the stadium opened in 2008. We at Hakol even noticed a stack of hot-off-the-press June issues on a

hospitality table tended by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, host of Jewish Heritage Night at the Iron Pigs.

It was a nice night for baseball, for the first Jewish Heritage Night since COVID-19 interrupted its six-year annual run in 2020. A sizable crowd was already milling inside the main gates an hour before game time. The temperature was 70-ish, comfortable, if slightly cool when a breeze picked up. The sky was gray, but rain held out until a light mist floated down near

the end of the game.

The Federation sold about 320 tickets for heritage night, the most ever, and for the people who turned out to fill the seats, the pregame ceremonies were at least as important as the Triple-A contest between the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs and the Worcester Red Sox. The “first pitch,” the traditional ceremonial toss, was actually 35 pitches. Many of the participating hurlers were here for heritage night, including a bunch of children; Eric Lightman, executive director of the Jewish Community Center; Gavriel Siman-Tov, community shaliach (Israeli cultural emissary); and Yitzi Powers, a head counselor for the JCC’s summer camp.

Meanwhile, a chorus of students from the Jewish Day School took the field to fall into place behind home plate. They impressively relaxed. Many of them joked around and some did dance moves as they waited for their big moment to arrive.

When their cue to sing came, they began “Hatikvah,” the Israeli national anthem, with Siman-Tov and Powers joining them in the back line to supply the low end.

“Our students sing ‘Hatikvah’ each morning with such pride as they start the day,” said Amy Golding, directing the chorus as head of school of the Jewish Day School. “But having the opportunity to sing it publicly will be something they always remember. The connection to their past and their pride for Israel came

together that evening. It was truly a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Next came the singing of “The StarSpangled Banner,” and then the real first pitch of the game soared from the mound.

Fans in the heritage night section who may have not seen one another for a while got the chance to catch up, perhaps while keeping one eye on the on-field action.

A food stand set up near the right field stands served kosher hot dogs, knishes, potato chips, and drinks.

“This was the first time since the beginning of the pandemic where everyone was able to be outside and enjoy ourselves at the game,” said Aaron Gorodzinsky, the Federation’s director of campaign and security planning, who organized the event. “It was also a very special night since we were able to hear ‘Hatikvah’ at the ballpark. I am sure I was not the only one who got goosebumps when the Jewish Day School children started to sing. We can't wait to do it again next year!”

The Federation and the Lehigh Valley Jewish agencies and synagogues all did their part to make this heritage night a success. So did the Iron Pigs. Besides their gracious participation in the festivities, they contributed fine pitching and enough hitting to beat the Red Sox 2-1. It was a win-win night.

See more pictures from the night on pages 12-13.

Travel with a purpose

By Jeri Zimmerman Executive Director Since travel restrictions have eased a bit, I’ve been lucky to participate in two different missions

to Israel in the past few months.

The most recent was an Atidim mission. Atidim, which means futures, is a nongovernmental organization that invests in the education, enrichment, Non-Profit Organization

702 North 22nd Street Allentown, PA 18104

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

and empowerment of people from Israel’s periphery. Through financial, academic, and social support, Atidim helps these promising students to attend college and to pursue careers in high tech, engineering, industry, defense, and public service.

During my visit I met the remarkable scholarship recipients and also attended many high-level military and intelligence briefings, each more amazing than the one before it. We also took the opportunity to meet with our counterparts in Yoav, our Partnership2Gether community, and we were hosted by Mayor Matti Sarfati Harcavi. While there, the family of Lehigh Valley community members Lewis and Roberta Gaines met with students for whom they provide scholarships, and they dedicated

an arts and garden center at the Zafit regional high school. Both of these projects help strengthen our connection with our partners in Israel and provide a Lehigh Valley presence in Yoav.

My mission culminated with the Israeli Air Force graduation,

a moving and emotional experience in itself, and the Gaines family’s dedication of a beautiful youth lounge for the residents of the Ramon Airbase, even more Travel Continues on page 5

Welcome!

Welcoming guests is a Jewish value. It is also a mitzvah, a commandment.

This value is modeled by Abraham and Sarah, who warmly welcomed three visitors to their tent only to discover that they were angels, messengers of G-d.

The virtue of hospitality is not simply about standing at a door and welcoming those who choose to walk through it, but about bringing in all guests or strangers. An important aspect of hospitality is inclusiveness; it is essential that we depend on one another, support one another, and be united together. Being inclusive means bringing people in as part of the larg-

er community — “kehilla.”

It is understood that to be inclusive and hospitable, one must bring a welcoming and gracious demeanor.

Jewish tradition teaches us that our personal journeys in life should not take place alone. Our lives are fully enriched by the participation in a sacred kehilla.

It is within this community that one feels the warmth of others, develops personal relationships. And caring is at the forefront of the community.

To be part of a kehilla means to have a sense of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and that Judaism can be best lived and

experienced through a commitment to be together.

We learn from the Torah commentator Rashi that all of the commandments were given to the entire community — men, women and children — because everyone in the community is considered holy. Holiness, then, is a communal effort and cannot be fully accomplished by an individual apart from the community.

The most sacred moments in Jewish life are those experienced with family, friends and other community members.

We celebrate Shabbat and holidays with our families and friends; we celebrate life-cycle events, both of joy

CARL ZEBROWSKI Editor

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.

$2,243,588 RAISED

COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS

2022 Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs

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.

DEVORAH AND RABBI YAACOV HALPERIN In honor of the birth of your granddaughter Eileen and Roberto Fischmann LISA KLEIN In honor of Melyssa and Justin’s graduations Beth and Howard Kushnick RABBI SETH PHILLIPS In honor of your 70th birthday Eileen and Roberto Fischmann LAUREN RABIN In honor of receiving the George Feldman Achievement Award for Young Leadership Eileen and Roberto Fischmann SARI AND JONATHAN SADEH In honor of your marriage Margee, Ari and Alex Forgosh TAMA TAMARKIN In honor of your Special Birthday Vicki Wax ROBBY WAX In honor of receiving the Kobrovsky Award for Campaign Leadership Eileen and Roberto Fischmann Cooky and Mike Notis Lauren Rabin VICKI WAX In honor of receiving the Kobrovsky Award for Campaign Leadership Eileen and Roberto Fischmann Cooky and Mike Notis Lauren Rabin DEBBIE ZOLLER In honor of receiving the Mark L.

Goldstein Award for Jewish Communal Professionals Eileen and Roberto Fischmann Cooky and Mike Notis Lauren Rabin IN MEMORY GORDON GOLDBERG (Husband of Rose Lee Goldberg) Carole and Michael Langsam HELEN HELLMAN (Mother of Marc Basist) Nancy Bernstein RICHARD KRASSEN (Father of Josh Krassen) Abby and Mark Trachtman ROBERTA PHYLLIS MARX (Sister of Stuart Sodell) Linda and Neil Dicker PHILIP MAY (Father of Cindy Levine) Lisa and Barnet Fraenkel LINDA MILLER (Wife of Mike Miller, mother of Amy Sams) Judith Alperin The Fischmann Family MIRRA (MARIA) PAPIR (Mother of Leon Papir) Roberta and Robert Kritzer LEATRICE STUTZ (Mother of Mark Stutz) Lisa and Barnet Fraenkel CHARLES TICHO (Father of Ron Ticho) Aaron Gorodzinsky and Jennie Schechner

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

2 JULY/AUGUST 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

our Jewish community, whether our Jewish Federation, our synagogues, or our agencies — the Jewish Day School, Jewish Family Service and the Jewish Community Center — and I guarantee you will feel a sense of belonging and feel enriched by the experience. As the Dalai Lama said, “The more we feel concern for others and seek their well-being, the more friends we will have and the more welcome we will feel.”

Wishing you a relaxing and peaceful summer!

HAKOL STAFF

TH A N K Y O U

IN HONOR JEANETTE EICHENWALD In honor of your retirement from Yachad after 25 years Thursday Yachad Class EILEEN FISCHMANN In honor of receiving the Daniel Pomerantz Award for Campaign Excellence Steven Aronsky Cooky and Mike Notis Lauren Rabin GARY FROMER In honor of completing a successful term as JFLV President Eileen and Roberto Fischmann LISA AND BARNET FRAENKEL In honor of Julie’s graduation Eileen and Roberto Fischmann BARRY HALPER Happy 70th Birthday Eileen and Roberto Fischmann

and of sorrow, together as a community. To be a kehilla is to recognize that we are all created in the image of God — and are therefore obligated to care for one another.

As we plan for a new program year ahead in the fall, I leave you with these questions to think about during the summer, as we try to make our community a better place to be: How can our community be more welcoming and accessible? What can we each do to be more welcoming and hospitable? How can we each participate in our kehilla?

I welcome each of you to take an active part in

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

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 JULIA UMANSKY Director of Gift Planning & EITC GARY FROMER JFLV President WENDY EDWARDS Office Manager GINGER HORSFORD Donor Services Associate

Member American Jewish Press Association

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.

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.

Approved by the JFLV Board of Directors on November 15, 2000

Challenges are forever.

So is our legacy of responding

By Gary Fromer Former President “The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem. — Theodore Isaac Rubin, psychiatrist Over the past three years serving as president of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, I have learned a great deal — about the present and past of the Jewish community in which I have resided for nearly three decades; the organizations, clergy and leaders serving our community; and the national and international charitable organizations we support.

A common thread throughout is that we never have been, and never will be, short of profound challenges. Anyone with an understanding of Jews and Jewish history knows that no generation of Jews and no country, city or town has gone untouched by hatred, bigotry and anti-Semitism. At any given time, we are mobilized to support, protect and save victims of war, disease, political repression, storms and countless other threats to human safety and well-being. And our survival as a Jewish community, and as a people, depends upon us being able to continue to raise healthy, confident and well-educated Jewish children in local synagogues, day schools and high schools, community centers, Chabads and Hillels, and to support their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents with a myriad of life-cycle services.

The past three years have been replete with profound challenges. As a community, we assisted our agencies in transforming their services for the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we supported the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Joint Distribution Committee and World Organization for Rehabilitation through Training in serving food and medication to over 40,000 Ukrainian refugees and relocating over 24,000 Jewish and non-Jewish war refugees to Israel. We also aligned with other faith-based and community organizations to begin to address long-standing bigotries and injustices. We did this without hesitation because this is what we do!

This never-ending flow of challenges would seem insurmountable were it not for three interdependent assets that have allowed our Lehigh Valley Jew-

ish community to survive and thrive: 1) Tikkun Olam (actions to repair the world), 2) Jewish continuity and 3) communal giving. The Book of Genesis tells us that the first human beings were placed in the Garden of Eden “to work it and to protect it.” In my experience, most Jews, regardless of affiliation or education, know that Judaism encourages us to improve the world in some unique manner. The continuous link of our learning, ethics, culture and nationhood, delivered securely from parent to child for well over three millennia, makes Judaism the longest-term investment in human history. Finally, communal giving, via the annual campaign and endowment gifts, supports the future of our critical local agencies and the basic infrastructure necessary to support Jews in need of help locally and abroad — in a manner that onetime, directed donations to specific programs unfortunately cannot.

For more than 75 years, our local Jewish community has proven its commitment to these three pillars, allowing the Lehigh Valley to create and maintain a high quality of life for Jews and non-Jews alike, and to contribute disproportionately to the well-being of Jews in need in Israel and around the world. Our success in navigating the challenges presented during the past three years would have had no chance at all without your continuation of that legacy.

It has been, and remains, my pleasure and honor to serve our community. I leave my role as president of the Federation with great comfort and confidence in the continuity of leadership provided by Executive Director Jeri Zimmerman and my longtime friend, and newly elected president, Robby Wax, and your continued commitment to our future together.

Jewish Federation presents awards, elects new leaders

Above, from left: Lauren Rabin with the George Feldman Achievement Award for Young Leadership; Vicky Wax and Robby Wax with the Kobrovsky Chairman’s Award for Campaign Leadership; and Debbie Zoller with the Mark L. Goldstein Award for Outstanding Jewish Professionals.

Below, from left: Shari Spark, coordinator of the Holocaust Resource Center, presented the Mortimer S. Schiff Award for Prejudice Reduction to Michele Willner Levy, Ed Posner, Marcel Guindine, and Eva Derby (Eva Levitt is not pictured). Below, right: Some of the kosher, vegetarian choices for dinner.

The audience heard, and saw, the final pledge total announced for the five-year Life and Legacy campaign: $10,462,489.00.

By Carl Zebrowski Editor of HAKOL It must have been the Israelistyle picnic that had guests arriving early for the 2022 Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley Community Celebration and Annual Meeting on Thursday evening, June 9.

Many of those in the Jewish Community Center’s Kline Auditorium before the 6 o’clock start time chose their seats and, once the caterers filled the food tables with colorful fare, wisely headed straight over. The kosher buffet featured falafel, hummus and pita slices, salads,

and more, served by Around the Table Catering, the people who just won the 2022 Best Food Truck award from Lehigh Valley Style magazine.

After an hour of dinner and conversation, introductory ceremonies kicked off the business portion of the night.

Jeri Zimmerman, executive director of the Federation, took to the podium. “It’s great to see so many of you here and to be together in person…,” she told the audience in her first live welcome address after two years of annual meetings via Zoom. “There’s no doubt that we have come through a period

of transition.”

By night’s end, the Federation board members present in the audience had initiated another transition, voting in a new slate of officials. Robby Wax was elected president.

The new vice presidents are Aliette Abo, Dr. Eric Fels, Dr. Bill Markson, and Dr. Israel Zighelboim. The secretary is Beth Kozinn, and the treasurer is Iris Epstein. The new board members are Rabbi Seth Phillips, Iris Epstein, Dr. Carol Bub Fromer, Gary Fromer, Lewis Annual meeting Continues on page 19

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JULY/AUGUST 2022 3

PARTNERSHIP2GETHER UPDATE FROM YOAV

Why do we choose to live where we do?

By Nurit Galon Partnership2Gether Assuming we have a choice, what makes us decide where to live? Is it the neighborhood, in town or rural? Is it the number of inhabitants with children? The education system? The cultural activities? Nearness to extended family?

For this issue of Hakol, inspired by its “Welcome to the Lehigh Valley” theme, we decided to take a closer look at the valley’s Partnership2Gether partner community in Israel, the regional municipality of Yoav. We chose three members of different communities, of different ages and backgrounds, to see what they had in common, if anything, and what had attracted them to Yoav.

Yoav came into being in 1952 on 220,000 dunams (54,000 acres) on the Yehuda Plateau, one of the most beautiful areas in Israel. The moetza (municipality) is named after Yoav Dubanov, the first commander of Kibbutz Negba in the War of Independence and commander of the battle to free the area’s kibbutzim (communal settlements). The population today is 9,500.

In 2009, Boaz Maoz, his wife Keren and their three children were looking for a place to build a home. Boaz was born in Haifa, and Keren in Tel Aviv, yet despite the excitement of the cities, they wanted their family “to grow up in green.”

The idea of their children walking barefoot on paths, watching the seasons change, and living in a community of not just neighbors but people committed to one another strongly appealed to them, and in 2009, they moved to kibbutz Beit Nir. Today, Boaz is “father” of the senior community of Yoav and reports that the whole family is thrilled to be in Beit Nir. Miri Natanel, Moshav Segula, today a very spry and active octogenarian, was born in Switzerland and came to Israel, to Haifa, in 1940 with her parents and brother. Her father made shoes until 1948, when the British moved the families to their camps. Miri lived very unhappily with

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

welcoming new babies to the Lehigh Valley If you’re expecting, know someone who is, or have a new baby, PLEASE LET US KNOW! Contact Abby Trachtman, 610-821-5500 | abbyt@jflv.org 4 JULY/AUGUST 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

foster parents. In 1957 she met her husband Micha and the couple had two children, and then decided to move to Moshav Segula, where Miri’s brother lived. Their home was a shack without electricity. It had rats.

Over the years Micha worked as a welder, while Miri was a teacher and guide for new Ethiopian immigrants, teaching the women the customs of Israel. Life was tough. Has she never thought it could have been easier if the family had chosen a different location? “Never,” she says. From the moment the couple came to Segula, they felt they had a home and a community to back them up.

Yael Feller Malka lived in Jerusalem and met her husband, who was from Moshav Kfar Uriah and wanted to move back there rather than live in Jerusalem. Avi wanted to live in a country community, longing for green surroundings and greater freedom of movement.

With one child and another on the way, they moved into Kibbutz Kfar Menachem in Yoav, which seemed like the ideal spot for them, with excellent schools, not close to anywhere, yet not too far. Today Yael is a member of the steering committee of Partnership2Gether and has participated in Momentum, which brings women to Israel to connect with their heritage.

She feels that she and her family have really put down roots.

What did these three families have in common? A dream of being surrounded by the beauty of nature, first-class education at all levels, being part of a community that cares and a municipality that is really involved and is an integral part of everything that happens.

Regrets? Absolutely not!

So, although the city has its glitter, and very much to offer, today all the communities in Yoav have long waiting lists of adults who grew up here and would like to return, as well as other hopeful families, all waiting to be told that their turn is finally close.

Come and see!

Handmade Afghans

BY EVA LEVITT

All proceeds benefit projects in Israel:

Food Banks in Israel Neve Michael Youth Village

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

Travel Continues from page 1

touching (see the article to the right).

This trip came on the heels of our exciting community mission/bike tour that took place at the end of March. Both experiences reminded me of the many opportunities to visit Israel and to strengthen our ties with our Jewish homeland. Each experience is fundamentally different, but all are part of building lasting connections with the people and the land.

While in Israel, it was gratifying to meet students Sarah Bartos and Cassidy McGoldrick, whose grandparents are from the Lehigh Valley, as the two participated in the Onward internship program. Jacob Sussman was also an Onward participant, and Jacob Dahan is in Israel as a Maccabi U.S. squash athlete competing in this summer’s Maccabiah games. Ethan Kushnick is spending the summer in Israel as a TAMID group fellow.

We have a Melvin M. Goldberg Fellowship student, Yoni Perla, at the Weizmann Institute of Science, and I met with our future shlicha, Eynav Dahan (more about that at a later date). Our community also has students enrolled in many other Israel experiences at yeshivas and ulpanas as well as the Muss High School in Israel program.

In July, a group of women from our Federation are participating on a Momentum trip, and we are gearing up for a community mission in April 2023 to celebrate Israel at 75! As we celebrate Israel’s diamond anniversary, we hope you will get engaged and join us for this fun and meaningful adventure.

There are so many opportunities to spend time in Israel and each offers its own unique insights. I strongly encourage everyone to consider a visit to Israel. It is an extremely valuable community-building and educational experience that fosters Jewish continuity and promotes meaningful community engagement. Missions help us to connect with global Jewry and with one another in powerful ways.

Gaines family visits the clubhouse it had built on an Israeli airbase

By Sarah Bartos Special to HAKOL I currently work at an energy-efficiencyfocused software company in Tel Aviv, through the Onward Israel internship program. In late June, my parents, Sheryl and Jeff Bartos, and grandparents, Lewis and Roberta Gaines of the Lehigh Valley, came to Israel to visit some of the projects they have been supporting in the country. Since my internship coincided with their trip, I was lucky enough to tag along with them and visit the Israeli Air Force’s Ramon Airbase and its community center.

On a 2019 visit to Israel, my grandparents were impressed by a clubhouse they saw at a project on the Hatzerim Airbase. The cherished memory led to a desire to build a clubhouse at Ramon, located deep in the Negev.

The remoteness of Ramon made many families wary about living there.

The staff felt that a clubhouse would be vital to bringing young children and teens together. After the agreement for the donation of the building, the air force first designed a center with three rec rooms — one for babies, one for teens and one for activities like dance classes. There are only about 10 teens on the extensive base, so having a place to be together is essential.

My grandparents began this project before the pandemic, and due to the numerous COVID waves and travel restrictions, this is the first time they've been back in the country since. The social and cultural changes brought on by the pandemic have shifted some aspects of the community center. Because of the

increase in remote work opportunities, the air force asked to redesign the building to include coworking space for up to 10 people — that way, there would be a place to go with computers and Wi-Fi for those parents now working remotely while their children are at home, in the daycare, or at the rec room.

This use of the community center has significantly impacted the worklife balance for air force families. One woman told us, “If this center didn't exist, I would've lost my job.” This woman works as a lawyer in nearby Be’er Sheva and has an adorable eightmonth-old (who we got to see!). The center’s opportunities for both childcare and workspace allowed her to balance both aspects.

I am incredibly proud that my grandparents’ philanthropic efforts can give air force families, officers, children, and spouses the support they need.

While the drive from Tel Aviv to the middle of the Negev desert was pretty long, it was worth it to see the building and meet the air force families.

It is crazy how much one center can impact many families’ lives. Air force officers sacrifice so much time with their families and live on a very regimented schedule. There is an interest in supporting the families to increase retention rates and give back to these people who have sacrificed so much to serve Israel. I can have such a unique and fun summer in Tel Aviv because I feel safe knowing Israel’s airspace is protected.

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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JULY/AUGUST 2022 5

Rabbi Seth Phillips looks forward as new Jeanette Eichenwald looks class instructor back at 25 years

By Carl Zebrowski Editor of Hakol Rabbi Seth Phillips, newly retired from Congregation Keneseth Israel, is taking over as instructor for Yachad University classes.

When Jeanette Eichenwald decided to retire from Yachad after 25 years, she thought of Rabbi Seth as a possible replacement. “We contacted him,” Eichenwald said, “and he graciously said yes, he’d like to be involved.”

Starting in September, Rabbi Seth will teach the course “Hallelujah: The Life

of David and the Psalms” in person to enrolled adults.

The course is the first of two parts, the second of which will begin in January.

Classes are in person Tuesday and Thursday nights, 9:30 to 10:30, at the Jewish Community Center.

The cost for the 10-week semester is $100. Students will need to bring a Jewish Bible to class. (For more information, visit the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley website.)

The first of the “Hallelujah” courses will delve into two books of the Jewish Bible. One is Psalms. As

6 JULY/AUGUST 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Rabbi Seth explains, “Psalms once were the go-to text in times of grief, gratitude, joy, and challenge.”

The other book is Samuel, with its focus on the rise and fall of King David. “Jewish literature speaks extensively about the responsibilities and limitations of the king,” said Rabbi Seth, “and we’ll see how that plays out in the life of David.” In studying the flawed hero, Rabbi Seth continued, students should come to understand that “no character and no story is entirely wrong or right.”

Besides closely examining the texts themselves, the class will look at how they have been read and interpreted over time. “Using a variety of translations,” Rabbi Seth said, “students will see how core Jewish concepts have been understood through the centuries.”

His vision for the course is sessions filled with class participation and interaction among the students. “I don’t see myself as the expert,” Rabbi Seth said, “but as the class’s guide on a journey of discovery.”

Jeanette Eichenwald teaches a Yachad class in 2015.

By Carl Zebrowski Editor of Hakol Yachad University is 25 years old. Jeanette Eichenwald cofounded the Lehigh Valley Jewish education institution, taught classes all along, and now has retired.

The lifelong educator whose wide-ranging resume includes president and executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, principal of the Keneseth Israel Religious School, and Allentown councilwoman sat down with Hakol to recount Yachad’s beginnings.

Eichenwald recalled a conversation from the 1990s with Barbara Sussman, past president of the Women’s Division of the Federation and of the Jewish Day School and a prominent Torah reader in the community.

They discussed how formal instruction on Jewish topics ended when students were too young.

Eichenwald said Sussman told her, “Let’s create a Jewish education program for adults.”

They did, purchasing an existing course of study to guide them. With that simple act, a long-time program exploring the history, tradition, and philosophy of the Jewish people took root.

Soon Eichenwald and Sussman discovered that several congregations in the Lehigh Valley had purchased the same course. It struck them that instead of these programs pursuing the same educational goals separately, they could join together, pooling resources and saving money.

The two women flew to Chicago to visit Florence Melton, who had founded the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School on the unconventional premise that a significant number of Jewish adults would commit to an extended program of Jewish learning. Eichenwald and Sussman set up what essentially was a franchise to purchase existing courses from the Melton school for educating Jewish adults throughout the Lehigh Valley.

The Melton plan of study lasted two years, with two courses at a time twice a year.

Eichenwald and Sussman each taught one course. Local clergy taught the other two.

Twenty-five women enrolled

in the first class, a significant number, considering the cost.

“We had to charge quite a bit of money because we had to pay the franchise fee,” Eichenwald said. “Without the franchise fee, we could charge half the price.”

Eichenwald and Sussman asked the Melton school to lower the price. “They said no,” Eichenwald recalled. “So we said goodbye.” So then what?

“Barbara and I said, ‘Well, we’ll make our own.’”

It was 1997 and their newly created education was officially dubbed Yachad University -Yachad meaning “together.”

Yachad classes continued for 23 years. During that time, teachers taught on various Jewish subjects, representing diverse viewpoints within the community. “Over the years we’ve had clergy of all denominations,” Eichenwald said.

Then COVID arrived in 2020.

“We shut down,” she said, “as did everyone else.”

To the rescue came the pandemic phenomenon now known simply as Zoom, and Yachad courses resumed, virtually. “The number zoomed on Zoom,” Eichenwald said. Ninety people enrolled the first year, and 70 in the second. Snowbirds wintering in Florida and community members who had moved away from the valley suddenly could participate again, and they filled out the class rolls.

Many students have been loyal to Yachad since the start.

“There was a staunch cohort that still remained over 25 years,” Eichenwald said. Other students got involved when their lives changed to give them more free time. “What I found,” she said, “is that when people retired, they joined.”

A quarter century of Yachad has brought many rewards, Eichenwald said, as Rabbi Seth Phillips, just retired from Congregation Keneseth Israel, prepares to take over teaching her classes this fall. “I think it enhanced the Jewish community enormously. When you educate the parents, you educate the next generation, so it has farreaching consequences for the good.”

“I’ve done a lot of things in the Jewish community,” Eichenwald concluded, “but this one makes me the proudest.”

Believe that we can create a better world

BY RABBI STEVEN NATHAN Lehigh University Hillel When I sat down to write this column, it had been only two days since the horrific Fourth of July mass killing in Highland Park, Illinois. This was the latest of more than three hundred mass shootings in the United States since January.

The grief in our nation was palpable as shots then rang out during a Fourth of July celebration in my former hometown of Philadelphia.

This was on the heels of yet another killing of an unarmed African American at the hands of police, as well as what I viewed as dangerous and disturbing decisions by our Supreme Court.

I didn’t know what to write.

What could I say that would

make a difference? What could I write that hadn’t been written before? Nothing. So I began to think about the calendar and when this article would be published. Of course, this issue of Hakol covers July and August. On the Jewish calendar, that coincides with the month of Av, as well as the start of the month of Elul.

Av is a month of mourning.

It was the time of the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) in Jerusalem by both the Babylonians and the Romans. It is a period of destruction that culminates with Tisha B’Av, the Ninth of Av, the only complete fast day on the Jewish calendar other than Yom Kippur.

Av is followed by Elul, which is a month of preparation and expectations. It is the time when we ready ourselves for the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe). Elul is a time of introspection, but it is also a time when we reaffirm our relationship with our Judaism and with the divine.

The rabbis read the name Elul as an acronym for Ani l’dodi v’dodi li (Song of Songs 6:3), which means “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” Though the text refers to a romantic relationship between human beings, it was read by the ancient rabbis as an allegory for the relationship between God and the people of Israel. As we begin the work of teshuvah/

repentance we are reminded that no matter how we may feel about how we lived our lives during this past year or how difficult teshuvah might be, we have God with us. We are God’s beloved and God is ours. If we remember this, we can face the difficult work ahead.

Perhaps that is how we can get through these difficult times in our country? There is so much we need to do to make our country a better place for all who live here, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc. At this particular moment the tasks that lie ahead seem impossible. But I don’t believe they are. We know that meaningful, real change is not going to happen in a year, let

alone in a month. But if we remember that we are not alone and that God is with us, then it can eventually be achieved.

To say that “God is with us” means different things to different people. To some it means there is a literal sense that God is watching over us and guiding us. For others, such as myself, it means there is a force for good in the universe that I believe can connect us and give us the ability to make a difference. However we understand that phrase, it ultimately means that we are not alone. We are in this with everyone else who is trying to make things better. It means that if we work together, we can make a difference. It will take a long time and a great deal of

work. But with the help of God, as each of us understands God, it can happen.

Sometimes I have a difficult time believing that this is true.

But in the end, I must believe it.

Otherwise we will never leave the month of Av. We will never leave our sense of mourning and grief. And if that’s the case, then we are truly lost.

Our ancestors may have believed the world was coming to an end when they saw the utter decimation of Jerusalem.

But they eventually realized that together they could create a new world, even if it was different than the one they knew before.

Let us always remember that, together, we too can eventually create a new and better country and world.

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HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JULY/AUGUST 2022 7

IN HONOR CHELSEA BUSCH In honor of receiving your PhD Eileen Ufberg BARBRA AND ED BUTZ In honor of your son Evan becoming a Bar Mitzvah Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein JEANETTE EICHENWALD In honor of your retirement from Yachad after 25 years Roberta and Robert Kritzer Roberta and Alan Penn IRIS AND JON EPSTEIN In honor of your son Charlie’s Bar Mitzvah Roberta and Robert Kritzer EILEEN FISCHMANN In honor of receiving the Daniel Pomerantz Award for Campaign Excellence Jill and Jeff Blinder Wendy and Ross Born Carol and Gary Fromer Sandra and Harold Goldfarb Beth and Wesley Kozinn Evelyn and Jay Lipschutz Elaine and Leon Papir Vicki Wax GARY FROMER In honor of a successful term as JFLV Board President Wendy and Ross Born Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Carol and Barry Halper Beth and Wesley Kozinn SARA AND KARL GLASSMAN In honor of Josh’s engagement Roberta and Robert Kritzer EDYTH AND NEIL GLICKSTEIN In honor of your grandson Larry’s graduation from Lake Forest College Roberta and Robert Kritzer EDYTH AND NEIL GLICKSTEIN In honor of your granddaughter Alyssa’s graduation from high school Roberta and Robert Kritzer SANDRA AND HAROLD GOLDFARB In honor of the birth of your great granddaughter, Nora Elizabeth Weinstein

Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald AARON GORODZINSKY AND JENNIE SCHECHNER In honor of your Aufruf Sandra and Harold Goldfarb RON HARRISON In honor of your retirement Taffi Ney ELLEN AND PHIL HOF In honor of the birth of your granddaughter, Ayla Jude Soha Wendy and Ross Born RABBI ALLEN JUDA In honor of your 5 years as JFS President Taffi Ney BETH KOZINN In honor of your Birthday Ann and Myron Falchuk FAY AND MICHAEL KUN In honor of Isabella’s graduation from high school Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald ROBERTA LONDON In honor of your Special Birthday Marilyn Claire Lota and Bob Post AUDREY AND RICK NOLTE In honor of the birth of your grandson, Noah Alexander Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald ALICE AND MARK NOTIS In honor of Noah’s graduation Eileen Ufberg COOKY AND MIKE NOTIS In honor of the birth of your great grandson, Matan Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald ELAINE AND LEON PAPIR In honor of your granddaughter, Charlotte’s, Bat Mitzvah Karen Kuhn and Family RABBI SETH PHILLIPS In honor of your upcoming retirement and friendship Gloria Lowy LOTA POST In honor of your 80th Birthday Linda and Harold Kreithen LAUREN RABIN

In honor of receiving the George Feldman Achievement Award for Young Leadership Wendy and Ross Born Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Carol and Gary Fromer Sandra and Harold Goldfarb Laurie and Robby Wax Vicki Wax LORRIE SCHERLINE In honor of the birth of your granddaughter Ellen and Phil Hof Roberta and Robert Kritzer MARK STEIN In honor of your promotion to Professor of History at Muhlenberg College Carol and Barry Halper FRED STELZER In honor of your retirement Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein LAURIE AND ROBBY WAX In honor of Ben’s graduation from Emory University Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Suzanne Lapiduss Roberta and Alan Penn LAURIE AND ROBBY WAX In honor of Danny’s graduation from Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Suzanne Lapiduss Roberta and Alan Penn ROBBY WAX In honor of receiving the Kobrovsky Award for Campaign Excellence Jill and Jeff Blinder Wendy and Ross Born Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein Carol and Gary Fromer Beth and Wesley Kozinn Beth and Howard Kushnick Elaine and Leon Papir Roberta and Alan Penn ROBBY WAX In honor of becoming the next President of JFLV Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein Carol and Barry Halper Taffi Ney Elaine and Leon Papir VICKI WAX In honor of Ben and Danny’s graduations Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Roberta and Robert Kritzer VICKI WAX

In honor of Robby becoming the next President of JFLV Roberta and Robert Kritzer VICKI WAX In honor of receiving the Kobrovsky Award for Campaign Excellence Jill and Jeff Blinder Wendy and Ross Born Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein Carol and Gary Fromer Sandra and Harold Goldfarb Beth and Wesley Kozinn Beth and Howard Kushnick Elaine and Leon Papir Roberta and Alan Penn VICKI WAX In honor of your birthday Green Leaves, Bam Bam and Trixie DEBBIE ZOLLER In honor of receiving the Mark L. Goldstein Award for Jewish Communal Professionals Sheila Berg Wendy and Ross Born Carol and Gary Fromer Beth and Wesley Kozinn Vicki Wax IN MEMORY ARTHUR ALTMAN (Father of Howard Altman and Rabbi Suzanne Offit) Suzanne and David Diamond Carol and Barry Halper Kathy and Edward Hershfield LVHN Medical Staff Services GORDON GOLDBERG (Husband of Rose Lee Goldberg) Karen Kuhn and Family ROBERT GOLDBERG (Father of Amy Holtz) Laurie, Robby, Ben and Danny Wax Vicki Wax ESTHER HALPERIN (Mother of Richard Goldberg) Lenny Abrams and Family Sheila Berg Vicki Wax IRA LEHRICH (Brother of Henry Lehrich) Lenny Abrams and Family Wendy and Ross Born PHIL MAY (Father of Cindy Levine) Randi and Donald Senderowitz LINDA MILLER (Wife of Mike Miller, mother of Amy Sams)

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8 JULY/AUGUST 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Sheila Berg Wendy and Ross Born Jeanette and Eduardo Eichenwald Marlene and Arnan Finkelstein Carol and Gary Fromer Aaron Gorodzinsky and Jennie Schechner Suzanne Lapiduss and Family Evelyn and Jay Lipschutz Taffi Ney Lynn and Michael Rothman Randi and Donald Senderowitz JUDY SENNETT (Mother of Marcia Friedman, Barbara Sennett and Steven Sennett) Wendy and Ross Born LEATRICE STUTZ (Mother of Mark Stutz) Suzanne Lapiduss and Family Adam and Penny Roth Alex and Julia Roth Randi and Donald Senderowitz Nikki and A.J. Silverberg Vicki Wax Cherie and Rick Zettlemoyer DAVID SUSSMAN (Husband of Barbara Sussman) CHARLES TICHO (Husband of Jean Ticho, father of Ron Ticho) Wendy and Ross Born Carol and Gary Fromer Hackensack Lions Club Suzanne Lapiduss Amy and Rich Morse Vicki Wax HELEN AND SOL KRAWITZ HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL FUND JEFFREY KRANITZ (Husband of Carol Kranitz) Lynda and Stuart Krawitz LEATRICE STUTZ (Mother of Mark Stutz) Lynda and Stuart Krawitz CHARLES TICHO (Father of Ron Ticho) Lynda and Stuart Krawitz 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.

TH A N K Y O U $2,243,588 RAISED

2022 Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs Because of your support of the 2022 campaign, we are able to help when help is needed, provide a safety net for those who must rely upon it, and nurture the core institutions that are the fabric of a rich and dynamic Jewish community.

THANK YOU.

PRIME MINISTERS CIRCLE $100,000+ Wendy Born*° Ross Born° Lewis and Roberta Gaines° Robert and Bonnie* Hammel° Just Born Inc° Charles and Figa Kline Foundation° Anonymous (1) THEODORE HERZL SOCIETY $50,000 - $99,999 Master Family° Richard and Susan* Master MCS Industries Harry Louis Yanoff & Jeanette Master Yanoff Charitable Fund The Wax-Goldman Family Funds Vicki Wax* Robert and Laurie* Wax Steve and Nancy* Wax Goldman KING DAVID SOCIETY $25,000 - $49,999 Roberto and Eileen* Fischmann Dr. Harold and Sandra* Goldfarb° Joseph B. and Rita* Scheller° Lisa Scheller* TREE OF LIFE SOCIETY $18,000 - $24,999 Leonard and Enid Abrams Family Foundation Jonathan and Iris* Epstein The Fraenkel Family° Gary Fromer and Dr. Carol Bub Fromer* Dr. Richard and Barbara* Reisner° Dr. Stuart A. and Janice* Schwartz KING SOLOMON CIRCLE $10,000 - $17,999 Air Products Foundation The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation Dr. Jeffrey and Jill* Blinder° Charles Cohen and Rebecca Binder* The Martin Cohen Family Foundation° Arnan and Marlene* Finkelstein Susan Gadomski *° Hof & Reid LLC° Daniel and Nancy* Cohen Phillip and Ellen* Hof Chris and Tara Reid

Judy Auritt Klein Lion of Judah Endowment Kobrovsky Family Fund Michael and Linda* z"l Miller° Dr. Alan and Judith* Morrison° Robert & Judy Auritt Klein Family Fund Mortimer S. and Vera M.* Schiff Foundation° Mark and Deena* Scoblionko° Richard and Marsha* Timmerman Larry and Carolyn* Zelson Dr. Israel and Valeska* Zighelboim BUILDERS OF ISRAEL $5,000 - $9,999 Dr. Marc and Aliette* Abo Bernard and Flo Kobrovsky Spec Fund Donna Black* Dr. Sam and Sylvia* Bub° Peter and Karen* Cooper° Jeff and Roberta* Epstein° Finkelstein Family Fund Dr. Jay and Fran* Fisher° Fran Fisher*° Frances & Abraham Schwab Memorial Fund Dr. Jeffrey Gevirtz° Robert J. and Susan* Grey Barry and Carol R.* Halper° Nat and Erica* Hyman Drs. Andrew and Deborah* Kimmel° Patty Klein* Dr. Wesley and Beth* Kozinn° Martin and Judy* Krasnov° Stuart and Lynda* Krawitz Elaine Lerner*° Dr. Lawrence and Eva* Levitt° Stanley R. Liebman Estate Dr. William and Jane* Markson° Drs. Steven and Nancy* Oberlender Phoebe Altman Lion of Judah Endowment Daniel Poresky° Dr. Robert and Lota* Post° Sandra Preis*° Dr. Doron and Lauren* Rabin Sadie Berman Lion of Judah Endowment Lorrie Scherline*° Vera Schiff* Irwin and Ellen* Schneider° Elizabeth Scofield* Larrie and Judy* Sheftel° Edith Simon z"l*° Dr. Frank and Tama* Tamarkin Eileen Ufberg*° Arthur and Barbara* Weinrach° Dr. Robert and Carol* Wilson James and Linda* Wimmer° Ilene Wood* Jeri Zimmerman* Anonymous (2) SABRA CIRCLE $2,500 - $4,999 Alan and Marsha* Abraham Dr. Houman and Lori* Ahdieh Sheila Berg*

Leonard and Beverly* Bloch Foundation° Dr. David and Sara-Jane* Bub Dr. Ian and Patricia* Carlis° Dr. William and Gail* Combs Dr. Mitchell Cooper and Rebecca Axelrod-Cooper* Glenn and Jan* Ehrich° Andrew and Dr. Lisa* Ellis Dr. Eric J. and Amy* Fels Veronica Fischmann* Stewart and Carol* Furmansky° Dr. Mark and Carmyn Gittleman° Drs. Zach and Andrea* Goldsmith Dr. Steve and Audrey* Kanoff° Dr. Robert and Janice* Kaplan Dr. Harold and Linda* Kreithen° Dr. Robert and Stephanie* Kricun° Robert and Roberta* Kritzer Ferne Rodale Kushner z'l *° Dr. Howard and Beth* Kushnick Dr. Michael and Carole* Langsam° Dr. Brian LeFrock Dr. Paul and Diane* Lemberg and Family Dr. Richard and Roberta* London° Dr. Moshe and Lisa* Markowitz Drs. Evan and Aviva* Marlin Ryan and Claudia* Mattison Dr. Holmes and Jeannie* Miller° Dr. Robert and Amy* Morrison Dr. Richard J. and Amy* Morse Mort & Myra Levy Phil Fund Nathan Braunstein PACE Dr. Michael and Ruth* Notis° Dr. Noah Orenstein and Diana Fischmann Orenstein* Rabbi Seth Phillips and Marge Kramer* Rhoda Prager*° Bruce and Enid Reich Judith Rodwin* Shaoli Rosenberg* Cathy Sacher*° Dr. Mark and Lynne* Shampain° Dr. Elliot Shear Jack and Amy* Silverman° Dr. Arthur and Audrey* Sosis° Dr. Jay E. and Margery* Strauss° Sylvia Rosen Lion of Judah Endowment* Dr. Kenneth and Alla* Toff° Dr. Edward Tomkin and Sandra Wadsworth Steven and Margo* Wiener° Dr. Michael and Miriam* Zager and Family Anonymous (3) GATES OF JAFFA $1,500 - $2,499 Dr. Howard Altman° Richard J. Mongilutz and Kelly Banach* Tama Lee Barsky* William M. and Peggy* Berger° Steven Bergstein and Nanci Goldman Bergstein° Dr. Marc and Lauren* Berson° Drs. Elliot and Chelsea* Busch

Dr. Michael and Nancy Busch Lawrence Center Marilyn Claire*° Helen Cook z”l*° Dr. Jill Crosson* Dr. Karen Dacey* Ann Falchuk* Dr. Hal and Kimberly Folander Dr. Ari and Margee* Forgosh Jerome and Sally Frank Frank Penn Family Fund Dr. Ronald and Emily Freudenberger Norma "Mitzi" Goldenberg* Dr. Marsha Gordon* Dr. Michael Greenberg Dr. Robert and Tracy Grob Dr. Paul Gross° Bennett Grossman Esther Halperin z”l*° Stuart and Hope* Horowitz° Dr. Jeffrey and Nancy Jahre Rabbi Allen and Toby* Juda° Dr. Michael and Fay* Kun Elaine Langer*° Dr. Henry and Susan Lehrich Dr. Howard and Rachel* Levin Eric and Margo* Lightman Dr. Jay and Evelyn* Lipschutz° Scott and Allison* Lipson Dr. Gerald and Ethel* Melamut° Betty Mendelson* Morris & Dyna Gorfinkel Memorial Fund Taffi Ney*° Dr. Mark and Alice* Notis° Dr. Martin and Amy* Oselkin Dr. David and Carole* Ostfeld° Dr. Robert and Joanne* Palumbo Alan and Roberta* Penn° Drs. Andrew and Flora* Pestcoe Alison Post* and Morgan Godorov Elaine Rappaport-Bass*° Dr. Daniel Relles The Ringold Family* Dr. Alex and Robin Rosenau° Selma Roth* Dr. Charles and Sheila* Saunders° Dr. Andrew and Jacqueline Schwartz Donald and Randi Senderowitz Richard and Dr. Cheryl* Shadick Dr. Darryn and Lorey* Shaff Bruce Sheftel and Suparna Damany Dr. Andrew and Rachel* Shurman Dr. Phil and Diane* Stein Barry Goldin and Cheri Sterman* Sussman Family Fund Dr. Ryan and Carah* Tenzer Cristina Toff* Dr. Jonathan and Traci Trager

* Indicates an individual woman’s gift to the 2022 Campaign for Jewish Needs ° Indicates Silver Circle member

HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY | JULY/AUGUST 2022 9

Dr. Darren and Stefanie* Traub Dr. Michael and Janet Ulman* Dr. Marc and Susan* Vengrove° Dr. Andrew Wakstein Dr. Benjamin and Ellen Weinberger° David and Deborah* Wiener Gail Wolson*° Dr. Eric and Helaine* Young Leon and Debbie* Zoller Anonymous (3) CHAVERIM $500 - $1,499 Alfred T. Gifford Family Fund Dr. Isabella Alkasov* Howard and Nancy Amols Dr. Richard and Judith* Aronson° Barry and Sybil* Baiman Marietta Banach* Richard and Joan* Bass Dr. Noy and Andrea* Bassik Rance and Sheryl* Block° Michael and Rita* Bloom° Dr. Stuart and Joan* Boreen Dr. Jeffrey and Nan* Bratspies° Richard and Kira* Bub Gordon and Janet* Campbell Harvey and Elizabeth* Cartine Robert Cohen Albert and Eva* Derby Eduardo and Jeanette* Eichenwald° Fred and Gail* Eisenberg Joan Epstein*° Charles Fletcher Family Fund Brian and Emily* Ford Hon. Robert and Ronnie Freedberg° Dr. Henry and Monica* Friess and Family Gerald and Selma Roth Family Fund Dr. Gene and Ann* Ginsberg° Aaron Gorodzinsky Sandra Greenfield* Drs. Harvey and Melissa Hakim H. Sheftel Memorial Fund Arthur and Susan* Hochhauser° Aron and Julie* Hochhauser Dr. David and Susan* Hyman° Dr. John Jaffe° Dr. Beth Jennings* Jules and Tama Fogelman Fund Andrew and Nancy Kahn° Chelsea Karp* Dr. Barbara Katz* Seth and Kathi* Katzman° Dr. Jay and Phyllis* Kaufman° Maxine S. Klein*° Blanka and Walter Knie Holocaust Ed Fund Dr. Joshua and Teri* Krassen Karen Kuhn*°

Suzanne Lapiduss*° Gerson Lazar Family Fund Martha B. Lebovitz*° Bernard and Laurie Lesavoy--Lesavoy Butz & Seitz LLC Lillian Schwab Memorial Fund Herbert Litvin Pam Lott* Robert and Shirley* Malenovsky° Jean Mandel*° Dr. Meredith Margolis* Jonathan Markson and Julia Umansky* Marla Melman*° Dr. Jay and Marla* Melman° Morton z"l and Judy* Miller° Edith Miller*° Dr. Michael and Cary* Moritz Jay and Bobbi* Needle Marc Nissenbaum° Dr. David and Ann* Packman Leon and Elaine* Papir° Allen and Sandra* Perlman Stephen and Marianne Phillips Marlene Plotnick* Jay and Marlene* Plotnick Edward and Beth* Posner° Adina Preis* Michael and Ilene* Prokup° Nan Ronis* Michael and Linda Rosenfeld° Dr. Michael and Lynn F.* Rothman Naomi Schachter* Marcia Schechter*° Nathan and Rusty* Schiff Michael and Brenna Schlossberg John Schneider Bernard and Sara* Schonbach Schwartz Family Fund Linda Sheftel*° Linda Silowka*° Dr. Howard and Diane* Silverman° Rabbi Michael Singer and Alexis VegaSinger* Adam and Stephanie* Smartschan Shari Spark*° Richard and Allison Staiman Marcy Staiman* Dr. Richard and Arlene* Stein° Carol Steinberg* Hon. Robert L. Steinberg Dr. Frederic A. and Gilda Stelzer° Barry Goldin and Cheri Sterman* Aimee Stewart*° Dr. Michael F. Stroock° Ron Ticho and Pam Lott* Alan and Enid* Tope° Dr. Mark and Abby* Trachtman Dr. Stephen and Beverly* Volk° Dr. Ronald and Beverly* Wasserman° Michael Weinstein° Bruce and Alicia* Zahn

10 JULY/AUGUST 2022 | HAKOL LEHIGH VALLEY

Jerry and Flossie* Zales° Richard and Cherie* Zettlemoyer Dr. Larry and Debra Zohn° Anonymous (12) SHORASHIM $250 - $499 Dr. Pamela Abrams* Karen Albert*° Alexander Sach Phil Fund Richard and Regina* Angel Dr. Betzalel z"l and Pnina Avitzur Patricia Beldon* R. Bill Bergstein° David and Clara* Bergstein Robert and Laura* Black° Dr. Christy Block* Andrew and Dr. Christy* Block and Family Sally Brau*° Allen and Marjorie Carroll Muriel Charon* Robert and Jane* Cohen° Temple and Ann Coldren Elaine N. Deutch* Roberta Diamond*° Dr. George and Roberta* Diamond° Richard Director Vikki Dunn* Melissa Falk* Samuel and Lynn* Feldman° Lynn Feldman*° Neil and Marjorie* Forgosh Dr. Lawrence and Vicki* Glaser° Brian and Judith* Goldman° Nathaniel and Joanna Golub Allan and Mary Goodman° Lance and Ellen* Gordon Jay Haltzman° Ricky Hochhauser* Ferne and Jack Kushner Fund James and Andrea* Jesberger Carolyn Katwan* Martin and Susanne Katz Glenn and Svetlana* Kaye Women of KI* Iris Klein*° Dr. Marc and Susan* Kolpon Dore Kottler* Dr. Hartley Lachter and Dr. Jessica Cooperman Merry Landis*° Gilbert and Judy* Lappen Olivier and Alice* Level Susan Levin* Eileen Lewbart* Mark Klein Family Fund Dr. Rebecca Markson* Marvi Family Fund Judy Mickenberg* James and Shelah Mueth Hank Narrow Rabbi Steven Nathan Dr. Douglas and Ruth* Nathanson Michael Neuwirth and Melony Stanton Kyle and Daria Newfeld Sandy Newman*

Matthew Notis Papir Family Fund Dr. Jason Radine Rabbi Moshe and Adina Re'em Reitars-Braunstein Family Fund Adam and Penny* Roth and Family Judd Roth Rick and Amy* Sams Helene Rae Scarcia* Joel and Linda Scheer Stuart and Susan* Shmookler° Dr. Roger and Marna* Simon° Beth El Sisterhood° Lynda Somach*° Ellen Sosis* Matthew and Tracy* Sussman Stephanie Szilagyi*° Tenzer Family Fund United Way Sharone and Lora* Vaknin Kimberly Valuntas* Stanley and Judith Walker Martin and Frances* Weinberg Zelickson Family Fund Anonymous (6) KEHILLAH $100 - $249 Joseph Aflalo Denise Ahner* Richard and Maria* Ain Alfred Wiener Family Fund Barbara Asteak* Elaine Atlas*° Dr. Marsha Baar*° Sheila Basem* Barbara Bassano* Elaine Berk* Dr. Neal Berkowitz Jason and Tracey* Billig Dr. Joan Bischoff* Dr. Robert and Linda Bloch Glenn and Melisa Block° Joan Brody*° Jerry and Wilma Brucker Robert and Gail* Burger Audrey Cherney*° Zachary and Ginny* Cohen Dr. Barry and Robbie Cohen Audrey Cylinder*° Rabbi Melody Davis* Joseph and Lois* Deutsch Leah Devine* Diana Fischmann Fund Wendy Edwards* Noah Ehrich David Eisenberg Lynda Extract* Dr. Alex and Harriet Feig° Brad and Robyn* Finberg Brenda Finberg* Michael Finley and Audrey Ettinger Terry Fisher Bette Friedenheim* Dr. Michael and Traci Gabriel Murray and Linda* Garber° Fern Geld * Jerry and Gloria* Ginsburg° Amy Golding* Jordan and Susan

Goldman Dr. Milena Goldshmidt* Mark Kennedy and Arlene Gorchov*° Jeff and Elizabeth* Greenberg Arlene Griffin*° Ron Grossman Lothar and Wendy Gumberich Murat Guzel Ronald Harrison° Dr. Leo and Marilyn Heitlinger Alvin and Arlene* Herling° Lori Herz* Dr. Michael and Stacy* Hortner Kristin Illick* Michael and Donna* Iorio Gia Jones* Julie Paige Fraenkel Fund Jennifer Kaplan* Martin and Lorraine* Karess Dr. Lewis and Joan* Katz Renee B. Kleaveland* Jerry Knafo Rosine Knafo*° Barbara Kritz*° Ruth Kugelman*° Mary Laronge* Leonard and Janice Levy David and Marilyn* Louick° Steven Markowitz° Matt and Allison* Meyers Norman and Maxine* Miller° Gary and Diane* Miller° Stanley Miller Millie Berg Memorial Fund Natalie Millrod* Judith Murman* Steve Nathan Howard and Jill Nathanson Robert Orenstein Henry and Phyllis* Perkin Peter Cooper Fund Joseph and Eve* Peterson Jeremy and Megan Pildis Howard and Jane* Pitkoff Dr. Matthew and Denise* Pollack Abram and Alyssa Pure Raab Fund Dr. Mitchell and Carol Rabinowitz° Alan Raisman Martin Rapoport° Erica Robbins* Ira and Erica* Robbins Harry and Carole* Rose° Rosenau Family Fund Jack Rosenfeld Herman Rovner Ryan Sacher Phil Fund Fae Safer* Alan and Mary Salinger° Dr. Norman and Jett* Sarachek° Lyell Scherline Melvin and Pearl* Schmier Sally Schraden* Mark and Joyce Schuman Dr. Arthur Levine and Dr. Janet Schwartz* Eugene Search Ronald Segel° Daniel Siegel Serita Silberg*

Jessica Silverman* Abigail Silverman* Susan Sosnow* Rabbi Aryeh and Beth Spero Jane Spitzer*° Michael and Sybil* Stershic Susan B. Mellan Memorial Fund David Vaida and Cantor Ellen Sussman* Richard Toltzis Rochelle Topolsky* Dr. Mark and Gayle* Unger° Matthew Unger Volk Family Fund Rosalyn Weingrod * Marjorie Weiss* Norman and Sandra* Wruble Dr. Robert and Susanna Zemble Anonymous (22) GENESIS $1 - $99 Abigail Silverman Fund Bonnie Abrams* Dr. Mark Auerbach Dr. Susan Basow* Nancy Belgrade* Phyllis Berg* Bernard and Sarina* Berlow Stephanie Berman* Jeffrey and Lisa Bernfeld Dr. Jason and Roslyn* Birnbaum Ira Blum Betty Burian* Ivan Buyum Joyce Camm* Claudia Fischmann Fund Danielle Staiman Mitzvah Fund Dr. Neil and Linda Katz-Dicker Marilyn Doluisio*° Doba Domashevskaya* David Eiskowitz Elena S. Cohen Charity Fund Joseph Epstein and Sheryl Feinstein Anita Evelyn* Liz Fear* Dr. Ellen Field* Harry and Amy* Fisher Dr. Debra Garlin* Gail Gelb* Stephanie Goodling* Paula Grines* Herman Gross Samuel Guncler Judith Harris* Dolores Heller* Richard and Susan* Herschlag Philip Heyman° Dr. Arthur and Barbara Hoffman° Toni Hoffman* Dorothy Hoffman*° Ginger Horsford* Chester J. Jasinsky Jessica Silverman Philanthropic Fund David and Margaret* Kaplan Kyle and Jessica Lewis Howard Lieberman Doris Lifland* Rebecca Lovingood* Rochelle Lower* Leonard Lutsky°

David and Susan Manela Louise Mapstone* Brie Marks* Marlee Senderowitz Fund Robert Mayer and Jan Muzycka* Charles Metroke Dr. Robert and Ellen Miller* and Family Daniel and Larisa Morgenbesser Lyman and Renee* Moss Jane Much* Rick and Susan* Musselman Jan Muzycka* Nancy Gevirtz Memorial Fund Brian Neff Richard and Paula Nelson Ronald and Rachel Nissim Robert Prichard and Ellen Osher* Cantor Jill Pakman* Dr. Alan and Joan Parker Sybil Preisler* Maria Pursel* Peggy Rau* Kevin and Lauren Reuther Joel and Harriett Ringold Rissa Senderowitz Philanthropic Fund Carol Robins* Robert Rockmaker Shari Salkin* Samuel Gevirtz Mitzvah Fund Mary Lou Scarf* Jennifer Schechner* Lynn Schiavone* Jonathan Schultz and Karen Goldner Susan Selsky-Hann* Silverman Family Fund Michael Smith Norman and Cindy* Sussman° Sandi Teplitz*° Howard and Marilyn Tokosh Ufberg Family Fund Veronica Fischmann Fund Nicholas and Jessica* Volchko Barbara Wolfgang* Lynda Yankaskas* Lisa Yoskowitz* Herman and Jessica* Ytkin Amy Zylberman* Anonymous (14)

The donors noted above represent gifts to the JFLV 2021 Campaign for Jewish Needs. Every effort is made to correctly recognize all of our generous donors and honor their listing requests. If there are any inaccuracies or omissions, please call the Federation office at 610-821-5500. * Indicates an individual woman’s gift to the 2022 Campaign for Jewish Needs ° Indicates Silver Circle member

LION OF JUDAH DONORS Aliette Abo* Phoebe Altman Lion of Judah Endowment* Robert & Judith Auritt Klein Family Fund Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation Sadie Berman Lion of Judah Endowment Rebecca Binder Donna Black Jill Blinder

Wendy Born* Carol Bub Fromer Nancy Cohen Karen Cooper* Iris Epstein* Roberta Epstein* Marlene Finkelstein Eileen Fischmann* Lisa Fraenkel Susan Gadomski Sandra Goldfarb* Nancy W. Goldman Susan Grey Bonnie Hammel* Ellen Hof Mindy Holender

Erica Hyman Patty Klein Judy A. Klein LOJE* Charles & Figa Kline Foundation Beth Kozinn Lynda Krawitz Elaine Lerner* Eva Levitt* Judith Morrison Lota Post Sandra Preis Barbara Reisner Lisa Scheller Rita Scheller Lorrie Scherline

Vera Schiff Janice Schwartz Deena Scoblionko Elizabeth Scofield Judy Sheftel Marsha Timmerman Eileen Ufberg Vicki Wax* Laurie Wax Carol Wilson Ilene H. Wood* Carolyn Zelson Valeska Zighelboim Jeri Zimmerman * LOJE

POMEGRANATE DONORS Marsha Abraham Lori Ahdieh Rebecca Axelrod-Cooper Kelly L. Banach Tama Lee Barsky Sheila Berg Beverly Bloch Sylvia Bub Patty Carlis Marilyn Claire Jill Crosson Karen Dacey Jan Ehrich Lisa Ellis Ann Falchuk Amy Fels

Veronica Fischmann Fran Fisher Norma Goldenberg Andrea Goldsmith Marsha Gordon Carol R. Halper Deborah Kimmel Judy Krasnov Roberta B. Kritzer Beth Kushnick Elaine Langer Jane Markson Claudia F. Mattison Betty Mendelson Rill Miller Jeannie Miller Amy Morrison

Amy Morse Taffi Ney** Ruth Notis Nancy R. Oberlender Diana F. Orenstein Alison Post Rhoda Prager Lauren Rabin Elaine Rappaport-Bass Judith Rodwin Shaoli Rosenberg Selma Roth Cathy Sacher Sheila L. Saunders Cheryl Shadick Lynne F. Shampain

Rachel Shurman Amy Silverman Audrey Sosis Cheri Sterman Margery E. Strauss Tama Tamarkin Cristina Toff Janet Ulman Barbara Weinrach Deborah Wiener Gail Wolson Debbie Zoller ** POME

MAIMONIDES SOCIETY DONORS Dr. Marc Abo Dr. Houman Ahdieh Dr. Howard Altman Dr. Marcus Averbach Dr. Noy Bassik Dr. Marc Berson Dr. Jeffrey Blinder Dr. Sam Bub Dr. David Bub Dr. Carol Bub Fromer Dr. Michael Busch Dr. Elliot Busch Dr. Chelsea Busch Dr. Ian Carlis Dr. William Combs Dr. Mitchell Cooper Dr. Jill Crosson Dr. Karen Dacey Dr. Lisa Ellis Dr. Eric Fels Dr. Jay Fisher Dr. Hal Folander Dr. Ari Forgosh Dr. Ronald Freudenberger Dr. Henry Friess Dr. Robert Gayner Dr. Jeffrey Gevirtz Dr. Gene Ginsberg

Dr. Mark A. Gittleman Dr. Harold Goldfarb Dr. Zach Goldsmith Dr. Andrea Goldsmith Dr. Marsha Gordon Dr. Michael Greenberg Dr. Robert Grob Dr. Eric Holender Mr. Stuart Horowitz Dr. David Hyman Dr. John Jaffe Dr. Jeffrey Jahre Dr. Steve Kanoff Dr. Robert Kaplan Dr. Andrew Kimmel Dr. Deborah Kimmel Dr. Wesley Kozinn Dr. Harold Kreithen Dr. Robert Kricun Dr. Michael Kun Dr. Howard Kushnick Dr. and Mrs. Brian LeFrock Dr. Paul Lemberg Dr. Howard Levin Dr. Lawrence Levitt Mrs. Margo Lightman

Dr. Richard London Dr. Moshe Markowitz Dr. William Markson Dr. Evan Marlin Dr. Aviva Marlin Dr. Gerald Melamut Dr. Michael J. Moritz Dr. Alan Morrison Dr. Robert Morrison Dr. Richard Morse Dr. Mark Notis Dr. Steven Oberlender Dr. Nancy R. Oberlender Dr. Martin Oselkin Dr. Robert Palumbo Dr. Andrew Pestcoe Dr. Robert Post Dr. Alison Post Dr. Doron Rabin Dr. Richard Reisner Dr. Daniel Relles Dr. Michael Ringold Dr. Alex Rosenau Dr. Jarrod Rosenthal Dr. Nicole Rosenthal Dr. Stuart A. Schwartz

Dr. Andrew Schwartz Dr. Cheryl Shadick Dr. Darryn Shaff Dr. Mark Shampain Dr. Elliot Shear Mrs. Amy Silverman Dr. Arthur Sosis Dr. Frederic Stelzer Dr. Jay Strauss Dr. Frank Tamarkin Dr. Ryan Tenzer Dr. Kenneth Toff Dr. Edward Tomkin Dr. Jonathan Trager Dr. Darren Traub Dr. Marc Vengrove Dr. Andrew Wakstein Mr. Robert Wax Dr. Benjamin Weinberger Dr. Robert Wilson Dr. Eric T. Young Dr. Michael Zager Dr. Israel Zighelboim Valeska Zighelboim BS, BSN, RN Dr. Larry Zohn

2022 CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEERS Aliette Abo Leonard Abrams Sheila Berg Marc Berson Rance Block Ross Born Wendy Born Sam Bub Sylvia Bub Carol Bub Fromer Marilyn Claire Daniel E. Cohen Karen Dacey Scott Delin Iris Epstein Eileen Fischmann Brian Ford

Barnet Fraenkel Gary Fromer Stewart Furmansky Lawrence Glaser Barry Halper Robert Hammel Rabbi Allen Juda Chelsea Karp Beth Kozinn Beth Kushnick Merry N. Landis Suzanne Lapiduss Paul Lemberg Lawrence Levitt Eva Levitt William Markson Evan Marlin

Aviva Marlin Michael R. Miller Jeannie Miller Taffi Ney Lauren Rabin Elaine Rappaport-Bass Bruce M. Reich Lynn F. Rothman Ron Ticho Eileen Ufberg Vicki Wax Robert Wax Deborah Wiener Robert Wilson Larry Zelson Israel Zighelboim

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Pigs go kosher for 7th Annual Jewish Heritage Night

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2022!

MAZAL TOV BARRACK CLASS OF

Ari Lior Abramovitz Ethan Landau Auritt Benjamin Joshua Axelrod Jordan Andrew Becker Moriel Avraham Ben-Abou Nina Hannah Berkowitz Daniel Sklar Cohen Roni Cohen Liam Maxwell Cooperberg Madeline Rachel Denker Lia Groen Dolev Gabrielle Brooke Dorfman Jacob Joseph Erlbaum Dayna Nicole Felger Beila Chava Friedman Raya Haley Gilman David Goldfarb Lucas Aiden Golluber

Molly Avigal Groen Jacob Kiefer Hare Jamison Charles Hartnett Jhonathan Reuven Hassidim Aaron David Heller Max Harrison Hirsch Talia Carmela Hirshman Eve Abigail Isaacs Noah Jackson Joffe Sivan Mery Kahlon Harel Kanotopsky Hunter Blake Kimmel Isaac Leo Klein Jacob Andrew Kopelman Amina Jane Levites-Cohen Shelly Sarah Makias Michael Jacob Martin Rebecca Yael Scheinmann

Ziv Shadur Caleb Sage Shapiro Mendelsohn Eden Sky Shavit Aron Abraham Shklar Brandon Michael Singer Jessie Singer Leyah-Reyna Elizabeth Solomon Jacob Lee Spivack Sarah Ariela Spivak Omry Dan Tzabbar Alexa Morgan Verne Pearl Abigail Victor Daniel Gabriel Wachs Daniel Marcus Wax Yonatan Aaron Webner Rebecca Madeline Wilson Arielle Brooke Zabusky

Our 53 seniors have received 188 acceptances from 83 colleges and universities.

American University Arizona State University Bard College Boston University Brandeis University Case Western Reserve University Clemson University Colgate University CUNY Hunter College College of Charleston Colorado College Cornell University Drexel University

Duke University Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Emerson College Florida State University Franklin & Marshall College Haverford College Hood College Howard University Indiana University at Bloomington Israel Defense Force Ithaca College

Jewish Theological Seminary/ Columbia Lehigh University Marietta College McGill University Michigan State University North Carolina State University Northeastern University Northwestern University Pace University Pennsylvania State UniversityAbington Pennsylvania State University Princeton University Rutgers University Sarah Lawrence College Savannah College of Art & Design Spelman College SUNY at Binghamton University

Syracuse University Temple University Texas A&M University The New School The Ohio State University The University of Alabama in Huntsville The University of Tampa Thomas Jefferson University Tufts University United States Air Force Academy University of Arizona University of Colorado-Boulder University of Delaware University of MarylandCollege Park University of MassachusettsAmherst University of Miami Partnering with

Accredited by Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) and Secondary Schools.

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University of Michigan University of North CarolinaChapel Hill University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Rochester University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of Virginia University of Wisconsin-Madison Villanova University Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State Univ.

Wake Forest University Washington University in St. Louis Wesleyan University West Chester University Williams College Yeshiva University

*Colleges that the members of the Class of 2022 have chosen to attend are indicated in bold.

The season of big change

It’s summer and, to be honest, I’m not a big fan of summer.

But I love summer. Let me

Annual meeting Continues from page 3

Gaines, Rachel Levin, Dr. Bill Markson, and Lauren Rabin.

Zimmerman paid tribute to outgoing president Gary Fromer. “He brings his passion, his energy and his generosity to our community. It is his can-do attitude that championed our successful operation for the past three years, particularly demonstrating leadership in the unprecedented time of pandemic.” She listed a few of the more noteworthy numbers logged during the tenure of this “numbers guy”: one synagogue merger, two community missions to Israel, $8 million dollars raised, and $550,000 in earned income tax credit funding.

Fromer addressed the unusual nature of his tenure, which began less than a year before the pandemic. “I felt like, wow, what is going to happen here and how are we going to deal with this crisis?” he said. “And what I’m most proud of across all of our community is the response of these volunteers, clerical leaders, community leaders to leave these organizations today in a better state than they were when I started three years ago. I would have never imagined that.”

Julia Umansky, the Federation’s director of gift planning and EITC, gave the final report on the five-year Life and Legacy campaign to attain commitments for after-lifetime giving. “We grew from $4.6 million pledged in the first year to more than double that number now, at the end of year five…,” she said.

“While I joined this program during year five and cannot take credit for the amazing work that was done during years one through four, our wonderful community volun-

explain. I’m not a big fan because it’s always hot for me.

But I love summer because it’s camp time. It’s a break from the school year. It has the feeling of a new start.

teers, donors and staff can.”

To reveal the campaign’s final tally, preselected members of the audience walked to the front, each holding a large card with a number or character on it, and lined up: $10,462,489.00.

Presentation of the annual awards followed. The Kobrovsky Chairman’s Award for Campaign Leadership went to new president Robby Wax and his mother, Vicki Wax, for chairing the Federation’s annual campaign. The Daniel Pomerantz Award for Campaign Excellence went to Eileen Fischmann for her diligence in reaching out to campaign donors. A group from the Holocaust Research Center received the Mortimer S. Schiff Award for Prejudice Reduction for fighting hate and prejudice by educating people throughout the valley on the Holocaust.

The Mark L. Goldstein Award for Outstanding Jewish Professionals is given in honor of the long-time executive director of the Federation who died in 2018.

In an emotional moment at the podium, Shari Spark, Holocaust Research Center coordinator and wife of the late Mark Goldstein, presented the award to Debbie Zoller, executive director of the Jewish Family Service, for leading a number of new initiatives and growing the organization since she took over in 2013. “Mark would proudly and loudly endorse this choice,” Spark said.

“Debbie draws people in to serve the community and, in turn, she serves our community with an open heart.”

Lauren Rabin, a longtime volunteer and member of Women’s Philanthropy, received the George Feldman Achievement Award for Young Leadership for leading an initiative to increase Pomegranate participants

and co-chairing the successful community concert by the Israeli band Hatikva 6 in 2019.

Robby Wax brought the night to a close with a new president’s report, looking forward to his term in office. “I’d like to think that I inherited some business sense from my father, but I know that I’ve mixed it with eternal optimism of my mother, and therefore I can conclude by saying I am truly excited for our future together…,” he said. “I’m excited about what we’re going to accomplish, most importantly, together.”

i4

THE

By Gavriel Siman-Tov Community Shaliach

It’s kind of weird to think of summer as a new start because, well, the new year doesn’t begin until fall or winter. I think of summer as the time right before a new year. It’s the break between one school year and another.

It’s moving time for a lot of people, a time when they’re being welcomed to a new place.

Summer has the feeling of the world standing still for a second, like it’s saying, “Hey, here is your time to rest, recharge, and reorganize things.”

Every big change I have ever been through happened in summer: moving with my family to a new house, starting out at a new school, getting drafted into the Israel Defense Forces, and coming here to the Lehigh Valley.

Everything happens in summer.

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The valley’s best food truck is kosher — and right in our own front lot

By Carl Zebrowski Editor of Hakol The best food truck in the Lehigh Valley, according to readers of Lehigh Valley Style magazine, is the only food truck exclusively serving kosher food. And it happens to be parked right outside the Jewish Community Center.

The readers of the magazine voted the Around the Table the Best Food Truck of 2022. If you’ve been to the JCC, you’ve probably seen it, sitting next to the building in its Tilghman Street parking lot.

Dror and Lee Levi, husband and wife, opened the truck for business three years ago, a decade after they got started in food service in Wilkes-Barre. There they took a catering job for a lawyers’

picnic. The menu featured barbecued chicken.

Dror, a native of Israel, decided to take along a beef brisket that he’d been perfecting, a recipe he described as Israeli and Western. “We had West and East, all of it,” he said.

The client didn’t know in advance that the brisket was coming, and Dror didn’t charge for it. But the strategy worked. The brisket was a hit, and a picnic attendee invited him to set up a food truck in his parking lot.

Jumping ahead to 2019, the food truck was completely transformed, settled into its current home base at the JCC and offering an exclusively kosher and vegetarian menu.

Review: ‘From Past to Present: A Jewish History Tour of Easton’

By Bayley Carl Marketing and Engagement Associate Jewish people have been in Northampton County for more than 300 years. Whether or not you knew that, you can likely learn a lot from the new self-guided virtual tour “From Past to Present: A Jewish History Tour of Easton.”

Presented by the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society and the Sigal Museum, the 12-stop online tour covers Easton’s Jewish history from the 1650s. That was when Jewish refugees from Brazil traveled from New Amsterdam (present-day New York) to Northampton County.

A century later, a census recorded 103 taxable men in Easton, 11 of whom were Jewish. Those Jews likely chose to settle here because of economic opportunity and the large German-speaking population. The census recorded that they worked in several different professions, including baker, mason, and lawyer. The community existed for 80 years, until 1774, without a rabbi.

By the 1830s, Easton was the largest town in Pennsylvania north of Philadelphia.

Owing to the Lehigh Canal, it became a major shipping center. Exports included coal, iron ore, slate, and timber.

About this time, Bavarian Jews began to move to the United States. Many became roaming peddlers. They likely went on to form the merchant class, and by the early 1900s, storefronts had begun to pop up. Also during this time, a

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“We’re probably the only kosher food truck all the way north to Canada,” Dror said.

The truck serves its madeto-order fare in the JCC lot Sundays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., except when it occasionally takes to the road for an event. The menu includes hummus (creamy!), veggie beet burgers (which frequently sell out), and a shakshuka platter. Falafel is the most popular item and has earned top honors at the Easton Food Truck Festival.

Is the falafel Dror’s personal favorite? When asked what he liked best, Dror answered: “All of it.” And what’s his favorite thing about the business in general? “I love the people.”

number of Eastern European and western Russian Jews fleeing violence at home settled in Easton.

In 1839, Temple Covenant of Peace was founded. The congregation quickly outgrew its space and constructed a new synagogue in 1842 that was used for 117 years.

Bnai Abraham Synagogue came later, moving into an old firehouse. In 1906, the congregation bought land and had its own building constructed.

The following century saw some struggle between tradition and change. Different Jewish groups came together.

German Jews were generally Reform, and European Jews Conservative. Yiddish was spoken less.

Meanwhile, the Jewish population continued to grow into the 1980s.

A study done by the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley in 2007 found that there were about 4,000 Jewish households in the valley, about 2 percent of the population.

There’s much more than this to the tour. One could easily spend hours at just one stop. Though the tour is virtual, it provides addresses of important locations so interested participants can visit in person.

For information on the tour and on buying tickets, visit the Sigal Museum website at sigalmuseum.org. Tickets are $10 per device. Once you start a tour, you can access it anytime during that month.

If you have questions, the museum staff can be reached at 610-253-1222 and is very helpful.

Keneseth Israel confirmation class of 2022/5782

Josh Freedman

Max Freed

Andrew Schindler Confirmation is a beloved tradition at Keneseth Israel.

Photos of classes dating from the 1940s are prominently displayed on the wall in the religious school wing.

Groups coming in for lifecycle events cluster around the photos, marveling at the youth of family members — and at many years of reallybad-hair pictures!

In the Reform tradition, Confirmation takes place after 10th grade, culminating three years of study following the Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

It affirms a commitment to Jewish life both individu-

C. J. Levinson

Jack Valuntas

ally and within the group.

Studies are done in depth, and often reflect the interests of the particular class. The service has long been tied to Shavuot, as that, too, is a commitment to and reaffirmation of the Ten Commandments and God. Students help lead the service and are asked to chant from the Torah and provide a thoughtful, personal d’var Torah as a part of the evening. While the talks tie in to the parshah, or weekly Torah portion, topics are diverse.

This year, the students

— Max Freed, Josh Freedman, C. J. Levinson, Andrew Schindler, and Jack Valuntas — formed a special bond with their teacher, Mollie Hantman-Weill, resulting in far-ranging conversations and a particularly moving ceremony. The class organized a family dinner before the June 4 service and also purchased a gift for the congregation: a much-needed moveable lectern. While gifts were common many years ago, that tradition has not been observed in a long time. KI is very grateful to receive the gift this year.

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Congratulations, CLASS OF 2022!

Samantha Abraham

Archie Debbage

Vincent Lamberti

Lauren Reid

Jai Ailawadi

Zachary Demsky

Sophia Lee

Alison Riker

Jamilie Atiyeh

Owen DePillo

Diana Lopez

Ryan Baki

Isabel DeVos

Sophia Mangino

Nora Ronan-Milz

William Bakos

Lily Eyvazzadeh

Christian Manja

Michael Baron

Matthew Fanning

Arianna Matos

Isabella Bartolacci

Lily Farr

Anna Mayer

Juliana Blobe

Alexa Fegley

Gennaro Mazzella

Jack Bowser

Priya Francis

Di Bosco

Bruno Shannon

Sophia Brands

Soren Gandhi

Ella McIntyre

Derek Shirer

Grace Burcaw

Dmitry Gazheev

Vincent Menichelli

Katherine Shnier

Veronica Burchielli

Avery Hammond

Treyton Messman

Andrew Burke

Raya Hodges

Jaxsen Miller

Aarav Shyamkumar

Grace Caballes

Sebastian Holbrook

Christopher Milot

Vincent Carosella

Alivia Humphreys

Samit Mohapatra

Samuel Carter

Eric Jackson

Jackson Oltman

Yiyi Chen

Mikail Jaffer

Chloe Oudin

Nicole Chiaradia

Jie Jiang

Abhishek Patel

Divik Verma

Calandra Colitas

Arsh Kandola

Ava Perrucci

Grace Wright

Olivia Crane

Ilyas Kose

Kaia Reenock

Mona Ziabari

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Max Sanchez Josa Emma Scarperi Jason Schippell Beatrice Shannon

Keira Smith Owen Thierry Favor Ufondu Theodor Urban

Book review: ‘Nick Bones Underground’

By Sean Boyle Special to HAKOL Rabbi Phil Cohen’s debut novel, “Nick Bones Underground,” is a Jewish sci-fi detective story set in the near future of a dystopian New York City.

Professor Nick Friedman is a professor of world religions at a university in NYC. He decided to moonlight as a private eye, and a particularly famous case earned him the nickname Nick Bones from the New York press. Even with that renown, Nick was surprised on the day his former yeshiva chavrusa’s father showed up and asked Nick to find his son, Shmulie Shimmer. Shmulie is the inventor of the dangerously addictive designer drug Lerbs, which has put Nick’s daughter and countless others worldwide in a lifelong coma. Shmulie testified against his partners and was placed in a witness protection program, but had promised his father to call at least once to say he was alive, but hasn’t yet.

Nick reluctantly agrees to the case, but

has his own reasons to find Shmulie. With the help of his transgendered artificial-intelligence assistant, named Maggie, and several former students, Nick begins his search for the most vilified man in the world. As Nick explores the hidden city inside the abandoned NYC subway system, called the Velvet Underground, looking for clues to find Shmulie in the upper world, he wonders what will happen if he ever finds him and whether his questions will ever be answered.

Read “Nick Bones Underground” to find out what happens when Nick is forced to confront his past and what it means for those in the present dealing with Shmulie’s choices and how it may even change the future of humanity.

Rabbi Phil M. Cohen, Ph.D., is the new one-year interim rabbi at Congregation Keneseth Israel. He is coming to Allentown from Congregation Beth Shalom in Columbia, Missouri, where he was interim rabbi for two years. Rabbi Phil is married to Betsy Gamburg, who is the director of Jewish Family Services of Greensboro, NC. He has two daughters, Elly and Talia, and is the proud grandfather of Elly and Arkady’s daughter, Ava Ruth.

Rabbi Phil studied for several months in an Orthodox yeshiva in Jerusalem before receiving rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. So he writes with firsthand knowledge about working with a chavrusa and the many locations along Nick Bones’ journeys in NYC. On Sunday, September 18, at Congregation Keneseth Israel, Rabbi Phil will talk about his novel, describing his experiences writing fiction as well as discussing other noteworthy Jewish authors. Sign up to attend at www.kilv.org.

Recommended for ages 16-120, especially for anyone who loves sci-fi and detective stories.

“Nick Bones Underground,” by Phil Cohen, Koehler Books, 2019, 366 pages.

Sean Boyle is Congregation Keneseth Israel’s librarian and was recently elected vice president, president-elect of the Association of Jewish Libraries.

Summer-into-fall salad

BY SANDI TEPLITZ Though I always found it difficult to choose a favorite season, it’s never been a problem to pick the time of year that offers the most promising food choices: summer into fall holds the allure of glorious produce merging with the onset of heartier fare. Here’s a salad to get you started.

BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH SMOKED TURKEY, BEEF FRY, ASIAN PEAR AND WALNUTS Ingredients: 1 cup large walnuts, lightly toasted and cooled 6 ounces beef fry, cooked to crisp, cooled and crumbled 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Diamond kosher salt 1/3 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 cup walnut oil 1 pound sliced turkey breast seasoned with smoked paprika 1 1/3 pounds baby spinach, washed thoroughly and spun dry 1 large red onion, sliced thinly 1 1/2 Asian pears, cut up Technique: Toss all ingredients together, except walnuts and beef fry, about an hour before serving.

Just before serving, add the nuts. Sprinkle the beef fry on top. A crisp white wine from Binah Winery, Allentown’s kosher winery, would be a splendid accompaniment. Serves six.

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EARN THAT DEGREE, PRIMA. Y O U D E S E R V E I T.

Prima survived cancer thanks to her health partner – Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute.

Her team of experts and their membership in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance gave her a new lease on life.

Now, Prima is pursuing a career in oncology nursing – and she knows things you’d never find in a textbook.

Learn more at LVHN.org/cancer or by calling 888-402-LVHN.