The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community
www.jewishlehighvalley.org
| Issue No. 480 | November 2024 | Tishrei / Cheshvan 5785 AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION EST. 1977
Federation staffer Connor Hayes wanders from shul to shul to see how they observe the High Holidays. p7
Giving thanks? Now? Rabbi Steve Nathan explains why it’s important. See our Thanksgiving section for this and more. p20-24
FROM THE DESK OF JERI ZIMMERMAN p3 LVJF TRIBUTES p9 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER p10-11 JEWISH DAY SCHOOL p12 JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE p13 COMMUNITY CALENDAR p26-27
Hundreds gather for mutual support on 10/7 anniversary
By Carl Zebrowski Editor
“We remember where we were, what we were doing, and a searing sense of loss,” Jeri Zimmerman, executive director of the Jewish Federation, told the hundreds of people gathered in the JCC to commemorate the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on the night of their first anniversary. U.S. Representative Susan Wild of Pennsylvania’s 7th District said she was encouraged to see the already-large audience continue to grow before the event started. Community members needed the mutual support. “It’s a sad, sad day that all of us have been dreading in a way,” she said. “It’s just hard to believe that we are still waiting for hostages and that they are still there.”
Miriam Zager, one of the three event cochairs, said that coming together on a day like this was essential. “It would be impossible to go through it on our own,” she said. “We really need the whole community to be here, to cry together, pray together, and memorialize all these amazing people that we lost in this horrible war.” Her fellow cochair Naomi Schachter said, “Without this community, we would have faced this horrible situation in isolation.” Among the many prayers said during the night was one led by Rabbi Michael Singer of Congregation Brith Sholom. The gathering prayed along with him “for the parents killed hiding their children beneath their bodies” when terrorists invaded their home, “for the innocents dancing their final dance” at the Nova Music Festival
when terrorists began their killing spree, and the other victims of the attacks and the aftermath. Singer was among the clergy members of eight Lehigh Valley synagogues that helped organize and participated in the vigil: Chabad of the Lehigh Valley, Congregation Am Haskalah, Congregation Bnai Shalom, Congregation Brith Sholom, Congregation Keneseth Israel, Congregation Sons of Israel, Temple Beth El, and Temple Shirat Shalom. Survival was a common theme through the night. “They are waiting to sacrifice Event cochairs Miriam Zager, Tama Tamarkin, and Naomi Schachter. you on the altar,” said Rabbi Moshe Re’em of Temple Beth tion, they try to destroy us,” ence, “Israel must survive.” El. “Do not raise your hand.” he said. “But the people of To do so, Israel must adjust Rabbi Allen Juda, retired Israel live.” its value of tikkun olam, or from Congregation Brith ShoA video created for the repairing the world, to make lom, reminded the audience commemoration by Sally it “tikkun Israel”—for now. about both the threat against Mitlas, producer and direc“How can we heal anyone if the Jews and their resilience tor for Mitlas Productions in October 7 commemoration against it. “In every generaJenkintown, told the audicontinues on page 4
Lions and Poms road trip
Pillars of Women’s Philanthropy visit American Jewish history museum in Philly By Carl Zebrowski Editor How many synagogues are there in the Lehigh Valley? That was one of the trivia questions asked aboard the bus to Philadelphia on October 22 for the Women’s Philanthropy Lion of Judah and Pomegranate visit to the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History. Twenty-five women boarded the bus for the annual Lion Pom Fall Event.
During the ride, they enjoyed wine and snacks. They also played the trivia game, on their phones, answering questions about the Jewish Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy, the Lehigh Valley and its Jewish community (the answer to the question above, by the way, is 10), and more. The trip was organized and run by event cochairs Carol Bub Fromer, Lauren Rabin, Beth Kushnick, Crissy Toff, Tama Tamarkin, Naomi Schachter, and Laurie Wax, president of Non-Profit Organization
of the Lehigh Valley 702 North 22nd Street Allentown, PA 18104
of the Lehigh Valley
of the Lehigh Valley
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Women’s Philanthropy and Lee Kestecher Solomon, Federation director of community engagement. At the museum, the group was split into three for hourand-15-minute private tours that took the women back to the 1600s, when the first permanent Jewish settlers landed in the New World from Brazil. From there, the displays moved forward in time, highlighting the expectations and experiences of the Jews of diverse backgrounds who landed on American shores
from elsewhere and their generations that followed. The exhibits presented the choices they had to make, the challenges they faced, how they shaped their new land, and how it shaped them. The Lehigh Valley women also saw “The Future Will Follow the Past: An Exhibition by Jonathan Horowitz.” Known for his critical engagement with politics and culture, Horowitz organized this collection of works by artists of various backgrounds and ages to explore changes
the United States has experienced since 2020 in antisemitism, racism, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and more. After the tour ended, the women boarded the bus for the ride home and enjoyed a delicious meal of falafel and salad from Goldie, a Philadelphia restaurant from Michael Solomonov, whose Zahav won the 2019 James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant. See more photos on on page 5