The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community
www.jewishlehighvalley.org
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Issue No. 460
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December 2022
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Kislev/Tevet 5783
AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION EST. 1977
Israeli journalist explains ‘Groundhog Day’ elections p7
Celebrate the holiday with our special Chanukah section
FROM THE DESK OF JERI ZIMMERMAN p3 WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY p4 LVJF TRIBUTES p8 JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE p13 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER p18-19 JEWISH DAY SCHOOL p20 COMMUNITY CALENDAR p23
Rock in a hard place
Director joins Lions and Poms to screen her film on musicians in Sderot, Israel
By Carl Zebrowski Editor
“Rock in the Red Zone” is a choppy film. That’s not a criticism. The choppiness is exactly right for a film representing life in the Israeli city of Sderot. A regular day for one of the musicians at the heart of this documentary might begin with a drive to work being interrupted by a siren warning of an incoming missile from Gaza, a sprint to a bomb shelter, and an anxious wait
for the threat to subside, and might end with a dinner date, and maybe another siren. The Lion of Judah and Pomegranate Society of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh alley spread out inside Emmaus Theatre on November 14 to watch the documentary along with its writer, director and producer, Laura Bialis. The film is a poignant reminder, as the Federation’s 2023 Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs was beginning, of the importance of
the Federation’s continuing mission to help those in need. “I haven’t watched the movie in years,” Bialis told the audience after the credits rolled. “It’s hard to believe I lived that.” A native of Los Angeles, Bialis learned about Sderot from press clips a friend sent her in 2007, a time when Hamas and Islamic Jihad were firing rockets continually into the city from Gaza, a half mile away. When she found out that rock bands were using Rock in a hard place Continues on page 4
Pictured (left to right): Lee Solomon, associate director of development; Laura Bialis, writer, director and producer of “Rock In the Red Zone”; Jeri Zimmerman, executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley.
JFS celebrates 50 years of helping people in need By Carl Zebrowski Editor
The Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley celebrated its 50th anniversary with a live-streamed commemorative event on Sunday, November 6. There were timelines with milestones from the organization’s history, commentary from current JFS leaders and volunteers, and memories from those who have worked with the agency in the past. JFS has come a long way over those decades. Immediate past president Rabbi Allen
Juda talked about how the agency staff used to be one full-time person. Now there are 50 full- and part-time workers. On top of that are 90 to 100 volunteers. The JFS Food Pantry, he said, was “two shelves and a kitchen cabinet.” The increased resources and personnel allow the agency to accomplish more than ever, especially in the last 10 years, since Debbie Zoller took over as executive director. Rabbi Juda said, “It’s extremely gratifying to see the agency grow its commitment Non-Profit Organization
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to excellence in every aspect, and the support we receive from the community.” The service that put the early JFS on the map was the resettling of Russian immigrants in the Lehigh Valley. Beginning in the late 1970s, staff and volunteers helped refugees fleeing persecution in Russia find places to live and get jobs. JFS enlisted doctors, dentists and others to provide healthcare and various services that the refugees required. Diane Silverman, resettlement coordinator from
1979 to 1994, reported great success with this. “I never had one single refusal when I called someone to participate in this program,” she said. Staff and volunteers helped the newcomers find paid work too. “Many people went on to get very good jobs,” she said. After the Soviet Union broke up, the program expanded, in 1996, to cover refugees from all over the former communist state. Marjorie Weiss, JFS executive director from 1988 to 1998 said, “I could name about eight or nine countries that they came
from.” One of the other great successes in JFS history was the founding of Beth Tikvah House. Before that, there was no culturally Jewish facility for older adults who needed assistance to go to live in the valley. Michael Leader, founder of Leading Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and now CEO of its successor, Country Meadows, worked with Jewish JFS celebrates 50 years Continues on page 5