The Voice of the Lehigh Valley Jewish Community
www.jewishlehighvalley.org
| Issue No. 464 | April 2023 | Nissan/Iyar 5783 AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION EST. 1977
Ross Born talks about Just Born at 100, his dad and their legacy. p6
What’s most special about Passover? See what our contributors think in our special pullout section in the middle.
FROM THE DESK OF JERI ZIMMERMAN p3 WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY p4 LVJF TRIBUTES p8 JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE p13 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER p14-15 JEWISH DAY SCHOOL p16 COMMUNITY CALENDAR p23
‘Antisemitism is an existential threat’: Susan Wild
Summit panelists brief community on hate trends, counterefforts, what’s next
By Carl Zebrowski Editor
The Summit to Combat Antisemitism on March 12 started with a joke. U.S. Rep. Susan Wild told the audience at the region’s first-ever antisemitism summit that while she was getting ready for the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and Anti-Defamation League event, she texted the organizer, Aaron Gorodzinsky. She “thanked” him for scheduling the event early on the first morning of daylight saving time, after everyone was just robbed of an hour’s sleep. The reply was quick and droll, as those who know the
Jewish Federation’s director of campaign and security planning might have expected: “Antisemitism never sleeps.” The crowd cracked up. The comment was welcome comic relief to those who may have arrived a little uptight, given the subject matter about to be discussed. It was also true. As the crowd at Muhlenberg College soon heard from a host of panelists that included Wild, State Rep. Mike Schlossberg, law enforcement officials, and experts on hate crimes and security, antisemitism in fact does not sleep. Panelists spent the day explaining the specific threats it poses and what governments, organizations and individuals are doing and can start doing to combat them. From 2020 to 2021, reports
of antisemitic incidents increased 34% across the nation to an average of seven per day, according to the ADL. Pennsylvania, for its part, led the nation with 473 reports of antisemitic and other hate propaganda. “I’ve heard the profound concern in my constituents’ voices,” said Wild, who represents Pennsylvania’s 7th District in Congress. “Antisemitism is an existential threat to everything that matters to us, including democracy itself.” Locally, this past December, some attendees at Bethlehem’s Christkindlmarkt wore T-shirts with messages of hate. In October 2018, a gunman opened fire at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and killed 11 people in the deadliest attack ever on the U.S. Jewish community. This
February, a 28-year-old man was charged with hate crimes after police said he fired at two Jewish men walking home from synagogues in Los Angeles. Acts of hate are fueled by today’s polarized politics and the ease of spreading ideas on social media, Jonathan Greenblatt, executive director of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a video prerecorded for the event. “Antisemitism isn’t just a Jewish U.S. Representative Susan Wild problem,” he said. “It’s a problem that affects all interest in this area. “We as of us. It’s the canary in a coal Jews must make sure that mine.” Antisemitism summit Schlossberg, who represents Continues on page 5 the state’s 132nd House District, voiced a particular
Pushing back against hate with faith and hope By Carl Zebrowski Editor
It was at the end of a long day of discussion that Bethlehem Interfaith Group (BIG) clergy members took the Summit to Combat Antisemitism stage on March 12 to talk about “Faith and Hope Against Hate.” “Faith and Hope can make a difference,” said Rabbi Michael Singer of Congregation Brith Sholom, who founded the organization in 2017 by knocking on doors to recruit clergy members of diverse faiths after his synagogue
began receiving hate mail. His goal in creating the group was to bring together religious leaders to push back against hatred while promoting diversity, inclusion and togetherness. “I wanted to build it about not just what we were against,” he told the crowd at Muhlenberg College, “but what we were for.” Today 24 houses of worship are part of BIG. Rick Dow of the Lehigh Valley Quaker Meeting admitted to the crowd at the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and Anti-Defamation League event that he had Non-Profit Organization
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previously been sheltered from many acts of hatred. “I live in a very safe world,” he said. “I was astounded when I heard that the Jewish community had to screen its mail.” As audience members had heard all day long, the world is not safe for everyone. Antisemites, white supremacists, neofascists and others are enjoying — and Rabbi Michael Singer of Congregation Brith Sholom, the Rev. Deborah Appler of the Mora“enjoying” seems to vian Seminary, the Rev. Keitha Wiggins-Kennedy of St. John’s A.M.E. Zion Church, the Rev. be the right word — Suzanne Trump of St. John’s Windish Lutheran Church, and Rick Dow of the Lehigh Valley normalization and Quaker Meeting empowerment. Some groups that congregation would have to She said that antisemitic consider themselves religious resist a Lutheran tendency to acts and other expressions of devotees register among the “isolate” from other faiths. bigotry warrant a fast and firm concerns here, said the Rev. “We all have much more in response. “When we have the Deborah Appler of the Moracommon than we have that is opportunity to set the record vian Seminary. “One of the different.” straight, we have to stand and main challenges is combatting The emphasis on unity con- do that. It tears down that wall the rise of Christian nationaltinued with the Rev. Keitha of hate that others are trying to ism.” Wiggins-Kennedy of St. John’s build.” The Rev. Suzanne Trump, A.M.E. Zion Church. “If you Trump added that the pastor of St. John’s Windish come for him,” she said, “you interfaith group is a key factor Lutheran Church in Fogelscome for me. That’s why we’re in its members’ ability to stand ville, told the crowd, “We standing together. We’re not up when necessary. “BIG gives can’t be silent any longer.” going to allow you to come for me the courage to speak out, She admitted that she and her any one of us.” knowing I am not alone.”