The Lehigh Valley Jewish community offers something special for all its members, from brand-new additions to those who have been around for decades and everyone in between!
Welcome to the World!
Shalom Baby visits the family home with congratulations and a basket of gifts—useful stuff like bibs and onesies. PJ Library soon takes over the community hospitality outreach, delivering free Jewish children's books for the youngsters.
Summertime Is Camp Time
If your kid is staying home for the summer and needs a place to go during the day for fun and to connect with others in the Jewish community, JCC has Camp JCC and its array of specialty camps for kids with varied special interests. For the sleepaway camping experience, Pinemere in the nearby Pocono Mountains is just one of the nearby destinations. Older teens can work at the camps as counselors.
The Well-Schooled Child
From preschool through eighth grade, the Jewish Community Center and Jewish Day School have the kids covered. Both have preschool programs, and the JCC offers after-school coverage too. JDS takes over the education duties for elementary school through the eighth grade. High schoolers can catch the bus for Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy right down the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Teens Together
As kids approach their teens, the Jewish Federation’s Give a Mitzvah, Do a Mitzvah program can guide them through their mitzvah project, volunteering to help others or raising awareness or money for a worthy cause. Teens can participate in a number of youth groups and programs that can further their education and help them build relationships with their Jewish peers. There’s the service and leadership youth movement BBYO, teen groups at many of the synagogues, and sports and fitness offerings as well as special events at the JCC.
Community Unity
Whether it’s time to celebrate, time to lean on one another, or time to commemorate, adults and kids from all corners of the Valley come together for organized events at various locations in the region for Jewish holidays, to help others, to learn, and sometimes just to have fun.
A Synagogue for Everyone
There are 10 synagogues spread throughout the Valley. All denominations are represented, from Orthodox and Conservative to Reform and Reconstructionist. They’re your home for everything Jewish from Shabbat and High Holidays services to weekly programs and life-cycle ceremonies. Most have religious schools, groups, and programs for kids and teens.
Making the World a Better Place
The Jewish Federation has three different groups that encourage volunteering and philanthropy, all while getting to know and keeping in touch with other community members: the Maimonides Society of healthcare professionals, Women’s Philanthropy, and NextGen for young adults ages 30–45. All of them hold events throughout the year. There are also volunteer opportunities at Jewish Family Service and various other Jewish organizations and synagogues.
Silver Linings
Jewish Family Service offers a menu of services and programs for older members of the community, including Schmooze and Schmear monthly discussion group for older men (bagels and cream cheese included!), Mazel Meals delivered to homes for Shabbat and holidays, and case management by a licensed social worker formulated for individual needs. JFS and the Jewish Federation partner in the Older Adult Task Force to provide essential services like fall leaf raking for those who need it.