On Sunday, May 1, a small group of Jewish Family Service volunteers was joined by representatives of Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and a cohort of enthusiastic visitors from Yoav, Israel, at the Mount Sinai Cemetery in Allentown. As Rabbi Allen Juda explained, this section of the Fairview Cemetery is not maintained by any existing synagogue yet is the final resting place of some of Allentown’s earliest Jewish residents. The weather was perfect for grass trimming, light landscaping, and cleaning of gravestones. According to Andrea Reich, a JFS Board Member who ably coordinated this project, “it was a fulfilling morning, honoring and remembering local Jewish community founders and working side by side with our honored guests from Israel.”
This cemetery clean-up project was sponsored by the JFS 50 Acts of Kindness Committee. We are planning two additional similar projects this summer, one in Bethlehem and one in Easton. An hour or two of minor cleaning and light maintenance makes a huge difference. Please watch for further details!