Lafayette Hillel
By Jenna Herzog, 2024 Lafayette Hillel President
Lafayette Hillel is a local school-centered organization that recognizes the importance of engaging with the greater Jewish community. Tikkun Olam is a value we regard highly, and Lafayette Hillel has been pleased to work with Jewish Family Service throughout the years. We have supported JFS with letter-writing events for local community members, food preparation on Super Sunday, and are excited and looking forward to our leaf-raking event in November! As Amanda Friedman, Lafayette Hillel Vice President of Programming and Class of 2025, notes: “Partnering with JFS made me feel a very strong connection to the greater Jewish community since on campus we typically don’t get to work with Jewish communities beyond Lafayette. We were so excited to further build this relationship and get to support JFS!”
Lehigh Hillel
By Rabbi Steve Nathan
The students of Lehigh Hillel have worked with Jewish Family Service through the years and participate in programs as a way of giving back to the community.
Preparing food for Mazel Meals has helped us feel connected, even from Bethlehem. We have made soup for Shabbat, Hamantaschen for Purim and are planning to bake cookies for the Hanukkah meals in December. Currently, we are collecting food and other non-perishable items for the JFS food pantry. We will also be raking leaves for older adults, together with Muhlenberg and Lafayette Hillels, in November.
Fighting food insecurity is one of the themes of the Lehigh Office of Jewish Student Life. We hope our Hillel students and office’s student staff will plan future events to support JFS in meeting the needs of Lehigh Valley residents.
Muhlenberg Hillel
By Rachel Scheer, 2025
Social Action Co-Chair
Muhlenberg Hillel has been a longstanding proud partner of Jewish Family Service. Some of our past projects include baking honey cakes for High Holiday goody bags, making cards for the Send-A-Card program, and preparing food for Mazel Meals. We also have the pleasure of hosting Tikvah House residents for Shabbat services and dinner once a month.
Some of the values that guide our work at Muhlenberg Hillel include Kehillah (community) and Ahavat Am Yisrael/Ahavat HaBeriyot (Love of the Jewish People/Love of All Humanity). Our work with JFS is an example of how we stay true to these goals. Muhlenberg Hillel is committed to our work with the greater Jewish community through JFS.