By Aaron Gorodzinsky
Director of Development

Since October 7, our community has spent significant time engaging with elected officials at every level: locally in our cities, in Harrisburg, and at the federal level in Washington, D.C. These efforts are incredibly important, as they give our leaders the opportunity to hear directly from us, not only as individuals but as a united Jewish community. Many of these advocacy trips have taken place in partnership with other Jewish Federations in Pennsylvania to ensure that all our voices are heard. 

Just a few weeks ago, members of the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), represented by our chair, Bruce Reich, and Rabbi Adrienne Rubin, traveled to Washington for an emergency fly-in organized by the Jewish Federations of North America. The goal of the visit was to meet with federal lawmakers and members of the administration to raise urgent concerns affecting Jewish life in the United States.

During this mission, our group advocated on three key issues impacting our daily lives: 

1. Security Funding: We pressed for an increase to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which helps protect Jewish institutions, including synagogues, schools, and community centers by funding critical security enhancements. 

2. Online Antisemitism: We raised concerns about the rampant spread of antisemitism on social media platforms. Much of this hate speech goes unmoderated, contributing to a hostile and dangerous environment for Jews both online and offline. 

3. The Antisemitism Awareness Act: We advocated for the passage of this crucial legislation, which would adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. This would give law enforcement and educational institutions a consistent and widely accepted framework for recognizing and responding to antisemitic incidents. Over 30 states have already adopted the IHRA definition, and we are urging Pennsylvania to follow suit.

Our group met with the chief of staff to Senator John Fetterman, staff members from Senator Dave McCormick’s office, and several other Pennsylvania lawmakers in partnership with our colleagues from the Philadelphia Federation. We were especially grateful to Congressman Ryan Mackenzie, who gave us over an hour of his time to listen deeply to the challenges our community is facing. This was our fourth meeting with him and our second set of meetings with Senate staffers this year.

One key takeaway we always return with from these visits is this: Our elected officials need to hear from you! Every call to their offices—whether to express concern, appreciation, or encouragement—makes a difference. While a vocal minority may dominate their phone lines or inboxes, our collective voice matters. A simple “thank you” or expression of support for their stance on Israel or their work combating antisemitism can be incredibly impactful.

We are fortunate in the Lehigh Valley to have elected representatives who are genuinely engaged and attuned to the needs of our Jewish community. Not every community is so lucky.

If you’d like to be part of our next visit to Washington or are interested in learning how to advocate on behalf of our community, we invite you to join the work of the Jewish Community Relations Council. Our mission is to represent and defend the interests of the Jewish community in a bipartisan, principled way, ensuring that our voice is heard no matter who holds power.

For more information, contact Aaron Gorodzinsky at [email protected] or 610-821-5500.