In times of uncertainty, the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley has always been a safe haven for people to turn to for help, guidance and comfort. As such, we are responding to the coronavirus pandemic by ensuring that our critical work continues with vigor. Through our partner agencies, we are making sure that the elderly, hungry and most vulnerable individuals in our region receive the help they need. And even with some of our students out of school, and some of our Shabbat services on hold, we are taking every necessary step to ensure that Jewish life continues.
We are continually evaluating community needs and we are making contingency plans to maintain delivery of critical services. We are communicating regularly with our agencies and will be rolling out ways for our community to stay engaged and connected through this trying period.
As we have previously announced, all Jewish Federation programs scheduled for the month of March have been postponed. As of now, we are moving forward with plans for our spring programs and our event chairs are hard at work planning and will be at-the-ready to relaunch our calendar quickly. Our board and committees are continuing to meet – albeit virtually. Your generous support is imperative, and we ask for your continued participation in maintaining the work of our organization.
Following the lead of many other places of business in our region, the Jewish Federation staff will begin operating remotely on Monday, March 16, and will continue to do so at least through the week. Though our doors may be shut, our staff is taking every necessary step to be able to continue to provide the same level of service from home. All of our staff members will be best reachable by email, but you may also leave voicemails in the Federation office to have your calls returned. We are resolute in our goal to ensure all needs are met.
We offer prayers of healing to those affected worldwide. Please keep yourselves and your families safe by following CDC precautions to stay healthy during this outbreak. Additional information can be found at World Health Organization. And please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions or concerns.