By Carl Zebrowski
Editor

The Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley has announced the winners of its 2024-25 annual awards. 

The three honorees will receive their awards at the Federation’s Community Celebration and Annual Meeting on Thursday, June 12. This end-of-year event to celebrate all the community’s leaders and volunteers begins at 6 p.m. A dinner buffet with Israeli-style food will kick off the festivities. All are invited to attend, and admission is free. Registration is required at jewishlehighvalley.regfox.com/2025-annual-meeting. 

The Mark L. Goldstein Outstanding Jewish Communal Professional Award will be presented to Carol Wilson. The George Feldman Achievement Award for Young Leadership is going to Gia Jones, and Bill Bergstein is being honored with the Mortimer S. Schiff Award for Prejudice Reduction.

Like Mark Goldstein z"l himself, former executive director of the Jewish Federation, Carol Wilson has made a strong impact on the Lehigh Valley Jewish community. She’s a Jewish Federation Women’s Philanthropy Lion of Judah, an active member of Temple Beth El, a facilitator for the Muhlenberg College Institute for Religious and Cultural Understanding, and a fixture at community events. At Jewish Family Service, she has been the older adult social worker, helping those who are navigating the complex stages of aging. There she started the Schmooze and Schmear meetup for retired men and advocated for the Mazel Meals program delivering kosher food to older adults on Shabbat and major Jewish Holidays.

Gia Jones is receiving the George Feldman award as a young role model who brings new members into our Jewish community, understands the important role of the Federation in keeping it relevant and thriving, and volunteers in various places and capacities. Among her volunteer efforts have been Women’s Philanthropy board member, cochair of its mitzvah projects and Dollar-a-Day spring event, JCC board member, Stage Makers stage crew, Jewish Family Service Community Food Pantry, JFS Coats and Cocoa drive chair, and Congregation Keneseth Israel Religious School committee member. She was a JFS Cheers for Volunteers honoree in 2024, and this coming year, she’ll be a cochair of the Federation’s NextGen. 

Bill Bergstein was chosen for the Schiff award for his commitment to educating the greater Lehigh Valley community about the dangers of prejudice and to working face to face to improve understanding among those of different faiths. A son, grandson, nephew, and cousin of Jews who lived under Nazi rule in Vienna, he became involved in the Muhlenberg College Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding’s Youth and Prejudice initiative. As part of the initiative during its nearly 20-year existence and aggregate audience of some 20,000 local students, he made the rounds to speak about the dangers of prejudice to hundreds of middle schoolers and high schoolers. He’s currently a member of the Federation’s Community Relations Council and is active in the Lehigh Conference of Churches Interfaith Action Committee.

Once the award portion of the night gives way to the annual meeting portion, current Federation board members will vote on nominees for the open positions. Federation Past President Gary Fromer, known for his speedy application of Robert’s Rules of Order, will no doubt make the election process painless, as he always does. See page 4 for the list.