By Gia Jones
Unity in the Community 2.0 Committee Member
Aliette and Dr. Marc Abo have been leaders in the Lehigh Valley Jewish community, known for their decades of service, philanthropy, and hands-on involvement.
Marc, a medical professional and educator, and his wife Aliette, a former educator, have consistently played a role in strengthening community ties through their work with the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley and Congregation Bnai Shalom in Easton. As longtime donors, volunteers, and event chairs, they have helped shape and support numerous initiatives that bring people together in meaningful ways.
Continuing their legacy of leadership and dedication to the Jewish community, they currently serve as the driving force behind and chairs of “Unity in the Community 2.0: Broadway Celebrates the Lehigh Valley.” This show on Thursday, May 28, in the Muhlenberg College Empie Theatre stars Tony Award-winner John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys), Andrea McArdle (the original Annie), and acclaimed comedian Judy Gold in a celebration of hope, resilience, and connection. The evening reflects the Federation’s vision of a community united through entertainment, generosity, and shared purpose.
“Unity in the Community 2.0” began with a phone call from Wayne Gmitter, who owns a boutique booking agency representing Broadway legends. What was that conversation like, and how did it evolve into a Broadway tribute to the Lehigh Valley?
ALIETTE: Wayne’s call wasn’t just a routine call. It was such an emotional phone conversation. We discussed the devastating attacks on Israel on October 7 and the alarming rise in antisemitism and incidents, including the violence in places like Boulder, Colorado. I was just so overwhelmed by getting such a heartfelt phone call. I just expressed my deepest gratitude to him for not only his friendship but also his unwavering support. I just can’t express it in words. Then he shared his conversation with Judy Gold. That moment, those words resonated deeply with me.
Wayne shared his vision of a community concert, an event that’s about standing up against hatred through pride. He shared with me the names of artists who could perform, and I thought, how could I say anything other than yes?! He had a vision of creating something joyful and inspiring that would bring people together. Wayne wasn’t just offering support; it was a call to action, and that sincerity and emotion inspired everything that followed.
Wayne, who is not Jewish, chose to stand up. I am the child of a Holocaust survivor, and before the war, we had 300 family members. We were left with only 20 family members after the war. My mother and grandmother survived because of the kindness and courage of a non-Jewish family who helped them. I recognize and appreciate Wayne’s support.
Even before this project, you both had a history of integrating Broadway and philanthropy within the Lehigh Valley Jewish community. Could you tell us more about those previous efforts?
ALIETTE: It was a period of over 35 years. We brought, believe it or not, 7,000 people to see 85 Broadway shows from the Lehigh Valley and beyond. We raised funds for all capital improvements for what is now Congregation Bnai Shalom in Easton. What’s also remarkable is that with money we raised from those trips, we bought a defibrillator and we used it to save someone’s life at an event at our synagogue.
MARC: When the theater program started, our first trip was to go see “City of Angels,” which had lyrics written by David Zippel, one of a congregant’s sons from Bnai Abraham (later merged into Bnai Shalom) in Easton—now he’s a big Tony Award winner. That’s how it all started. You could say these theater trips were “unity in the community” back then because it was advertised for the Jewish community, but many of the people were (not Jewish) community members, like nurses in the hospital and other friends. They had no problem helping to support the synagogue. So, in a way, “unity in the community” started then.
ALIETTE: Marc and I met when we were 13 and started seeing shows together by the time we were 15. Before we could even afford a ticket, we would do standing room only. We could only dream that one day we could sit in a theater and sit in a seat. We never forgot that moment.
When we started doing these shows (to raise money for the synagogue), we were very cognizant of those who could not pay, and we never denied anyone a chance to see the show because of that. People could pay what they could or pay over time.
Marc, in addition to your medical career, I understand you are an accomplished thespian who once played Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Could you share a bit about your passion for theater?
MARC: One play! We had friends from Phillipsburg, where I worked, (who were involved in) Phillipsburg Light Opera Company. Our daughters were in “The King and I.” Then they said the next show is going to be “Fiddler on the Roof.” I said, “Geez, I really would like to try out for that.” So I tried out for Tevye. I took voice lessons. I never had any acting experience and I did it. I think this was 1986 or 1987. We had five performances. Two thousand people came to see it. I was Tevye. My oldest daughter, Alyssa, was one of the daughters. Jessica (my youngest daughter) was one of the villagers, and Aliette sold the tickets. So that was a family affair. That was an unbelievable experience. I grew a beard. It was a great time.
I think I was 11 at the time I saw my first Broadway show, “Milk and Honey,” which was a story about Israel. That was really when I was bitten by the (theater) bug. Aliette and I are always going to the theater in New York or Florida. It’s always been a big part of our lives.
“Unity in the Community 2.0” is a major undertaking. What has it been like organizing an event of this scale, and how is the planning process progressing?
ALIETTE: It’s a major undertaking, but for me it isn’t just an event; it’s a production. You’re bringing people together. You’re bringing Broadway talent, community leaders. You’re sorting out sponsors, volunteers. What is incredible is the commitment. People aren’t just involved; they’re deeply invested. There is a genuine sense of this is bigger than any one of us. It’s been challenging but energizing, because every detail is being handled with the utmost care. It becomes more than just a performance for me. It becomes an experience people will feel and remember. I have a passion and turn it into action. So that’s the goal: Be successful—bring people together, lift them up, and unite them. It’s challenging for me because I’m doing this out of two states (going back and forth between Florida and Pennsylvania).
MARC: Aliette likes to pay a lot of attention to detail. There are a lot of details with this, and it takes a lot of time. It’s tough doing the majority of this out of Florida, but she has a committee and certainly Jeri Zimmerman (Jewish Federation executive director) and her staff have been very involved. It’s a major, major undertaking.
ALIETTE: I couldn’t do any of this without a great committee and volunteers, and Jeri and her staff have gone above and beyond.
What’s the primary message or experience you would like people to take away from this event?
ALIETTE: There is so much division in the world, and this event is about choosing connection over separation and understanding over fear, and probably for me, having pride over silence having people make their voices heard.
MARC: Everyone coming together. Between Wayne (Gmitter), John Lloyd Young, and Andrea McArdle, the only person who is Jewish is Judy Gold. So it’s about people coming together and showing their support for this difficult time for the Jewish people and community.
ALIETTE: What makes it so meaningful is we want to raise funds. We will do things locally and globally.
MARC: In addition to helping our local community, we will be helping Soroka Hospital (in Be’er Sheva, Israel), which has many innovations and medical breakthroughs and advances, including the pill cam, the exoskeleton. It’s wonderful to be helping them because this hospital is a mega hospital that has been damaged more than has been let on in the press. I’m glad we can help both communities in this endeavor and have an impact locally and internationally.
Doors for “Unity in the Community 2.0” open at 6:30 p.m. on the 28th and the show starts at 7. Tickets are $100 each, $50 for the Federation’s NextGen affinity group (ages 30-45), and are available at jewishlehighvalley.ticketspice.com/unity-in-the-community-20.