Lehigh Valley Chabad Opens New Center, Celebrates 25 Years

In January 2001, Rabbi Yaacov and Devora Halperin set up a folding table in the sunroom of their Lehigh Valley home, and a handful of Jews showed up for Shabbat. After twenty-five years, they have been joined by hundreds more to cut the ribbon on a brand-new 15,000 square foot Chabad center, sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Elliot Shear and Sholom and Esther Laine.

Roughly an hour from Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley — spanning the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton — is one of the fastest-growing regions in the entire Northeast. Priced out of the metro areas, young families and professionals have been relocating here in droves — during the pandemic alone, the region saw a major population increase. Home to the tenth-oldest synagogue in the United States, the area’s Jewish presence can be traced back to 1655. Today there are roughly 20,000 Jews out of the region’s population of 700,000.

The Halperins purchased a 3,000 square foot building just a few years after they arrived. But that space soon became too small. Over the past three years, the building underwent an extensive renovation and expansion, adding approximately 12,000 square feet to the existing structure.

“When they arrived all those years ago, it became obvious to me very quickly that Chabad was not just a good thing — but a necessary thing,” said Greg Shubach, a neighbor of the Halperins and community member for nearly 25 years. “So many in our community felt like they needed a home.” The grand opening, he notes, reflected exactly that sense of communal belonging. “Members of other Jewish congregations in the area came. It was truly a celebration of unity.”

Held just before Passover — and notably on the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s birthday — the event was more than just a grand opening: the community also celebrated Chabad of the Lehigh Valley’s 25th anniversary and welcomed a new Torah scroll, sponsored by Jed Katz. The event drew more than two hundred people, including major donors and local dignitaries.

Ronald Stein, a longtime community member and donor argued that pride and institution-building are the strongest responses to antisemitism. “A Jew who stands tall, confident in his or her identity — who understands and respects who they are — ultimately earns respect from the world around them,” he said”

The newly opened facility with its striking Jerusalem stone facade features a spacious sanctuary, a large social hall, a full kitchen, classrooms, an indoor and outdoor playground, a school area for the Gan (early childhood program), offices, a conference room, and a library. A mikvah, still under construction, is expected to open shortly.

“With the newer building, I think people are a little more inclined to give it a try,” Stein said, noting that the beauty and professionalism of the space has drawn in many new faces. “The fact that we have a new center has brought in Jews that probably would not have otherwise come.”