COMMUNITY NEWS
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia mobilizes
financial and volunteer resources to address the
communities’ most critical priorities locally, in Israel and
around the world.

Lower Merion Teens Raise $8,000 to Fight
Hunger By Shaving Their Heads
LAST SPRING, Lower Merion High School sophomores Lior Cohen and Eli
Gordon decided they wanted to raise money to fi ght hunger and food insecurity.

However, these 15-year-old friends took it a step further than most: Th ey agreed
to shave their heads once they reached their fundraising goal.

Initially, the goal was $250. But Cohen’s and Gordon’s circle stepped up in a big
way. In total, the boys raised $8,000, which they donated to the Jewish Federation
of Greater Philadelphia’s hunger-fi ghting initiatives.

We spoke to Cohen and Gordon about the stunt, raising money on social
media and giving Jewishly as a teen.

Why did you choose food insecurity as your
cause? Why give through the Jewish Federation?
Gordon: Back in April 2020, I started
noticing a lot of people in the community that
needed help. I especially noticed issues with
food insecurity, and it became obvious to me
that the best way to give back during these
COVID times might be to support a local cause
related to food.

Growing up going to Hebrew school and
How did you come up with the idea to raise money by agreeing to shave your knowing how tight-knit the Jewish community
heads? is, I knew I wanted to support the local Jewish
Gordon: I thought it would be funny to tell people I’d shave my head in community, and the Jewish Federation would
exchange for a charitable donation, and I thought it might be a silly way to be a good organization to do that through.

incentivize people to give. I recruited my friend Lior, who agreed to do it with
me. It had been months since either of us had our last haircut, so it was also How did you spread the word about your
fundraising eff ort?
kind of welcome.

Cohen: We posted on social
media, solicited our friends
and family and petitioned
congregants at our synagogue.

What started with one or two
gift s quickly spiraled into more
than we could have predicted.

Our original goal was $250, but
when we raised that easily, we
increased it. Eventually, within
a few weeks, we raised $4,000,
Throughout the pandemic, the
Last year, our
which was then matched by
Jewish Federation of Greater
partner agencies
Royal Café Narbeth.

Lior Cohen has his head shaved
to raise money to fi ght hunger.

Fighting Food Insecurity
Philadelphia and its partner
agencies have witnessed a:
met this growing
need by providing:
185 %
313,009 increase in people
relying on subsidized,
home-delivered food
27 %
increase in the
cost to provide
food packages
16 JULY 8, 2021
food packages, meals
and vouchers in
Greater Philadelphia
6,544,632 food packages,
meals and
vouchers in Israel
JEWISH EXPONENT
When it came time to shave
your heads, did you have any
cold feet?
Cohen: We were both
Eli Gordon sees his newly-shaved
nervous to shave our heads
head in his eff ort to raise money for
and have it livestreamed, but at food security relief.

that point there was no turning
Courtesy of Jason Gordon
back. At least everyone was in
quarantine, so it wasn’t like we had to worry about seeing friends
at school. We knew it would grow back. It’s just hair.

What’s next on your charitable journey?
Gordon: We’re both part of a Jewish youth group that’s always
thinking of ways to give back. We just held a charity “Shark
Tank” event. We both do regular community service and that’ll
always be a big part of our lives. It’s important that people feel
encouraged to support causes bigger than themselves like food
insecurity. When it comes to giving, anything helps. A small
amount goes a long way and, at the end of the day, we’re all just
trying to make it together as a community.

JEWISHEXPONENT.COM