C ommunity / mazel tovs
B I RTH
ANNIVERSARY LENA OLIVIA LESHNER
KOHN Hal and Becca Fischer Leshner of Philadelphia
announce the May 10 birth of their daughter,
Lena Olivia Leshner.

Sharing in their happiness are grandparents
Phyllis and Howard Fischer of Philadelphia and
Marcie Leshner of Plymouth Meeting, along
with great-grandfather Irving Fischer, aunt
Farryl Leshner, aunt Rachel Fischer Carroll and
uncle Mike Carroll.

Lena Olivia is named in loving memory of
her maternal great-grandmother Leona Fischer
and her paternal grandfather Owen Leshner.

Harold and Marlene Kohn celebrated their 40th
wedding anniversary on April 3 with a Zoom
anniversary party hosted by their son Ira.

They met through a personal ad in the Jewish
Exponent and were married at the Doral.

Harold is a retired optometrist and Army
Reserve officer. Marlene is a retired laboratory
technician. Courtesy of the Kohn family
Photo by Becca Fischer Leshner
COMMUNITYBRIEFS Pro-Israel Rallies Held in the Area
PRO-ISRAEL RALLIES continued to occur in the
Philadelphia area over the past week.

The Israeli-American Council Philadelphia, which
organized a march down the Benjamin Franklin
Parkway on May 12, held a rally May 23 at the
Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza on
the parkway. An Israeli flag hangs near the plaza.

Other rallies organized by IAC were in Atlanta;
Austin, Texas; Denver; Great Neck, Long Island, New
York; Houston; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles;
Miami; New York City; Orange County, California;
Rochester, New York; and Tenafly, New Jersey.

“To our brothers and sisters in Israel, we want
you to hear loud and clear: We stand with you as you
show the world what it means to live bravely under
the threat of hatred and annihilation you have faced
since before the state of Israel was even created,” said
Elisha Wiesel, son of the late author and Nobel Prize
winner Elie Wiesel at the New York rally at Ground
Zero – 7 World Trade Center.

Constance Smukler, a leader of the Soviet Jewry movement,
addresses the gathering while draped in an Israeli flag.

JEWISHEXPONENT.COM In addition, the recently formed Old York Road wall and a hand sanitizer dispenser, were removed,
Pro-Israel Alliance held a demonstration on May 20 according to a letter sent to the Drexel community
by Subir Sahu, the senior vice president for student
at the intersection of Church and Old York roads.

success, and Kim Gholston, the vice president and
chief diversity officer.

Two Swastikas Found in Drexel Dorms
The Drexel Police and the university’s Office of
Two swastikas were discovered on May 19 drawn on
surfaces in public areas of Drexel University residence Equality and Diversity are investigating the incident.

“As a university community built around the
halls, Rabbi Isabel de Koninck, executive director and
campus rabbi of Hillel at Drexel University, said in a advancement of knowledge, we encourage free speech
and robust dialogue, the university letter reads. “We
letter to Hillel members
“These swastikas defiled our campus at a time will never tolerate antisemitism, racism, harassment
of incredible turbulence for our Jewish community. or violence of any kind.”
As violent conflict has continued between Israel and
Hamas, and as antisemitic material has circulated even Teach PA Conducts Virtual Mission to Harrisburg
more widely on social media, many of our students have Teach PA held its annual Day School Mission to
reported experiencing significant anxiety, frustration Harrisburg virtually on May 25.

Hundreds of students and parents normally travel
and concern,” de Koninck said. “When antisemitic
graffiti comes to our campus, it provokes further to Harrisburg each year to advocate for day schools
anxiety and fear and erodes the feelings of safety and to thank legislators for their support.

This year, they did it all virtually. l
Jewish students should be able to expect on campus.”
The swastikas, which were etched into an elevator
— Compiled by Andy Gotlieb
Students wave flags and sing songs.

JEWISH EXPONENT
Participants peacefully demonstrate in solidarity with Israel.

Photos by Scott Weiner Photography
MAY 27, 2021
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