Page 51 - Indulge October/November 2016

P egranLegacy of Allentown artist seen in Pin
By Stephanie Bolmer

Each of the over 7,000 Jewish women across the Pomegranates are a beautiful
country who proudly wear a beautiful piece of jewelry
known as the “Pomegranate Pin” symbolize both their symbol in Jewish culture.
charitable giving and the legacy of one local artist.
Every pomegranate
Kenneth L. Moyer was born in 1919 and didn’t have a very
promising start to his work life. “He left the ninth grade is said to have 613
to support his family,” said his daughter, Sally Shankweiler of
Schnecksville. However, Moyer’s natural talents led him to become seeds, reflecting
a successful self-taught goldsmith and gemologist. In 1981, he was
chosen to design the special silver pin to represent one of the the 613 mitzvot, or
most important Jewish values, tzedakah — charitable giving — by
the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley’s Women’s Division. commandments, in

When Sybil Baiman, former president of the Jewish Federation, the Torah (Jewish
sought to create a program that would recognize and encourage
Bible). Just as the
giving among her peers, she didn’t have far to
go. “She liked his work,” Shankweiler pomegranate has
explained. “His shop was just down the
street from the Jewish Community so many seeds,
Center on 22nd Street in
Allentown.” Moyer made Baiman’s every Jew is said
idea a reality, never dreaming
just how big an impact his design to have the potential
would have. The popularity of the
local program led it to become for many good deeds.
national in scope.
Women giving a gift

of $1,800 or more to the Photo by Lori Smith
Federation’s Annual Campaign for

Jewish Needs, which helps those in

need and fosters Jewish life in the Lehigh Valley and around the

world, wear the pin. A shiny red ruby, representing a seed of the

symbolic fruit, is added each year in which their gift increases.

Though Moyer passed away in 2012 at the age of 93, his

legacy survives in this artwork and through his daughter, who now

maintains the Pomegranate Pins of which her father was so proud.

As Shankwiler noted, “Dad was creating art until the end.”

Your Community Hospital Martha Segel &
with a More Personal touch Laurie Wax wearing
Pomegranate Pins
the heart of Sacred Heart Hospital o ers a wide designed and created
wellness range of advanced medical services in a by Kenneth L. Moyer
in your patient centered healing environment
community of Schnecksville
• Cardiovascular
• Cancer 13jewishlehighvalley.org
• Stroke
• Women’s care
• Behavioral medicine

- Short term acute stays
- Advanced geriatric care
- Extended acute care.

Get to know Sacred Heart Hospital

SHH.org