UJA Federation News

Giving Birth to Israeli Jewish Identity

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:16:00 -0500

There was no banner hanging on the community center that said, “Welcome, Babies,” but the town of Gan Yavne, thirty miles south of Tel Aviv, has started a ritual that does just that — welcomes all babies born into their community within the last year.

Parents and infants gather under a talit for a ceremony welcoming babies into the community. Photo courtesy of ZIKA

That’s because ZIKA, a local organization dedicated to enhancing Jewish Israeli identity, has created a baby ceremony modeled after an ancient Jewish custom of bringing newborn babies to the temple. ZIKA is supported by UJA-Federation of New York.

“Today there’s no temple, no public space where families gather when a child is born, and we wanted to bring back a community celebration,” explained Orly Kenneth, director of ZIKA. “A baby is born not just to the family, but to Gan Yavneh, to Israel, and to the Jewish people.”

So Kenneth, together with a group of volunteers, created a program welcoming babies, now in its second year, which was held this past fall. To spread the word, volunteers reached out through the mayor’s office and day care centers.

Together with their parents, 80 infants attended the free event that started with an appetizing Israeli breakfast and continued with a brief ceremony.

Creating a Community Celebration

“I thought it was an amazing idea,” said Tali Malkit, a mother who participated in the event. Although she had a brit for her son, it was an intimate ritual only for her closest family. “I thought this was a very nice gesture to welcome the new kids to the community, to do something as a group. It made me feel part of something larger. I felt very taken care of. It was very nurturing.”

And the tallit, a prayer shawl, played a significant role in the ceremony.

“A tallit was held over our heads. We brought the babies into the middle,” Malkit said “The rabbi said a blessing and then blew the shofar. All of the babies became quiet. There was a silence, like they felt the moment.”

After the ceremony, parents could attend workshops on everything from baby massage and environmentally friendly baby resources, to emergency first aid for infants and how to organize a baby’s room. A fair of handmade toys and clothes also offered items parents could purchase for their babies.

“The ceremony was beautiful, but the whole package, the fantastic breakfast, the workshops, made me feel good,” Malkit notes. “It made me feel welcome and that the larger community was happy to bring us in.”

Next year, ZIKA plans to hold the welcoming program earlier in the fall, in September, when it’s warmer and more families are likely to attend, Kenneth said, and added, “ZIKA also works through schools, local groups, and the community center with all different age groups to try to create more Jewish identity within the community.”

Opening Hearts About People With Disabilities

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:38:00 -0500

By John S. Ruskay

“What’s your favorite movie?” I am told that’s a frequent icebreaker because movies are such equalizers. We’ve all been to the movies; we’ve all been powerfully moved by movies. Movies often introduce us to worlds we can only imagine.This week, a film transported me to a village in Israel, where a boy preparing for his bar mitzvah must relate to his brother who has autism and can barely communicate. What seems at first like an enormous burden on the boy and his family evolves into something quite different, something that awakens and heals. The movie, called Mabul, (“The Flood”), is one of the dozen movies screened at this year’s ReelAbilities film festival.The fourth annual ReelAbilities: New York Disabilities Film Festival is the brainchild of Anita Altman in our government relations department. Her vision and drive demonstrate yet again how one person can change the world or a part of it. Together with the JCC in Manhattan, and with the generous support of the J.E.& Z.B. Butler Foundation among others, including UJA-Federation, Anita brought the festival into being to help raise public consciousness, and open hearts and minds to the lives of people with disabilities. ReelAbilities has gone national this year, with festivals in 10 cities, including Cincinnati, Atlanta, Boston, and Washington D.C.Movies take issues that we often think about from a public policy perspective and strip away the statistics to reveal the humanity and people involved. People who may not walk, or talk, or think the way we do, but crave friendship and community just the same. We speak often about making our community more open and inclusive to people with disabilities. Our funding supports programs that include a baseball league for kids on the autism spectrum, synagogue inclusion programs, and job training. We care about making life better for people with disabilities but for most of us, gaining insight into their lives requires imagination. Film can make the reality more intimate. It certainly did for me.As we mark Jewish Disabilities Awareness Month, it’s a powerful opportunity to reconnect to our tradition’s core belief that every person is created B’Tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. We need to recommit to support critical programming for people with disabilities and also to see more clearly who they are — people with lives as complicated, messy, precious, and beautiful as our own.

John S. Ruskay is executive vice president and CEO of UJA-Federation of New York.

UJA-Federation Announces Winners of Synagogue Inclusion Awards

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:02:00 -0500

We recently finished reading the story of the Exodus from Egypt, in which God is inspired to redeem the Israelites after 400 years of slavery because they all cry out together. For Rabbi Ben Spratt, at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Manhattan, this collective outcry calls to mind the awakening in the Jewish community in recent years to the need for greater inclusion of people with disabilities.

Rabbi Spratt lighting the Hannukah candles with children at an inclusion service at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Manhattan. Photo courtesy of Rodeph Sholom

To mark the celebration of February as Jewish Disabilities Awareness Month (JDAM), UJA-Federation’s Caring Commission presented the Synagogue Inclusion Award to Rodeph Sholom and seven other congregations for their work on creating inclusive atmospheres and programming for people with disabilities.

“Having a month with a specific focus on disabilities awareness is a reminder to us,” says Spratt. Over the years, as his congregation has become more attuned to the needs of people with disabilities, it realized “we had families we’d been with through highs and lows in their life, and we had no idea that they were a family with special needs. We’re recognizing that whether we meant to or not, we had our eyes shut.”

Knocking On A Lot of Doors

Rina Pianko has firsthand experience of the unpreparedness of some Jewish organizations to serve someone with disabilities. “My children had every opportunity to be in the Jewish community as they were growing up,” Pianko says of her two older sons. But when her youngest son, Gideon, who is on the autism spectrum, reached the age of attending camp, school, and synagogue, “it wasn’t the same, and we sort of had to knock on a lot of doors to bring him into the community.”

Though Pianko’s family isn’t part of the Rodeph Sholom community, Gideon has become active in the inclusion services that the congregation holds on Shabbat and various holidays. Pianko is active herself on UJA-Federation’s autism committee, which created and allocated the awards, and she notes that though there is still room for improvement, the Jewish community has come a long way towards inclusion since she was searching for a school for Gideon. “There were 20 synagogues who applied for this, which is pretty incredible, and they all were touting their special needs programs,” she says.

Though Rodeph Sholom received the first place award, all of the eight awardees were recognized for their inclusive programming. Here are some quick snapshots of the types of accommodations the different congregations made for people with disabilities:

Congregation Rodeph Sholom (Manhattan) - In addition to their Steinman Special Education Center, which has offered educational programs and bnei mitzvah training since 1998, they now offer Shabbat and holiday services in a disability-friendly environment. Synagogue entrances and bimah access are handicapped accessible and a sign language interpreter and assisted listening devices are made available to congregants.
Westchester Reform Temple - Works to create a bnei mitzvah program that is educational for all children, regardless of learning or developmental disabilities.
Lincoln Square Synagogue (Manhattan) - Hosts awareness-raising events with members of the congregation and outside speakers discussing issues such as the experience of learning disabled children in the day school system, and the challenges of raising an autistic child.
Stephen Wise Free Synagogue (Manhattan) - Commissioned an education specialist to design an interactive prayerbook for members of the congregation with disabilities and offers targeted Sunday school classes.
Chabad of the Greater Five Towns - Offers a Friendship Circle group within the Hebrew school that caters to the educational needs of children with disabilities.
Hebrew Institute of Riverdale - Held a Yachad Shabbaton for disabled and typically-developing teenagers to learn and hang out together.
Congregation Sons of Israel (Westchester) – Coaches developmentally delayed individuals for their adult bnei mitzvah.
Beth El of Flatbush - Provides training for members of two nearby residences with mental and physical disabilities to participate, and take leadership roles, in synagogue services.

Spratt, for one, is hopeful that this award will help Rodeph Sholom “move from creating these separate experiences for families and creating some broader congregational change,” but it also reminds him that every congregation, no matter its size, doesn’t have to wait for outside recognition or funding to set out on the road to inclusion. “Every Jewish community can be taking steps to be more inclusive, to recognize more needs,” he says.

And in the process of developing inclusion programming at Rodeph Sholom, Spratt says he has, in some ways, gained as much as Gideon or any of the other participants in the programs. “Helping to bring this program forward has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life,” he says. “To sit with a family and hear them say that, as a family they’ve never been to a Rosh Hashana service, never experienced a Passover service outside of their home, these are heartbreaking things. It’s difficult to see in the Jewish world, where we’re so progressive on so many issues, that there are so many people that we have intentionally or unintentionally excluded.”

Synagogues or communities that are interested in creating or improving their inclusion programming should consult the resources on our Jewish Disabilities Awareness Month page.

Birthright Connects American and Israeli LGBT Community

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:29:00 -0500

Many of Joey Kuhn’s friends had been on Birthright and had come back with rave reviews. They’d fallen for the country’s natural beauty, the chance to meet and bond with Israeli soldiers, and a thousand other details of the trip.

So why had Kuhn never been on Birthright? Kuhn, who is gay, was concerned about how his sexual orientation would be received. But despite his initial hesitation, he finally booked his El Al ticket and started packing his bags.

Marc Krohn and Sammy Dweck enjoy the view from atop a camel. Courtesy of Joey Kuhn

“I’m a little nervous about what the reaction will be,” Kuhn, who lives in Manhattan, said before the trip. “I’m not sure how accepting people are of the LGBT community. In any unfamiliar place, you never know how open you can be about your sexual identity.” From January 4th through the 15th, 40 Americans, including Kuhn who chaired the trip, participated in the first federation-supported LGBT Birthright bus, funded by UJA-Federation and the Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Manhattan, and organized in part by UJA-Federation’s Emerging Leaders & Philanthropists.

When he returned, it was clear that Kuhn’s initial anxieties had melted away. “The trip was so spectacular, it exceeded every expectation I had,” he says. “I never thought that I would want to live in the Middle East, but I could tell you that after going to Tel Aviv I would love to live in Tel Aviv.”

What transpired on his 10-day whirlwind trip that changed Kuhn’s mind? Part of it was the experiences that most Birthright participants have: sojourning in a Bedouin tent, floating in the Dead Sea, exploring Tel Aviv nightlife, and of course the emotional journey to Yad Vashem.

But one aspect of the trip that caught Kuhn off guard was the group dynamic that developed very early on. “I did not realize how close all of us would get on the trip,” he says. “I did not in a million years think I would meet so many people on the trip that I would want to be friends with for years and years and years after.”

Kuhn feels that a big part of the bonding came from the element of shared experience and identity between the participants. Many activities such as meeting the Israeli soldiers, who were also members of the LGBT community; visiting the Western Wall; and learning about Israel’s history, both ancient and modern, brought up complex questions about the participants’ identities.

A Question of Identity

Danna Rosenthal and Joey Kuhn. Courtesy of Joey Kuhn

Jodie Katz, the education coordinator at IsraelExperts, one of Taglit Birthright’s trip providers who helped plan the itinerary, echoed Kuhn’s sentiment about the importance of common ground to the participants’ experience. “A lot of questions come up that have to do with your Jewish identity and your connection to Israel and all that, and I think when you can do it in a group of your peers, it makes the atmosphere more comfortable and more accepting for everyone,” she explains.

The trip provided many opportunities to learn and ask questions of members of Israel’s LGBT community. In addition to asking the soldiers about their experiences serving as openly gay men and women in the Israeli army, the group also met with Gal Uchovsky, the writer of the popular Israeli movie Yossi & Jagger, about two male Israeli soldiers who fall in love; and spoke to representatives from nonprofits such as Israel Gay Youth, and Tehila, a group for parents of members of the LGBT community.

They also heard from Rabbi Gail Diamond, who teaches at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem, about her personal experience making aliyah with her partner and raising their two children. She talked about the benefits of gay life in Israel: same-sex partner immigration rights, access to fertility treatments, the ability to serve openly in the military, as well as some of the challenges, such as the controversies over women in the public sphere, and the difficulty of finding a school that will both provide her children with a religious education and an atmosphere that is accepting of the LGBT community.

When the group first entered the conference room at the Rimonim hotel where she was speaking, Diamond was concerned that the participants would be jetlagged from their flight and exhausted from walking the Old City, but she found them energized and full of questions. “These groups that come are so important,” she says. “Israel really needs connections with the diversity of the American Jewish community.”

And conversely, the LGBT community in America can gain interesting insights from observing the differences and similarities on the ground in Israel. “The chance to see Israel, and see it through a queer lens with other people my age from the LGBT community, was beyond exciting,” Kuhn says. “After the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and the passage of gay marriage this summer in New York City, it’s obvious that we are experiencing a sea change in acceptance of the LGBT community; I’m happy that the Jewish community is a part of that.”

Seeing the Promise to Ethiopian Jews Fulfilled

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:17:00 -0500

By John S. Ruskay

This week, I accompanied 82 Falas Mora as they made their journey from Ethiopia home to Israel — bearing witness to the fulfillment of a promise made long ago. I was joined by 19 of our leaders, including UJA-Federation board chair Alisa Doctoroff and campaign chair Marcia Riklis, on a mission organized by the Jewish Federations of North America.

We spent two days in Northern Ethiopia learning about the life of the Falas Mora, visiting the synagogues, cemeteries, and schools they had erected to sustain their Jewish commitment even though their ancestors had converted to Christianity. In a synagogue in Gondar, we joined hundreds adorned in tallitim and tefillin for morning prayers that concluded with “Am Yisrael Chai” and “Od Avinu Chai” sung with a poignancy and passion that none of us will soon forget.

On Wednesday in Addis Ababa, we met with those preparing for aliyah, greeting them as they carried their children and belongings to assembly points, and then accompanying them on the flight and to the tarmac at Ben-Gurion airport in Israel. Later, we traveled to a Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) absorption center in Kiryat Gat, which provides individualized services to some 200 new immigrants. Natan Sharansky was there to greet us.

I first traveled to Ethiopia in 2003 to probe allegations of starvation among the Falas Mora (the allegations were exaggerated). Much has improved in the country since then. But on both visits, it was the resilience of the people that stood out. Despite living in squalid conditions, their faces reveal no resentment. In multiple ways, they express their yearning to rejoin their families and their people in Israel.

The story of the Falas Mora is long and complex. Once the Israeli rabbinate and the government of Israel determined that they were entitled entry to Israel, UJA-Federation of New York joined the effort to advocate for their quick aliyah. The saga of Ethiopian Jewry has included Operation Moses in 1984, when thousands left their villages by foot, trekking to refugee camps in southern Sudan, where those who survived the treacherous journey were brought to Israel. In 1991, more than 14,000 were miraculously airlifted to Israel over the 36-hour Operation Solomon. Over three decades, JAFI has fulfilled the dream of aliyah for some 80,000 Ethiopian Jews and there is a multiparty agreement to complete the return by early 2014.

Through our support of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and JAFI, we have provided funding for food and medical care for the thousands who awaited final permission to return. Once in Israel, we’ve been at the forefront of helping Ethiopians put down lasting roots, with programs like Birth to Bagrut offering educational enrichment and support, beginning at infancy. To see the clinics created by JDC, Hebrew language classes and aliyah preparation led by JAFI, and head start and job training programs in Israel is to see yet again what it means to actualize global Jewish responsibility in every part of the world. That’s what Federations and our campaigns make possible.

Our mission was enriched by two exceptional individuals: Micha Feldman, who in 1991 was the senior JAFI professional coordinating Operation Solomon, and is affectionately called Abba Micha by large numbers of Ethiopian Jews; and Dr. Will Recant, currently assistant executive vice president of JDC, who was the first executive director of the American Association for Ethiopian Jews. Their knowledge of and commitment to Ethiopian Jewry is without bounds.

Micha Feldman said, “If we welcome them and provide them help to establish new lives in Israel, rest assured, what is today seen as a burden can and will be seen as an asset.” This week’s experience deepened my belief that Micha is correct. Last night in Tel Aviv, three officers in the Israeli Defense Forces joined us — each a child of Ethiopian olim. Their parents had struggled, but given educational opportunities, the children exceled. Stories like these don’t just happen. They require our continued attention, advocacy, and resources. And while the honor of witnessing the return from Gondar to Israel was filled with joy, the journey is not over, not by far. Until that day, our challenge and responsibility remain.

John S. Ruskay is the executive vice president and CEO of UJA-Federation of New York.

Teens Bring Holocaust Play to International Stage

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:13:00 -0500

Despite torrential rain, the 1,800-seat hall at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan was filled nearly to capacity on January 27th. The attendees included diplomats, Holocaust survivors, members of the New York Jewish community, and a group of 19 teenagers who comprise the cast of the play Sosua: Dare to Dance Together, a project of the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood, a beneficiary agency of UJA-Federation of New York.

Jordan Hoepelman, Emanuela Reznik, and Katia Shevel sing a song from the play Sosua at the United Nations.

Everyone was gathered to mark the UN’s seventh annual International Day of Commemoration, which pays tribute to the victims of the Holocaust on the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp. The cast of Sosua sat in the first few rows of the hall, visibly excited. They had been invited to sing four songs from the play, which focuses on the little-known story of the roughly 600 German and Austrian Jews who were taken in by the Dominican Republic during the Holocaust, making it the only Western country to offer them asylum.

“It was a great audience. I heard there were some people crying. It was great to let people know about this story because not too many people know about it,” says Jordan Hoepelman, who has performed in the play’s shifting cast each of the three years since its inception.

“For us to be accepted at the UN shows that the value of message we’re bringing of peace and gratitude is powerful enough to bring to an international stage,” says Victoria Neznansky, the chief program officer at the Wahington Heights Y, who initially conceived of the play as a way to bring Jewish and Dominican teens from the community together.

That message has definitely comes across in the performances, particularly in the question-and-answer sessions that the audience often has with the cast after a show. Just ask Neil Steinberg, the chair of UJA-Federation’s Community Connections Committee, which allocated the money to help launch the production three years ago as part of its broader mission of improving relationships between the New York Jewish community and its diverse neighbors.

Courtesy of UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz

Steinberg says that each time he has seen the play there has been a palpable sense of connection in the air. “It’s really great to see Jews and Dominicans in the community come together,” he says. “Seeing people who live alongside each other but don’t necessarily know each other come to see their friends, their siblings, their children perform this show was a really powerful thing.”

Connecting to History

It’s not just a powerful experience for the audience, but for the cast as well. Neznansky notes that in past years, Elizabeth Swados, the show’s Tony Award-nominated director and composer, gave the cast prompts that forced them to plumb their own identities and share experiences of when they had felt ostracized or unwanted. This process of introspection helped Hoepelman discover his own family’s connection to the history of Sosua; before taking part in the play he knew simply that he was Dominican, but his father later revealed to him that some of Jordan’s ancestors had been German Jews who immigrated to the Dominican Republic during the Holocaust.

In addition to the UN performance, the play has recently received other accolades including a nomination for the Prakhin International Literary Foundation's Award "The Truth about the Holocaust and Stalinist Repression." For the occasion the cast performed the play in its entirety at an awards ceremony held at the Museum of Jewish Heritage on January 29th. The play has also garnered a grant from the Foundation for Jewish Culture so that filmmakers Renee Silverman and Peter Miller can complete a documentary about the project.

As the play has been performed before more audiences, it’s become clear that its impact has extended well beyond Washington Heights. This year, that transition is reflected in the cast as well. For the first two years, the participants in the play were Jewish and Dominican students from the Washington Heights area, but this year, the cast is drawn from 17 different high schools around the city, and includes students of many different nationalities.

Neznansky says this newfound diversity of the cast, as well as the variety in the types of audiences they’ve performed for, merely “shows that this is a global message that all people can relate to, not just Jews and Dominicans.”

Hundreds of Volunteers Power 2012 Super Sunday

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:06:00 -0500

Hundreds of volunteers made calls to raise money for UJA-Federation of New York on January 29th.

The joyful sound of teens rapping a song of support set the beat on January 29th as hundreds of volunteers spent Super Sunday making calls and raising more than $735,000 from 1,045 donors for UJA-Federation of New York.

From Manhattan to Long Island to Westchester, callers obtained funds for UJA-Federation’s annual campaign. “This event brings together the New York Jewish community to raise much-needed funds,” said Jerry W. Levin, president of UJA-Federation, “The generosity of our donors provides a safety net for our community.”

What is Super Sunday, what is it about?Raising all this money, give us all a shout.

Anastasiya Martinova (left) and Elizabeth Barshay were part of a group of teen volunteers from Marks Jewish Community House (JCH) of Bensonhurst at Super Sunday.

Kicking off the calling, a group of teens from Marks Jewish Community House (JCH) of Bensonhurst, clad in bright orange t-shirts, performed an original rap song that they wrote and had been rehearsing for weeks. “I’ve been coming to Super Sunday for four years. It’s a tradition for me. I’ve been at the J since I was four, and it’s important for me to give back,” said Anastasiya Martinova, 18, one of those responsible for the song.

Young people were conspicuous throughout the day and around the region. On Long Island, Bari Morchower, a Hofstra University student and Hillel member, made calls enthusiastically. She said, “I went on Birthright Israel last year and so now it’s even more important that I support UJA-Federation because I’ve experienced the benefits of UJA-Federation’s work. I could never give back the amount that I’ve gotten.” Members of many other Hillels from the area also participated.

We’re one generation, one kehilah,We value this day, this day of tzedakah.

Families Feeding Families Teen Chairs Marlee Baumberg (left) and Kate Schnitzer, both from Scarsdale, stand in front of boxes ready to be filled with donated food.

In Westchester, in addition to volunteers who raised funds through phone calls, more than 120 teens sorted and packed food donations that will be distributed through UJA-Federation’s beneficiary agencies, including the Bronx Jewish Community Council and Westchester Jewish Community Services. The donations were collected during a month-long food drive involving 31 synagogues, Jewish community center, and other community organizations. Stephanie Tessler, a chair of the initiative, said, “Families Feeding Families is the ultimate team effort of committed individuals, organizations, and synagogues working towards a common goal.”

Supporting the foundations of a wide variety,Helping create a stronger Jewish society.

In New York, many callers were volunteers or staff members from UJA-Federation beneficiary agencies. “Super Sunday exemplifies UJA-Federation’s successful efforts at addressing the needs of and caring for the Jewish community both here and abroad,” said Ilene Marcus, a Super Sunday chair and chief of staff at the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. The other chair, Alex Budnitsky, CEO and executive director of the JCH of Bensonhurst, said, “Each of us can help in our own individual way, but when we leverage our collective voice, we can multiply our impact and truly make a difference in the lives of everyone in need.”

Brent Weitzberg (left) and Michael Hochfelson, of Hofstra Hillel, make phone calls on Super Sunday.

Jonathan M Harris, former chair of the general campaign for UJA-Federation, added that “Super Sunday has been a long-standing tradition” and the funds are urgently needed as the region reels from the recession of the past few years.

Family programs, Jewish scholarships,Food for the elderly, and it doesn’t stop at this.

This year saw an increase in Super Sunday volunteers. In New York, it was standing room only as callers filled the 200 seats for both morning and afternoon sessions. Those who made calls said the work of UJA-Federation inspired them. Claire Zizov from the Kings Bay YM-YWHA said as she made calls, many of which succeeded in bringing in donations, “I don’t give up.”

“UJA-Federation is a great cause,” said Alyssa Blumenthal, of Hillel at Queens College, who was excited to obtain several donations. “If you’re going to give to a Jewish charity, this is it.”

With all of our help it will last forever, And it’s all because we’re good together.

Purim Food Drive Gets Set for Second Year

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:31:25 -0500

The large cardboard box outside the classrooms of the preschool at the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center in Nassau County was a telltale sign of Purim last year. Because besides learning about hamantaschen and the story of Queen Esther, 170 children ages 2, 3, and, 4 were learning about the Pack It Up for Purim food drive and how they could help New Yorkers who are hungry.

Food packages collected for the Pack It Up for Purim food drive last year.

And the big brown box that held the food collected by the parents and children is about to show up again, says Allison Okun, Sid Jacobson’s assistant director of early childhood, as the school gets ready to participate in the Pack It Up for Purim food drive this year.

Sid Jacobson JCC was one of 50 organizations and several thousand volunteers that participated in Pack It Up for Purim in 2011, the first year of the initiative. It is a communitywide food drive through UJA-Federation of New York, AmeriCorps, and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, a UJA-Federation beneficiary agency.

The food drive invites local synagogues, Jewish day schools, Hillels, and communal agencies to donate nutritious food packages for New Yorkers in need throughout New York City, Westchester, and Long Island.

Plans for the 2012 Pack It Up for Purim food drive are already in full swing. Food packages can be delivered to a drop-off sites from Tuesday, February 14th, to Tuesday, February 28th. You can check online for information about Pack It Up for Purim package shopping lists, food drop-off sites, and more.

"In the spirit of the Purim holiday, Pack It Up for Purim is a great way for people to come together for a good cause," says Alexandra Levy, an AmeriCorps service member placed at UJA-Federation. "It's really fulfilling to see families, seniors, and Hillels, as well as other community organizations, take part."

Levy and 13 AmeriCorps service members, working at various agencies within our network, are helping to organize this large-scale volunteer initiative.

This Year’s Goal: Collecting 2,000 Food Packages

In 2011, collecting 1,000 food packages was the goal. This year’s goal is set for a 100 percent increase: 2,000 food packages. The food packages are inspired by the Purim tradition, mishloach manot, offering food to a neighbor, and will be distributed to people in need through food pantries and other outlets. The packages also include healthy recipes.

At the Sid Jacobson JCC, Okun remembers, enthusiasm ran high for the Pack It Up for Purim food drive: "The children helped decorate boxes that held the food packages, and the entire JCC embraced the Pack It Up for Purim project, so the children saw the food collection boxes all over the place, not just in their school wing."

Okun explains that a food drive is something young children can understand.

"They may not know true hunger, but they knew what it’s like to be hungry and waiting for lunch," she says. "And the kids knew that they were helping people nearby who needed help."

At at least one place last year, the project inspired food donations long after Purim. Last year at the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center, Levy notes, interest in Pack It Up for Purim was so great that it developed into an ongoing sustainable food pantry.

Whether you're young or old, or somewhere in between, Pack It Up for Purim is a volunteer project that everyone can pitch in and join.

Generosity Event Brings Young Philanthropists Together

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:01:00 -0500

It’s a common punch line that if you ask 10 Jews a question, you’ll get 10 different opinions. Similarly, if you asked the more than 700 philanthropists in their 20s and 30s what brought them to UJA-Federation’s Generosity event on January 19th, you’d have gotten many different responses.

Generosity event chairs Lisa Richenstein (left), Jerome Shapiro, and Jackie Friedman. Photo: Michael Priest

At first glance, it was evident that people came to have a good time. Men and women dressed to the nines drifted between the tawny Corinthian columns of Capitale, the swanky lower Manhattan venue in a converted bank that played host to last year’s Generosity event as well. From the schmoozing crowd and the pulsing music, you could tell that Generosity, which is part of UJA-Federation of New York’s Emerging Leaders & Philanthropists, is a great place to meet friends, new and old.

“Someone once said to me, ‘I love Generosity because I know I’m going to run into that girl I went on a teen tour with, or that kid I went to camp with but haven’t seen in years,’” says Aaron Zises, a Generosity division chair.

While some appreciate the chance to play Jewish geography in a luxe setting, Zises stressed that the philanthropic aims of the evening were on his mind. “I believe that you don’t just give to what’s hot right now. I trust that the organization makes the right decisions with the gifts they receive,” he says.

'Need To Care For Each Other'

Jerome Shapiro, a Generosity event chair along with Jackie Friedman and Lisa Richenstein, echoed that sentiment, saying that an event like this helps him and the other attendees recall what they might otherwise forget. “In New York, we all lead such separate, and at times selfish, lives,” Shapiro says. “To come together for a good cause and remember we’re all Jews and we need to care for each other, especially for those who can’t be in the room and need it most, is really important.”

Generosity division vice-chairs Lee Brodsky (left) and Kyle Koeppel; Generosity chairs Aaron Zises and Peter Stern. Photo: Michael Priest

A huge video screen showed images of past Generosity events, including the mission to Cuba last summer and volunteer events, and it flashed words to express the sentiments of many: act, compassion, community, responsibility, and more. A giant banner under the screen said, “You Care, We Feed.” A record for Generosity of $85,000 was raised through text-to-pledge.

Friedman says she values the chance that Generosity events throughout the year offer her, not just to give back but also to play a hands-on role in the philanthropic process. “It’s not just giving, it’s also seeing how it’s being given,” explains Friedman. “We’re actually seeing the difference our work makes in people’s lives, whether we’re going to a soup kitchen on the Lower East Side or whether it’s going on a mission to Cuba to visit the small, but very active, Jewish community.”

Other attendees forged a connection to UJA-Federation at an early age and later found Generosity to be the best outlet for their desire to give back. “I’ve been involved with UJA-Federation since I was 8 years old,” recounts Peter Stern, another Generosity division chair. “My first experience was participating in 1991, sitting on the tarmac at an Israeli air force base, greeting Ethiopian Jews as they touched down in Israel for the first time during Operation Solomon. I will never forget the excitement and joy these people had in their eyes as they were about to begin their new lives.”

“Picture yourself changing the world,” said a sign outside a photo booth set up at the event. “You and your generosity look good together.”

Conference Inspires Spiritual Care

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:28:00 -0500

“Gratitude yields a desire to pay it forward, an upstream reciprocity,” guest speaker Rabbi Shai Held told more than 50 key leaders at the Jewish Seminary Pastoral Educators Conference on January 10th at UJA-Federation of New York. “If someone gives me something, I want to give to whoever needs — that’s passing it forward.”

Rabbi Shai Held was the guest speaker at the Jewish Seminary Pastoral Educators Conference at UJA-Federation.

Rabbi Held shared his vision of spirituality and generosity with faculty and administrators from seminaries across the country and across denominations, as well as rabbis in UJA-Federation’s network of agencies.

The conference participants are training current and future rabbis to use Jewish pastoral and spiritual care in a variety of roles ranging from pulpit rabbis to spiritual leaders at Hillels, hospitals, or other community organizations.

In his remarks exploring the dimensions of generosity, Rabbi Held explained, “We are made to give. To live without generosity is to be alienated from our deepest self. Ideally, we give from an open heart and not an obedient will.”

Rabbi Held is co-founder, Rosh Yeshiva, and chair in Jewish thought at Mechon Hadar and winner of the 2011 Covenant Award for excellence in Jewish education

UJA-Federation, in collaboration with the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, convened the conference to help expand the field of Jewish pastoral education, which has been growing over the past 10 years.

Sessions covered topics ranging from pastoral training partnerships with human-service agencies to the latest concepts on teaching pastoral care.

“When we speak of a caring and inspired community, it is a community that can lift someone’s spirit,” noted John S. Ruskay, executive vice president and CEO of UJA-Federation. “When you are with a person who is sick or at the end of their days and you share a text to give comfort, that kind of human care and community connects to meaning and purpose. You have an enormous influence in what is happening in Jewish life.”

Ruskay said the future of Jewish life will be strengthened as more organizations and lay people support the practice of spiritual care. ”You are on the frontlines of providing people with a deep sense of community."

Virtual Senior Center Brings World to Senior at Age 105

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:17:00 -0500

Adele Lerner, 105, stays connected to the world through her computer and the Virtual Senior Center.

In 1906, when Adele Lerner was born, the first radio broadcast of entertainment and music was the height of technology. Now at age 105, Lerner, a homebound senior in Queens, uses the latest interactive Internet technology to help her stay connected to family in California and to meet other homebound older adults in New York.

It’s all made possible by the Virtual Senior Center, supported by UJA-Federation. Selfhelp Community Services, a UJA-Federation beneficiary agency, developed the project with the city of New York and Microsoft. The Virtual Senior Center brings free computer, video, and Internet technology into the homes of older adults and provides staff to teach seniors how to use these tools to re-engage with the world. Here, Lerner shares how the Virtual Senior Center has opened new doors for her.

Why did you want to participate in the Virtual Senior Center?When I was 82, I graduated from Lehman College. I studied art. I used to paint. When I was 90, my family bought me a computer, but I had a hard time with it. Now I’m 105 years old. It’s hard for me to leave my apartment building, and I was lonely. I was more to myself. But with the Virtual Senior Center, it’s different.

How has the Virtual Senior Center helped you?I see New York’s Central Synagogue services on my computer. It’s wonderful. It’s beautiful to see other things. We have a little synagogue in my building, but Central has so many torahs. And I don’t have to travel to see it.

And I’ve made new friends with people in other parts of the city who use the Virtual Senior Center. We’ve talked about famous people and songs. I also have a camera on my computer, and my daughter in California has one on her computer. I can see her and be in touch with her every day.

I like anything about this world, and the computer helped me with that. I love to learn new things. I’m very happy that I’ve lived long enough to see what’s happening.

Have you helped other seniors with the Virtual Senior Center?They tell me I give them inspiration. If at my age I can do this, then they can too.

Why Screening for Jewish Genetic Diseases Matters

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:49:00 -0500

Caren and Jonah Weintraub knew firsthand the risks they faced when they decided to start a family. Both Caren and Jonah, who are of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, have family members who were born with Jewish genetic diseases. So they chose to have genetic screening through a simple blood test before Caren became pregnant.

Nearly 1 in 3 Ashkenazi Jews in the United States is a carrier of at least one of 19 diseases, according to the Jewish Genetic Disease Consortium (JGDC), and Mizrachi and Sephardic Jews are also at risk.

Caren and Jonah Weintraub with their healthy daughter. Photo: Lori Berkowitz of Loribnow

With these statistics in mind, UJA-Federation of New York, in collaboration with the JGDC and the New York Board of Rabbis, is providing support for a clergy education program, Couples Aware.

The program trains rabbis and cantors to encourage couples and other congregants to follow the Weintraubs’ example and have screening for Jewish genetic diseases before starting a family. Since clergy often provide premarital counseling, they are well positioned to reach couples at a pivotal life-cycle moment in their lives.

“The training allows me to do more extensive counseling about screening than I did before,” says Rabbi Carie Carter, spiritual leader of the Park Slope Jewish Center. “It’s important to have this counseling because it provides a much broader perspective than most Jewish people know. Most people know about Tay-Sachs, but there’s a much wider range of diseases. People need to know the risks and what steps to take if you find out you’re a carrier.”

Only One Jewish Grandparent? Screening Is Still Important

Even if one partner has only one Jewish grandparent, that partner should consider genetic screening, according to JGDC. If both partners are carriers, there is a 1 in 4 chance of having an affected child, and a couple has multiple options to choose from depending on the disease for which they are a carrier and their own personal considerations.

“It’s important for all couples to consult a genetics counselor, who can play a critical role in the process,” adds Randy Yudenfriend Glaser, JGDC chair and a mother of two adult children who have a Jewish genetic disease. “These are tragic, fatal, horrific diseases for the family and child. I want to protect future generations from a lot of sadness and mourning, and to protect children from a painful and difficult life.”

Since 2010, Couples Aware has trained nearly 160 rabbis in the New York metropolitan area. A web-based training program is also available. Couples Aware also provides a 24-page guide that rabbis and cantors can give to couples to take to a genetics counselor for further discussion.

For Caren, the screening showed that she tested positive for one disease. The next step was to screen Jonah for that disease. His test results confirmed that he was not a carrier.

“The screening eased my concerns when I was pregnant,” Caren adds. “It eased my anxiety.”

She and Jonah are now the proud parents of a healthy baby girl.

Unite Against Extremist Acts in Israel

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:19:00 -0500

By John S. Ruskay

All of us who feel an abiding connection to the people and state of Israel are following with growing concern news reports of recent religious extremism and violence, including in Beit Shemesh. Though the verbal and physical abuse has been at the hands of a few, their reprehensible actions and words have reverberated throughout the Jewish world.

These events have heightened awareness of the growing divide, both in Israel and throughout the Jewish world, between those who seek to embrace Judaism and modernity and those who believe that Judaism and modernity are incompatible and therefore create more insular lifestyles. UJA-Federation of New York is, and has been for many years, investing in programs and efforts to open lines of communication and bridge these divides.

At present, it is critical that the broadest range of Jewish leadership publicly express our collective outrage. Indeed, in the past few days, such statements have been dispatched from many corners of the Jewish world, from leaders of the Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, secular, Israeli, and North American communities. All have raised their voices to make it clear that we condemn these actions.

I am proud that the first statement that came across my desk was issued by the Jewish Federations of North America. It states clearly that while we may come from different backgrounds and have different views on multiple issues, we stand united in denouncing acts of violence, intimidation, and coercion within our community and the Jewish people — particularly when taken in the name of Judaism.

On this eve of a new secular year, while wishing each of you a year of health, I am including that statement -- Jewish Federations Condemn Wave of Religious Extremism and Violence in Israel. I wanted each of you to have the opportunity to review it. As always, I am most interested in your reactions to the statement and to this latest challenge facing our people.

John S. Ruskay is executive vice president and CEO of UJA-Federation of New York.

Helping the Neediest Among Us

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:25:00 -0500

By John S. Ruskay

The year was 1955. I’d been reading the newspaper daily to follow my beloved Brooklyn Dodgers, when The New York Times Neediest Cases caught my eye. I read about people who seemed so desperate. So forgotten. So in need of the basics — food, clothing, a roof over their heads. For years, my parents had ingrained in me an appreciation for our blessings. It was against this backdrop that I turned to my fellow fifth graders and asked them to contribute to the Neediest Cases campaign. After a week, I dispatched with pride a check in the amount of $36.27. My class sent along a note, and behold, it was printed in the paper.

Who would have known that a few decades later, I would be the CEO of one of the seven charities that are beneficiaries of the Neediest Cases fund, now celebrating its centennial. According to the Times, the campaign was conceived after a chance encounter. On Christmas Day 1911, the paper’s publisher, Adolph Ochs, met a shabbily dressed man on the street and handed him a few dollars. The next year, he dispatched a reporter to start collecting stories about people in need. Over these 100 years, the campaign has raised $250 million.

The premise is simple. Provide readers with a window into a second New York, men and women who share our city but live so differently than most of us. In getting a glimpse into their reality, we gain a newfound appreciation for what we have and what we can do. These stories inspire us to both deepen our commitment to these individuals while also focusing on broader, communal approaches to alleviating poverty.

UJA-Federation and our network of agencies function on both levels: providing direct help and studying the larger picture to design and create systemic interventions, such as single stop centers, Partners in Caring, Connect to Care, and far more. These are programs and places where people on the precipice can access multiple services to help them navigate immediate crises and even turn their lives around.

The fifth grader who roused his classmates tries to do the same today. I still seek out others to evoke in them an appreciation for the blessings we share. Reading the Neediest Cases is both a reminder of our impact on individual lives — and how much we still have to do. I am grateful, too, for these courageous people who share their stories with us. In their honesty, they provide us with daily insights into a world we may otherwise never know.

Whether you are lighting a menorah tonight or anticipating Christmas, I hope you will take in the gratitude for what we have and the privilege of doing work that honors our values and does so much good for the neediest among us.

John S. Ruskay is executive vice president and CEO of UJA-Federation of New York.

Aiding Europe’s Jewish Renaissance

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:51:00 -0500

Recently, Europe has been experiencing a second renaissance — a Jewish renaissance. Young people, even those who are intermarried or not considered Jewish by matrilineal descent or by upbringing, are reconnecting with their roots and their culture.

MiNYanim, a new Central and Eastern European social change incubator initiated and funded by UJA-Federation of New York through the Jewish Agency for Israel, a beneficiary agency, is aiming to fuel this revival among young European Jews. The first 32 participants graduated this past September, and already some of them are making their ventures a reality.

Participants in the MiNYanim program in Krakow, Poland.

One of the first group, Klaudia Klimek from Poland, didn’t know she was Jewish until she turned 13. When her grandmother passed away, her father discovered that his mother had been born with a Jewish name. She described this as a common experience among Polish Jews her age.

Taking Nothing For Granted

Klimek was part of a select group of young Polish Jews that met with one another monthly and met quarterly with similar groups from Hungary and Bulgaria. One commonality Klimek notes about her fellow participants is that “most of us were not brought up in a Jewish environment. Everything we know, we had to learn,” she says. “We do not take anything for granted.”

Nancy Amiel, chair of UJA-Federation’s Global Jewish Connections Task Force, met with the participants of the program and she says, “It was an inspiring and even emotional experience for me to see their intense curiosity about all things Jewish.”

Over the course of the program, the MiNYanim participants got to know one another, learned from guest speakers, and had festive Shabbat potlucks. The program focuses on leadership training and capacity building, in order to help each of the participants channel their energy into developing and executing projects that can give something back to the community.

For her project, Klimek is developing a journalistic project called Jewrnalism, an effort to dispel stereotypes about European Jewry by working with American Jewish media outlets to distribute reporting about Jewish life across the Atlantic.

News About Donor Information Security

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 13:23:00 -0500

In the 95 years since our organization was created, UJA-Federation of New York has strived to maintain the highest ethical standards. There’s nothing we value more than the trust of our donors. The work we do together depends on it.

So we were extremely upset when we learned several months ago from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office of a potential violation of our standards by an employee in our gift-processing department, and we have been fully cooperating with legal authorities in the investigation ever since. While the matter needed to remain confidential during the investigation, the employee was immediately suspended and now has been fired. She is among 55 people who have been indicted and arrested for the theft and sale of financial information used to defraud banks.

The District Attorney’s Office has told us that no donors suffered financial losses, and only banks and credit card companies were targeted and defrauded by the conspirators, contrary to some press reports. The contributions that donors gave to us are also completely intact and secure and continue to be used as intended to fulfill our vital mission. But we deeply regret that some donors have had their credit card or checking account numbers improperly shared through this criminal activity, as well as the worry that it has caused.

The security of our transaction processing system is an extremely high priority for us, and we safeguard that security by maintaining the highest standards of fiduciary oversight. Beyond systems controls, our staff hiring practices emphasize rigorous background checks by one of the most respected firms in the industry and we conduct regular ethics training. The district attorney’s office has informed us that, unfortunately, this type of breach can happen in any organization, no matter how stringent its controls. A security consultant we retained confirmed that our data safeguards and procedures are sound and recommended changes to further strengthen them, which we have implemented.

UJA-Federation is built on the trust of our donors. We thank you for your support as we continue to do important work together for our community in New York, Israel and around the world.

Increasing the Light at Chanukah

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:38:00 -0500

By John S. Ruskay

Chanukah arrives when the days are short and cold, when we yearn for more light and warmth. On Tuesday, the first night of Chanukah, we will begin with one candle and as we add one candle each evening, we increase the light. By the final night of Chanukah, we are basking in the glow of a fully lit menorah. It is far more satisfying to increase light than to diminish it.

I thought of this at the Wall Street Dinner Wednesday night, when Paul J. Taubman, co-president of Institutional Securities for Morgan Stanley, received the Gustav Levy Award. A Wall Street giant by day, he is a natural teacher and he shared his personal journey. Paul had shied away from the philanthropic spotlight, being more comfortable with anonymous giving. He spoke of how a decade ago, Peter May, then campaign chair, invited Paul to see our network agencies in Brooklyn. Seeing our work firsthand, including more recently a program at the JCC in Manhattan for young adults with autism and other disabilities, helped connect him to his values and recognize his blessings. He spoke of how he came to accept a more public kind of giving, willingly making himself uncomfortable by standing at the podium, “if together we can make less fortunate people a little more comfortable.”

The evening’s young leadership honoree, Scott Shleifer, managing director of Tiger Global Management, was equally eloquent and powerful. Scott said he gives “not because he seeks gratitude but because he feels gratitude.” He said he hoped his young son would feel the gift of community this Chanukah. In sharing their stories, both Paul and Scott were increasing the light.

Knowing the ups and downs of Wall Street these last four years, it was an evening to treasure — a hall filled with leaders of today’s financial services industry and young professionals who came to meet one another, continuing a tradition that goes back more than 40 years. These 1,200 men and women came to learn from the honorees about the importance of giving back to community and reaching out to those left out of the bounty so many still enjoy. In doing so, they became part of an extraordinary legacy, helping raise a record-breaking $22 million, funds that will increase the light in every corner of our city, in Israel, and throughout the world.

As we kindle the Chanukah lights next week, let us remember that a small group of people do indeed have the capacity to ignite change. Each of us — individually and when we come together as a community — bring light to darkness.

Wishing each of you and your loved ones a joyful and light-filled Chanukah.

John S. Ruskay is executive vice president and CEO of UJA-Federation of New York.

Wall Street Honors Taubman, Shleifer; Raises $22M

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:58:00 -0500

In an evening filled with words of respect as well as laughs, more than 1,200 people turned out for the annual Wall Street Dinner of UJA-Federation of New York’s Wall Street & Financial Services Division on December 14th, honoring Paul J. Taubman and Scott L. Shleifer and raising $22 million.

At UJA-Federation’s Wall Street Dinner, Daniel S. Och (left), honoree Scott L. Shleifer, emcee Susie Essman, honoree Paul J. Taubman, and Alan C. Greenberg. Photos: Chloe Seldman/Michael Priest Photography

“The support you provide this evening will enable our network of agencies to bring vital care to every part of our city, to Israel, and throughout the world,” UJA-Federation executive vice president & CEO John S. Ruskay told the audience that filled the ballroom of the New York Hilton.

Susie Essman, the comedian and actress who stars in television’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” emceed the evening and kept the audience laughing with her jokes on subjects near and far from the philanthropic world. But she also had a serious side: “I just want to thank you all for coming. We’re here to honor two remarkable individuals. They are inspirations to the Wall Street community.”

Shleifer, managing director of Tiger Global Management, received the Wall Street Young Leadership Award from Jon M Harris, a former winner of the award and former general chair of UJA-Federation’s campaign. “His drive for success is unmatched,” Harris said of Shleifer, explaining he brings the “exact same drive and passion” that marks his business career to his charitable work.

Paul J. Taubman, recipient of the Gustave L. Levy Award, speaks at the annual Wall Street Dinner of UJA-Federation’s Wall Street & Financial Services

Shleifer, who thanked his family and business colleagues, likened UJA-Federation to a successful investment firm, saying it “is a fund of fund for Jewish issues.” He said he grew up in a family where giving was stressed, especially for the Jewish community. “I give back not because I seek gratitude, but because I feel gratified.”

Dan S. Och, CEO of Och-Ziff Capital Management Group and senior chair of UJA-Federation’s Investment Management Division, gave the Gustave L. Levy Award to Taubman, who is co-president of Institutional Securities for Morgan Stanley. Och paid tribute to Taubman as “modest, ethical, and committed,” and Taubman said in response that he was “humbled” to get the honor named for the legendary Goldman Sachs financier.

“None of us got here on our own,” Taubman said, and he thanked family, friends, and all those who had been role models for him in the charitable world. After describing his family’s recent moving visit to the “Adaptations” program at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan (a UJA-Federation beneficiary agency) where young adults with autism and other disabilities get help, Taubman said he was stepping into the spotlight about his giving even though it was not altogether comfortable for him. He said he wanted to encourage others to make donations, adding, “We are blessed, and because we are blessed, we have obligations.”

Scott L. Shleifer accepts the Wall Street Leadership Award from Jonathan M Harris at UJA-Federation’s Wall Street Dinner.

Jerry W. Levin, UJA-Federation’s president, introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, Dennis Ross, who stepped down last month as the White House’s chief adviser on Middle East policy. Ross, who served in five presidential administrations, said of the situation in the Middle East now, “You have many more questions than answers.” Amidst enormous changes in just the last year, he cited the current unparalleled strategic relationship between the United States and Israel as “an important given in a time of uncertainty.“ Ross said Islamists have fared relatively well so far in the “Arab Spring,” but he said increasing clamoring for citizen involvement in the region meant they couldn’t count on holding onto power as easily as authoritarian predecessors. He also told the audience to watch for coming Palestinian elections and root for the success of non-violent activists.

Dennis Ross, former chief White House adviser on Middle East policy, speaks at UJA-Federation’s annual Wall Street Dinner.

Essman closed the program by saying, “I’d especially like to thank each and every one of you for being here and for your tremendous generosity. You care and, through UJA-Federation, you help millions of people every year. We do so much good when we do it together.”

Butler Awards Honor Disability Services’ Unsung Heroes

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:48:00 -0500

It’s easy to take our intellectual and physical abilities for granted, and yet “almost everyone we know knows or has a family member or friend with some form of disability,” says Bruce Doniger, president and CEO of the J.E. & Z.B. Butler Foundation. “The people who provide disability services to these individuals are largely overworked, underpaid, and not always acknowledged by society. We believe that they are unsung heroes and should be acknowledged.”

It is in that spirit that the Butler Foundation and UJA-Federation of New York’s Task Force on People With Disabilities presented the Zella Bronfman Butler Awards on December 13th. The award was given for excellence in the field of disability services to three professionals — Glen Parrish, Susan Schwaber-Tregerman, and Dr. Steven M. Wolf — working in UJA-Federation’s network of beneficiary agencies. The winners received $10,000 along with the award.

The Butler Foundation and the Task Force on People with Disabilities “value those who are committed to helping support and enhance the quality of life of individuals with disabilities and their families,” says Anita Altman, UJA-Federation’s deputy managing director of government and external relations. Though the winners come from widely varying backgrounds within the disability-services field, Altman notes that to be successful in the field requires they have certain characteristics in common: being caring and empathetic, and having the ability for passionate engagement.

When he found out he’d been nominated for the award, Glen Parrish, residence manager of the Vernondale Intermediate Care Facility, a program of the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS), says he was shocked and thrilled. “I might have got a little teary, but if someone asks me, I’ll say I had something in my eye,” he jokes.

From Hip-Hop to Health Care

About 12 years ago, Parrish, a former member of the 1990s hip-hop group Heavy D & the Boyz, was between jobs, coaching his nephew’s baseball and football teams. His sister, who noticed how well he worked with children, suggested he make it his career. He went on to work with adolescents with disabilities, but when he transitioned to working with adults, some of his friends and colleagues questioned the move. “I was told that they would be in a point in their life where growth did not happen. But I brought with me my strong belief that all people can grow and learn and have hope,” he says.

Susan Schwaber-Tregerman, another of the awardees and assistant executive director of the Mid-Island Y Jewish Community Center, came to the disability services field through the lens of education. She began as a part-time kindergarten teacher at the Mid-Island Y 35 years ago. “As an educator, I always had an interest in special education and inclusion,” she says. “I believe that all children are capable of learning and, as a community, it is our responsibility to support that learning.” Recently, the Mid-Island Y JCC’s K.I.S.S. (Kids in Special Services) program has provided services and support to children with disabilities and their families, and has helped raise awareness among other children of kids with special needs.

The third winner was Dr. Steven M. Wolf, director of pediatric epilepsy at Beth Israel Medical Center. Dr. Wolf is a recognized leader in the study and care of those living with disabilities and epilepsy, and he has a pragmatic outlook on providing disability services. “It is about connecting the dots, looking at the disorders and problems, and trying to come up with new solutions,” he says.

Lawyers Division Honors Musoff, Mechanic

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:49:00 -0500

More than 600 people came together at the Waldorf-Astoria on December 8th as UJA-Federation’s Lawyers Division honored Jonathan L. Mechanic and Scott D. Musoff and made a record collective gift of $1.6 million.

Scott D. Musoff (left), recipient of UJA-Federation’s James H. Fogelson Emerging Leadership Award, and Jonathan L. Mechanic, recipient of the Judge Joseph M. Proskauer Award. Photo: Chloe Seldman/Michael Priest Photography.

Keith D. Krakaur, chair of the Lawyer’s Division, thanked members of the audience for their support at the annual event, which was sold out and drew nearly twice as many people as in 2010. Krakaur talked about the scope of the work UJA-Federation supports as a result of the generosity of donors: “The number of people who benefit is staggering.”

In presenting Mechanic with the Judge Joseph M. Proskauer Award, Rob Speyer, co-chief executive officer of Tishman Speyer, said, “I would put his skills up against any lawyer in the country.” He added, “I think of him like the Lady Gaga of our industry. He’s larger than life, and he backs up his schtick with a brilliant mind and a heart of gold.

Mechanic, a partner at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson and chairman of its real estate group, said he was honored to be “in the footsteps of great lawyers” who previously received the award. He recalled his first connections with UJA-Federation in childhood when he put money in a tzedakah box for the organization. He also cited his powerful experiences as an adult on UJA-Federation missions to Israel and Cuba, where he saw the enormous difference that the financial support of the group has made. He thanked his family and colleagues for their support of him and UJA-Federation.

At UJA-Federation’s Lawyers Division Annual Event, presenter Jay B. Kasner (left), Lawyers Division chair Keith D. Krakaur, honoree Jonathan L. Mechanic, honoree Scott D. Musoff, and presenter Rob Speyer. Photo: Chloe Seldman/Michael Priest Photography.

Musoff, a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, received his James H. Fogelson Emerging Leadership Award from Jay Kasner, who is also a partner at Skadden and is an active lay leader for UJA-Federation. Kasner said Musoff is “completely committed to excellence” and cited his “deep commitment to Judaism and Israel.”

Musoff, who also thanked family and colleagues, said he was “humbled” by the award and spoke about how he has been affected by seeing the impact of UJA-Federation’s support at a variety of institutions and programs in New York and in Israel. He showed photographs of a recent trip he took with his family to Israel where they were moved by their visit to an absorption center for Jews from Ethiopia. “I can think of no better plan than to invest in UJA-Federation,” he said.

The evening’s guest speaker was Dan Senor, the author of “Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle.” Senor said Israel “continues to be one of the most dynamic start-up nations despite all the chaos” in the region. He said that much of Israel’s dynamism has been fueled by the successful inclusion of many immigrants to the country and how UJA-Federation has been crucial in helping those immigrants. In talking about the political fragility of the Middle East, he said, “Particularly because Israel is at a hinge moment, your support is so important.”

Guest speaker Dan Senor, author of “Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle.” Photo: Chloe Seldman/Michael Priest Photography.

In what has become an annual tradition, the lawyers group did not have a main dinner course at the event and the money that would have been spent on the food will be donated to four UJA-Federation beneficiary agencies to feed those in need: the Bronx Jewish Community Council, the Jewish Community Council of Canarsie, Project Ore of the Educational Alliance, and Selfhelp Community Services. A group of attendees will also volunteer to serve a meal at Project Ore.

Also, for the fifth consecutive year, Young Lawyers After Dark was held immediately following the program. More than 200 people attended the event, which included a silent auction to raise additional money for those in need. The Young Lawyers Division is part of UJA-Federation's commitment to engage the next generation of leadership. In conjunction with Emerging Leaders and Philanthropists, thousands of young people are engaged each year through social, volunteer and educational programs.