Recognizing Bright Lights in our Community.
Community of Caring Celebrating
Heroes Against Hate December 22, 2025 Clarion Hotel
2025 Community of Caring Agenda WELCOME
Annabel Lindenbaum HEROES AGAINST HATE
Honoree Presentations MENSCH AWARD
Honoree Presentation LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Honoree Presentations JFOC ANNUAL MEETING
Security Grants Approval of the Board of Directors CLOSING REMARKS
JFOC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Yvette Atkins Michael Berman Cyndy Friedman Richard Gaines Fran Gimpel Peter Kitay Lorna Klein Avi Kotler Alan Krupnick
Pamela Ligorski Annabel Lindenbaum Larry Mandel Shelly Newman David Rosen Lauren Rosen Randi Rozovsky Barbara Schulman Anise Singer
We thank Helen Cocuzza for her past service on the board and we mourn the loss of our board member Mona Sternbach, may her memory be a blessing.
We provided more than $200,000 in Israel emergency grants since 10/7 and now we have transitioned to helping Israel Recover, there is a long road ahead, www.jewishoceancounty.org/israelrecover.
Congratulations to Our Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees Annabel Lindenbaum is our current (and past) Board Chair, who pushes us to do more in our community and have as much impact as possible. Manny Lindenbaum is one of the most compelling presenters about how we need to embrace the lessons of the Holocaust to build a better world.
Dear Annabel and Manny, Mazal Tov on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming “Heroes Against Hate” celebration. There is no more dynamic couple more worthy and deserving of this special recognition and honor. Your fearless stand against hate and your tireless fight for justice have lit a path for others to follow. This award is more than a recognition of your work — it’s a testament to the hope you’ve shared with the world and a powerful reminder that when leaders have the courage to speak out, change is unstoppable. May this milestone remind you of the lives you’ve touched and inspire even greater victories ahead. Keep leading. Keep inspiring. The world is better because of both of you. With deepest admiration and Happy Chanukah, Drew Staffenberg
Congratulations to our Heroes Against Hate, Lifetime Achievement, and Mensch Award honorees! Dennis and Shelly Newman
Epic Developers LLC 1269 Indian Hill Rd Toms River, NJ 08753
With our security partner, JFed Security, we provide trainings and threat assessments to our partners. We also provide our partners with funding for guards, security upgrades, and emergency operation plans.
Heroes Against Hate 2025 HONOREES
Danny Hoffman served as the Executive Student Body President, Founder of the Student Advisory Committee, and the Student Liasion to the Barnegat Board of Education at Barnegat High School. Across these positions, he regularly spoke up for groups of students rendered voiceless at a time when student input was vital. Danny advocated for positive reform and greater enrichment of the local special needs program, garnering media attention. Danny also fought against the countless repeals of inclusive policies and practices throughout the district whilst consulting student opinions via the Student Advisory Committee. He was also selected as a Youth "Changemaker" for the Garden State Equality Conference, and as a delegate for the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Summit. Danny was a founding member and the first Youth Director at Barnegat Pride. Danny is in his first-year at The Pennsylvania State University - University Park, studying Education & Public Policy and International Politics. At Penn State, Danny continues to serve as a Student Advocate for Lion Caucus, as a member of the First-Year Council, and as a Research Assistant in the College of Education. Danny hopes to, one day, fix systemic gaps and issues with accessibility in education, across the world.
Sheriff Michael Mastronardy has been working on cultural diversity issues since early in his career. As Sheriff his department partners with the prosecutor's office on the Hate Has No Home Here initiative. In recent years he has travelled to Poland for a commemoration of the Nazi death march and to Israel soon after the 10/7 massacre.
Christ Episcopal Church helps the homeless and needy with a food pantry. They provide ministry or a safe space to those battling addiction, the LGBTQ community and other at risk populations. Christ Church provides loving setting for all of our brothers and sisters in the surrounding communities offering friendship, fellowship, discussions and friends.
This fall was the 6th Student Leadership Conference encouraging Ocean County students to be upstanders against hate of all kinds.
The Jewish Federation’s Student Upstander Award is named in honor of Hersh Goldberg-Polin Hersh always sought ways to make the world around him better. Hersh’s mom, Rachel, said at his funeral: “You charmed everyone you ever talked to, old or young. You promoted justice and peace in a way a only a young pure, wide-eyed idealist, can. You never raised your voice to me in your life. You treated me respectfully always, even when you chose a different path,” she recalled. This is a model for how we should deal with differences – and is at the core of what we try to honor in upstanders through our Heroes Against Hate awards. As his father Jon said at the funeral: “May his memory be a revolution.”
Mazel tov Annabel & Manny! With Love, Debbie & Bryan
Annabel & Manny, It's appropriate that you are being honored at Chanukah because the light of virtue you shine lasts all year long. Harriet & George Blank
We send PJ Library books to over 1900 kids each month and offer first-time camper and Get Together grants.
Congratulations to Our New Mensch Award Honoree Our new Mensch award is given to a person or group that embodies values that are esteemed by our tradition and essential to building a welcoming, vibrant, and caring community: chesed (lovingkindness), tzedek (justice), reut (friendship), achrayut (responsibility), and yashrut (integrity). We are pleased to honor partners who share our desire and mission to build a better world.
George Josephsen exemplifies what it means to live by the Rotary motto: “Service Above Self”. He is a devoted husband, father and grand-dad. He had a successful career running a well-respected insurance agency in Toms River. He became a Rotarian following in the tradition of his father. When people say someone is ‘an active Rotarian’ they are describing George! He has served the Rotary Club of Toms River (evening Club) for many years taking on everything from the most humble tasks (bringing the donuts and coffee for Scouting for Food or marking off the spaces for the street stalls for vendors at Sailfest) to the most significant (serving on the Board for many years as Executive Secretary). George Josephsen
George is always the first one to offer to do the real work of any community service project (setting up and serving free refreshments at the Toms River Halloween parade, serving food to persons experiencing homelessness at Supersoul Super Bowl or planning for the work of the Scholarship committee). George is the definition of a mensch, and that is why the Jewish Federation is proud to honor him for being a mensch and a great community partner.
Messages for Our Honorees Mazel tov to all our honorees. Thank you to our upstanders. George, you’re a mensch. And Annabel and Manny – you’re amazing. Kol Hakavod! —Keith Krivitzky Congratulations to all the 2025 honorees – their words and actions make a difference. —Lorna Klein Mazel tov to a great couple , Annabel & Manny —Harriet Selinger Annabel & Manny - We miss you and wish we could celebrate with you. Mazel tov! —Dick & Diane Gaines Mazel tov Annabel and Manny for this well-deserved recognition. Your dedicated efforts and appeal to the good in us is an inspiration for all of us to make a difference. —Barbara Cohen Annabel & Manny, Chazak chazak v'nitzchazek. May your strength continue to inspire us. —Fran Gimpel Mazal Tov to Annabel and Manny Lindenbaum and all of the honorees. —Rabbi Robert and Susan Rubin
We provide over $6 million in services to Holocaust survivors each year and our match for Claims Conference is $135,000 — you can have a great impact!
THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY OF CARING SPONSORS GOLD SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSOR
CONTRIBUTORS
Annabel & Manny Lindenbaum Good Friend Electric Lauren & David Rosen Shelly & Dennis Newman Epic Developers LLC
Philip Brilliant Chhange
Lorna Klein Harriet Selinger Diane & Dick Gaines Susan & Rabbi Robert Rubin
SILVER SPONSORS
Harriet & George Blank Cantors Ruth & Daniel Green
PATRON SPONSORS
Nate Rabenstein
Belkoff Goldstein Funeral Home
Fran Gimpel Keith Krivitzky Law Offices of Michael Berman Barbara Cohen Fran & Zev Rosen
Special thank you to Debbie Abrahamovic-Kay and the Captain's Inn for their donations.
Phil Brilliant and Brilliant Environmental Services Congratulates all the Honorees HEROES AGAINST HATE CELEBRATING THOSE WHO STAND FOR COURAGE, UNITY AND COMMUNITY
HONORING: SHERIFF MICHAEL MASTRONARDY - LEADERSHIP & UNWAVERING SERVICE CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF TOMS RIVER - RESILIENCE & COMMUNITY STRENGTH DANNY HOFFMAN - DEDICATED COMMUNITY ADVOCATE
MENSCH AWARD: GEORGE JOSEPHSEN - A LIFETIME OF INTEGRITY & SERVICE
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: ANNABEL & MANNY LINDENBAUM - EXTRAORDINARY IMPACT ACROSS GENERATIONS
BECAUSE STANDING TOGETHER MAKES US STRONGER 163 ROUTE 37 WEST; SUITE 201, TOMS RIVER, NJ 08755 * WWW.BRILLIANTENVIRONMENTAL.COM * (732) 818-3380
Refer a friend.
If you or someone you know needs help, our community is there to help. • Individual & Group Counselling • Speakers Bureau • Assistance for Holocaust Survivors • Bereavement and Caregiver Groups www.jewishoceancounty.org/jfcs 732-363-8010 • jfcs@ocjf.org
In addition to our regular food insecurity grants, we provided freezers for the re-opening of the Joel Perlmutter Memorial Food Pantry.
As One We Secure. We Support.
JOIN THE LEGACY SOCIETY We Respond. We Engage.
As one, we're a source of strength and resilience through adversity and prosperity. As one, we bring our communities together to extend a helping hand to those in need. As one, we're a living testament to the power of unity and shared purpose. At the heart of this unbreakable spirit lies the Jewish Federations - the bedrock of Jewish communities around the world. We're the colledive force that keeps Jewish life thriving, not just in times of crisis, but every single day. As one, we uplift Israel and Ukraine by offering our unwavering support. As one, we take a stand against the rising 1ide of antisemitism. As one, we pledge to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities worldwide. Our mission is fueled by the generosity of community members like you. Your annual contribution empowers us to provide humanitarian aid to our allies, combat antisemitism, and nurture vibrant Jewish communities. As one, we will lead the way to a brighter tomorrow where Jewish life flourishes for generations to come. Join us, and we will rise as one.
A key element of our Jewish tradition is sharing our customs and values from one generation to the next. The Jewish Federation of Ocean County is your local partner in ensuring that your commitment to the Jewish people is implemented in the smartest and most effective way. Your will is a way to be sure that all of your property will go to family, relatives, friends and organizations you care about most. If you do not have a will, now is a good time to set one up. Please consider leaving a bequest to the Jewish Federation of Ocean County. This is an important way to ensure ongoing support for our Jewish community and that your values continue to be honored in the future Should you have any questions, please contact keith@ocjf.org for more info and to discuss options.
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