NEWSLETTER CONTENTS
Chronicles SUMMER 2014
Letter from the Outgoing President ........................... 1 JCHC Annual Dinner – Another Enchanted Evening ... 1 Café Ruth is Open for Lunch – Stop by for a Nosh! .... 1 Letter from the CEO ................................................... 2 The JCHC Choir Celebrates 25 Years .......................... 2 There’s More in Store at our Country Store! ............... 2 Letter from the Incoming President ............................ 3 Lester Resident Honored at Holocaust Event ............. 3 Welcome Board Members and Officers ...................... 3 Annual Dinner Meeting Sponsors ............................... 4 Centerpieces Bloom for our Annual Meeting.............. 4 A Merry Month of May for Residents ......................... 5 Emergency Tips........................................................... 5 “To Tweet or Not to Tweet” ....................................... 5 Celebrating Older Americans Month .......................... 5 Tributes ....................................................................... 6
JEWISH COMMUNITY HOUSING CORPORATION OF METROPOLITAN NEW JERSEY 760 Northfield Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052 | 973-731-2020 | www.jchcorp.org
LETTER FROM THE OUTGOING PRESIDENT
Thank you. These two words can be used in many different ways with many different meanings. In my house, for example, as I try to teach my youngest daughter manners, thank you sometimes just means “I know, Daddy. I have to say those two words to complete the milk-to-daughter transaction.” I am certain that she does not understand how powerful those words can be. But I do. I know that saying thank you is not just a way of completing a transaction, but rather a way of expressing gratitude for something. And I am grateful for many things over the last three years. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as President of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Community Housing Corporation over the past three years. It is humbling to have a group of peers select you to lead their organization. When that organization impacts the lives of so many people, it is more so. I am grateful that the JCHC’s executive staff is as remarkable as it is. Without fail, they methodically and steadily steered our Board towards the best decisions. Their ability to always keep their eyes focused on what is best for our residents makes the JCHC what it is and separates our staff from others. I am grateful that our communities have such excellent on-site staff. Our site managers, administrators, maintenance staff, and kitchen staff are some of the best in the business. Under Terrence’s watchful eyes our buildings are better maintained than many buildings half their age. Our kitchen staff under Mitchell’s direction serves hundreds of meals a day without missing a beat. As best I can tell, responding to our residents’ needs never seems like work. What more could anyone ask? I am grateful that my successor, Alan Cohen, shares my passion for this organization. Alan has always been able to advocate for his constituency and I am confident that going forward, that skill set will serve the JCHC well. He has already put much thought into where to direct the organization’s attention and resources going forward. I am grateful that our residents are as vibrant and engaged as they are. Their constant quest for youth and vitality makes our jobs so much more important and meaningful. Those residents that I had the pleasure of interacting with showed me that age is just a number. Anything we as a Board can do to reinforce that fact is a plus. I am grateful to all of the families of our residents and friends of the JCHC. Your continued support for our organization with your time and resources allows us to continue to grow our programming. That, in turn, allows our residents to continue to participate no matter their age. So thank you to everyone for everything that you did to make these last three years as wonderful as they were. I know that going forward, you will continue to be as committed to the ongoing success of the Jewish Community Housing Corporation as I am. Thank you seems inadequate. Jay Murnick Outgoing President, Board of Trustees
JCHC Annual Dinner – Another Enchanted Evening
The Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey held its 2014 Annual Dinner on June 16, 2014. More than 150 people attended this festive event at Crystal Plaza in Livingston, where everyone enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres and dinner, and a full program.
Board President Alan Cohen (center) with members of the new Executive Committee
Annual Dinner Chair Roberta Zweifler, who served as the evening’s emcee, kicked off the affair recognizing the sponsors and fellow Jewish communal agency lay leaders and executives in attendance. Rabbi Henoch Polansky of the Joint Chaplaincy Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest delivered a stirring d’var torah. He was followed by Lester Senior Housing Community resident Teddy Halpern, who recited the blessings over the wine and the bread (more information about Teddy and his remarkable life story can be found elsewhere in this Chronicle). Those present were then treated to the highlight of the Annual Dinner: a performance from the JCHC Resident Chorus (read more about our choir on page 2). The event then focused on the transition in leadership of the JCHC Board of Trustees. Outgoing Board President Jay Murnick, who is finished his third year in that role on June 30, spoke about his experiences. JCHC CEO Harold Colton-Max made two presentations to Jay in honor of his service to the organization. The first was a piece of artwork with inscriptions in Hebrew and English, on behalf of the Board and staff. Then, to the surprise of Jay and almost everyone else, Harold announced that the Murnick family had made a three-year, $45,000 pledge to fully fund the Lifelong Learning Program, a religious education initiative at the JCHC’s Jewish Federation Plaza that Jay helped create and nurture during his presidency. After Harold completed his remarks and JCHC Nominating Committee Chair Eric Barr delivered the committee’s report, the assembled guests heard from incoming President Alan Cohen. Alan talked about what inspired him to join the Board and what he hoped to accomplish during his tenure. The evening was a true success. In addition to fabulous food and a wonderful program, the JCHC Annual Dinner raised more than $65,000, which will go to the beautification of the backyard seating and garden area at JCHC’s Village Apartments of the Jewish Federation building in South Orange. Attendees got a sneak peek at the conceptual plans for the redesign prepared by JCHC Board Member and architect, Stephen Schwartz.
Café Ruth is Open for Lunch – Stop by for a Nosh! Did you know that Café Ruth at the Lester Senior Housing Community is open to the public for lunch? Everyone is welcome to enjoy fresh salads, made-to-order omelettes, Chef Mitchell’s wonderful homemade soups, and a variety of sandwiches in our kosher café. The café serves lunch Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The kitchen is under the strict kosher supervision of the Va’ad Hakashrut of MetroWest. Orders may be prepared for takeout as well and we cater luncheons for area synagogues, offices and organizations. For catering information, please call Mitchell Goldberg, our Regional Director of Dining Services at (973) 929-2737. (And no, he won’t give you his soup recipes—he’s keeping those a carefully guarded secret!)