JEWISH BOARD OF FAMILY & CHILDREN'S SERVICES FETE

****

AT THE PLAZA HOTEL

****

JBFCS Trustees Carol Levin With Jean Shafiroff And Karen Kasner

New York, NY – Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services—better known as The Jewish Board—New York City’s largest comprehensive provider of health and human services to adults and children, hosted its Spring Benefit 2015 at The Plaza Hotel and honored trustees David B. Edelson, Paul Kronish and Susan Hecht Tofel. The event raised more than $1.3 million for the organization.

IN ATTENDANCE: UJA-Federation’s Eric Goldstein, NYC Council Member Mark Levine, Jewish Board Trustees Anthony E. Mann, Laurie Sprayregen, Jean Shafiroff, Jean Troubh, Fran Levy, Lynn Kroll, Steven Fasman, Karen Kasner, CEO David Rivel, and many others.

The Jewish Board Chief Executive Officer David Rivel welcomed the event’s more than 400 guests and spoke about the breadth and inclusiveness of the 140-year-old organization’s services.

“The Jewish Board is all about hope and recovery,” Rivel said. “Whether you are a child or an adult, whether you are Jewish or not Jewish, whether you struggle with mental health challenges or whether there is abuse or neglect in your family, we give people hope that their life can get better and give them the tools to recover and live as full a life as possible.”

Guests watched a video that told the stories of two Jewish Board clients who were in the room and received a standing ovation. Central Synagogue’s Senior Rabbi Angela W. Buchdahl, Senior Cantor Mo Glazman, Assistant Cantor Julia R. Cadrain, and accompanist David Strickland performed “True Colors” and a Yom Ha’atzmaut medley, honoring Israel Independence Day.

UJA-Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein addressed the crowd and lauded The Jewish Board for consistently stepping in during crises.

“During every crisis—9/11, the 2008 recession, Hurricane Sandy, and most recently the closing of FEGS,” Goldstein said. “The Jewish Board has seamlessly partnered with us to offer a bold, immediate, effective response for both the Jewish community and the entire city of New York.”

Jewish Board President Alice Tisch presented honorees Susan Hecht Tofel and Paul Kronish each with the Madeleine Borg Lifetime Service Award for their enduring contributions to the organization and community at large. Madeleine Borg was a lifelong advocate for children and for providing greater access to mental health services. She was an early organizer and leader of the Jewish Federation, founder of the Big Sister movement in America, and president of The Jewish Board from 1942 to 1952.

Tofel has served The Jewish Board in some capacity for more than 53 years. She was Vice President and Secretary and helped build the organization’s Child Development Center Committee. Currently, Sue chairs the advisory committee of Mishkon, The Jewish Board’s division for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. One of Mishkon’s 10 residences in Brooklyn bears her name. The Susan Hecht Tofel Home houses eight Orthodox Jewish women living with developmental disabilities.

In addition to his longtime career in the life insurance business, Kronish has chaired a task force to establish the very first Jewish residential hospice in New York State as well as the Men's Division of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He also co-chairs The Jewish Board’s Mishkon Committee and is a longtime Trustee. Kronish also serves on boards of UJA-Federation of New York and JASA.

Tisch presented the Saul Z. Cohen Leadership Award to David B. Edelson. Currently Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Loews Corporation, Edelson has held past positions with JP Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs. He is a Trustee and Vice President of The Jewish Board, and he chaired the organization’s Strategic Planning Task Force. He is also President of the Board of Trustees of Central Synagogue.

Saul Z Cohen was a president of the Jewish Board of Guardians and was instrumental in helping that agency merge with Jewish Family Service, which formed the present-day Jewish Board.

About The Jewish Board

For more than 140 years, The Jewish Board has been helping New Yorkers overcome barriers, realize their potential, and live as independently as possible. With hope and resilience guiding our work, we promote recovery by addressing all aspects of an individual’s life, including mental and physical health, family, housing, employment and education. Each year across the five boroughs and in Westchester, we serve more than 35,000 people from all religious, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. Visit us at www.jbfcs.org. 

Photo Courtesy Of: JBFCS