Community Services Tour
March 31 2009
On a pleasant early spring day in March, nineteen of our members spent a
delightful day together, touring three of our section's community service
organizations. Click
here for photos
Our first stop was at the Jewish Home Assisted Living in River Vale, where
we enjoyed a tour of this magnificent one-year-old senior residence, with
the guidance of our hosts, Charles Berkowitz, President & CEO, Lauren
Levant, Executive Director, and John Albanese, Director of Sales &
Marketing. Jewish Home Assisted Living is the first premier Glatt-kosher
assisted living facility in Bergen County. They provide a home-like
environment in their general assisted living and also their specialized
wing for those with Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia-like disorders. Their
residents have a choice to rent, on a monthly basis, one of three different
types of spacious apartments ranging from studios, one bedroom and two
bedroom apartments. We learned how the facility provides holistic care,
elegant, award-winning dining, stimulating
enrichment programs 7 days a week, and so much more. Refreshments, coffee,
tea and pastries were served, to
our pleasure and delight. Website: http://www.jhalnj.org/
Next up was the YCS Kilbarchan residence for teenagers at risk in
Paterson. From Richard Mingoia,
President/CEO, Barbara Bishop Wells, Administrator and Ruthie Harper,
Executive Director, we learned how each teen's developmental needs are met
in this 'safe haven' environment and how YCS makes a difference in
the lives of New Jersey's most vulnerable children. On behalf of our NCJW
Bergen County Section volunteers, we were honored to be
presented with a plaque that states 'In recognition of all you have
contributed.' A delicious buffet lunch was served, followed by a tour of
the grounds and facilities. Website: http://www.ycs.org/
Last, but not least, was an opportunity to learn and be inspired by how
the Women's Rights Information
Center in Englewood empowers women in our community. From our hosts, Joan
Grzenda, Executive Director,
Susan Grey Burr, Director, Employment & Training Services and key members
of their staff, we heard how WRIC
provides women with the skills, training and counselling to succeed in the
workplace. Amongst the countless
services they provide are training for Microsoft Office Specialist
certification in the tech lab upstairs;
career services and resum� development; free outfits from their Career
Closet downstairs for job-seeking
and one week's employment; job placement; immigration advice; ESL (English
as a second language); legal
consultation; arranging shared housing; and addressing the myriad needs of
women in the community, so that
they may return to self-sufficiency. Website: http://www.womensrights.org/ Now you've heard the
story, see the
movie. Don't forget to turn up
the sound.
Our Community Services Tour Group comprised (alphabetized by first
name):
Adele Plotkin, Barbara Kaufman, Belle Leeds, Carole Benson, Edna Lewitz,
Elaine Pollack, Ellie Lubin, Joyce
Kalman, Marsha Slow, Miriam Clachko, Nancy Slurzberg, Paul Kaufman, Peggy
Kabakow, Phyllis Hochberger,
Rosalyn Hantman, Roz Halper, Sabina Sicklick, Shirley Guggenheim, Terry
Linefsky