“As times change, communities change, and needs change,” said newly installed Board President Dan Rapp while discussing the need for strategic planning. He also acknowledged what remains constant is the professional expertise, dedication, and compassion of the Jewish Family Service staff who give their hearts and souls to help its clients.

Jewish Family Service CEO Liz Vogel explained strategic planning’s aspiration to create a powerful service model making it harder for people in need to fall through the cracks. “We identified that our core strength is our ability to reach into and respond to the needs of the Jewish community. We are part of a care delivery network that includes family, friends, community agencies, and Rabbis. I call it our “sticky web” of wrap-around support working together to direct people to the right level of support so we can reach people that no other agency could. And we offer culturally appropriate services that aren’t available anywhere else.”

She said strategic planning will “continue to increase engagement with the Jewish community where we are best positioned to deliver the highest quality of care; better understand and address the needs of families and children; brand our professional services so that the community has a wider understanding of our high care delivery; and obtain financial stability.”

The newly installed 2019-2020 Board of Directors will help institute changes to best meet the evolving community needs. Joining Rapp on the Board are Larry Juran as Immediate Past President, Nancy Steinberg Warren as Vice President, Melanie Blumental as Secretary, and Lev Orlov as Treasurer. Izar Spivak and Max Yamson are Members at Large to the Executive Committee. Cathy Bowers, Rabbi A.Y. Braunstein, Joanne Grossman, Laura Katz, and Gary Smith are new Board members. Amy Diamond, Mark Miller, Steve Mombach, Nina Paul, David Schimberg, Susan Shorr, and Scott Slovin are continuing as Board Members.

Awards acknowledging staff longevity were given to Ann Sutton Burke, Sandee Golden, and Gail Ziegler for 15 years, and Jonathan Magrisso and June Ridgway for 5 years.

The Miriam Dettelbach Award, given in honor of the first executive director of Jewish Family Service as recognition of exceptional volunteer service to the agency, was given to Meryl Juran and Judy Kadetz who co-chaired the 2018 Jewish Family Service Dancing with our Stars gala fundraiser. A special thank you also went out to the eight gala dancers who helped raise $200,000 in donations and sponsorships to support the essential programs of JFS. This includes Marty Betagole, Ross Evans, Brooke Guigui, Matt Hiudt, Oscar Jarnicki, Amy Rubenstein, Ghita Sarembock and Michael Woloshin.