There are at least three subjects that stir an appreciable passion in Leah and Gary Smith. The first is mental health. The second is giving back to the community. And the third is Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati (JFS). So it was only fitting when the Smiths chose to make a significant donation to JFS—providing them with naming rights for the agency’s counseling center waiting room. This waiting room serves a full spectrum of JFS’s mental health clients, from youth and teens to older adults.
Damp weather did nothing to darken spirts of attendees inside the Mayerson JCC’s Amberley Room, as they smiled and mingled prior to Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati’s (JFS) Annual Meeting on April 4. The atmosphere was one of celebration and the room was full as the community convened to learn of agency accomplishments and challenges, honor individual achievements, accomplish board business, and tout JFS’s theme for the upcoming year: Bridging Barriers. Building Connections.
If it were possible to tell this story without referencing Miriam Cohen, that would likely please her. It’s not that Miriam is overly modest; it’s that the story she wants to share with the world is about Dorothy Fine Paris and Isidore Paris—her loving and devoted parents. Still, there are compelling reasons to include Miriam in this tale. First, as Dorothy and Isidore’s daughter, she is an important part of their story. Second, she is the storyteller here, the authoritative source.