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So far Miriam Arond has created 97 blog entries.

Annual WJCS 2024 Staff Awards

2025-01-15T16:04:26-05:00January 16th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , |

WJCS celebrated outstanding achievements by employees over the past year at our annual holiday celebration on January 10th. Congratulations to our well-deserving 2024 Staff Award Winners! Batkin Developmental Disabilities Professional of the Year Award Kendra Fray, Residence Manager Kendra has been a vital member of WJCS Community Programs since 2014, bringing exceptional leadership and compassion to her role as Residence Manager. Known for her hands-on approach, Kendra ensures individuals’ needs are prioritized—whether coordinating medical appointments, supporting families through transitions, or decorating new spaces to ease adjustments. Her leadership was especially evident during the successful transition of residents from ...

WJCS Announces Appointment of New Chief Medical Officer

2025-01-13T16:18:19-05:00January 13th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , |

We are excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Seth Resnick as the new Chief Medical Officer of Westchester Jewish Community Services. Dr. Resnick brings an extraordinary depth of experience and leadership in the fields of psychiatry, behavioral health, and integrated care, making him an exceptional addition to our team. Dr. Resnick’s impressive career includes serving as the founding Chair of the Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Department at AdvantageCare Physicians, where he oversaw the implementation and expansion of behavioral health programs across 37 medical offices in New York City and Long Island. His innovative approaches to collaborative care practice models have transformed access to ...

A Year of Challenge, Support, and Resilience

2024-12-16T10:42:03-05:00December 16th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

This year has been one in which the Jewish community has faced unprecedented challenges. The skyrocketing rise in antisemitism and antisemitic incidents has alarmed people, young and old. Youth in day schools and synagogue programs with whom WJCS partners are shaken by reports of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and rhetoric. Parents are worried about their children and how to explain and protect them from hate speech and hate in general. Holocaust survivors, who never imagined they would once again see antisemitism spreading across the world, are filled with fear and concern about their children and grandchildren’s futures. WJCS is here ...

Community Counts: Coming Together to Celebrate Holidays

2024-12-11T14:00:13-05:00December 12th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Loneliness was declared a public health epidemic in 2023 by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. A 2024 American Psychiatric Association poll found that 30% of adults reported having experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week during the past year. Ten percent said they feel lonely every day. The array of programs and services we offer at Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), one of the largest non-profit agencies in Westchester, range from mental health, trauma, and disabilities to senior care, early childhood development, educational enrichment, LGBTQ+, caregiver support, Jewish educational, spiritual, and cultural enrichment, and much more. What ...

WJCS April 8th Gala Will Honor Joel S. Beckman and Gillian Rittmaster

2025-01-10T13:15:34-05:00January 10th, 2025|Categories: Gala, Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , , , , |

On Tuesday, April 8th, we will be celebrating our WJCS 2025 Gala at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, NY.  We are thrilled to announce that we will be honoring Joel S. Beckman and Gillian Rittmaster, two remarkable individuals who have contributed so much to the impact of WJCS and to the Westchester community at large. Joel S. Beckman co-founded Greenbriar Equity Group, a private investment firm, in 1999 and retired in 2017. Prior to that, he was a Managing Director and Partner at Goldman Sachs. He has been a dedicated member of the WJCS Board and active in ...

We’re So Grateful on this Giving Tuesday

2024-12-16T15:14:52-05:00December 3rd, 2024|Categories: Featured Internal, General|Tags: , , , , , , , |

You are going to be receiving lots of emails, phone calls, and social media requests today asking you to donate to causes.  At WJCS, we renamed today—what is known as "Giving Tuesday"—Grateful Tuesday. We are devoting today to thanking you, our donors, our community of supporters, who help keep WJCS strong. You ensure that we can help our Westchester neighbors when they need us most.  You can make a difference and you do!  When you donate to WJCS, you are making an impact.  Because of you, thousands of our Westchester neighbors, of all ages and backgrounds, are provided with ...

WJCS 2024 Annual Have a Heart for the Holidays Gift Drive Luncheon

2024-11-12T12:50:34-05:00November 12th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

From left: Nina Ross, Michele Brettschneider, Linda Plattus, and Sarah Kayle Scarsdale resident and Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) Board member Linda Plattus hosted her Annual Luncheon, along with Board members Michele Brettschneider, Sarah Kayle, Nina Ross, and Suzanne Yearley, for the WJCS Have a Heart for the Holidays Gift Drive on November 6. Luncheon guest brought toys, games, and gift cards that will be distributed to WJCS clients who live in under-resourced communities. For many of these families in need, these toys will be the only gift they are able to give their children this season. “It is ...

Together, We Transform Lives

2024-12-16T15:15:37-05:00December 13th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: , , , |

Every day Westchester residents of all backgrounds who face mental health, trauma, disability, parenting, aging, and other challenges are provided life-saving services and programs at Westchester Jewish Community Services. It is our privilege and passion to help nearly 20,000 people each year. But we can’t do it without you! Our Year End Appeal is happening now! Every new and increased gift will be matched dollar for dollar up to $25,000 with a Matching Gift from the Mensch Family in memory of Reggi Mensch. Your generosity transforms the lives of those we serve. With your help, we offer dozens of ...

Time to Take a Breath

2024-11-04T12:54:45-05:00November 26th, 2024|Categories: Mental Health, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: , , , , , , , |

By Brenda Haas, LMSW, Ed.M., Director of WJCS Guiding Parents Through Services Program and Partners in Schools Consultant at Leffell School    The fall season is in full swing. Kids’ schedules are packed, parents are trying to balance work and family, and the holidays are almost here. Having a full life is a blessing, but it can also be stressful to manage it all.     Stop. Pause for 60 seconds. And breathe.  Calming our bodies and minds through simple breathing techniques is a proven ways to reduce anxiety and modulate mood. Consciously switching our attention from everything whirling around in ...

Halina Rosenkranz to be Inducted into Westchester’s Senior Hall of Fame

2024-10-23T14:47:51-04:00October 23rd, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: , , , |

We are thrilled to share the wonderful news that Halina Rosenkranz, Group Facilitator and Case Manager for the WJCS Holocaust Survivor Program, will be inducted into Westchester County’s Senior Hall of Fame. Halina has been a passionately dedicated and caring advocate and supporter of some of the most vulnerable people in Westchester County: aging Holocaust survivors. Her compassion for survivors, who have lived through unimaginable loss and devastation, has made her an invaluable source of comfort and emotional and practical support to them as well as to their children, the Second Generation, who bear the scars of their parents’ ...

WJCS Hosts Sukkot Holiday Luncheon for Holocaust Survivors

2024-10-23T13:48:59-04:00October 23rd, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: , , , , , , , |

Holocaust survivors and their relatives and caregivers celebrated the joyous holiday of Sukkot together at a festive luncheon on Tuesday October 22nd at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale. “Having just gone through the high holidays and that extended period of teshuva (repentance) and introspection that comes with it, we now celebrate,” said Allison Danzig, Coordinator of WJCS Holocaust Support Services, as she welcomed more than 70 guests to the event. “This is a time for showing appreciation to others and for all the good around us. It is a time of Thanksgiving and harvest, and a time to begin ...

Voting On the Spectrum: Empowering Neurodiverse Voices in the Electoral Process

2024-10-08T15:22:57-04:00October 8th, 2024|Categories: Disabilities, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: , , , , , , , |

By: Nicholas R. Primavera, MS, MBA, Program Coordinator of WJCS Shelanu & Supper Club Voting in any election can be scary and anxiety provoking. Voting is a fundamental right and a vital aspect of public participation, but for individuals on the autism spectrum, the process can present unique challenges. From understanding complex ballot language to navigating crowded polling places, these obstacles can sometimes discourage participation. However, with proper resources, support, and understanding, voting can become an accessible and empowering experience for everyone. In this article, I will explain some of the challenges I have observed, along with some of the ...

October 7th: One Year Later

2024-10-07T11:18:22-04:00October 7th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: |

Today marks one year since the devastating attack by Hamas in Israel, a day that inflicted profound and lasting wounds. The trauma of that event is compounded by ongoing violence in the region, most recently with rockets from Iran. Even more heartbreaking is the cruel reality that, after 365 long days, Hamas continues to hold dozens of hostages, denying them their freedom.  The pain of that day has only been deepened by the disturbing rise in antisemitism, leaving many in the Jewish community feeling vulnerable and isolated. It is shocking to realize that in a place where safety and ...

Free October 9th Community Forum on Assisting Youth, Young Adults, and Families Impacted by Psychosis

2024-10-02T15:06:01-04:00October 2nd, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: , , , , , , |

Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health, Westchester Jewish Community Services, Greater Mental Health of New York, and NAMI offer a community forum focused on assisting youth, young adults, and families impacted by psychosis. As much as 8% of the population will be impacted by psychosis at some point in their lives and about 4% of the population will meet criteria for a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia. These statistics suggest that more than 80,0000 Westchester County residents will be impacted by psychosis at some point in their lives. Psychosis is often confusing and disorienting for those impacted by it, ...

Westchester Jewish Community Services and Family Service Society of Yonkers Announce Strategic Affiliation

2024-09-20T13:40:17-04:00September 26th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: , , , |

Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), one of the largest non-sectarian, not-for-profit human services agencies in Westchester County, and Family Service Society of Yonkers (FSSY), a human services agency with a 140-year history of serving the Westchester community, are proud to announce they have entered into a strategic affiliation, to take effect October 1st. This partnership will enhance the reach and depth of services provided to the residents of Westchester County. Through this affiliation, WJCS and FSSY will deliver a comprehensive and coordinated range of human services that will better support youth, the elderly, and families in Yonkers and the ...

Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week

2024-09-06T15:58:59-04:00September 8th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: , , , , , |

It's Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week! At WJCS we are so proud to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) at WJCS. Our DSPs work with developmentally and intellectually disabled adults who live in our 12 group homes across Westchester County. They provide a caring home environment where residents are supported in maintaining and learning daily living skills, enjoying social activities, and pursuing employment while also assisting with medical, emotional, behavioral, and mental health support. The work of DSPs in our Community Programs Division speaks to our value of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world). ...

WJCS Initiates Zero Suicide Model with NYS Office of Mental Health

2024-09-09T15:22:37-04:00September 6th, 2024|Categories: Mental Health, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a yearly reminder of the staggering rates of suicide and the importance of identifying and helping people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States with over 49,000 people having died by suicide in the U.S. in 2022 and 13.2 million seriously contemplating suicide, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), the largest provider of licensed community-based mental health services in Westchester County, is closely collaborating with the NYS Office of Mental Health ...

Volunteering: An Antidote to the Epidemic of Loneliness

2024-09-06T11:45:16-04:00September 6th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage|Tags: , , |

A recent article in the New York Times reported on the skyrocketing rates of loneliness, citing various studies, including one conducted by the American Psychiatric Association that found 25 percent of American residents are lonelier today than they were before the pandemic, as well as the decision by the World Health Organization to make loneliness an official global public health concern. The negative impact of loneliness is not just emotional. Studies have correlated feelings of loneliness with an increased risk of depression and, among seniors, loneliness has been linked with cardiovascular disease, dementia, declines in motor functions, and frailty. ...

Volunteer Spotlight: Murray Forseter

2024-11-01T16:17:33-04:00August 23rd, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , |

1,600 home-delivered meals to seniors! That is the astounding number of meals WJCS Murray Forseter estimates he has delivered to senior residents in Yonkers, Scarsdale, Mount Vernon, White Plains, and Hartsdale since he began volunteering in the WJCS senior food program 15 years ago. Murray began volunteering at WJCS after retiring from a successful career in publishing in 2009. Now, 75, he made his last food delivery on June 26th and marked the milestone by publishing a post, entitled “Delivering Food to the Greatest Generation,” on his blog called No Socks Needed Anymore.  In his post, Murray shares stories ...

Your VOTE is Your VOICE

2024-09-17T12:27:58-04:00September 17th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , |

During the next two months, we can expect to hear talk about the upcoming General Election (Tuesday, November 5, 2024) 24/7—in the media and, probably, in your conversations with friends and family. The most important thing to keep in mind is that every person’s vote counts. Your vote matters! The following are key dates to keep in mind to ensure that you can express your voice with your vote:   September 17, 2024 National Voter Registration Day   October 21, 2024: Last Day for Change of address October 65, 2024: Last day for voter registration October 26, 2024: Last day for ...

WJCS Awarded United Way Grant to Support Women and Children in Yonkers

2024-08-20T12:49:17-04:00August 20th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

We are proud to announce that WJCS has been awarded a Pepsi X Mary J. Blige Strength of a Woman Community Fund Grant by United Way of Westchester and Putnam. The grant will support WJCS programs that provide services to women, young women, and children who are underprivileged, marginalized, and ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) populations in Yonkers. The grant will help support WJCS programs available to the community at the Mary J. Blige Center in Yonkers. These programs include: which includes adult basic education and preparation for the TASC high school equivalency exam and career readiness workshops. ...

New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer Awards $125,000 in Grants to Support WJCS Group Homes and ParentChild+ Program

2024-07-30T16:59:04-04:00July 30th, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: , , |

(From left: Jessica Piecyk, WJCS Managing Director of Early Childhood & Assistant Executive Director of Jewish Programs; Lauren Bassin, Assistant Director of WJCS Community Programs; Lauren Candela-Katz, WJCS Chief Advancement Officer; New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer; Seth Diamond, WJCS CEO) Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) today announced that New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer has selected WJCS as a recipient of two grants that will provide critically-needed support to its group homes and its ParentChild+ program. WJCS operates 12 community residences in Westchester County for adults with developmental disabilities. The Local Community Assistance Program (LoCAP) Grant ...

August is National Make-A-Will Month

2024-07-30T12:59:41-04:00August 1st, 2024|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage|Tags: , , , , , , , |

This August we’re observing National Make-A-Will Month, and we invite you to create your own free will, and include a gift to WJCS. It’s a simple act of caring that protects your loved ones and continues your legacy of support to help the most vulnerable people in Westchester. In just 20 minutes of time, you can plan for your future, strengthen our programs and services for more than 20,000 people, and create a better Westchester for future generations. Click here for our free estate planning tool. Have questions about legacy planning? Please contact Jennifer Kaplan, Director of Development, at [email protected]; 914-761-0600 ...

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