Submitted by Mayerson JCC
More than 6,200 miles away from Cincinnati, Ohio and 76 years ago, a ceremony was held in the Tel Aviv Museum (known today as Independence Hall) where Israel was declared an independent nation. The event was broadcast live as the first transmission of the new radio station, Kol Yisrael. This momentous occasion is remembered and celebrated each year during Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel Independence Day. The week leading up to that celebration honors the long road that led to it. Together, Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, and Yom HaAtzmaut make up the modern Israeli holidays.
This year holds special significance as the Cincinnati Jewish community comes together amid a war in Israel. On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists led an attack against Israeli civilian communities and several military posts. There are 134 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Despite all this, and maybe because of it, there is a profound sense of community, support and a desire to be together for these holidays.
“Being together and showing that we are still here is so important, now more than ever,” Senior Community Shaliach Yarden Neeman said.
Neeman and the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati are working closely with the Mayerson JCC Program team to bring the holidays to life. Senior Director of Sports & Recreation and Special Projects, Anne Goldstein, has been key in organizing the upcoming events.
“So often in these last months, we have gathered in solidarity,” Goldstein said. “While we continue to support Israel’s ongoing needs, we also look forward to a time to celebrate another year of independence.”
On May 5, the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center will host its Yom HaShoah event at the Mayerson JCC. This event calls for people to stand together to remember and mourn the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and honor the survivors.
On May 12, Yom HaZikaron will include a memorial service to honor the soldiers and victims of terror who gave their lives in defense of the State of Israel. The October 7 attack will offer additional meaning and significance. This year’s ceremony will feature stories from members of the Cincinnati community impacted by the war. There will also be an exhibit mirroring Hostage Square in Israel.
Following these events, there will be a community gathering to celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut on May 14. While the tone of the celebration this year will be more subdued than in the past, there is still an eagerness to support the community, Israel, and to celebrate seventy-six years of independence.
“This is Israel’s 76th birthday,” Goldstein said. “This is a big celebration! We’re proud of Israel, we love Israel, and of course, we want to continue to say: ‘We are still here!’”
During the celebrations on May 14, there will be several events taking place. There will be a Mitzvah Fair with a number of local organizations offering projects that will include making no-sew blankets, crafting kindness rocks, painting ceramic flowers, and much more, to support the community.
Israeli Baker, Oz Shahari, will sell pastries and other delicious baked goods to support Kibbutz Maayan Baruch in Israel. Throughout the day, Hoxworth Blood Center will be at the J for those who wish to donate blood.
“We want to showcase the goodness of Israel,” Neeman said. “And we don’t want to feel disconnected from Israel.”
Closing out the day, Israeli photographer Erez Kaganovitz will showcase his Humans of October 7th exhibit. This photo series features the human side of Israel in hopes of encouraging compassion and understanding for the Israeli community. When he leaves Cincinnati, Kaganovitz will travel to other JCCs to talk about Israelis’ bravery and resilience. The exhibit will be on display from May 6 – 14 at the J during regular hours.
“I think we struggle a lot with how to carry on,” Neeman said. “We hope that people who come to these events will see bravery, heroism, and resilience through this tragedy. Hopefully, this will be an inspiration to everyone.”
Effecting positive, lasting change: JFS’s 2024 Annual Meeting a success
photo: JFS Annual Meeting
Diamond Johnson (left) and Philip Moore were featured in a touching video that debuted on April 4, at Jewish Family Service’s 81st Annual Meeting. Moore, who’s had cerebral palsy since birth, is a client of StarPoint Home Care, a division of JFS. Johnson is Moore’s StarPoint Home Care caregiver, whom he affectionately refers to as his “teammate.”
Submitted by Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati
Bridging Barriers. Building Connections
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.
JFS Board President Joanne Grossman called the meeting to order and thanked JFS donors, lay leaders, and volunteers for providing their steadfast stewardship. Grossman noted that the organization will double in its size and capacity during the five years from 2020 to 2025. Rabbi Yair Walton offered an inspiring invocation that encouraged the community to “recognize the divine spark within each individual, irrespective of age, background, or life journey.”
After October 7: “We Got Right to Work.”
Grossman spoke of the attack of October 7, and noted how important JFS’s response was: “It goes without saying that JFS never aspires to be an agency [needed to offer a] grieving community comfort,” she said, “or hostages and their families temporary aid, or Holocaust survivors peace of mind, but, clearly, it is good that we are here, and can provide all that when needed.”
Returning to the evening’s theme, Grossman introduced the video, “Bridging Barriers. Building Connections.” It told the stories of three individuals — each confronted by a barrier of their own. For Chuck Albers and his wife, Melisa, the barrier was her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and their hope to find a place where she could “just be herself” for a few hours, spending time with others dealing with cognitive challenges. JFS Adult Day Services — a program made possible by Jewish Home of Cincinnati that opened last November — was the ideal solution for them. For Ilana Nadel, anxiety had become a troubling barrier for her young daughter. After Nadel and her husband contacted JFS Youth Mental Health Services, counselors helped their daughter with tools that have given her lasting confidence.
On Top of Life’s Challenges, a Setback
For Philip Moore, who has been living with cerebral palsy his whole life, a barrier surfaced in 2022. That’s when his father—who lived with Moore and helped him with housekeeping and transportation—suffered a heart attack and needed to move into assisted living. At this point, Moore realized he needed to be proactive, so he contacted StarPoint Home Care—a division of JFS—and was introduced to Diamond Johnson, a StarPoint Home Care caregiver. The two have now been working together for more than a year and Moore is thrilled with the connection they’ve made: “We make a good team.” Moore and Johnson attended the meeting and the audience responded enthusiastically to their presence.
“Just Make the Call.”
Mashayla Colwell spoke next, and it was a highlight. Introducing herself as “the Marketing Director for Jewish Family Service,” Colwell then stated, “I’m also a JFS client.” In clear-eyed testimony, Colwell explained how, in early 2023, her mother had fallen and broken her neck. Adding insult to injury, Colwell’s mother would next fall into a bureaucratic quagmire; she needed three months of intensive hospital care, but — having no Medicaid — would only be able to pay for two weeks (via insurance). As an educated professional, Colwell felt confident that she’d be able to cut through the red tape, but she was wrong. Reaching a breaking point that got the attention of JFS coworkers, Colwell was urged to “call AgeWell Cincinnati,” which in turn opened doors to JFS social workers. Before two weeks had passed, Colwell’s mother had Medicaid coverage that was portable and permanent. The problem was resolved, thanks to JFS.
Complex Problems Don’t Discriminate
JFS CEO Liz Vogel brought home the message that “JFS is here for everyone” by flipping the script on the typical annual meeting format; instead of only sharing successes, she told of a complaint she had received. A community member, whom Vogel greatly admired, told her that she’d been struggling for years with a serious family matter. “This person had shared her problem with friends, searched everywhere for resources, and aggressively sought advice,” Vogel recalled. “When she finally decided to call JFS, our Barbash Family Vital Support Center staff was able to address the highly complex situation in no time.” In other words, the experience of this educated, well-connected Cincinnatian mirrored Colwell’s.
Vogel said the meeting theme — Bridging Barriers; Building Connections — flowed directly out of this person’s complaint. “She told me that, for her, the barrier was misunderstanding,” Vogel said. “She wished she’d called JFS sooner, but she lacked understanding of what modern JFSs do.” Asking the audience for help, Vogel suggested that folks “lead by example” to reframe the way the community thinks about our agency. “Show people that complex problems don’t discriminate,” she said. “They can arrive on the doorstep for all of us.”
Vogel also announced a new, five-year partnership gift from The Rockwern Charitable Foundation. This gift honors the close relationship Samuel Rockwern had with his niece, and — in his final years — his caregiver, Stephanie Amlung. The generous gift will allow JFS to hire another full-time counselor, which should reduce wait times for clients.
Building A Living Legacy
Another highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the “Building a Living Legacy” naming rights campaign — aimed at growing JFS’s endowment to ensure its mission endures for generations to come. In a video, community leaders Leah and Gary Smith shared their naming-rights story. Leah told how she was drawn to mental health issues because of her father, who likely had PTSD from being in World War II. Gary said that JFS’s robust growth in recent years had fueled a passion in both, and that they wanted to enjoy the fruits of their labor by giving back to JFS while still alive. Specifically, the financial support they gave JFS is evidenced by the JFS Counseling Center Waiting Room, which is now named after them. The Smiths, who were also in attendance, stood to acknowledge the crowd’s warm reception.
The contributions of dedicated JFS volunteers and staff were also noted during the meeting. JFS Chief Operating Officer Linda Kean, and JFS Chief Services Officer Ann Sutton Burke honored long-serving team members for their unwavering dedication to JFS’s values, vision, and mission. Board President Grossman then returned to the podium to announce this year’s recipient of the prestigious Miriam Dettelbach Award: Dr. Ellen Feld. This award is given to honor exceptional volunteer service and Dr. Feld was saluted for her many accomplishments, her commitment, and unwavering enthusiasm.
Into the Night, Energized and Optimistic
As the night ended, Grossman thanked attendees for their support and encouraged continued engagement with JFS’s mission.
