Feature Archives - Westchester Jewish Community Services

Join Us at our WJCS 2026 Gala!
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Join Us at our WJCS 2026 Gala!

Miriam Arond2026-02-04T15:13:10-05:00February 4th, 2026|Categories: Gala, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: yael friedland, wjcs 2026 gala, marion morgenthal, share shabbat, joe torre safe at home, POINT, brae burn country club, Gala|

Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) is proud to announce that it will be hosting its 2026 Gala on Wednesday, April 15 at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, NY. The Gala will be honoring Marion Morgenthal, co-founder of POINT (Pursuing Our INdependence Together), an independent living community for young adults with developmental disabilities in White Plains, recognizing Joe Torre Safe at Home, with whom WJCS operates Margaret's Place, a program dedicated to ending the cycle of domestic violence and abuse through education, support, and empowerment, and presenting the Young Leadership Award to Yael Friedland who founded and leads Share ...

Meet Our WJCS 2026 Gala Honorees!
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Meet Our WJCS 2026 Gala Honorees!

Miriam Arond2026-02-03T14:32:16-05:00February 2nd, 2026|Categories: Gala, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: young leadership award, yael friedland, wjcs 2026 gala, marion morgenthal, share shabbat, joe torre safe at home, POINT|

Honoring Marion Morgenthal Co-Founder of POINT Marion Morgenthal is the mother of two sons, one of whom has significant learning disabilities. In managing his education, Marion and her husband, Lance Lynford, navigated various special education programs, a boarding school for neurodiverse students, and a vocation-focused post-secondary program. It was when they were facing the end of formal education that Marion, Lance, and families they had met along the journey realized there were no existing communities that served the needs of their children, who did not require group homes, but did require some support to live independently. Marion served as ...

Black History Month: A Note From Our CEO
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Black History Month: A Note From Our CEO

Miriam Arond2026-02-02T13:45:04-05:00February 2nd, 2026|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: black history month|

As we start the beginning of Black History Month, we take time to recognize and honor the profound contributions of Black Americans to our nation’s history, culture, and ongoing pursuit of justice. It is also a moment for us at Westchester Jewish Community Services to acknowledge and appreciate our Black colleagues whose leadership, care, insight, and commitment strengthen our organization and deepen our impact every day. Your work matters, and we are grateful for it. Some of you may have seen the news recently of the death of Claudette Colvin at the age of 86. In March of 1955, ...

Family Volunteer Day Event: Food Pantry Drive 2026
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Family Volunteer Day Event: Food Pantry Drive 2026

Miriam Arond2026-01-20T14:26:47-05:00January 20th, 2026|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: charity drives, food drive, family volunteer day, mary j. blige center, food pantry, MLK|

More than 95 volunteers gathered at Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) Headquarters in White Plains on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for a Family Volunteer Event. Children and their parents assembled 50 Winter Hug Care Packages filled with soup cans, hot cocoa packets, tea bags, milk cartons, mittens, Teddy Bears, and hats that will be distributed families in need through our Food Pantry at the WJCS Mary J. Blige Center in Yonkers, NY. Participants also donated 20 cases of pasta, rice, beans, crackers, cereal, shelf stable milk, and more. "These community donations of essential goods are so important to ...

Annual 2026 New Year’s Staff Luncheon
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Annual 2026 New Year’s Staff Luncheon

Miriam Arond2026-01-13T13:33:52-05:00January 13th, 2026|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: staff luncheon, fssy, staff appreciation, staff awards, WJCS|

Our Annual New Year's Luncheon at Mulino's at Lake Isle was a joyous celebration for all of our WJCS and Family Service Society of Yonkers (FSSY) staff, along with many of our Board members joining us. It was an afternoon of camaraderie, gratitude for all we've been able to achieve with our clients across Westchester during the last year, recognizing our 2025 Staff Award recipients, fabulous food, and even a fun game of trivia with prizes distributed. Thank you to Steven Schnur Photography for capturing our staff members' smiling faces!

End of Year Newsletter: 2025
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End of Year Newsletter: 2025

Miriam Arond2026-01-06T12:51:39-05:00January 5th, 2026|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: 2025, end of year, newsletter|

20th Annual WJCS Have a Heart for the Holidays Luncheon
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20th Annual WJCS Have a Heart for the Holidays Luncheon

Miriam Arond2025-12-03T12:41:28-05:00November 20th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: have a heart for the holidays luncheon, gift drive, have a heart, get involved, Linda Plattus|

Scarsdale resident and Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) Board member Linda Plattus hosted her 20th annual luncheon, along with WJCS Board Members Sarah Kayle and Nina Ross; NextGen Council Members Yael Friedland and Samantha Stavis; and Host Committee Michelle Dinenberg, Poornima Eber, Allison Friedland, Fara Friedman, Jennifer Galeon, Jessica Levinson, Jessica Eckhaus Modell, and Robin Silk on November 19. The luncheon raised over $10,000 and more than 250 toys have been collected so far. Local community groups are expected to collect close to 1,000 more toys in the next few weeks. Gifts will be distributed to WJCS ...

Family Volunteer Day Event: Personal Care Kit Drive 2025
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Family Volunteer Day Event: Personal Care Kit Drive 2025

Miriam Arond2025-11-19T13:19:57-05:00November 18th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: personal care kit, charity drive, hygiene kit, family volunteer day|

Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) was proud to host its first Family Volunteer Day Event on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2025, at Headquarters in White Plains, NY. Approximately 60 children, parents, families, and local community groups, including Girl Scouts Troops #2190 and #2775, and members of the Young Men’s Service League of Westchester gathered at WJCS to volunteer their time. Donors contributed nearly $3,000 in much-needed supplies for hygiene kits that will be distributed to WJCS Satellite School-based Clinics in 11 different schools located in Peekskill, Elmsford, Rye, Eastchester, and Yonkers. Volunteers packed 206 Personal Care Kits filled with ...

The WJCS ParentChild Center Celebrates 25 Years in New Rochelle!
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The WJCS ParentChild Center Celebrates 25 Years in New Rochelle!

Miriam Arond2025-10-29T16:49:12-04:00October 29th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage|Tags: 25th anniversary, steve otis, boys and girls club, New Rochelle, parentchild, early childhood|

Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) hosted a joyful celebration of the 25th Anniversary of its Parent-Child Center in New Rochelle on Tuesday, October 21st. Music, toys, games, block building, and other fun activities were all part of the festivities. Dozens of children, WJCS staff, and Assemblyman Steven Otis were on hand to take part in the quarter-century milestone occasion. The WJCS Parent-Child Center is a free drop-in play group for young children, from birth to 4 years old, and their parents or caregivers. "It is a thrill to see children develop verbally, emotionally, socially, and cognitively over the course ...

WJCS Annual 2025 Sukkot Luncheon for Holocaust Survivors
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WJCS Annual 2025 Sukkot Luncheon for Holocaust Survivors

Miriam Arond2025-10-20T13:20:15-04:00October 10th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: wolfensohn family foundation, george latimer, shelley b. mayer, sukkot luncheon, UJA federation of NY, scarsdale, Westchester Reform Temple, Claims Conference, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Holocaust survivors, Jewish Programs|

More than 50 Holocaust Survivors, along with their relatives and caregivers, gathered on Thursday, October 9th to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale. The luncheon, hosted by Westchester Jewish Community Services, was attended by Congressman George Latimer, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, State Senator Shelley B. Mayer, and Michael Elkin, CFO of the Claims Conference (Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany). WJCS CEO Seth Diamond, and Allison Danzig, Coordinator of WJCS Holocaust Survivor Services, spoke to the guests, which also included many WJCS Board members, about the ...

October 7th: Two years. Two horrific years.
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October 7th: Two years. Two horrific years.

Miriam Arond2025-10-06T12:50:43-04:00October 6th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|

Two horrific years. That has been the experience of so many in the Jewish community we serve since the brutal attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The pain has been relentless. The agony of the loss of life in those initial days; the continuing torment caused by the hostages still held by Hamas; and the surge of antisemitism in our country, and even in our county, unlike anything many had ever experienced before. I have heard from so many in our Jewish community of sleepless nights, deep worry for friends and family members, and tremendous anxiety about the ...

Congratulations to our WJCS 2025 First Quarter Staff Award Winners!
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Congratulations to our WJCS 2025 First Quarter Staff Award Winners!

Miriam Arond2025-07-22T14:01:42-04:00July 22nd, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: wjcs staff, staff appreciation, staff awards|

Each quarter, WJCS celebrates employees who go above and beyond, demonstrating their dedication and commitment to WJCS’ mission and clients. We feel so privileged to work with wonderful staff who have care, compassion, and expertise. Read below to learn about our most recent Quarterly Staff Award Winners.

Thank you for supporting our 2025 Back-to-School Drive!
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Thank you for supporting our 2025 Back-to-School Drive!

Miriam Arond2025-08-28T14:12:22-04:00August 28th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: the leffel school, congregation emanu-el, back to school drive, supplies for success, UJA-Federation of New York, fundraiser, Back to School|

Thanks to your generosity, our 2025 Back-to-School Drive was record-breaking! Because of you, hundreds of children from under-resourced communities in Westchester will start the school year with the supplies – and the confidence – they need to succeed. We are deeply grateful for your support. Together, we helped set students up for a great school year ahead. Your donations ensured that children in our behavioral health clinics, school-based satellite clinics, after-school enrichment classes, the Parent Child Center, and many other WJCS programs are entering the classroom with the tools they need to learn, thrive, and reach their potential. We ...

Summer 2025 News
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Summer 2025 News

Miriam Arond2025-07-02T16:40:16-04:00July 8th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: summer, news, updates, summer newsletter, newsletter, Nonprofit, Westchester|

Gaining Skills and Confidence: WJCS’ Volunteer Internship Program (VIP)
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Gaining Skills and Confidence: WJCS’ Volunteer Internship Program (VIP)

Miriam Arond2025-07-02T16:17:07-04:00July 1st, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: volunteer internship program, vip, jodi maxner, internship, Disabilities, Mental Health|

by Ava Propper Rubin (From left: Jodi Maxner, WJCS VIP Coordinator; Susannah, VIP participant; Maria F. Callarame, External Affairs Manager at St. Joseph's Medical Center) “Volunteering at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Yonkers has been a wonderful experience for me. It has been the perfect stepping stone as I re-enter the world of work. I work as a cashier in the gift shop four days a week. I am slowly overcoming my fears of getting back to work and socializing in professional environments. I have gained confidence that I am capable of being professional in the workplace.” ~Susannah, ...

Bar and Bat Mitzvah Projects at WJCS
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Bar and Bat Mitzvah Projects at WJCS

Miriam Arond2025-06-26T16:53:58-04:00June 26th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: bar mitzvah project, bat mitzvah project, fundraiser, volunteer, Nonprofit|

by Ava Propper Rubin Take some Mitzvot (religious commandments), throw in Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), and sprinkle the vast Westchester communities served by Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), and you have a great opportunity for Jewish youth celebrating their B’nai Mitzvah to experience fulfillment and help others. When taking on the responsibilities of Jewish adulthood at ages 12 or 13, many boys and girls in our community are asked or required to do a Mitzvah Project. In anticipation of their Bar or Bat Mitzvah, they reflect on issues that are meaningful to them and work with community organizations ...

WJCS Hosted Its 5th Annual Holocaust Survivor Day Luncheon
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WJCS Hosted Its 5th Annual Holocaust Survivor Day Luncheon

Miriam Arond2025-06-05T15:03:03-04:00June 5th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: seed the dream, home-delivered kosher meals, second generation, allison danzig, holocaust survivor luncheon, Holocaust survivors, Jewish Programs|

On Wednesday June 4th, Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) hosted its 5th Annual Holocaust Survivor Day Luncheon. The event brought together dozens of Holocaust Survivors living in the Westchester community along with their family members and caregivers. Holocaust Survivors Day is dedicated to celebrating the strength and impact of Holocaust Survivors. “In bringing survivors of the Shoah together, we celebrate their strength, resilience, connection to community and Jewish peoplehood, and generational wisdom,” said Marcy Gringlas, Ph.D., President of the Seed the Dream Foundation, which sponsored the event. The joy of being and celebrating together was evident to all those who ...

Supporting Each Other Through Chronic Illness
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Supporting Each Other Through Chronic Illness

Miriam Arond2025-06-05T09:54:20-04:00June 4th, 2025|Categories: Mental Health, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: chronic illness support group, chronic illness, Westchester|

Life-threatening illness can take its toll, not only on an individual but also their family. That’s why, for years, WJCS has provided individual and family counseling and supportive connections when people and their loved ones face chronic or life-limiting illness. Jane Slevin, LMFT, facilitator of a WJCS support group which is composed of people with a variety of illnesses, including multiple sclerosis, cancer, neuropathy, and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), explained “each month we discuss a wide range of topics, like coping mechanisms, symptoms, family dynamics, navigating the medical system. and life in general.” “When I joined the group ...

WJCS Co-Hosts Its 5th Annual Holocaust Survivor Day Luncheon and Concert
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WJCS Co-Hosts Its 5th Annual Holocaust Survivor Day Luncheon and Concert

Miriam Arond2025-05-29T15:48:47-04:00May 30th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: seed the dream foundation, holocaust survivor day, Holocaust survivors, Jewish Programs|

On Wednesday June 4th, Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) will host its 5th Annual Holocaust Survivor Day Luncheon. The event will bring together and honor dozens of Holocaust Survivors living in the Westchester community. “Seed the Dream Foundation is proud to support over 30 communities across the United States in recognizing Holocaust Survivor Day on June 4, 2025. As we mark this fifth annual Holocaust Survivor Day, we celebrate the resilience, courage, and legacy of Holocaust Survivors, and the lives they’ve built with strength and with grace,” said Dr. Marcy Gringlas, Ph.D., President of Seed the Dream Foundation, which ...

Jewish American Heritage Month
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Jewish American Heritage Month

Miriam Arond2025-05-28T13:42:47-04:00May 28th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: Jews in America, American Jewish heritage, jewish american heritage month|

It’s Jewish American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the many contributions Jews have made to the United States and explore their American experience. Here are some films and books that focus on the American Jewish experience. The Jewish Journey: America – This documentary includes interviews with scholars and Jewish-American writers, many of whom are immigrants themselves. They share the varied stories of migration through the last five centuries, with a rarely explored look at the actual journeys to get here. Shared Legacies – This film focuses on the often-forgotten story of the coalition and friendship between the Jewish ...

9 Ways to Boost Your Sense of Well-Being
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9 Ways to Boost Your Sense of Well-Being

Miriam Arond2025-06-04T15:42:01-04:00May 22nd, 2025|Categories: Mental Health, Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: national mental health awareness month, well-being, Mental Health|

This is the beginning of Memorial Day Weekend, what many of us think of as the beginning of the summer season. The warmer weather brings a bounty of reasons it’s easier to commit to improving our own well-being. Exercising outside—whether it involves walking, jogging, or playing tennis or golf—is infinitely more pleasurable when the sun is shining, grass is green, and flowers are blooming. Local farm fresh fruits and vegetables are available in local grocery stores and outdoor markets. Gardening is not only an activity that keeps you fit; many people find it calming and therapeutic. Need more inspiration ...

WJCS Spring Happenings 2025
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WJCS Spring Happenings 2025

Miriam Arond2025-05-13T14:46:57-04:00May 13th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, General|Tags: spring newsletter|

Spring Happenings Thank you for being such an important part of our WJCS community. With your support, we provide thousands of Westchester residents with services and programs that change their lives for the better. Here are just a few snapshots of recent activities at WJCS. WJCS Early Childhood Programs hosted fun, heartwarming, and creative activities in observance of The Week of the Young Child (El Dia de Los Ninos), an annual celebration launched in 1971 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Families throughout Westchester, including in New Rochelle, Sleepy Hollow, and Tarrytown, enjoyed interactive story ...

National Nurses Week is May 6-12
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National Nurses Week is May 6-12

Miriam Arond2025-05-08T12:20:18-04:00May 8th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: nurse appreciation, national nurse week, social services, Mental Health|

This is National Nurses Week, a recognition of the incredible nurses and nurse practitioners who serve across our agency. "At Westchester Jewish Community Services, our mission of providing compassionate, high-quality mental health and social services would not be possible without the dedication, expertise, and heart that our nurses bring to their work every day," said Seth Resnick, M.D. DFAPA, FASAM, Chief Medical Officer at WJCS. "Whether supporting clients in our mental health clinics and assisting in care coordination or providing community-based services in our residential programs, our nurses play a vital role in promoting well-being, safety, and dignity for ...

April is National Volunteer Month
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April is National Volunteer Month

Miriam Arond2025-04-25T14:42:29-04:00April 25th, 2025|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: volunteer opportunities, get involved, national volunteer month, volunteer|

April is National Volunteer Month. All of us at WJCS are deeply indebted to our amazing crew of over 200 volunteers, who help our programs and participants grow and flourish. On behalf of all of our WJCS staff, thank you for the time and effort you dedicate to volunteering for our agency. Our volunteer corps plays an essential role in ensuring that our agency fulfills its mission to help people of all ages and backgrounds overcome emotional, social, educational, vocational, disability, and spiritual challenges. Our volunteers play an important role in helping our clients lead lives with strength, resilience, and ...