Featured Internal Archives - Westchester Jewish Community Services

Volunteer Appreciation Week 2026
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Volunteer Appreciation Week 2026

Miriam Arond2026-04-22T15:42:14-04:00April 22nd, 2026|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: volunteer appreciation week, volunteer appreciation month, get involved, volunteer, Nonprofit, Westchester|

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Week! All of us at WJCS are so grateful to the 300+ incredible individuals who have given their time, energy, and hearts to WJCS in the past year. Volunteers play a vital role in helping us support, uplift, and empower individuals and families across Westchester. You are helping people in our community feel seen, supported, and less alone. That is a gift that cannot be measured. We are honored to have such dedicated partners in this work. Whether it is in hours spent sorting donations in our food pantry, packing care packages or hygiene kits, delivering ...

WJCS 2026 Gala: A Resounding Success!
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WJCS 2026 Gala: A Resounding Success!

Miriam Arond2026-04-22T14:47:10-04:00April 22nd, 2026|Categories: Gala, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: yael friedland, marion morgenthal, give for good, joe torre safe at home, POINT, brae burn country club, Holocaust survivors, Gala|

Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) hosted its 2026 Gala on April 15th at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, New York. More than 330 attendees—Westchester business, community, and political leaders, including Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg, and Assemblyman Chris Burdick, turned out to support the agency's major fundraising event of the year. WJCS, founded in 1943, is one of the largest human service organizations in Westchester, providing help to nearly 20,000 county residents of all ages and backgrounds each year. WJCS honored Marion Morgenthal, co-founder of the WJCS POINT (Pursuing Our INdependence Together) community, Ali and ...

March is National Social Work Month!
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March is National Social Work Month!

Miriam Arond2026-04-16T06:49:22-04:00March 23rd, 2026|Categories: Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: national social work month, social work appreciation, world social work day, clinicians, social workers, Trauma, Mental Health|

March is National Social Work Month, a time to express our deep gratitude to the social workers across WJCS for all they do to help our clients find the tools and strength they need to overcome significant life challenges. Social workers are an essential part of the fabric of Westchester Jewish Community Services. Many of them serve in our mental health and trauma clinics, offering direct therapeutic support to individuals and families. Others work in schools, residences, community-based programs, care management, and in leadership and administrative roles throughout the agency. While their responsibilities may look different, what unites their ...

WJCS Announces 2026 Gala Honoring Community Leaders and Transformative Partnerships
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WJCS Announces 2026 Gala Honoring Community Leaders and Transformative Partnerships

Miriam Arond2026-04-13T16:03:17-04:00March 11th, 2026|Categories: Gala, Feature, Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: yael friedland, marion morgenthal, joe torre safe at home, brae burn country club, Gala|

Westchester County, NY — Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) proudly announces its 2026 Gala, to be held on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, NY at 6:30pm. The evening will celebrate visionary leaders and partners whose dedication and innovation have profoundly strengthened the Westchester community. At this year’s Gala, WJCS will honor: Marion Morgenthal, co-founder of POINT (Pursuing Our INdependence Together), an independent living community in White Plains that empowers young adults with developmental disabilities to live with dignity, purpose, and increasing independence. Joe Torre Safe At Home, WJCS’s partner in operating Margaret’s Place, a ...

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

Miriam Arond2026-04-13T13:41:19-04:00February 23rd, 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 Arond2026-04-13T16:13:08-04:00February 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|

WJCS is thrilled to honor at our 2026 Gala the remarkable contributions of individuals and agencies that have worked in partnership with WJCS to have a transformative impact on Westchester. 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 ...

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, ...

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|

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 ...

WJCS is Named Top Place to Work by City and State NY Magazine
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WJCS is Named Top Place to Work by City and State NY Magazine

Miriam Arond2025-10-21T14:27:04-04:00October 21st, 2025|Categories: Featured Homepage, Featured Internal|Tags: city and state ny, top places to work, westchester county, careers, Nonprofit|

Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), one of the largest human services agencies in Westchester County, is proud to have been selected as a Top Place to Work in New York by City and State NY Magazine. It is one of only 51 organizations to earn this accolade. “We are honored to be recognized by City and State NY,” said WJCS Chief Executive Officer Seth Diamond. “At WJCS, we strive to create a culture that promotes employee satisfaction, generous staff benefits, wellness programs, and growth opportunities. We are dedicated to developing a trauma-informed culture where all staff feel they belong.” WJCS is a nonsectarian, not-for-profit agency, founded in ...

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

Miriam Arond2026-03-18T17:30:07-04:00February 12th, 2026|Categories: Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: 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 2025 Third Quarter Staff Award Winners.

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

Miriam Arond2025-10-17T14:52:10-04:00October 17th, 2025|Categories: Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: 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.

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 ...

The WJCS Parent Child Center is celebrating 25 years in New Rochelle!
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The WJCS Parent Child Center is celebrating 25 years in New Rochelle!

Miriam Arond2025-09-10T15:15:55-04:00September 10th, 2025|Categories: Featured Homepage, Featured Internal, General|Tags: pcc, parent-child center, New Rochelle, Parent-Child, early childhood|

Join us for a joyful 25th Anniversary Celebration on October 21st from 10am to 12pm at the Boys and Girls Club (79 7th St, New Rochelle, NY 10801). We’ll have fun activities, music, and a pizza party! The WJCS Parent Child Center is a FREE early childhood learning program for children from birth to age 4, who attend along with their parents or caregivers. The program runs from October to May. Click here to register.

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 ...

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 2025 Back-to-School Drive
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WJCS 2025 Back-to-School Drive

Miriam Arond2025-08-29T15:36:50-04:00June 12th, 2025|Categories: Featured Internal, General|Tags: backpack drive, back to school drive, supplies for success, UJA-Federation of New York, fundraiser, Back to School, Donate, Nonprofit|

As the school year winds down, WJCS is already looking ahead to September — and to the many families in our community who will face the overwhelming challenge of preparing their children for the new school year. With the cost of living rising and financial pressures mounting for so many, the burden of back-to-school shopping has become more than just stressful — it’s simply out of reach. You can help children in under-resourced Westchester communities start the new school year strong! Last year, thanks to generous supporters like you, we provided hundreds of students with essential supplies. This ...

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 ...

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 ...