Bar and Bat Mitzvah Projects at WJCS
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
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 2025 Gala: A Huge Success!
Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) held a hugely successful Gala at Brae Burn Country Club on Tuesday, April 8th with more than 350 community and business leaders, government officials, and Westchester residents, all passionate advocates for helping those in need in Westchester. Scarsdale residents Joel S. Beckman and Gillian Rittmaster were honored at the celebratory event hosted by one of the largest human service non-profit organization in the county. The evening was filled with inspiring words and personal, transformative stories of WJCS clients who shared their struggles before coming to the agency and how the organization transformed their lives. ...
WJCS is Named Best-in-Class Employer
(From left: Seth Diamond, WJCS Chief Executive Officer; Milagros Rivera, WJCS Director of Human Resources; Scott Bojer, Area Vice President at Gallagher; Stephan Spilkowitz, WJCS Director of Engagement and Culture) Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) is delighted to share that our agency has been named Best-in-Class Employer by Gallagher. Scott Bojer, Area Vice President at Gallagher, visited WJCS Headquarters in North White Plains and presented the award to WJCS CEO Seth Diamond and WJCS Human Resources Director Milagros Rivera. “This Best-in-Class designation is a reflection of our agency’s unwavering commitment to creating a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, ...
The Intersection of Trauma & Developmental Disabilities
In order to enable clinicians to better serve this unique client population, this course will: provide information on how trauma may present differently in the developmental disability population compared to neurotypicals, encourage participants to think critically about how traumatic experiences might be experienced through the lens of a person with developmental disabilities, and identify ways in which current evidence-based interventions for trauma could be adapted for this population of clients.
WJCS April 8th Gala Will Honor Joel S. Beckman and Gillian Rittmaster
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 ...
Winter Happenings at WJCS!
Thank you to our generous donors who contributed to the WJCS 2024 Have a Heart for the Holidays Gift Drive, children and parents in WJCS Early Childhood Programs as well as in our mental health clinics were delighted to receive toys, games, and gift cards that brightened their holiday season. Clients in our WJCS Outpatient Services for People with Developmental Disabilities Program created beautiful artwork in gratitude for the gifts they received from the Drive (see above, right)! We're deeply grateful to the many legislators and legislative staff who attended our New York State Delegation Breakfast on January 24th. ...
Providing Connection For Older Adults
Almost 40% of people living in Westchester who are age 65 and older live alone. In recognizing that many seniors face physical, emotional, and practical challenges, the Jewish Community Center Mid-Westchester (JCCMW) and Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) are proud to announce the continuation of their Isolation to Connection program, a free program that is open to all. Knowing what senior services are available and accessing then can be confusing. The Isolation to Connection program, which is funded through a grant from UJA-Federation of NY, assists isolated older adults in Westchester by providing a caring professional who offers support ...
Annual WJCS 2024 Staff Awards
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 ...
A Year of Challenge, Support, and Resilience
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 ...
Together, We Transform Lives
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 ...
Community Counts: Coming Together to Celebrate Holidays
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 ...
NAMI Walk with #WJCSProud
Join team #WJCSProud for the 2024 NAMI Walk this Mental Health Awareness Month!
WJCS 2024 Gala: A Resounding Success!
(From left) Seth Diamond, CEO; Meira Fleisch, Honoree; Stephanie Marquesano, Honoree; Lauren Candela-Katz, Chief Advancement Officer; Shannon Van Loon, Chief Program Officer Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) held a hugely successful Gala at Brae Burn Country Club on Tuesday April 16th with hundreds of Westchester community and business leaders, government officials, and Westchester residents, all passionate advocates for helping those in need in Westchester County. The event honorees were Meira Fleisch of Larchmont, a child and family advocate and longtime WJCS Board member who was an Early Learning Specialist in the WJCS ParentChild+ program for many years, and Stephanie ...
National Volunteer Month
National Volunteer Month
WJCS Named a Community Champion
WJCS helps seniors throughout Westchester County to help them stay engaged in their communities and age in place safely with dignity. We are thrilled that WJCS has been recognized as a Community Champion by the Westchester Public/Private Partnership Membership Fund for Aging Services. Among the many programs and services offered by our Senior Care program, supervised by Judy Fink, LCSW, are: Care and Case Management which involves our staff assisting clients, families, and caregivers by providing them with the information and assistance they need, whether it is via phone calls, emails, or home visits. “We ensure that seniors obtain ...
Meaningful Friendships that Promote Mental Wellness
This year the WJCS Compeer program, a supportive friendship program in which each volunteer is matched with an individual recovering from mental illness, celebrates its 50th anniversary. By facilitating friendships, Compeer helps mental health clients feel less isolated and more integrated into their communities. Compeer started as a small program in upstate New York and has grown into an international organization with over 40 chapters. Compeer volunteers commit to spending time with a mental health client for a year or more. Research has shown that most Compeer clients see improvements in multiple areas of their lives as a result ...
The DD Diagnoses and Community Mental Health
Almost all clinicians who are in a general practice setting either in the community, or a school or hospital are finding they need skills in recognizing developmental disorders and adapting treatment strategies to meet the needs of individuals who are either on the spectrum or have cognitive challenges. This course is designed to review the fundamental aspects of these diagnoses, including changes in the DSM 5-TR.
WJCS Presents Fashion & Compassion Luncheon at Neiman Marcus at The Westchester
WJCS Presents Fashion & Compassion Luncheon at Neiman Marcus at The Westchester to Raise Funds for WJCS Mary J. Blige Center Food Pantry in Yonkers Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), one of the largest human service organizations in Westchester County, hosted a “Fashion & Compassion” Luncheon at Neiman Marcus at The Westchester on May 11th. Ten percent of the sales made after the fashion show luncheon were donated by Neiman Marcus to WJCS and directed to support the food pantry at the WJCS Mary J. Blige Center, which helps under-resourced families in Yonkers. “Food insecurity has become a signficant ...
WJCS Annual 2024 Gala
Connect, recharge & be inspired at our annual WJCS 2024 Gala as we honor Meira Fleisch & Stephanie Marquesano. REGISTER NOW! Purchase your JOURNAL AD by Friday March 22. Become a corporate sponsor! Contact Lauren Candela-Katz, Chief Advancement Officer, at 914.761.0600 x2219; [email protected].
Volunteer Spotlight: Earle Marsh
Earle Marsh had a flourishing career, working at some of the biggest names in media, including the A.C Nielson Company, NBC, CBS and Showtime. He even wrote an award-winning book that received the American Book Award in 1980: The Complete Directory to Primetime Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-present. It was released in nine editions from 1979 to 2007. When he left Showtime in 1984 Earle bought his first computer and found a new field of fascination and interest. He learned enough, completely self-taught, to run the IT (Information Technology) operation for a law firm in Manhattan from 1991 ...