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New York City’s Largest Comprehensive
Provider of Health and Human Services Hosts Annual Spring
Benefit
New York, NY
– Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services—better
known as The Jewish Board—New York City’s largest
comprehensive provider of health and human services to
adults and children, hosted its Spring Benefit 2015
on April 23 at The Plaza Hotel and honored
trustees David B. Edelson, Paul Kronish and
Susan Hecht Tofel. The event raised more than
$1.3 million for the organization.
The Jewish Board Chief Executive Officer David Rivel
welcomed the event’s more than 400 guests and spoke
about the breadth and inclusiveness of the 140-year-old
organization’s services.
“The Jewish Board is all about hope and recovery,” Rivel
said. “Whether you are a child or an adult, whether you are
Jewish or not Jewish, whether you struggle with mental
health challenges or whether there is abuse or neglect in
your family, we give people hope that their life can get
better and give them the tools to recover and live as full a
life as possible.”
Guests watched a video that told the stories of two Jewish
Board clients who were in the room and received a standing
ovation. Central Synagogue’s Senior Rabbi Angela W.
Buchdahl, Senior Cantor Mo Glazman, Assistant
Cantor Julia R. Cadrain, and accompanist David
Strickland performed “True Colors” and a Yom Ha’atzmaut
medley, honoring Israel Independence Day.
UJA-Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein
addressed the crowd and lauded The Jewish Board for
consistently stepping in during crises.
“During every crisis—9/11, the 2008 recession, Hurricane
Sandy, and most recently the closing of FEGS,” Goldstein
said. “The Jewish Board has seamlessly partnered with us to
offer a bold, immediate, effective response for both the
Jewish community and the entire city of New York.”
Jewish Board President Alice Tisch presented honorees
Susan Hecht Tofel and Paul Kronish each
with the Madeleine Borg Lifetime Service Award for their
enduring contributions to the organization and community at
large. Madeleine Borg was a lifelong advocate for children
and for providing greater access to mental health services.
She was an early organizer and leader of the Jewish
Federation, founder of the Big Sister movement in America,
and president of The Jewish Board from 1942 to 1952.
Tofel has served The Jewish Board in some capacity for more
than 53 years. She was Vice President and Secretary and
helped build the organization’s Child Development Center
Committee. Currently, Sue chairs the advisory committee of
Mishkon, The Jewish Board’s division for people with
intellectual and developmental disabilities. One of
Mishkon’s 10 residences in Brooklyn bears her name. The
Susan Hecht Tofel Home houses eight Orthodox Jewish women
living with developmental disabilities.
In addition to his longtime career in the life insurance
business, Kronish has chaired a task force to establish the
very first Jewish residential hospice in New York State as
well as the Men's Division of Albert Einstein College of
Medicine. He also co-chairs The Jewish Board’s Mishkon
Committee and is a longtime Trustee. Kronish also serves on
boards of UJA-Federation of New York and JASA.
Tisch presented the Saul Z. Cohen Leadership Award to
David B. Edelson. Currently Senior Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer of Loews Corporation,
Edelson has held past positions with JP Morgan Chase and
Goldman Sachs. He is a Trustee and Vice President of The
Jewish Board, and he chaired the organization’s Strategic
Planning Task Force. He is also President of the Board of
Trustees of Central Synagogue.
Saul Z Cohen was a president of the Jewish Board of
Guardians and was instrumental in helping that agency merge
with Jewish Family Service, which formed the present-day
Jewish Board.
IN ATTENDANCE:
UJA-Federation’s Eric Goldstein, NYC Council Member
Mark Levine, Jewish Board Trustees Anthony E. Mann,
Laurie Sprayregen, Jean Shafiroff,
Jean Troubh, Fran Levy, Lynn Kroll,
Steven Fasman, Karen Kasner, CEO David Rivel,
and many others
About The Jewish Board
For more than 140 years, The Jewish Board has been helping
New Yorkers overcome barriers, realize their potential, and
live as independently as possible. With hope and resilience
guiding our work, we promote recovery by addressing all
aspects of an individual’s life, including mental and
physical health, family, housing, employment and education.
Each year across the five boroughs and in Westchester, we
serve more than 35,000 people from all religious, ethnic,
and economic backgrounds. Visit us at
www.jbfcs.org.
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