YEAR IN REVIEW Life changed dramatically in March 2020 when it became clear that nationwide efforts at containing COVID-19 were going to be unsuccessful, and that seniors, especially those residing in nursing homes were most at-risk of severe illness and dying from complications of the virus. Everyone at River Garden stepped up to meet the challenge and we are grateful to our staff for the care and compassion they give each day. This past year we have not been able to welcome community groups or students to River Garden for holidays and programs with the residents. And for two years in a row, we were unable to host 500 people on our campus for our Annual Meeting and Anniversary Day. Our Gala and Golf Classic events were also impacted. Despite these disappointments, the community has been supportive and we thank you all.
Our Jewish Life department has continued to meet Jewish need with creative programming and virtual connections. We have also been able to live stream Shabbat services and other Jewish programming on our internal TV channel. During the holidays when visitation has been very limited, friends and families joined us in many new ways. This past year we’ve also seen a change in leadership, wishing happy retirement to Kathy Osterer, Chief Development Officer, and Marty Goetz, Chief Executive Officer. We welcomed Christina Levine and Mauri Mizrahi, respectively, to these roles and are positioned well for continued success. Thankfully, we are well on the way to recovery, but the challenges are not over. Although many of us are vaccinated, we still must limit visitors in River Garden, test often, wear masks at all times, wash our hands correctly and remain mindful of physical distancing. By this time next year, we hope to again be a destination to unite friends.
COVID-19 what? Nothing could stop the Holidays from being a success. During the 2020 Holidays, JFCS provided over 2,000 children, seniors and Holocaust survivors, thanks to over 400 donors. Above: Chi Phan delivers gifts for �� children.
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Jewish Family & Community Services (JFCS) commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27 with a special event that offered virtual tours of the Frisch Family Holocaust Memorial Gallery’s latest exhibit, Spots of Light: To be a Woman in the Holocaust. This first ever virtual event gave people a way to honor the millions who were lost during the Holocaust in a COVID-safe way. The event was watched over 1,600 by people all over the U.S. on ZOOM and Facebook Live.
