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Record-Breaking Attendance at the 2023 JFS Senior Adult Chanukah Party
February 2024
By Julie Loftis, JFS Marketing Specialist
The 19th Annual Norman Steinberger Senior Adult Chanukah Celebration, hosted by Jewish Family Services (JFS), was a resounding success, drawing a record 155 guests and 24 volunteers. The event featured live performances by students from the Charlotte Jewish Preschool and Charlotte Jewish Day School, video greetings from Hebrew High students, and take-home goodies. Rabbi Wolk of Temple Israel led the chanukiah lighting, with Irving Bienstock, Ruth Goldberg, Daisy Shapiro Rieke, and Julie Shapiro participating in the ceremony. Guests enjoyed lunch and dessert provided by Izzy’s Catering and Brookdale Carriage Club, accompanied by a live musical entertainment by Viva Klezmer!. This event, a collaboration between JFS and OASIS at the Levine JCC, was made possible through generous donations from Norman Steinberger (OBM), BlueDot Cares, Connery on Providence, and the Sephardic Foundation on Aging.
The high attendance reflects an increased demand for JFS Senior Engagement Team services over the past year. This rise in requests for senior services, including care management, counseling, friendly visits, Holocaust survivor support, caregiver support, senior programs, and resource connections, mirrors the growing aging population and the challenges of seniors living longer amidst rising living costs.
Sheryl Gerrard, JFS senior engagement manager and former psychologist, holds a certification in gerontology and is a dementia practitioner. She oversees the development and execution of programs and services for senior adults across the greater Charlotte area, ensuring diverse offerings and authentic Jewish experiences for independent seniors and those in residential communities, including local Holocaust survivors and their families. As a community resource expert, Sheryl provides support and guidance for care planning. She also serves on the board of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Council on Aging. “Supporting adults through the aging process, whether they are seeking resources for themselves or as caregivers, is an honor,” says Gerrard. “People often turn to us in great need, and we have the opportunity to guide them from crisis to stability.”
Ruth King and Tracee Morrissette, full-time JFS case managers, assist independent adults over 60 in Mecklenburg County and Jewish seniors throughout the greater Charlotte area. They connect clients with social opportunities, transportation, and homecare providers. Both bring extensive experience in the aging industry to JFS. According to Tracee, “I was drawn to this position at JFS because I get to work with my favorite population — seniors! My favorite thing about JFS is that the people here love the people they help and go out of their way for them.” King added, “It is an opportunity to continue working with senior adults, but in a different capacity than I had in the past. It has been great to get to meet so many new senior adults in the Charlotte area, to provide resources that allow them to stay as independent as possible for as long as possible, and to build ongoing relationships with them.”
Amanda Levine, a JFS clinical therapist with a master’s degree in social work, specializes in geriatric mental health. She focuses on senior-specific health issues and aging challenges, including life transitions, grief, loss, stress, depression, isolation, anxiety, and family relationship management. She shares that “few people are prepared to deal with aging-related issues. I view my role as one of educator, partner, and advocate, assisting clients in navigating resources and encouraging them to become their own advocates.”
For more information about JFS senior adult programs, services, and caregiver support, visit jfscharlotte.org or call (704) 364-6594.
