UJFT kicks off “Honor” Campaign with $200,000 Lead Gift
Big changes are planned for the area’s only Jewish nursing home, and the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater is taking the lead on ensuring they succeed.
At an event last month at the BergerGoldrich Home, Jay Klebanoff, UJFT president, announced that UJFT has made a lead gift of $200,000 to kickoff a $3-million campaign to make substantial improvements to patient rooms, common areas, rehabilitation therapy spaces and more to upgrade the well regarded skilled care facility. The actual cost of the project is $5-million, with $2-million coming from the Beth Sholom Home of Eastern Virginia Foundation.
“We must have a high quality continuum of care for our parents, grandparents and ultimately for us,” says Klebanoff. “The Home does a wonderful job providing services to the elderly and to rehab patients, and it must never stop.”
Klebanoff and Harry Graber, UJFT executive vice president, joined a number of Beth Sholom board members and staff at a late morning kickoff on July 15. “Our goal is always to be the next generation of care in our community, both for Jews and non-Jews,” says David Abraham, Beth Sholom Village CEO. “We have not had a substantial upgrade here since 2004 when we also built the Terrace. it’s time to bring the Berger Goldrich Home up to today’s standards in terms of lighting, technology, furnishings and administrative offices.”
One major upgrade will be adding showers in each patient room. “We have private bathrooms now, but it will be so much better to have showers in them, too, rather than having staff take patients down the hallway to bathe,” says Neal Stern, chair of the Village board.
The theme for the Campaign is Honor, based on the universal value in the Ten Commandments to Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother. “That is why we have a Beth Sholom Home,” says Stewart Kahn, co-chair of the effort along with larry Siegel. “We take care of our elderly because someday, we want our children and grandchildren to take care of us in a Jewish setting with kosher food, daily services, compassionate doctors and nurses and the other amenities that have always made Beth Sholom such a fantastic institution in our community.”
Steve Suskin, who will oversee the campaign in his role as director of philanthropy, is confident his committee will raise the funds necessary. “Beth Sholom has enjoyed a wonderful reputation for nearly four decades, so i believe it will not be difficult to find persons whose family members have been here who will want to contribute to enhance the Berger Goldrich Home to the levels we all want.”
“We want everyone to participate financially at some level,” said says Stern, “and on behalf of the Village, i thank the Federation for getting us started with this generous gift.”
For more information on the Honor Campaign, call Steve Suskin at 757-420-2512.
Joel Rubin