refresh! - Chevrah Kadisha

PAGE 5
You Are Invited
To Join Second
Innings
PAGE 8
Hospital Liaison
Officer - Bev Modlin
PAGE 7
Protected
Employment NY Marathon
PAGES 10
Enrich Your Life
Programme 2015
NEWS
for our friends
Pesach • April 2015 • Volume 44
AT THE HEART OF COMMUNITY WELFARE
REFRESH!
A Message From
Our Chairman
A NEW
APPROACH
TO OLD
CHALLENGES
In searching for the right words to explain
current thinking and transformation at the
Chev, we checked the dictionary definition
of refresh and found that it means...
“give new strength or energy to;
reinvigorate; revitalize; revive; restore;
energize”...
Being a computer-age term, it also means
“to cause an updated version of (something
to appear on a
c o m p u t e r
screen)” - F5 on
your keyboard.
redefining our financial reporting systems and
reinventing the way we dispense assistance.
In addition to consolidating and aligning
our services, we are also adopting proactive
positions in anticipation of community needs
and benchmarking our services against the
highest international standards.
FACELIFTS:
OUR PARENT’S HOME
When
Kirsty
Ross’s
uncle, Harold Hockman,
passed away suddenly
last year, Kirsty (seen
here with husband
Brendan and children)
decided she wanted
to
do
something
wonderful
for
the Chev in his
memory. Harold
was the first
person to join
our World of
Work protected
employment
programme in
2002.
In this edition
of Chevrah News
we share with our
readers the many
ways in which the
Chev is building a
new legacy in order
to leave a great one
for future generations.
Physically, we are performing
facelifts, upgrading, renovating
and maintaining our facilities.
Financially, we are revolutionising
our
fundraising
structures;
The Chev in Numbers
R16 795 000
Amount paid annually for
municipal charges - water,
rates, electricity etc.
11 400
Number of routine
maintenance jobs done
each year
I am pleased to have this opportunity
to talk to you about living and leaving
legacies. The topic fits in well with the
theme of refreshing and renewing the
Chev, and is at the very heart of what
we are trying to accomplish.
224
Number of security
cameras in place
throughout Organisation
1440
Number of smoke
detectors throughout
Sandringham Gardens
plus 10km of cabling
Throughout my Chairmanship I
have felt a great appreciation for the
wonderful legacy that our current
Board of Governors inherited from
the generations that preceded us.
Not only did they give us our culture
of lasting Jewish values: compassion,
integrity, commitment and more
– they also gave us our physical
infrastructure of paid-up properties
and debt-free institutions. That is no
small achievement and it enabled us to
focus our energies on the immediate
challenges of meeting operational
costs to support those in need.
As our CEO and Management teams
work tirelessly to care for the community
every day, we simultaneously have
our eyes on the future goal of
leaving our own sustainable legacy
for the generations that succeed us.
A legacy that will, please G-d, ensure
the available resources to help those
unable to help themselves. Just as
the legacy left to us was a lifeline,
so too should be the one we leave
1
AT THE HEART OF COMMUNITY WELFARE
Continued from front page 1
From a long list of priority facilities
projects identified by our Operations
team, Kirsty chose the ground floor of
Our Parents Home. Only months later,
on 2nd December, a cocktail party
was held at the Home to celebrate the
official “opening” of the beautifully
refurbished entrance, lounge and
dining room. All participants were
invited, including donors, suppliers
and service providers who had either
contributed their time and expertise
pro bono, or offered free or hugely
discounted prices on paint, carpeting, wallpaper, curtaining and furniture. “Kirsty’s energy
and determination was inspiring” said COO Corene Breedt, who worked closely with her to
complete the project. “And the results speak for themselves – the residents are delighted!”
to tomorrow’s community leaders.
What’s most important is that the
Chev should always be able to fulfil its
mandate and that no Jews should ever
find themselves with nowhere to turn
for help.
Wishing you and your families a Chag
Kosher v’Sameach – a joyous and happy
Pesach!
COLIN DATNOW
And to prove that you’re never too young to be socially aware, 11 year old Gabriella Rosen
responded to Kirsty’s appeal for project support by posting a video (https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=v88UpucQwsc) challenging all other Bar and Bat Mitzvah children
worldwide to do as she had done: choose to forego (or
downgrade) a celebratory party in preference to donating
the costs to charity. Ultimately Gabriella and her parents,
Michelle and Brian, bought 150 new dining room chairs,
new furniture for the bridge room and library and new
curtaining throughout the ground floor. Contractor, Brian
Abrahamson, donated his team’s time free of charge,
Jacks Paint provided all the paint and interior decorator,
Dominique, was onsite to offer advice. Michelle Rosen, a
photography hobbyist, did a magnificent series of black
and white photographs of residents and their families
which adorn the long corridor from the entrance to the
dining room, and presented the pictures on disk as gifts
for them. As always, Norman and Michael Stein stepped
up to assist with last-minute funding for the project.
When the dust settled, the front entrance had been
rebuilt, the entire ground floor area had been re-carpeted
and painted and new furniture installed. A huge flat
screen TV, reception desk, creative lighting, artwork and
a state of the art sound system completed the job.
Dr Hilton Price lives in St Louis, Missouri in the USA and recently visited his mother,
a resident of Our Parents Home for the past 3 years. He said, “When my mom first came into the
Home my sister and I had some issues with the accommodation and care, but our complaints have been taken to heart and each
year when I visit I see great improvements. Now that my mom has to go into the Sunshine Circle, I am reassured again: the place
is beautiful, clean and attractive and the care is of a high standard. Overall there has been very positive progress during Michael
Sieff’s tenure!”
2
Pesach • April 2015 • Volume 44
SANDRINGHAM GARDENS
print but already we can see that the décor
is classic, the colours soothing and elegant,
the ambiance timeless. From floor to ceiling,
everything will have been revamped. Two large
multi-functional universal bathrooms (flat-level
flooring) have been installed and soon new
medical equipment and furnishings will be in
place. Even the linen and dining area will be
tasteful and consistent throughout the Unit.
“It is our intention to refurbish this entire
facility,” said CEO Michael Sieff.
But anyone familiar with Sandringham
Gardens will know that’s an ambitious
plan. With its 3 floors and 9 wings,
the building is enormous. “The only
way we can do it is
section by section in
manageable,
bitesized chunks as part
of our donor-driven
prioritised
facilities
projects”.
A generous benefactor
who
prefers
to
remain
anonymous
has recently provided
the funds to launch
this massive project. Builders and interior decorators were
brought in to renovate Unit 3D, one of Sandringham Gardens’ 4
Frail Care units. The unit consists of 6 rooms and a total of 22 beds
(5 rooms with 4 beds and one with 2). Outside each unit is a small
dining area and residents are encouraged to leave their rooms for
meals for a change of scenery.
3D will likely reach completion soon after this publication goes to
Ridding the facility of its disjointed, institutionalised,
hospital environment and making the rooms less sterile and
more comforting and functional - with cupboards next to the
beds and notice-boards nearby for personal family photos
– will help to make the Unit feel more like home for those
who are there long-term. 3D will be the model upon which
future renovations are based in order to achieve a flow of
harmonious colours and a theme throughout the Home.
Although the process will be gradual, an elegant, Chevbranded look and feel will emerge, one section at a time.
Having developed a blueprint, anyone wanting to assist with
sponsorship for the renovation of a wing or unit, will now have a
visual example and projected costs to go on.
“Every cent of this project was donor-driven”
said Saul Tomson, the Chev’s Chief Revenue
Officer, “over and above regular donations for
welfare and operating costs.”
CARE OF THE AGED
From the Desk of Group CEO
MICHAEL SIEFF
It’s been 5 years since I joined the Chev as CEO. Looking back
through the wide lens of hindsight, I am gratified to see just how
much refreshing the Organisation has undergone.
From the start, my mandate and strategy has been to focus on
alignment and consolidation for the purpose of sustainability.
In his letter our Chairman addresses the crucial responsibility we
have to plan for the future and to ensure a viable Chev legacy.
That is not a quick fix, but I see it happening daily through the
concerted efforts of our Board, Exco team, Management and staff.
As you read through this Chevrah News you will see for yourselves
the positive progress and evolvement that has taken place.
It is evident in the transformation of our residential facilities and
the well-defined plans in place for restoration, maintenance and
refurbishment. Over R10 million has been spent on this project
to date, driven by donor funds over and above commitments to
welfare. The to-do list, understandably dynamic, still stands at
more than R40 million.
It is evident in the consolidation of services such as Finkelstein
TLC into Selwyn Segal; the divestment of properties remote and
financially draining, and the alignment of all facets of our rapidlygrowing protected employment division.
It is evident in the reinvention of our
fundraising structures and practices and
the streamlining of our financial budgeting,
reporting, and welfare distribution. The
work of our Social Services professionals reflects the highest
international standards, and the department’s outreach
programmes, like Marriage Week and Enrich your Life, are eagerly
embraced. Most of all, it is evident in the standard of care we
strive to provide to those who depend upon us.
This is a work in progress and with vision, projection and careful
planning, already charted, the next five years will please G-d offer
enhanced security and clarity to the community we serve. As we
continue the sacred work of this 126 year old Organisation – one
of a kind in the entire world – we do so with energy, dedication and
an enlightened, refreshing approach. And we do so with you, our
encouraging and supportive partners!
I wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2015 and chag kasher
v’sameach
MICHAEL SIEFF
3
AT THE HEART OF COMMUNITY WELFARE
FINKELSTEIN TLC’s MOVE
When staff and FTLC students and their families attended the year-end celebration in 2014, there
were a number of items on the programme. One was to bid a very fond farewell to Headmistress,
Caron Levy, who had been at the helm of the school since the Chev incorporated it under its wing
in 2005. Caron’s service has been exemplary –
dedicated and professional. She will be missed by
both her students and colleagues.
The other important item was to introduce everyone
to FTLC’s new location from 2015. Two bright,
colourful classrooms and a well-equipped stimulation
room (our version of a snoezelen) have been set up
on the Selwyn Segal campus. The outside playground
features a trampoline and variety of games, toys and
bikes for fun and therapeutic stimulation.
“This move is extremely positive for the children and will
provide best opportunities to all FLTC learners for growth
and development,” said Lijahne Beetge, GM of the
Chev’s Disability Division, under whose supervision
the school will now be run. “Their day to day education
will be largely unchanged as their teachers have moved
across with them, but here they will have the support of
the whole Selwyn Segal team and will enjoy the benefit of all the additional services available.”
“This transformation is a natural, inevitable progression and positive testament to the accomplishments of
FTLC over the past ten
years.” FTLC’s name
and incredible legacy
will be retained.
Special thanks to
the Selwyn Segal
Gift Shop for their
generous sponsorship
of the refurbishment
of FTLC.
A HUGE MAZALTOV to
the Selwyn Segal Gift
Shop which was awarded
2nd place in the Star Readers
Choice last year for best gift
shop! This is a great and
well-deserved achievement.
Well done and thank you to
all our wonderful staff and
volunteers!
4
Pesach • April 2015 • Volume 44
YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN SECOND INNINGS
If you’re 60 or older,
active, independent and
interested in socialising
and learning, you would
enjoy being part of our
exciting Second Innings
programme.
Initiated almost 20 years ago by the Chev Social Services division,
the programme has been very successful, providing enjoyable,
educational and stimulating activities. Its membership today
exceeds 250 regular participants.
Three Sunday mornings a month a Tea and Talk takes place at the
Gerald Horwitz Lounge in Golden Acres. There is either a guest
speaker or another form of entertainment. “The standard of our
guest speakers is remarkable. They are chosen for their relevance to
our members and their expert knowledge,” said Glynne Zackon, Chev
Social Services GM. “Each one is an authority
in his or her field and members and visitors are
consistently enlightened and enriched!”
Here are some of the highlights:
• Mandy Wiener, Eyewitness News reporter “Behind the Door: the Oscar Pistorius Trial”
• Brenda Lasersohn, Clinical Psychologist “The Healthy Ageing Brain: Inspire to Re-wire”
• Prof. Adriano Duse, Head of Clinical
Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Wits - “Superbug: Ebola West Africa 2014”
• Tony Bentel, pianist, actor, musician
extraordinaire - “Tony Bentel Plays Again”
A number of day-time outings are arranged to
sites of cultural and historical interest, nature
reserves, flower farms and other interesting
places which are selected for their significance,
accessibility, proximity to Johannesburg and
reasonable cost. In February there was a visit
to Doonholm Herb Farm, a wholesale farm
in Midrand, with a guided tour by renowned
gardening personality and owner, Doug Watson. In March members
went to “The View” on Parktown Ridge, the only remaining mansion of
Randlord, Thomas Cullinan (of diamond mine fame), for a guided tour
by the Transvaal Scottish Regiment, who refurbished the mansion some
years ago.
The cherry on the top for many members may well be the quarterly trip to
the theatre - usually Montecasino or Mandela Theatre on Sunday evenings.
Group bookings yield very reasonable prices and the standard of theatre is
seldom disappointing. At the end of 2014 Second Innings was fortunate
to get very inexpensive tickets to the world-famous
production of War Horse at the Teatro. And more
recently members attended Pieter Toerien’s Main
Theatre at Montecasino to enjoy a hilarious show by
Alan Committie entitled “Sound of Laughter”.
Kate Turkington (centre), well-known radio
personality & travel writer, with Selwyn Klass
and Grecia Gabriel.
SECOND INNINGS COSTS
Annual membership fees are R150 for
individuals and R200 for couples.
Entrance fee for Sunday Tea and Talk
meetings is R20 per person for members
and R30 for visitors (who are always
welcome). Light refreshments are
Throughout the year interest groups meet to engage
in their preferred activities: exercise, Israeli dancing,
scrabble, walking, book discussions and a group
conferring on themes of interest. The year-end
function is always a highlight event celebrating
good friendships and an inspirational, rewarding
programme.
A comprehensive quarterly newsletter keeps
members informed of the extensive activities on
offer and provides news about the members.
Contact Linda Fleishman on 011 532 9616 for
further details.
included.
Costs for outings vary as do coach
transport costs.
DON’T HESITATE!
CHANGING!
THIS
COULD
BE
LIFE-
5
AT THE HEART OF COMMUNITY WELFARE
A HIVE OF PROGRESS AND ACTIVITY
Over the past 5 years this department has evolved, consolidated
and achieved great things!
Until recently the Kadimah Occupational Centre – a multiracial non-denominational workshop established over 35
years ago and incorporated into the Chev in 2008, and
the World of Work programme, in which workers are
employed within the Organisation, were separate entities
run in different locations.
Kadimah ran from its premises in Berea and it was
not until the beginning of 2014 that it moved to a
consolidated Protected Employment centre on the campus of Our
Parents’ Home in Gardens.
The official opening of its new premises was held in December
2014 and many supporters were invited. Special tribute was paid
to the late Willie Miller who was Chairman and Hon Life President of
Kadimah for close to 30 years. Working for Kadimah was a true labour
of love for Willie. In the picture his two sons, Roy and Michael, and
granddaughter Ora, frame the plaque erected in Willie’s honour.
JOZI FORUM
The Chev Protected employment team was at the forefront of establishing a national forum for
Protected Workshops in the Johannesburg region under the MEC of Social Development, Ms. Faith
Muzibuko.
Its vision is to develop these Workshops (which include Selwyn Segal and Kadimah workshops)
for the benefit of their clients and beneficiaries by sharing ideas and teaching skills.
The launch was held at Forest Farm Centre, William Nicol in October 2014 and was attended by the
MEC and some 400 guests representing their Workshops.
As part of the Jozi Forum initiative, the Dept. of Social Development
allocated funds to Chev Protected Employment to roll out a project for 57
Protected Workshops. This involves providing training and equipment to
knit beanies, scarves and other items which would then be sold to raise
funds for the Workshops.
Tracy Mayhew, Protected Emploment GM, and her team purchased 6,475
balls of wool and 1,086 sets of looms and set about delivering and training.
6
Pesach • April 2015 • Volume 44
OUR PROTECTED EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT
RUNNING THE NY MARATHON
Recent successes for Kadimah include a
partnership with Achilles International, a
running programme for people with disabilities.
Dennis Taubakin, who manages Achilles, gave
2 disabled Kadimah workers the opportunity
to run in the New York Marathon in November
2014. He trained the runners himself and
the winners, Buthi Murule and Vincent Gwebu,
competed for their spots against 8 other
contestants.
The World of Work graduation event was
celebrated with great excitement in December
when over 100 workers received certificates
for their hard work and progress in different
Chev departments:
It was an incredible experience for these two
young men, neither of whom had ever been on a plane or travelled anywhere, least
of all to the bustling metropolis of New York City!
Dennis wrote to Tracy Mayhew,
GM of our Protected Employment
department, from NY after the race:
“It was a very cold day today with subzero wind gusting through the roads. All
the teams did very well, and finished.
They ran with volunteers who took
good care of them all the way. Both
Buti and Vincent are pretty stiff but
are very happy wearing their medals
I am very proud of them both!”
MAKING MEMORIES MEANINGFUL
All children deserve to be able to
collect wonderful family memories
growing up - memories of annual
holiday rituals, birthday parties and
special occasions; learning to ride a
bike, dance, play an instrument or bask
in the praise of parents and siblings
when achievements are celebrated.
The needs of the children are personalised and
their talents, whether in sport or the arts, are
developed. They are “parented” and encouraged to
make friends and to spend time with them at their
homes or at Arcadia. “It’s most definitely not a case
of one size fits all – there’s nothing institutional about
Arcadia and the focus is firmly on the individual. Each
child is placed in a school that meets their specific
educational and social needs – even though it means
we have to deliver and collect them from 9 different
schools each day!”
But children in Arcadia too often
come to us with sad and frightening
“As much as it’s Arcadia’s responsibility to feed,
memories of life at home. “As much
clothe, educate and care for our children, it’s also
our responsibility to normalise their worlds and
Two matriculants graduated last year. They both
as it’s Arcadia’s responsibility to
to influence negative childhood experiences by
did extremely well and are off to further their
feed, clothe, educate and care for our
creating opportunities for them to collect positive
studies in different fields. When it came time to
children,” says GM, Adina Menhard,
memories.”
prepare for their matric dances, the girls fitted
“it’s also our responsibility to normalise
right in! Hairdressers, manicurists and make-up artists volunteered
their worlds and to influence negative childhood experiences by
their time and they wore stunning dresses. Just like all the other
creating opportunities for them to collect positive memories.”
matric girls, they looked and felt like princesses!
That’s why Arcadia’s care and youth care workers do their best to
We’ve all heard the expression: It Takes a Village to Raise a Child. In
attend parent-teachers evenings, year-end functions, sports events,
Arcadia’s case, it takes our amazing Jewish community to do that.
school plays and prize-giving ceremonies. It’s why milestones
“It’s important to know that Arcadia doesn’t do this alone”, said CEO
like Bar and Bat mitzvahs are honoured with simple but beautiful
Michael Sieff. “We could not cope without the
functions to which family, friends and volunteers are invited. It’s
support of our generous community. Volunteers
not often that Arcadia’s children are actually orphans in the literal
take the children on planned outings, visit,
sense and family preservation is important, so Arcadia keeps the
mentor and support them. They are our village”.
kids in touch with their family members wherever possible.
7
AT THE HEART OF COMMUNITY WELFARE
OUR HOSPITAL LIAISON OFFICER BEV MODLIN
Can you imagine how lost and
frightened a patient may feel in a
big and busy hospital - especially if
they’re elderly, alone, disabled or
disorientated?
The Chev can.
That’s why Bev Modlin, a qualified,
ICU-trained Nursing Sister with
many years of experience, has
been employed since 2008 to
provide that essential liaison between patients and the world
around them.
It often happens that residents of the various Chev facilities such
as Our Parents Home, Sandringham Gardens, Selwyn Segal,
Sandringham Lodge, etc. are transferred to off-site hospitals
for surgeries or treatments that are beyond the scope of the
Sandringham Garden’s Medical Centre. While away from their
homes these patients may feel anxious, alienated and lonely
with no-one to talk to and no one to talk for them.
Bev visits her patients daily, sometimes driving to as many as
six hospitals in a day.
“I love my work” she says. “My job is to make their stay in hospital
as comfortable and non-threatening as possible. I act as the
intermediary between patients and their doctors, their families and
the healthcare services of the Chevrah Group. They often have no
family here. I am their voice and make sure they understand what’s
going on.”
Bev is responsible for reporting back daily to the Chev medical
staff. She facilitates the signing of consent forms when
residents are unable to sign and have no family to do so, and
examines patient charts to assess their condition and progress
so that she can inform the doctors and matrons at the Homes.
“I do whatever a loving daughter would do for them,” she explains.
Most of all, Bev ensures that her patients are being welltreated. “I have to be diplomatic and humble in my dealings with
State hospital nursing staff in order to earn their trust and respect
so that they will co-operate with me.” But she has seen a definite
8
improvement in levels of care over the years “…they see there is someone
around who is concerned with the patient’s wellbeing”.
She gets emotional as she tells the story of an old woman in very poor
health who was put onto a ventilator in hospital. She was unresponsive
and comatose. “I spoke to her, just in case she could hear me, and told
her that there were people around her who loved and cared for her. To my
astonishment I saw a tear trickle down her cheek. She heard me! And she
recovered.”
Pesach • April 2015 • Volume 44
NORMAN & MICHAEL STEIN
OUR PARTNERS ON MAINTENANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS
Our front page story describes the refurbishment
of Our Parents Home, and the Stein family
certainly came to that party!
But neither could the Chev afford to delay maintenance and upgrading any longer and the plan
was launched in September 2013 with the aim
of carrying out urgent projects that address the
need to upgrade ageing Chev buildings, acquire
much-needed vehicles, install new generators,
and so on.
But that’s not the only sustainability project
they’ve been involved with. In fact, they are the
Chev’s steadfast and committed partners in
facilities sustainability.
Long-time friends and supporters of the Chev,
Norman and Michael Stein are Lifetime Platinum
Pillars donors. This generous, dedicated father
and son team, seen here with COO Corene Breedt
outside Our Parents Home, have personally funded a large number of projects over the years and recruited people
“in the business” to help, over and above their regular commitments
to welfare support.
“Naturally we cannot afford for our Pillars donors to reroute their funding,”
says CEO Michael Sieff. “We still need to feed, house and provide health
care to our 1,000 residents and many more welfare recipients. This has
to be a separate initiative”.
More than R10 million has been spent to date
and the ever-changing to-do list still stands at
more than R40 million.
In addition to that list there is the hope that the
Chev can stay ahead of the game and ensure
long term sustainability by implementing cost saving strategies like
energy saving, improving payroll efficiency and enhancing communication strategies in IT and telecoms that will ultimately improve
efficiencies.
While R50m is a lot of money, careful planning and having the right
people on board, will make it manageable. Our sincere thanks to
the Stein family for partnering with us!
A LIFE TOUCHED BY...
Arcadia and Golden Acres
Mary Hill is tiny, funny, immaculately
groomed and has just celebrated her
100th birthday!
Her mind is razor-sharp and she walks
briskly, unaided. Mary makes her own bed
every morning and showers by herself.
Her only problem is that her eyesight is
no longer good. To counter that, she gets
her literature on Tapes for the Blind and
commends the efficiency of their delivery
and collections. She tells me that she’s not a “party girl”; that
“a sense of humour is a necessary part of life” and cautions that
during our interview she’ll be “keeping her secrets to herself”.
Born Mary Rovinsky on 4th February 1915 in Johannesburg, she
says her amazing longevity and good health is inherited. “I have
good genes!” Her mother lived into her nineties and all of her
sisters, (two of whom spent their last years at Golden Acres and
the other at Sandringham Gardens) lived well into their 80’s with
one making it to 102. Good genes indeed!
From age five, Mary spent ten years in Arcadia Jewish Children’s
Home with her little sister, then three. “We were four girls and my
father had passed away during the flu epidemic of 1918. My mother
couldn’t afford to keep us all at home, so the youngest two were sent
to Arcadia.” How was that for her? “Wonderful!” she exclaims.
“We were very happy in Arcadia. We were fed, clothed, educated,
cared for and even allowed to go home for a visit once a month.”
At the time there were over 200
children in the residence.
Good genes may explain her advanced
age, but looking at her outfit, styled
hair and carefully applied make-up,
it’s easy to detect her strength of
character, resolve and independence.
Mary’s quality of life is sustained by
these attributes. The cherry on the
top is her positive outlook. “I’m happy
in Golden Acres,” she says, “life has been good to me.” That may be
true, but her contentment has more to do with attitude than anything
else. Her life has not always been easy. One of her three sons,
Bernard (obm) contracted diphtheria and tragically passed away at
age four. She worked hard to help provide for her family from the
age of 15 and after her marriage to Israel Hill in 1940 moved to
Botswana with him where they ran a trading store for 20 years. It
was the one time she confesses to being unhappy: the heat was
oppressive and her children were far away in Herber House. Finally,
they moved back to Johannesburg and bought a home in Highlands
North. One son, Stanley, qualified as a dentist and lives in London
where he worked until he retired and Lionel lives here and is in the
hardware business.
To her delight, Mary’s family came from Australia and England
to celebrate her 100 year young party on 8th February. May she
continue to spread light and joy for many years to come. It was an
honour to meet her. Happy Birthday Mary!
9
AT THE HEART OF COMMUNITY WELFARE
Common Cents
Applying Science
To Welfare Distribution
Rabbi Jonathan Fox, who has a degree
in actuarial science and statistics,
supervises the decision-making process
when it comes to dispensing welfare.
He has implemented a model that
adds scientific criteria to the existing
compassion in order to make the
process evenhanded and more efficient.
“Accurate assessment of the needs
of recipients is essential because, for
obvious reasons, under-providing could be
disastrous for them,” he says. “On the other
hand, over-providing may disincentivise
them from striving for independence,
which is counter to healthy objectives and
would be prejudicial to our donors.”
Analytical financial tools are being used
effectively to assist in providing quite an
accurate picture of the needs of each
individual or family unit. The financial
model estimates basic living costs
depending on:
• the number of people in household
• the demographics of those people
• the cost of living: medical requirements, accommodation, food, education, transport, telephones, etc.
But, having said that, we all know that
providing for people in need is not an
exact science.
Our Financial Assistance team, led
by Shirley Resnick, has a combined
experience of 60 years and is well
aware that each case is unique and that
individual circumstances must be taken
into
account.
We call that the
humane factor.
10
Pesach • April 2015 • Volume 44
GRANT THORNTON’S GRACIOUS GIFT
Grant Thornton is celebrating its
95th birthday this year. For 90 of
those years, this premier firm has
been responsible for the Chev’s
annual audit. Now, Grant Thornton
has joined the ranks of our Pillars
donors with the exalted status of
Lifetime Platinum. Their pledge will
be honoured by providing time and
professional expertise auditing all 8
sets of books for every division within
the Chev.
belief in supporting causes that sustain and grow SA communities.
Under his leadership, Grant Thornton is committed to contributing 2%
of its fees to charitable institutions, and over one-third of that figure
goes specifically to Jewish causes, mainly in kind and some in cash.
With the Chev’s rapid growth over the past 10 years and the many
organisations that were incorporated under its banner, CEO Michael
Sieff encouraged the alignment of audits, bringing them all under
Grant Thornton’s management. Coupled with Grant Thornton’s own
incredible growth and its merge with PKF in 2013, this collaboration
between our organisations has become increasingly meaningful and
valuable over the passage of time.
“Grant Thornton flies the Chevrah flag with pride, humility and appreciation
for the wonderful work they do,” Pamela says. The CSI (Corporate Social
Investment) team is headed by Andrew together with Pamela and Jenny
Gillwald. They scrutinise all charitable candidates to ensure proper
governance and the extent to which donor funds actually reach their
beneficiaries. “We have a great sense of comfort in supporting the Chev
because our research has shown it to be in the highest percentile when it
comes to donor funds being properly used to support the people who need
them”.
“The merging of Grant Thornton and PKF brought together the two
largest mid-tier firms in SA,” said Pamela Grayman, Partner and
Grant Thornton’s head of marketing, communication and business
development. “Both organisations have similar cultural philosophies and
strong roots in the Jewish community: the late Julius Feinstein on the Grant
Thornton side, and founding partner of PKF, Rupert Hoffman, on the other”.
David Reuben, who heads Grant Thornton’s audit division, has been
championing this donation of audits and allied services to the Chev for
many years. “I am always impressed by the enthusiasm of our trainees to be
on the Chev assignment,” he observes. “Regardless of their religion, they
are fascinated by the way in which the Chev runs so much like a business,
but with challenges of unpredictable income. There are no sales, no steady
revenue, yet the organisation accomplishes so much!”
The Chev too is humbled and deeply grateful to Grant Thornton for their
magnificent support. “We get the highest level of professional service from
this prestigious, award-winning firm, and it comes with a large measure of
encouragement for the work we do,” said CFO Jacques Simmons. “This is
a partnership in which our donors can feel totally secure”.
Andrew Hannington, Grant Thornton Johannesburg CEO (the firm has
10 offices in SA and another 20 throughout Africa), has an ardent
11
AT THE HEART OF COMMUNITY WELFARE
Our Details
NUMBERS TO KNOW:
• Main Switchboard (011) 532 9600
• Residential Services (011) 532 9600 ext 9669
• Donations (011) 532 9752/9643/9667
• Gift Certificates (011) 532 9667/9757
• Westpark Cemetery (011) 673 2057/8
• Healthcare Services Outpatients Department
(011) 483 7444
• Community Social Services (011) 532 9616
• E-cards and Gift Cards (011) 532 9698
Emergency Services:
• 24-hour Helpline 082 499 1010
• Burial Services 24-hour standby
(011) 321 0000 code 4284 or 083 704 3994
• Trauma Response 011 532 9616 or
0824991010 a/h
WEBSITES
www.jhbchev.co.za
BANK DETAILS
Pesach • April 2015 • Volume 44
Biblical Bytes with Rabbi Fox
REJEWVENATION
In keeping with the
theme of this Chev
News, let’s talk about
Rejewvenation.
Many of us can picture
in our mind’s eye the
little child standing on
the chair singing “Ma Nishtana” at the start
of the Pesach Seder. As the child finishes
the song with an extended final note (usually
off key), the whole mishpocha erupts with a
“Shkeyach” and a round of applause as though
the child has just graduated cum laude.
This tradition is an example of the great
emphasis that we place on the youth during
Pesach.
G-d Himself fondly calls the Jewish people who
left Egypt “a delightful child”. Just as a small
child has perfect trust in his/her parents, so did
the Jewish people show pure trust in G-d as they
entered an ominous wilderness. Just as a young
child is excited to discover life and the world, so
were the Jewish people filled with enthusiasm
and excitement about their future mission in the
world.
The underlying message of all of this is that
Pesach is a time for us to rediscover and connect
with that youthfulness within us all.
It is that youth within us that can dream, it is that
youth within us that has a pure faith in Hashem
and it is that youth within us that can keep us so
excited and enthused about every aspect of life.
Chevrah Kadisha
Standard Bank - Johannesburg
Account Number - 000 154 253
Branch Code - 00 02 05
Use your full name as a reference
Send proof to [email protected]
12
So much of Pesach is about youthfulness and
new beginnings. Pesach is called the Festival
of Spring, which is the time of newness in
nature. A large focus of the Seder is on the
children. And of course, Pesach celebrates the
birth of the nation of Israel.
So when we look into the eyes of that child
singing “Ma nishtana”, let us look for that child
within ourselves and renew our pure faith in G-d,
our care for our fellow Jew and our enthusiasm
for life. Lechayim!
Editor: Tzivia Grauman, Head of Group Communications. [email protected]