Page 38 - Jewish News_Oct2021

2B October 2021 COMMUNITY FOCUS

Local student fundraises her way
Pam Baron: Community leader and JFCS Director of Aging
Services retires after 17 years of dedicated service into study-abroad scholarship

am Baron joined JFCS of the programs that support caregivers and one knows that JFCS provides services nity, and always be patient and under- By JD Krebs
Suncoast in 2004 as its first full- individuals with early stages of de- to the entire community with over standing.”
Ptime Director of Aging Services. mentia; expanding JFCS programming 85% of our clients being non-Jewish. Baron officially retired from JFCS
She relocated to Sarasota after enjoying to south Sarasota County and Long- However, because of my upbringing, it on August 13. Former JFCS employee
an extensive career at the Staenberg- boat Key; collaborating with the Key was important for me to create a fam- Cheryl Hamlin has returned to assume
Loup Jewish Community Center and Chorale to develop a chorus for per- ily setting for Jewish seniors to cele- the Director of Aging Services role fol-
the Jewish Family Service of Colorado sons living with dementia and their brate Jewish holidays throughout the lowing Baron’s retirement.
in Denver. After 17 years of dedicated caregivers; and partnering with the year.” About JFCS of the Suncoast
service to JFCS and the Sarasota com- Community Foundation of Sarasota This year, Baron organized a Shab- Celebrating its 35 year as one of the
th
munity, Baron is retiring and starting County to bring Independent Transpor- bat meal delivery program for 30 Jew- Florida Suncoast’s leading mental
the next chapter of her life. tation Network’s services to Sarasota. ish seniors, including many Holocaust health and human services agencies,
She was also the di- survivors. She also created a program JFCS offers programs that support
rect contact for adult to provide kosher Jewish holiday meals youth, families, seniors and veterans.
children who lived to individuals who were homebound. Inspired by the Jewish tradition of help-
out of the area but In addition to delivering meals, Baron ing all people, services are delivered
needed support ser- also shared an unforgettable smile and regardless of religious preference and
vices for their elder- enthusiasm. Throughout her 17 years with the goal of empowering individu-
ly parents who lived of dedicated service, she has consis- als and families to self-sufficiency and
locally. Nationwide, tently extended the Jewish values of stability. JFCS believes all people are
Baron has worked caring for others within JFCS and our to be treated with dignity and respect,
tirelessly to expand community. and have equal opportunity to phys-
the number of avail- Her advice to anyone caring for ical well-being, self-expression and
able community pro- aging seniors is to “love them, listen to joy. For more information, please visit
grams for caregivers them, treat them with respect and dig- JFCS-Cares.org or call 941.366.2224.
Pam Baron (at right) with Cynthia Folit and Lee Levine and persons living Aviva Senior Living
at the JFCS Annual Meeting in 2014 with Alzheimer’s dis- The Florida Holocaust Museum...continued from previous page
“Although we are happy for Pam, ease. A multi-award-winning geriatric Reflections on Man’s Fate: Artwork Please stay engaged with The FHM
we are very sad she is leaving,” stated leader, she is the recipient of the Senior by Judith Weinshall Liberman online through the Museum’s virtual installs new board
Arthur Lerman, JFCS President/CEO. Connection Center’s Claude Pepper Reflections on Man’s Fate is an exhi- tour, virtual resources, online curric-
“She has made huge contributions to Award and Friendship Centers, Inc.’s bition of artwork by artist Judith Wein- ulum, collections, Holocaust survivor
our agency and to the seniors we serve. Bob Carter Award. shall Liberman. Drawn from works in testimonies, and on its social media
Pam has also provided leadership, in- “My heart and my family history the Museum’s permanent collection, pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
novation, compassion and love for se- have guided me in the direction of se- the work focuses on the present state and LinkedIn.
niors locally and beyond. She will be nior caregiving,” stated Baron. “Living of mankind as well as the relentless- About The Florida
missed by JFCS and our entire commu- with my grandparents in St. Louis and ness and enormity of history’s darkest Holocaust Museum
nity.” Seattle inspired me to pursue a career period. One of the largest Holocaust museums
Baron’s most notable accomplish- in gerontology, planning and adminis- Born in Israel, Liberman came to in the country, and one of three nation-
ments include: developing innovative tration, and social work. Most every- the United States after completing high ally accredited Holocaust museums,

one-person and group shows through
A Night of & & school. She has exhibited her work in The Florida Holocaust Museum honors
A Night of
the memory of millions of men, wom-
en and children who suffered or died in
the U.S. and abroad, and her work can

LAUGHTER

LIGHTS
LIGHTS LAUGHTER the Holocaust. The FHM is dedicated

be found in many public and private

with Sharon Geller’s collections throughout the world. to teaching members of all races and
on Geller’s

with Shar

Reflections on Man’s Fate is on
cultures the inherent worth and dignity
view through July 4, 2022, in the Her- of human life in order to prevent future
bert and Isabel Savel Teaching Gallery genocides. For additional information,
Monday on the Third Floor. please visit TheFHM.org.
December 6
2021 • 7pm
Via Zoom Join Us! Sheila Birnbaum, Jay Solomon, Gordon Metsky, Ken Stock, Debbi Breslof
Aviva Board of Trustees: Judy Fox, Mel Taub, Jerry Lazar, Marc Lazarus,
Made Possible by the
Arthur and Beatrice
Michaels’ Endowment
Fund for Adult Senior
Programs and Services
About the importance of laughter in Judaism with examples taken
from the Torah, the Talmud and including, of course, jokes! 8, 000 members
8,000 members of the
Jewish community stay informed about
SHARON GELLER is a comedic actress who has appeared on what’s happening at Federation. You can too!
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE 4 times and on THE TODAY SHOW as “Lucy.” • Be the first to learn about Federation
Since 2012, Sharon has performed in the national touring announcements
company of the off-Broadway hit “OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES.”
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contact Jeremy Lisitza Open to the community in • Stay informed on the latest
at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org celebration of the last security reports from our Jewish
or 941.343.2113 night of Hanukkah.
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