Volunteer Viewpoint - Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service

Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service of South Palm Beach County
Volunteer Viewpoint
A Newsletter for Friends and Volunteers of the Agency
September, 2009
Mission Statement
Ruth Rales Jewish Family
Service helps families and
individuals of all ages by
offering a comprehensive
range of counseling, support
and educational programs
for all members of the
community.
Volunteers provide an
additional dimension of
personal attention to which
most clients/recipients
respond very favorably.
Volunteers are matched
according to their skills,
interests and abilities. The
agency will make every
reasonable accommodation
to enable volunteers with
special needs to participate.
Volunteer
Programs
• Big Pal/Little Pal
• Clerical Support
• Client Advocate
• Diamond Club
• Food Pantry
• Friendly Visitor
• Grandparenting
• Groovy Grannies
• Kibbitz and Ride
• Kosher Konnection
• Parachaplain
• Special Projects
• Story Circle
• Teen Connect
• Telephone Reassurance
From the Desk of the Volunteer Director
Dear Volunteers,
The long days of summer provided the Volunteer Services
Department an excellent opportunity to take stock of program needs.
One of our goals is to increase the number of “Kibbitz and Ride”
drivers. This program, which has been a part of RRJFS since 1999,
provides transportation in private automobiles to clients of our agency
for grocery shopping, personal shopping, beauty parlor, therapy and
medical appointments. It is a small time commitment and the reward is
immeasurable!
I had the chance to visit many of our Parachaplains as they conducted Shabbat
Services at various assisted and independent living facilities and nursing homes. I
also went on hospital “rounds” with our Parachaplain at Delray Medical Center. This
is a wonderful community outreach service to unaffiliated Jewish patients. We cover
Boca Raton Community Hospital and West Boca Medical Center as well. As the
snowbirds return, we will make a renewed effort to increase volunteer staffing at these
locations.
On a personal note, I will once again be assuming the presidency of my professional
organization, DOVS. (Directors of Volunteer Services of Palm Beach County) The
purpose of DOVS is to provide a forum for mutual exchanges of information with
emphasis on the most recent advances in the field of volunteerism for all
administrators of volunteer services.
Marcy Bezark
From the Desk of the Chief Executive Officer
Dear Volunteers,
This fall, Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service will celebrate its 30 year anniversary. Since 1979,
our agency has been committed to enhancing and improving the quality of life for all members
of the community through a comprehensive range of services and programs.
As you can imagine during these difficult economic times, our agency has
received an influx of emergency calls, many of them from the elderly and
disabled. In the past six months, RRJFS has seen a 38% increase in requests
for deliveries from the Forster Family Kosher Food Pantry, a 22%
increase in requests to the Family Assistance Center for rent and utility
needs and a 10% increase in requests for counseling services.
As an agency, we are doing everything in our power to maintain our capacity
to be a safety net for the community’s most vulnerable. We are extremely fortunate to
have our dedicated volunteers, whose contribution has never been more important in helping
our agency fulfill its mission. You are the hearts and hands of dozens of programs reaching all
segments of the community. Thank you for your continuing commitment!
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Aesop
Arnold Saltzman

VOLUNTEER VIEWPOINT PAGE 2
Personality Profile – Jack C. Alexander Telephone Reassurance Program
One of our most popular volunteer assignments
is the Telephone Reassurance Program. In fact,
there is a volunteer wait list to get a regular spot.
It’s not hard to understand when you look at our
current volunteers’ years of service with this
community outreach program. Once a shift is
assigned, our volunteers do not often leave!
Just ask Norma Blei who has been with RRJFS
for 9 years. “I love when the people I speak to
say they love hearing my stories and feel I care
about them! I really enjoy working with the
volunteers that come on my day. We’ve become
friends.”
Volunteers are assigned to make morning
telephone calls from our new location at Temple
Anshei Shalom. Three volunteers are scheduled
for one “shift” Monday through Friday. The
service population for this program includes the
frail, elderly and homebound residents of South
Palm Beach County. Ruth Rales Jewish Family
Service reaches out to all segments of the
community, regardless of race, religion, creed or
sexual orientation. Recipients are referred by
family members, case managers, clinicians or
self-refer. The therapeutic effect of the personal
attention received from the volunteer callers is
incalculable, bringing people from depression to
emotional well-being.
Bea Fine states that her satisfaction is from
“hearing the happiness in the client’s voice
because they know someone cares for them. I am
able to help even if only in conversation and
encouragement.” Helen Gallant, who has been
with the program for 11 years echoes this
thought. “I most enjoy the expressions of
gratitude from most of the people I call. They
actually look forward to our calls. Friday
morning is a commitment I have made.”
On a daily basis, our volunteers reach out to over
50 clients of the agency. We are currently
exploring avenues for reaching out to even more
people who might need this service. Moe Weiss,
a 6 year “veteran” explains, “Doing this is a great
mitzvah. We are reaching out to people who are
all by themselves. They love talking to us.” Eileen
Forst, who has been a volunteer with RRJFS for 13
years, says that her gratification comes from “turning a
client’s depressed/sad voice into a laugh.”
Mary Weiss, who has been a Telephone Reassurance
volunteer for the past 8 years states, “I love it! If I can
help in any way, it is my reward.” And Karen
Greenfeld, a new member of the Wednesday team, adds
“We connect and share with the people we speak to. I
think this is a marvelous service and I am so glad to be
a part of it. The clients are so appreciative.”
All recipients of the Telephone Reassurance program
have a chance to evaluate their experience at the end of
each year. Comments range from “I can hardly say in
words how grateful I am” to “I’m very happy to get
calls – sometimes it’s helpful to discuss problems with
someone.” If there are any questions or concerns about
a particular client, they are shared with the assigned
geriatric case manager or clinician. Occasionally, the
volunteers will uncover vital information about the
client, i.e. hospitalization, difficulty with home health
care, etc. before the RRJFS staff person.
Recipients and volunteers have opportunities to meet
each other at a Chanukah luncheon and a Passover
Model Seder sponsored by the agency.
“The miracle is this-the more we share, the more we
have.” Leonard Nimoy
Mail Pouch
Thank you for letting me participate in “Café Europa.” This
is the third time I had a chance to participate in this gettogether,
being a survivor who left Austria in June 1938. I
would like to thank Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service for
giving us this short, but important opportunity to get together.
It gives us a chance to revive our memory, as we
easily forget those terrible times.
Again, thank you to all the volunteers for making this always
a heart warming event.
Sincerely,
(Holocaust survivor)

VOLUNTEER VIEWPOINT PAGE 3
From the Chaplain’s Desk
Dear Friends,
The word ‘change’ has appeared again and again in all the media for quite some time. Particularly in the political
arena ,‘change’ has been a constant theme for many months. How much change will occur in government policies,
plans, etc. is yet to be seen.
There is, however, another sort of change which can definitely be accomplished at this time of year. During the High
Holiday period, our tradition urges us to embrace change. It is referred to as “Teshuva.” Teshuva literally means return.
The more we can absorb the message of our eternal tradition, the more our lives will change for the better. We
will become more sensitive to the needs of others and more caring. We will see ourselves as part of an eternal tradition
which will guide us in all our relationships. A very practical way to achieve these things is by becoming a Parachaplain.
It is through the Parachaplaincy program that we can implement these ideals. Please call me at (561)852-6053 to
begin this superb spiritual journey.
I want to wish all a very happy and healthy New Year!
Rabbi Sidney Goldstein, Ph.D.
Director of Chaplaincy
Welcome To The Following New Volunteers:
Hal Blum, Kibbitz & Ride, Food Pantry
Steven Catanzaro, Big Pal
Adam David, Friendly Visitor
Paul Felder, Parachaplaincy
Zara Gerber, Food Pantry
Adrienne Kotlove, Food Pantry
Richard Storfer, Big Pal
Harriet Wishnev, Administrative Support
Congratulations to:
Doris Weiss, Telephone Reasssurance, on her grandson’s
recent marriage.
Moe Weiss, Telephone Reassurance, on his 90 th birthday.
Doris Weiss, Telephone Reassurance, on her 70 th wedding
anniversary.
Mary Weiss, Telephone Reassurance, on her granddaughter’s
wedding.
Lynn Ouslander, Case Aide, and Bette
Wohlgemuth, Telephone Reassurance volunteer,
waiting for guests to arrive at Passover Model Seder.
Over 200 guests participated in this event.
Mary Weiss and Moe Weiss, Telephone Reassurance
volunteers, enjoying the annual Passover Model Seder.

Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service
of South Palm Beach County
21300 Ruth & Baron Coleman Blvd.
Boca Raton, FL 33428
Phone: (561) 852-3333
Fax: (561)852-3332
www.ruthralesjfs.org
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Boca Raton, FL
PERMIT NO.
325
Making a Difference in People’s Lives
Laurence Blair
Chairman of the Board
Arnold Saltzman
Chief Executive Officer
A copy of the official registration and financial information for
Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service of South Palm Beach County,
Inc. (#SC-13201) may be obtained from the Division of Consumer
Services by calling toll-free within the state, 1(800) HELP-FLA.
Registration does not imply endorsement, approval or
recommendation by the state.
Noteworthy News:
The Feldman Family Diamond Club, a social program for senior citizens age 75 or
older, will be 30 years old this September.
President Obama signed the bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act during
National Volunteer Week in April. The Serve America Act, which will be launched this
October, is a Call to Service for the purpose of increasing the diversity of the volunteer
community as a whole. September 11 th has already been designated as a National Day
of Service and Remembrance.
According to a survey by the Corporation for National and Community Service, students
who report doing better in school are more likely to be volunteers than students who report
doing less well. If family members volunteer, youth will too.
“Do what you can to show you care about other people, and you will make our world a
better place.” Rosalynn Carter