More than 600 people joined the Jewish Community Youth Foundation’s annual philanthropy fair and check presentation ceremony, held February 22 at Robbinsville High School. $72,000 was distributed to 24 programs by 170 area teens representing 17 synagogues, 12 middle schools, and 21 high schools. A teen philanthropy program, it is a project of Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Mercer County and funded by the Ricky and Andrew J. Shechtel Philanthropic Fund and the Jewish Federation of Princeton Mercer Bucks. The program has disbursed more than $600,000 since its inception 12 years ago.
Students from West Windsor and Plainsboro included Ari Bailey, Rebecca Bershad, Elaina Englezos, Samuel Gartenberg, Noah Goldner, Alana Greener, Rachel Jaclin, Louis Josephson, Lara Lemkin, Jessica Polin, Ilana Sheykhet, Jonathan Wolfe, Sydney Albert, Daniel Armus, Lenni Elias, Benjamin Goldstein, Jonathan Markowitz, Cole Millinger, Sammy Berger, Emily Calman, Philippa Chown, Leah Dworsky, Mallory Friedlander, Isabel Josephson, Katrina Meni, Jess Sabin, Griffin Valentine, Jenna Valentine, Laura Wolfe, Lindsay Chevlin, Michael Greenberger, Sam Merkovitz, Leah Mozenter, Jack Paley, Julia Redavid, Ally Samet, Ethan Schweitzer, Emily Strober, Abby Wold, Eitan Zlatin, Zachary Bacall, Alli Bacher, Jenna Bailin, Allison Cohen, Lucian Chown, Rachel Goldfinger, Kyle Jacobson, Grant Keller, Brett Schenkman, Noah Wolfe, and Mik Zlatin.
Molly Fisch-Friedman of West Windsor, a junior at Princeton University and a 2012 JCYF graduate, received the fifth annual JCYF Distinguished Alumni Award for her participation in many philanthropic and community service activities. She received a $360 award, which she will donate to Greenwood House, an organization that provides skilled nursing, assisted living, short-term rehabilitation, homecare services, hospice care, and kosher meals on wheels to seniors. “Participating in JCYF showed me that small actions, like donating time or money, can improve the lives of people across the world, and every little bit of philanthropy can contribute to something great,” said Fisch-Friedman to the current participants.
“I’ve come away with a new appreciation for philanthropy and the desire to continue with my community service efforts,” said Lucian Chown, also of West Windsor. “JCYF has started me on the journey of further developing my skills in creative relationship building, and expanding my ability to discuss and debate with others about what we as Jews, and as a world community, can do to make the world a better place.”
For more information, contact Celeste Albert, coordinator of teen programs at JFCS of Greater Mercer County, at 609-987-8100, ext.210 or celestea@jfcsonline.org, or visit www.jfcsonline.org/jcyf for information.
