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Mensches & Mimosas Tributes

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Last year, JFS had nearly 28,000 client interactions. 
Your support will help us enrich the lives of even more individuals and families.

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Leader

Edward Wladis

Champion

Congratulations to our dear friend, Rabbi Scott Shpeen, on being chosen as one of this year’s menches. Your contributions to the Capital Region are profound and comprehensive.

~ Best wishes to each mensch
Ilene & Chip Stein, Heather & Corey Kruse,
Jodi & Peter Emmott

Mazel Tov & good wishes to all the deserving honorees!

~ Rabbi Scott Shpeen

Idealist

In Honor of Shelley & Barry Bader

~ Phyllis & Barry Wang

Sheila & Ira Lobel

In Honor of Rabbi Ami Monson & Brenda Sugarman

~ Sandra Rubin

Rabbi Shara &
David E. Siegfeld

Kathy & Billy Golderman

Debbie & Rick Sokoler

Nonprofit Partner

Mazel Tov to our wonderful Anita Merims and to all the amazing & worthy mensches!

Gilded Honorary Committee

In Honor of ALL HONOREES

~ Jane & Garry Sanders

Heartiest congratulations to Tom Kurkjian, Cecile & Keith Kowalski and Howard Pressman - MENSCHES ALL!

~ Ruth Facher Mendel

Gordon N. Zuckerman

M. Sherry Gold

Michael Levine

Mazel Tov to Rabbi Shpeen on a well deserved honor.

~ With love, Amy Solomon & Family

Yasher koach to our dear friend, Rabbi Shpeen. You are most deserving of this esteeemed award and we are proud to support JFS and you.

~ Marvin & Sherry Freedman

Congratulations Rabbi Shpeen and all other honorees.

~ Carolyn & Bruce Ginsburg

Mazel Tov to Anita Merims, Rabbi Ami Monson, Scott Shpeen, Laura Weisblatt and all the other worthy mensches who model integrity, commitment and love for our whole community.

~ Rachael Besser & Rabbi Rafi Spitzer

We are honored to have been named by Temple Sinai.

~ Barry & Shelley Bader

Mazel Tov to all the mensches in our community!

~ David & Stacy Cohen

Thank You & Mazel Tov to all honorees!

~ Jill Goodman & Arthur Malkin

Mazel Tov Elisa, Len & Erica, Keith & Cecile, and Amanda on this well-deserved honor!

~ Mindy & Jesse Holland

Mazel Tov to Sharon Berko and ALL the honorees! Kol Hakavod!!

~ Laura & Ed Jacobs

In Honor of Rabbi Scott Shpeen

~ Michael & Melissa Lurie

Mazel Tov, Kellie!

~ From The Sheingolds

Mazel Tov to our Congregation Beth Shalom Mensch Brenda Sugarman & Rabbi Ami Monson

~ From Greg & Wendy

In Honor of Rabbi Scott Shpeen

~ Valerie & Spike Solomon

Rabbi Scott Shpeen & Family

Bruce & Lisa Finkle

Honorary Committee

Mazel Tov Rabbi Shpeen and all M&Ms this year.

~ Rabbi Moshe & Rochel Bomzer
Congratulations to Rabbi Scott Shpeen and all the honorees.

~ Joan Danizger
In Honor of ALL HONOREES

~ Melissa Greenberg

Mazel Tov to Rabbi Shpeen and honorees on this well deserved award.

~ Jane & Mark Levine

In Honor of Brenda Sugarman

~ BJ & Peter Rosenfeld

Congratulations to the most remarkable teacher, friend, educator and so much more! We love you and are so proud of all of your accomplishments.
In Honor of Rabbi Shpeen

~ Caren Kotlow
In Honor of Rabbi Ami Monson

~ Rabbi Michael & Fani Monson
Mazel Tov Rabbi Ami Monson

~ Uri & Rebekah Monson
TODA RABA תודה רבה
In Honor of Rabbi Shpeen, Rabbi Monson, Howard Pressman & Bram Freedman

~ Jo-Ann Lubinski & Robert Miller
Mazel Tov Rabbi Ami, an easy choice for mensch!

~ Jeannette & Dan Norris
Mazel Tov to all of our esteemed mensches for your dedicated work.

~ Rabbi Dan Ornstein
Mazel Tov to Rabbi Scott Shpeen, an exemplar mensch and to all the Honorable Menschen, each and every one a blessing!

~ Rabbi Zoe B. Zak
Congratulations to Rabbi Scott Shpeen, Mazel Tov! Thank you for all you do & for being you!

~ Cynthia Urbach

Clara & Larry Sanders

Deborah C. Riitano
Ken & Molly Getnick
Johanna Steper

Nanette &
Arthur
Brenner

Dr. Steven & Karen Fein

Rabbi Shpeen, sending you our heartfelt congratulations on this well deserved award.

~ Jocelyn & Robert Kivort

Mazel Tov to Anita Merims -- a marvelous mensch & special person.

~ Deborah & Gary Goldstein

Mazel Tov to all the honorees! You greatly enrich our community!

~ Karen & Alan Lobel

Thank you and congratulations to Rabbi Shpeen and the 2025 mensches for your leadership and service!

~ Hon. Kathy Sheehan
Cynthia Freedman
Lisa A. Freedman
Congrats to Jayne Architzel & all the 2025 menches!

~ Margo Berch Singer

Congrats to all the wonderful people helping out our community.

~ Leslie & Barry Feinman

Sharon Berko manages the Ohav Sholom effort at the food bank. She cooks breakfast for the homeless on State Street Downtown two mornings a week AND drives for Project 5. What a MENSCH!

~ Bob Gumson

Mazel Tov to all of our "home-grown" Mensches! Aren't we blessed to have people like you in the Capital District!!

~ Ellen & Jack Kaplowitz

Congratulations to all my fellow honorees! Together we help make this a wonderful community.

~ Anita Merims
Mazel Tov to all the honorees!

~ Linda M. Schechter

Rabbi Rena & Dr. Shalom Kieval

Robyn & Ed Marinstein
So proud of Anita Merims who gave her heart to our community.

~ Bette Kraut

Leo & Marth Levy

Mazel Tov to all the honorees!

~ Ellen Sax
Barbara A. Wachs
Herman Ungerman
Ira Zackon, MD

You enrich our community in so many ways! Mazel Tov!

~ The Grabers

Mazel Tov to Anita Merims for this well-deserved honor. She's remarkable, bright, informed, community-minded, compassionate, selfless and a caring friend to all.

~ Very fondly, Risè & Larry Routenberg

Ilene & Jerry Sykes

Donors

Yasher koach Ami - you are a dugma to all!!!

~ Lorna Rosenberg
To Anita Merims who seems to be everywhere, every time all at once. She will be missed when she moves.

~ Robin & Ron Scharf
Mazel tov! A well deserved honor! In Honor of Keith & Cecile Kowalski

~ Joanne & Bob Schnee
Dear Rabbi, thank you for all that you do. It has been a pleasure getting to know you.

~ Love, Mimi Becker
Congratulations to Elisa Harrington-Verb and all the honorees. Thank you for supporting the community!

~ Jonathan Rubin
Mazel Tov Bram Freedman, for all that you do for Temple Israel.

~ With love and appreciation, Ellen & Rick Schwartz
Mazel tov! A well deserved honor! In Honor of Erica & Len Berger

~ Joanne & Bob Schnee
Jane Architzel, for her dedication and good work at Berith Sholom.

~ Audrey Seidman
Mazel Tov on being named a mensch! In Honor of Bram Freedman

~ Deborah & Jonathan Carp Stayman
Congratulations to Rabbi Monson for your dedication to the senior community of the Capital District and your contribution to Congregation Beth Shalom.

~ Brenda Sugarman
In Honor of Rabbi Scott Shpeen

~ Doreen & Larry Smith
Mazel Tov to Rabbi Shpeen and the mensches!!

~ Marion Greenberg
Mazel Tov on this recognition of your important work Sharon, Susie, Zvi and Howard.

~ Margery & Alan Zucker
Jane Architzel, for her dedication and good work at Berith Sholom.

~ Audrey Seidman
Mazel Tov Bram, from the Flax family. You truly are a mensch!

~ Judith Flax
Sharon Berko
Steve (Cyril) & Barbara Newman
Mazel Tov Mensch Barney Horowitz!

~ Franklin Goldberger
Mazel Tov! Laura Weisblatt and Sharon Berko!

~ Evelyn & Miles Garfinkel Loeb
Mazel Tov to our cousin Rabbi Amiel Monson! You have made so many lives better through your work in the JFS of Northeastern New York region. What a joy your creative and entertaining holiday programs have been for the Senior community! We are very proud of you and the legacy of good deeds you leave.

~ With love and admiration,
Shari & Ted Baran, Nancy & David Weiss, Debra & Gary Weil, James & Lisa Schlesinger Philanthropic Fund

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