News

Please join us on Thursday, October 10 at 1:00 p.m. at APL’s Bach Branch (455 New Scotland Avenue) for a presentation by James Arring-ton, Chief of Health Administration Services at the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center. He will be discussing VA healthcare: who is eligible, what you may be eligible for, what needs to be paid, and where to go for VA healthcare. Mr. Arrington will also be able to answer questions that you may have. It is sure to be an informative presentation.

Please RSVP to NNORC at 518-514-2023.

Sparked by the phenomenal success of Hamilton: An American Musical, the Albany Institute of History & Art has organized the exhibition The Schuyler Sisters and Their Circle. The Schuylers were a prominent Dutch family in New York in the 18th and 19th centuries, who played a central role in the formation of our country.

This exhibition will use clothing, decorative arts, portraits, and manuscripts from the Revolutionary Period to the Federal Period to tell the stories of the Schuyler women. For the first time, objects associated with the Schuyler sisters will be brought together in their hometown and displayed in the museum.

Join us for a tour of this unique exhibit on Thursday, October 31 at 1:00 p.m. The Albany Institute of History and Art is located at 125 Washington Ave., Albany. There is a parking lot behind the museum on Elk Street (between Swan St. and Dove St.). For CDTA users, take bus #13 on the corner of Cardinal and New Scotland (across from APL’s Bach Branch). Tickets to the exhibit are $8.00 and can be purchased at the museum. Please call NNORC to register at 518-514-2023.

If you’ve ever sipped or chugged a New York City “egg cream,” or even if you haven’t, come join workshop leader and singer, Ruth Pelham, for a taste, talk, and song-filled program that will focus on memories of food experiences from childhood. For sure, each participant will make and drink “egg creams”— a delicious milk, flavored syrup, and seltzer beverage that was at the center of summer life for millions of hot and thirsty city dwellers from the big city and beyond.

Food memories are often about so much more than food. What feelings came alive the first time you tried a new food? What habits still live in you related to the family and friendship dynamics you associate with mealtime? What wisdom and rituals were seeded in you through your experiences with food and drink? Why does your mouth water and your yearnings rumble at the memory of certain foods and holiday favorites?

“Egg Creams and More!” will take place on Wednesday, October 16 at 1:00 p.m. at B’nai Sholom (420 Whitehall Rd, Albany).

Our guest workshop leader is acclaimed performer, educator, and community builder, Ruth Pelham, who is a NNORC resident and frequent presenter for the NNORC. About her upcoming visit to NNORC, Ruth says, “What fun it will be for everyone to join in singing the new song I’ll be composing for this workshop. There’s always abundant enthusiasm that fills the room when NNORC members sing together, and that’s truly a mark of the openness, depth of sharing, and genuine camaraderie that is the bedrock of NNORC.”

Join our team! JFS is looking for a Director of Finance.
Read more here.

Jewish Family Services of Northeastern New York (JFS) is pleased to announce the hiring of our new President and Chief Executive Officer, Jane Ginsburg.

Jane brings a breadth of experience and expertise to JFS, including policy and public affairs, strategic planning, grant management, and development. Most recently, she was the executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association, New York State Coalition, where she served as the primary steward of the Coalition’s mission to increase the voice and visibility of Alzheimer’s and other related dementias throughout the state. Prior to this position, Jane was the Director of Philanthropy at Daughters of Sarah, where she directed the organization’s development strategy, increased community support and deepened involvement and leadership of board members, volunteers and young professionals.

“Jane is a well-respected leader in the Jewish Community, known for her broad leadership abilities, as well as energetic problem solving and collaboration skills. She brings to JFS a wealth of knowledge, a passion for helping others and the ability to help us grow as we enter our 165^th year of service to the community,” said Scott Hollander, JFS Board Chair.

“I am exceedingly proud and honored to join Jewish Family Services at this critical time in its history and that of our community” said Ginsburg. “It is my mission to ensure that this agency continues to be the safety net that it always has been for our community and provide the support services and resources for all those in need throughout the greater Capital Region and surrounding counties. Over the next few months I look forward to meeting with community members, community partners and community funders to assess both the needs and opportunities Jewish Family Services can support.” 

Jane has a history of community involvement. She is an active board member and chairs the fundraising committee  at Congregation Ohav Shalom,  is on the board and fundraising committee for the Capital District Jewish Holocaust Memorial, and has served on the Endowment Board of Governors of the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York since 2014. She has served on the boards and committees of  the Sidney Albert Albany Jewish Community Center, Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York, and Food Pantries for the Capital District.

Jane received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh and  earned her Juris Doctor at Temple University. She lives in Menands with her husband Lev and their two children, Max and Mira. They are members of Congregation Ohav Shalom.

ABOUT JFS
Jewish Family Services of Northeastern New York is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian social service organization guided by the Jewish values of treating people with dignity and compassion. We serve Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and surrounding counties. JFS provides a range of supportive services for seniors and their families including transportation through Project 5, health and safety assessments, family conferences, case management, supportive home visits, health and wellness programs, and on-site school counseling through JFS Without Walls, as well as supervised visitation. JFS also provides a range of support, health and wellness programs to help seniors age in place though the Albany Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NNORC). Since our inception in 1854 of helping new immigrants to Albany, our organization has grown and adapted to meet the changing needs of our community to strengthen individual, family, and community life through social services.

Overwhelmed and confused by the seemingly endless stream of EOBs and medical bills that flood your mailbox on a regular basis? Need help interpreting Medicare Summary Notices? Suspect a billing error? NNORC resident Leslie Dykeman can help. Throughout the more than 30 years that Leslie has lived in the NNORC neighborhood, she was employed by the Fiscal Agent for the NYS Medicaid contract. She served as the Fraud Auditor for the eMedNY contract for her final fourteen years, where she reviewed a substantial number of paid claims from different provider types looking for indication of fraud, waste, and abuse. In 2016, Leslie received an Award of Excellence from the Medicaid Inspector General for assisting in the discovery of a $5 million fraud, which led to the eventual indictment of the principal perpetrator.

Leslie has generously offered to share her unparalleled expertise earned through her many years of professional experience to assist NNORC residents. She can work with you to review Medicare Summary Notices and EOBs, billing statements, and other related financial and health documents to correct an error or refer suspected fraud and abuse to the appropriate authorities. Call the NNORC office at 518-514-2023 to schedule a private and confidential appointment with Leslie.

Would you be interested in expanding your cooking menu with seasonal fall foods? Join us as we “Savor the Season” with Cornell Cooperative Extension for a hands-on cooking class. Learn how to cook with fruits and vegetables in season and sample healthy and delicious recipes .

Join us on Wednesday, September 25 at 11:00 a.m. at First Congregational Church (405 Quail St, Albany). Please reserve your spot with NNORC at 518-514-2023. The cost for this class is $4.00.

Come out for another NNORC Night at the JCC (340 Whitehall Rd., Albany) on Monday, September 9 at 4:45 p.m. The JCC will be serving up a delicious dinner of honey mustard chicken, along with good conversation and fun!

Please call the JCC Senior Center at 518-438-6651 to make your reservation by 9:30 a.m. on September 9. The suggested donation is $3. We look forward to seeing you there!

Learn the basics of this technique as we craft a beautiful butterfly pattern to be finished as a fridge magnet OR coaster. You can keep it for yourself or give it as a gift. Stitched in yarn and embroidery floss, working with plastic canvas is easy on eyesight and dexterity.

Come share a creative, fun afternoon on Wednesday, September 18, 1:30-3:00 p.m. at First Congregational Church (405 Quail St, Albany). Class size is limited, so please register at 518-514-2023. There is a $2.50 materials fee payable at the class.

NNORC welcomes back CarFit, an educational program that gives older adults an opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles “fit” them. This program is led by Roger Dames, who serves as the Driver Fitness Center Coordinator at Colonie Senior Services.

In a 30 minute-minute evaluation, trained screeners will help improve your fit to reduce the potential for injuries and accidents. While seated in your vehicle, the screening looks at various factors including safety belt use, steering wheel tilt, head rest setting, body positioning to air bag, line of sight over steering wheel, body positioning to gas and brake pedals and mirror adjustment.

CarFit evaluations will be conducted on Thursday, October 3 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in the parking lot of St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church (440 Whitehall Road, Albany). APPOINTMENTS ARE REQUIRED, so please call the NNORC at 518-514-2023 to make your appointment.