San Diego County CA— Celebrating its centennial year, Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) will host its annual Heart & Soul Gala at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine on Saturday, April 21 at 6 p.m. To mark the special occasion, JFS will honor eight women who represent the agency’s legacy of leadership by extraordinary women over the last 100 years: Marsha Berkson, Jenny Daniel, Estee Einhorn, Inge Feinswog, Kira Finkenberg, Evelyn Rady, Lois Richmond and Jill Spitzer.
Together with Honorary Chair Ernest Rady – who recently announced a $20 million commitment to JFS as part of the agency’s Centennial Countdown Campaign – Gala Chairs Jamie Carr, Erin Combs Pearl and Karin Toranto will host a 1920s themed evening of dinner, dancing and a silent auction to inspire ongoing awareness and philanthropy throughout the year.
JFS’s 2018 Mitzvah Honorees include:
Marsha Berkson
A former board member for JFS, Marsha Berkson founded the Hand Up Food Pantry, a successful youth leadership program designed to alleviate hunger in the community. Under her guidance, the program trained young adults in the areas of food pantry operations, food management, hunger advocacy, fundraising and more, inspiring generations of teens to make a positive impact in their community.
Jenny Daniel
Jenny Daniel serves as an employment coordinator for JFS’s Refugee & Immigration Services Department. A Jewish immigrant herself, Daniel has helped hundreds of individuals and families restart their careers and become productive and engaged members of the San Diego community. JFS has offered resettlement services to newly arrived refugees and asylees from around the world since it was founded in 1918 and is one of only four resettlement agencies in San Diego County. In the last year, JFS welcomed nearly 400 refugees from 14 countries.
Estee Einhorn
Estee Einhorn served as one of the founding teens for the Hand Up Food Pantry, the hub for all food assistance programs at JFS. The Pantry is led by JFS’s Hand Up Teen Leadership Program, established during Einhorn’s tenure. The program holds food drives, plans monthly food distributions for older adults and military families, builds holiday supplemental bags, and organizes advocacy and education activities.
Inge Feinswog
Inge Feinswog came to the U.S. from Germany in October 1938, one month before Kristallnacht. She moved to San Diego with her husband and two daughters in the 1950s and became actively involved with several of San Diego’s Jewish organizations. Feinswog has made significant contributions to JFS’s programs that serve Holocaust survivor and older adults.
Kira Finkenberg
A community activist and current JFS board member, Kira Finkenberg has been an avid ambassador for JFS since 2005 when her mother passed away unexpectedly, and JFS stepped in to help her family during the difficult time. Finkenberg joined JFS’s Emerging Leaders as a way to give back and later became a member of JFS’s board of directors in 2014. She also served as a Heart & Soul Gala chair for several years.
Evelyn Rady
Evelyn Rady served as JFS’s director of clinical services for 17 years, overseeing JFS’s counseling and family support programs. As a social worker, Rady was able to help many members of the community, including Holocaust survivors and their children, during their time of need. Rady and her husband Ernest have also been longtime supporters of JFS, providing ongoing donations through their Rady Family Foundation, including a recent $20 million commitment in honor of JFS’s centennial.
Lois Richmond
Lois Richmond first became involved with JFS through its Russian Resettlement program in the 1980s. She later became a member of the board of directors, and has been a long-time supporter of JFS’s efforts to build better lives for those in the San Diego community.
Jill Spitzer
Jill Spitzer served as CEO of JFS for 26 years, before retiring in 2012. Under her leadership, JFS grew from a small counseling agency to a multi-faceted social service organization with a comprehensive range of programs and services, helping thousands of people lead happier and healthier lives.
Underwriting packages are available and tickets are $360; both can be purchased at www.jfssd.org/gala or by contacting Dana Levin, Director of Signature Advancement Events, at danal@jfssd.org or 858-637-3013.
All proceeds from the gala will benefit JFS’s ongoing efforts to help people in crisis move forward, while developing innovative strategies to break cycles of poverty and strengthen the San Diego community. To learn more, visit www.jfssd.org.
About Jewish Family Service of San Diego – Moving Forward Together
Founded in 1918, Jewish Family Service (JFS) is one of San Diego’s most impactful nonprofit agencies – providing resources and support to more than 25,000 San Diegans every year. Through integrated services, the organization empowers people of all ages, faiths, and backgrounds to overcome challenges, set goals, and build more stable, secure, and connected lives. JFS is committed to helping individuals and families in crisis move forward, while developing innovative strategies to break cycles of poverty and strengthen our San Diego community. To get help, volunteer, or learn how you can join us in Moving Forward Together, visit www.jfssd.org or call (858) 637-3000.