AN EVENING WITH JFS - March 30, 2014 Weston Resident One of Four Individuals Honored

On Sunday, March 30, 2014, at An Evening with JFS, Jewish Family Service will be presenting the 35th annual Mitzvah Awards to Alison Wachstein and Edith Samers & Ed Smith and the 9th annual Young Leadership Award to Adam Batkin.  This year’s event, which will be held at Temple Beth El in Stamford, is co-chaired by Meryl Japha and Janet Welkovich. 

Alison Wachstein, a Weston resident has been volunteering since she moved to Connecticut thirty-four years ago.  Her support of philanthropies such as Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America continued.  Alison’s volunteer work in Connecticut includes many years serving on the board an various committees at UJA/Federation Westport-Weston-Wilton-Norwalk. She has served on the Boards of Temple Israel, Connecticut Professional Photographer’s Association, the Fairfield/Westchester Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America and Weston Women’s League. As a professional photographer, Alison generously donates her photography skills to non-profits such as Discovery Museum, Near and Far Aid, JDC, Neighborhood Studios, UJA/Federation, Temple Israel, Weston Women’s League, Bartlett Arboretum – and of course, Jewish Family Service.

Edith Samers came to Stamford in 1959, and since then, she has served on committees and boards of innumerable organizations, and frequently taken on leadership positions as well. These organizations include: the League of Women voters; the Stamford education system:  UCONN Center for Judaic and Middle Eastern Studies; Hadassah; United Jewish Federation; the American Jewish Committee for Fairfield County; AIPAC; Jewish Family Service (VP, Board, Executive Committee, chairing committees.)  She, along with her late husband, Bernard Samers, was a founding member of Chavurat Aytz Chayim.  Born and raised in Stamford, Ed Smith’s list of leadership positions and service over many years include: Agudath Sholom, UJF, and with his wife, Edith Samers, Chavurat Aytz Chayim; raised funds in Stamford for Israel Bonds and UJA; and manages the database for UJF.  Ed volunteered at Corporate Angel Network at the Westchester County Airport for ten years, organizing free flights on corporate jets for cancer patients.  Edith and Ed have been married for eleven years.

Adam Batkin returned to Connecticut after five years in Glasgow, Scotland, while his wife attended Veterinary school, and resumed his career as a software developer for AQR Capital Management, a Hedge Fund in Greenwich. Recognizing his efforts and commitment as the Co-chair of Tapestry (UJF Stamford) for the past two years, member of the Stamford Chevra Kadisheh and a current JFS Board member, as well as helping Jewish organizations and synagogues  around Stamford and Greenwich with technology issues, Adam will be honored with the Young Leadership Award on March 30th.

An Evening with JFS, a social and community event as well as a fundraiser, will again offer a casual dinner and our 6th Annual Auction, chaired by Sandy Speter.  Auction items will include jewelry, art, vacations and Yankee tickets!   

The proceeds of An Evening with JFS  and the auction are essential to ensure that funds are available for the agency to continue to provide quality services to all those in need.  JFS never turns anyone away.

To attend or donate an item for the Auction, please contact Iris Morrison at 203-921-4161 or email at IMorrison@ctjfs.org