I first connected with Chai Lifeline in Antwerp where a coordinator called me up and told me he thought I’d be a great volunteer. As I volunteered, I started building these really deep connections with Chai Lifeline kids (some of whom I still keep in touch with until this day). After I got married, I moved to America where someone introduced me to Hershey Katz, the director of Achim B’Yachad, which supports Chai Lifeline’s Chassidic clients… and the rest is history.
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What drew me to Chai Lifeline was seeing and hearing about so much pain and suffering and not being able to help. My position at Chai Lifeline, allows me to respond to illness and make a difference in the world. As a case manager, my day-to-day is always really different however, I generally spend my time building relationships with both families and volunteers. This is in addition to the general event planning and supporting families, through respite, big siblings programs, helping with errands or meals, etc. My favorite part of the job is connecting with families on a personal level and being able to alleviate their burden, even just a little bit, during a difficult time.
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I began working for Chai Lifeline as an administrative assistant when I was 19. One day, a girl receiving dialysis was all alone in the hospital and the regular volunteers who usually spent time with her were not available. I volunteered to go and spent my first two hours with a Chai Lifeline client. I realized then how special Chai Lifeline was and how wonderful it is to be able to give. After getting married, moving, going to school, and moving again, here I am today, working as a case manager for Chai Lifeline Southeast.
read full storyI joined Chai Lifeline as a case manager, where I spend my time connecting to families, visiting clients in the hospital, counseling, and bringing smiles to dark places. In between all the running around, I’m on my phone, calling families, running our mom’s support group, and juggling meetings with staff. Some of my most meaningful moments happen during times of crisis. G-d gave us each different strengths and staying calm and helping people through the delicate and painful time that a crisis creates, is something that I have been blessed to do well. I am grateful for all the times that I have been able to help families through very challenging times.
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I first got involved in Chai Lifeline in 2001 as a camper at Camp Simcha when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. From that first experience, I knew that once I was well, I wanted to give back and help others as I had been helped by Chai Lifeline. A few years later, I became a Camp Simcha counselor and then a division head, and I knew I wanted to incorporate this passion into my career. After graduating with a PhD in psychology, I interned for the Chai Lifeline crisis and bereavement team, and then went on to become the director of clinical & family services for the Chai Lifeline’s Greater New York region.
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