Not for Profit News

LiveOnNY and TSO Honor Northern Westchester Hospital’s President and CEO, Joel Seligman

November 6, 2019 by The Inside Press

A “Make a Difference Award” during Organ Donor Enrollment Day

Northern Westchester Hospital President and CEO Joel Seligman receives LiveOnNY’s Make A Difference award from LiveOnNY President and CEO Helen Irving.

On Organ Donor Enrollment Day, Helen Irving, President & CEO of LiveOnNY, presented Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) President and CEO, Joel Seligman, with the Make A Difference award for his continued support of organ donation. Seligman was honored for his commitment to raising awareness, providing education and registering lifesaving donors. Assemblyman David Buchwald, Janet Ocasio from Transplant Support Organization, and Mount Kisco Mayor Gina Picinich were also on hand to show their support and appreciation.

NWH received Platinum status from LiveOnNY for four years in a row for having the largest effort to increase the number of registered donors at a community hospital. New York State has the lowest rate of registered eligible organ donors in the country. As part of the event, NWH hosted an organ donation enrollment table.

ABOUT LIVEONNY:

LiveOnNY is a nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) dedicated to saving lives, providing comfort, and strengthening legacies through organ, eye, and tissue donation. The OPO, which was established in 1978, serves a culturally and ethnically diverse population of 13 million residents in New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley. Working closely with transplant centers and hospitals, LiveOnNY coordinates organ, eye, and tissue donation for transplant, educates the public and healthcare professionals about donation and transplantation, and promotes the importance of signing up on the New York State Donate Life Registry. LiveOnNY works closely with 11 transplant centers, nearly 100 hospitals, and several tissue and eye banks. LiveOnNY is accredited by the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) and a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which oversees the organ transplant waiting list in the U.S. For more information, please visit LiveOnNY.org.

(L-R): New York State Assemblyman David Buchwald, Janet Ocasio of the Transplant Support Organization; NWH President and CEO Joel Seligman; Mount Kisco Mayor Gina Picinich; and LiveOnNY President and CEO, Helen Irving, celebrate Organ Donor Enrollment Day.

About Northern Westchester Hospital:

Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), a member of Northwell Health, provides quality, patient-centered care that is close to home through a unique combination of medical expertise, leading-edge technology, and a commitment to humanity. Over 650 highly-skilled physicians, state-of-the-art technology and professional staff of caregivers are all in place to ensure that you and your family receive treatment in a caring, respectful and nurturing environment. NWH has established extensive internal quality measurements that surpass the standards defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) National Hospital Quality Measures. Our high-quality standards help to ensure that the treatment you receive at NWH is among the best in the nation. For more information, please visit www.nwhc.net and connect with us on Facebook.

About Northwell Health:

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 70,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Honors Gary Jacob & Stacey Saiontz

October 30, 2019 by The Inside Press

Annual New York Tribute Dinner Raises Over $3.2 Million

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum held its annual “What You Do Matters” New York Tribute Dinner on October 28 at Cipriani in New York City raising over $3.2 million in support of the Museum’s critical role as a living memorial to the Holocaust.

Sara J. Bloomfield, the Museum’s director delivered keynote remarks at the Tribute Dinner and thanked the Museum’s guests for their support: “Thank you for helping us unlock these powerful lessons of Holocaust history for people everywhere so that a new world might learn timely lessons from a past world. So that wishful thinking might be constantly confronted with determined resistance. So that today’s bystander might not become tomorrow’s victim. So that instead of ‘And then they came for me,’ we might shout, ‘Together we confronted them.’”

(L-R): Gary Jacob, Stacey Saiontz, Mindy Nagorsky-Israel, Jeffrey Feil and Howard Unger

During the benefit event, the Museum presented its National Leadership Award to Gary Jacob and Stacey Saiontz. The Museum’s National Leadership Award is presented to outstanding individuals who have made an exceptional commitment to advance the Museum’s mission of Holocaust remembrance and education.

Museum chairman Howard M. Lorber presented the National Leadership Award to Gary Jacob, a prominent New York real estate industry leader who serves as Executive Vice-President of Glenwood Management, and has been a key member of the Museum’s New York Real Estate group since 2011.

During Jacob’s award acceptance speech, he underscored his unwavering support of the Museum: “When I think about securing the future, the future we all want for our children and grandchildren, I think about a world free of hate, bigotry and discrimination. Unfortunately, we are seeing a rise in hatred and antisemitism around the world, including this country. That makes the Museum’s mission of teaching the lessons of our past history even more of a priority than ever before.”

New York Tribute Dinner Chair Howard Unger presented the National Leadership Award to Stacey Saiontz, granddaughter of Holocaust survivor Jack Feldman, who was recently featured in the HBO documentary “The Number on Great Grandpa’s Arm” with Stacey’s sons, Elliott and Jared. Saiontz is also a founding member of the Museum’s New York Next Generation Board.

Upon accepting the National Leadership Award, Stacey Saiontz remarked: “My grandparents lost all of their siblings, their parents and their extended families in the Holocaust. They lost their homes, their childhood, and their entire world as they knew it. Yet, they were resilient. After experiencing the worst humanity had to offer, they still responded with the best of the human spirit. They chose life. And because they chose life, I am able to stand before you tonight. That’s why standing in the Capitol building with four generations of my family watching my grandfather proudly light one of the six memorial candles during the National Days of Remembrance Ceremony was one of the most special moments of my life. That is why I support the Museum.”

Following Saiontz’ award acceptance remarks, Irene Weiss, a Museum volunteer who survived Auschwitz-Birkenau and forced labor as a teenage girl, shared her story which was especially meaningful just three months ahead of the 75^TH anniversary of the camp’s liberation.

Andi Barchas, director of the Museum’s Northeast Regional Office, also addressed the Tribute Dinner guests, sharing how grateful the Museum is for supporters such as Gary Jacob and Stacey Saiontz. “I have known both of our honorees for many years, and we really are so fortunate to have them as part of our Museum family. Through Gary’s involvement with our Real Estate division and Stacey’s involvement with our Next Generation Group and in Westchester, they bring together a newly expanded group of Museum supporters. Thanks to their efforts, and the hard work of our chairs, there are almost 500 people in the room tonight and we have raised over 3.2 million dollars! Thank you all.”

The New York Tribute Dinner was chaired by Debrah Lee Charatan, Jeffrey Feil, Lloyd Goldman, Mindy Nagorsky-Israel and Ronen Israel, and Caryn and Howard Unger.

Jared Saiontz, Jack Feldman, Stacey Saiontz, Marc Saiontz and Elliott Saiontz

Howard Unger, Stacey Saiontz, Sara J. Bloomfield, Gary Jacob and Howard M. Lorber

Marc and Stacey Saiontz and Mindy Nagorsky-Israel and Ronen Israel

About the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. Its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by generous donors. For more information, visit www.ushmm.org.

This news is courtesy of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Chelsea Clinton and Zainab Salbi Among Five to be Honored with Eleanor Roosevelt Medal

September 21, 2019 by The Inside Press

PHENOMENAL FIVE: HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVISTS, INCLUDING CHELSEA CLINTON AND ZAINAB SALBI, TO BE HONORED BY ELEANOR ROOSEVELT CENTER AT VAL-KILL

2019 honorees include Hyde Park residents and philanthropists, John and Gloria Golden, and President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises and gender equity champion, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo.

HYDE PARK, NY (September 18, 2019) – Paying tribute to the legacy of “The First Lady of the World,” The Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill (ERVK), a non-profit educational organization based in Hyde Park, NY, is excited to announce that it will honor five change-makers, including author and vice chair of the Clinton Foundation, Chelsea Clinton, and humanitarian, author and global journalist, Zainab Salbi, with the prestigious Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal at a ceremonious luncheon on Sunday, October 13.Medals will be bestowed by honoree-selected presenters, including 1995 medal recipient, Hillary Clinton, honoring her daughter, Chelsea Clinton. The ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park, NY. Open to the public, event tickets can be purchased online at www.ervk.org/events or by calling (845) 229-5302.

In its 32^nd year, the Annual Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal Ceremony recognizes individuals who reflect Mrs. Roosevelt’s desire to build a better world through humanitarian efforts. In addition to Clinton and Salbi, the 2019 honorees include Hyde Park residents and philanthropists, John and Gloria Golden, and President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises and gender equity champion, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. Each of these distinguished guests will be presented with awards for their unfailing dedication to promoting human rights and to challenging injustice.

“Dedicated to serving others, these inspiring honorees have made an irrevocable impact on the global community,” said April Gozza, executive director of ERVK. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor and celebrate their contributions, which put into action Eleanor’s ideals. This year is especially momentous as it marks the first time both a mother and daughter have received the medal.”

In the tradition established by Mrs. Roosevelt’s life’s work, each medalist has made significant contributions to evolve social justice, education, public service and human rights. Embodying what it means to live through activism, advocacy and compassion, medalists serve to better their local communities and the world at large. Former honorees include Gloria Steinem, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, Hillary Clinton, James Earl Jones, Loung Ung, Pete Seeger, Peter and Jennifer Buffett, Pumla Gobodo-Madikezeka, Richard Holbrooke, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Tarana Burke.

Proceeds will support the ERVK’s efforts to educate, inspire and uplift future generations through leadership and youth development programs, including the esteemed Girls Leadership Worldwide program and the Eleanor Roosevelt Emerging Community College Leaders (ECCEL) program for community college students. Sponsorship opportunities are available, and more information can be found on the event website.

For more information on the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal Ceremony or to view a list of past medal recipients, visit www.ervk.org/eleanor-roosevelt-val-kill-medal/eleanor-roosevelt-val-kill-past-medalists/.

About the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill:

Furthering Eleanor Roosevelt’s life mission, the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill (ERVK), a non-profit organization located in Hyde Park, NY, facilitates educational programming to inspire youth across the globe to be champions of social justice and humanitarian efforts. By offering intensive, prestigious programs like Girls Leadership Worldwide (GLW) and Eleanor’s Community College Emerging Leaders (ECCEL), ERVK equips young people with the necessary tools to be agents of change within their communities and beyond. To learn more, please visit www.ervk.org or follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

News courtesy of the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val-Kill

Chappaqua Resident Stacey Saiontz to be Honored at a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Benefit

September 19, 2019 by Inside Press

**Marc Saiontz, Elliott Saiontz, Jack Feldman, Jared Saiontz and Stacey Saiontz**

“What You Do Matters” New York Tribute Dinner

NEW YORK, NY. (August 29, 2019) – The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has announced that Stacey Saiontz of Chappaqua will be honored with the National Leadership Award at the 2019 “What You Do Matters” New York Tribute Dinner on Monday, October 28, 2019 at Cipriani 42^nd Street.

Against the backdrop of the global rise in antisemitism, more than 450 guests are expected to attend this meaningful event to reaffirm their active commitment and support the Museum’s national campaign, Never Again: What You Do Matters, which will ensure that the Museum can make the critical investments to keep Holocaust memory alive as a relevant, transformative force in the 21^st century.

Stacey Saiontz’s paternal grandparents survived the Holocaust, but it wasn’t until she started asking questions at an early age that her grandfather, Jack Feldman, began to share his story, including the time he spent in the Auschwitz concentration camp. Over the years, Stacey filmed her grandfather’s memories from the Holocaust, capturing incredible details and intimate insight into the tragedies that he endured.

Stacey’s personal pursuit to preserve the evidence of the Holocaust extended beyond her family’s story. When Stacey married her husband Marc, they chose to make a donation to support the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Soon after in 2004, Stacey became one of the pioneering founders of the Museum’s New York Next Generation Board.

“Stacey Saiontz has emerged as one of our most dedicated young leaders, driven by her passion for preserving Holocaust history and promoting Holocaust education for future generations,” said Sindy Lugerner, Assistant Director, Development and Operations, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “We are proud to honor Stacey with the National Museum Leadership Award as an inspiring leader in our community who exemplifies the importance of passing the torch of Holocaust remembrance to the next generation.”

Jack Feldman with two grandchildren at the USHMM DOR 20th anniversary

In 2018, HBO released a documentary inspired by the special relationship between Stacey’s grandfather, Jack, and her sons, Elliott and Jared. The documentary, “The Number on Great Grandpa’s Arm,” is now used as a powerful educational tool to teach young audiences and people of all ages about the critical lessons of the Holocaust.

“During the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s 20^th anniversary, my grandfather walked our son Elliott through the children’s exhibition, Daniel’s Story, and was able to share pieces of his personal story as it related to Daniel’s story with him,” says Stacey Saiontz. “This past April, we visited the Museum during the annual Days of Remembrance and my grandfather, now 93, was able to walk our younger son, Jared, through the same exhibition and share this unique experience with him, too.”

“The Museum serves as a moral compass, and is one of the most important institutions that we have, especially today as the number of survivors is dwindling,” continued Stacey. “I want my grandfather and all survivors to feel confident that the next generation will never let their stories fade, and that the Museum will continue to educate the world to ensure that this never happens again. I feel so grateful that the Museum is honoring me and lucky that my grandfather is still here to witness it.”

Beyond serving as a founding member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s New York Next Generation Board, Stacey has remained dedicated to Holocaust education causes throughout her life in leadership roles at the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation, the Museum of Jewish Heritage, and the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center.

At the New York Tribute Dinner chaired by Debrah Lee Charatan, Jeffrey Feil, Lloyd Goldman, Mindy Nagorsky-Israel and Ronen Israel, and Caryn and Howard Unger, all guests will receive free copies of the HBO documentary about Stacey’s family. In addition, Gary Jacob will also be honored at the Dinner with the National Leadership Award for his dedicated leadership in the Museum’s Northeast community.

Jared Saiontz, Jack Feldman and Elliott Saiontz

About the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s 2019 “What You Do Matters” New York Tribute Dinner:

When: October 28, 2019

6:30 p.m. Reception | 7:30 p.m. Dinner

Where: Cipriani 42^nd Street, 110 East 42nd Street, New York City

RSVP: Benefit Event | Registration Required: https://www.ushmm.org/online-calendar/event/nytribdinner101

About the Museum

Anti-Semitism and Sports Global Symposium: Sept. 25 at Fordham University

September 18, 2019 by The Inside Press

‘The Realities of Anti-Semitism’ in sports and in society at large, and all its challenges, will be addressed via the viewpoints anticipated by 15 esteemed speakers at a September 25th Global Symposium sponsored by Fordham University’s School of Professional and Continuing Studies in conjuction with Final Whistle on Hate. The summit aims to bring about understanding and change. For a full agenda, list of speakers, and to
purchase tickets: https://www.fordham.edu/info/29262/global_symposium_on_sports_and_society_anti-semitism_and_sports