Rabbi Bryan Kinzbrunner Appointed President of the Rabbinic Association in the Heart of NJ

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We are happy to announce that Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living Chaplain, Rabbi Bryan Kinzbrunner, has been appointed President of the Rabbinic Association in the Heart of New Jersey (RAHNJ).

Rabbi Kinzbrunner has been the Wilf Campus Chaplain since 2010, providing education and spiritual support to our residents, patients and their families — with an emphasis on Jewish end-of-life care issues. Rabbi Kinzbrunner works with all Campus entities, including Stein Hospice, Stein Assisted Living and Wilentz Senior Residence.

According to Rabbi Kinzbrunner, he became involved with RAHNJ about two years after joining the Wilf Campus when he met another rabbi in the area and was invited to learn more about the organization. He then took on leadership roles beginning in the summer of 2016, when he became the organization’s communications officer, and later vice president and now president.

When asked how his roles at the Wilf Campus and RAHNJ connect, Rabbi Kinzbrunner said: “Sitting at the table with other rabbis gives me a chance to bring my own experience to the table.” He adds, “I’m able to share my expertise in elder care in the Jewish community and connect them to the resources that we have here at The Wilf Campus.”

As President of the Rabbinic Association in the Heart of New Jersey, Rabbi Kinzbrunner aims to continue the missions of peer support and engagement in the Jewish community. With about 30-40 members who “span the spectrum” of what it means to be Jewish, he hopes that the organization will move to the forefront of Jewish leadership in both Middlesex and Monmouth counties.

Rabbi Kinzbrunner would like to thank his RAHNJ executive team: Rabbi Esther Reed, Vice President (Senior Associate Director at Rutgers Hillel); Rabbi Phil Bazeley, Communications Officer (Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple); and Rabbi Marc Kline, Federation Liaison (Monmouth Reform Temple).

Rabbi Kinzbrunner can be reached at BKinzbrunner@wilfcampus.org or 732-568-1155.

 

Members of the Rabbinic Association in the Heart of NJ during a June retreat at the Wilf Campus.

Board Member Spotlight – John Wolf

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We are excited to begin a new Blog series highlighting our Board of Trustees members. This month we introduce you to our Wilf Campus for Senior Living Board Chair, John B. Wolf. John joined The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living’s Board of Trustees in 2015, becoming Board Chair in January 2019.

John served for 30 years in the Office of General Counsel of Rutgers University, serving as its chief labor counsel and as the University’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel when New Jersey passed the Medical and Health Sciences Education Restructuring Act in 2012. In that role he led the legal team that counseled Rutgers on all financial, governance, legal and policy issues involving the integration of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey into Rutgers.

John also served as a law school site evaluation team member for American Bar Association accreditation reviews. He teaches classes in the Master of Science in Higher Education Administration Program at Baruch College of the City University of NY and also serves on several labor arbitration and mediation panels.

John is a graduate of Vassar College and has served on its Board of Trustees. He holds a J.D. from Emory University.

John has previously served on other boards as well, in the education field and on the board of the non-profit Amy Foundation, which promotes the early detection of breast cancer for uninsured or underinsured women. “It wasn’t a big leap for me to agree to serve on the Wilf Board,” John explains, adding that he was interested in expanding his knowledge in the area of services to the elderly population. “On an emotional level, I wanted to confront my mortality, both to prepare to assist my elderly relatives as they age and to prepare for my later years,” John explains.

“The U.S. population is aging rather dramatically. Thus, the need to provide a full array of services to the elderly will continue to grow,” John says, “The Wilf Campus is well positioned, by virtue of its experience and expertise, to play a major role in expanding, developing and delivering these services to seniors in New Jersey.”

Regarding his work so far on the Wilf Campus Board, John says, “I have been enormously impressed by the commitment of my fellow board members to the Wilf Campus.” He adds, “I am grateful also for the many dedicated and skilled staff who work at Wilf.”

Feel free to reach out to John at jwolf@wilfcampus.org.

Holocaust Survivor Scholarships Available at Stein Assisted Living

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More than one third of Holocaust survivors living in the United States today live below the poverty line. Many live alone and cannot rely on family as caregivers. With a commitment to meet the needs of indigent Holocaust survivors, The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living has announced the creation of a Holocaust Survivor Scholarship program at Stein Assisted Living on the Wilf Campus.

For almost 50 years, The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living has sought to meet the needs of seniors in our community, and to provide a home, in a Jewish environment, where they can live active, independent lives with the support of our compassionate and professional caregivers. This program reaffirms the Wilf Campus’ mission by providing financial assistance to indigent Holocaust survivors who may benefit from living at Stein Assisted Living.

Stein Assisted Living is a warm and inviting community, where residents have access to assistance with activities of daily living, licensed professional nursing on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, a wide spectrum of programming, as well as services for Shabbat and Jewish holidays. At Stein Assisted Living, our residents enjoy the perfect combination of support and independence. Memory care is also available in our Jaffa Gate Memory Care Neighborhood.

To qualify for a scholarship, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a Holocaust survivor
  • Have demonstrated financial need
  • Meet assisted living level of care requirements and will benefit from living at Stein Assisted Living.

For more information or an application, please call 732-568-1155 or email info@wilfcampus.org.

If you wish to make a donation in support of the Holocaust Survivor Scholarship Program at Stein Assisted Living, click here or contact Gayle Braunstein at 732-568-1155 or gbraunstein@wilfcampus.org.

The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living is a non-profit organization, comprised of Stein Assisted Living, Stein Hospice, Wilentz Senior Residence, Wilf Transport, and The Foundation at the Wilf Campus. For more information, contact us at (732) 568-1155, info@wilfcampus.org or visit us at www.wilfcampus.org.

The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living Opens Education and Resource Center

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Education and Resource Center Grand Opening & Ribbon CuttingApproximately 80 health care professionals, representatives of the Somerset County Business Partnership, dignitaries, and board members and senior staff of The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living gathered on Friday, May 17th to celebrate the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting of the Campus’ Education and Resource Center. The 12,000-square-foot, two-story building was built on the Wilf Campus property on DeMott Lane in Somerset, NJ.

The Education and Resource Center is a great addition to the two existing buildings and the full spectrum of services already offered on the Wilf Campus. It enables the Wilf Campus to expand its services and programs across the Campus and the greater community.

During the event, Michael Kaufman, Wilf Campus’ Board of Trustees immediate past president who was instrumental in the planning of the building, said the Education and Resource Center is a “realization of a dream.” He added, “With this building, Franklin Township is allowing us to grow.”

According to Franklin Township Mayor Phillip Kramer, “Taking care of our seniors…is vitally important.” He added that the Wilf Campus is “a jewel in Franklin and it adds to the Franklin community, the Jewish community and the community at large.”

The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living has been a leader in elder care and senior services in Central New Jersey for nearly 50 years. The Campus consists of:

  • Stein Assisted Living, which provides housing and high-quality care and daily support for seniors.
  • Wilentz Senior Residence, which provides spacious, private apartments for income restricted seniors.
  • Wilf Transport, which provides assisted non-medical, social and quality of life transportation for seniors and individuals with special needs who are over the age of 18.
  • Stein Hospice, which provides end of life care to patients and support to their families.
  • The Foundation at The Wilf Campus – the fundraising arm of the Campus, which enables the Campus to offer programs and services that benefit seniors at the Wilf Campus and the greater community.

Additionally, Regency Jewish Heritage operates a rehabilitation and nursing home on the Wilf Campus. This enables The Wilf Campus to provide a continuum of care for seniors.

Due to lack of space, Stein Hospice was located off-campus, in Somerset. The Wilf Campus Corporate offices were located at the Stein Assisted Living building. With the addition of The Education and Resource Center, Stein Hospice, Wilf Transport, The Foundation and the Campus’ Corporate and Marketing offices all relocated to the new building, centralizing all of the resources at The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living. This also frees up the rooms that the offices occupied at the Stein Assisted Living building, allowing Stein Assisted Living to expand its offerings to the residents who live there.

Most importantly, The Education and Resource Center includes meeting space as well as a multi-purpose room, which will allow the Campus to expand its health, wellness and educational programs for the community, as well as continuing education programs for professionals. Social and creative arts programs, such as holiday celebrations, movie and theatre programs, and other programs, are also planned. The Wilf Campus also plans to expand the support groups that are already offered and offer various resources for the senior community. A Resource Room for seniors to find information and resources available to them through a small library area, computer work station, and an information area, will be added in the coming months.

During the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting celebration, Wilf Campus Board of Trustees President John Wolf urged attendees to “support organizations and institutions such as this.” He said, “The people who live here don’t have the most robust voices, but (we do), so talk in your community about this wonderful organization…. That’s the mitzvah, the good deed, you could do for us, and for them.”

To be notified about future programs on the Wilf Campus, or for more information about The Education and Resource Center or any of the services offered by The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living, please contact Donna Oshri at doshri@wilfcampus.org or call 732-568-1155.

Robert Barry Appointed President of The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living

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The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living is happy to announce that Robert Barry has been appointed President of the Wilf Campus.

Bob is a highly accomplished executive with more than 30 years experience in finance, HR administration, operations, strategic planning and performance measurement. Bob has served as Chief Financial Officer for nonprofit organizations for more than 23 years, including 12 years for The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living. During his time at The Wilf Campus, Bob has been greatly involved with the expansion of the programs which are offered to seniors and their families.

In his new role as President of The Wilf Campus, it is Bob’s goal to increase the continuum of care provided by The Wilf Campus, by introducing additional services for seniors while expanding current program service area.

“Having been a part of The Wilf Campus for the past 12 years, I have witnessed and been part of the growth in our services. One of the most rewarding aspects of this has been to see the recognition of the quality and compassionate care we provide,” Bob said. “In my new role, I am committed to ensuring that The Wilf Campus continues to provide the highest level of care to all who are served by us.”

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Bob moved to Edison with his wife Luann in the mid 1980’s. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and traveling.

The Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living offers a full spectrum of services for seniors. The Campus is comprised of Stein Assisted Living, Stein Hospice, Wilentz Senior Residence, Wilf Transport and The Foundation. For more information about any of the services available at The Wilf Campus, contact us at (732) 568-1155, info@wilfcampus.org or visit us at www.wilfcampus.org.