Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Jewish Pavilion celebrates volunteers at JP Connections

Imagine a fun date for lunch and shopping with 120 friends-that's the essence of JP Connections. The annual luncheon and holiday bazaar hosted by the Jewish Pavilion will be held on Dec. 6 at 11 a.m. at Hilton Orlando North. Longtime volunteers Judy Suberman and Susan Bernstein will be honored at this volunteer appreciation and paid-up membership event.

For the Jewish Pavilion, volunteers are lifeblood-it would be impossible to touch the lives of 500 Jewish seniors in more than 70 living facilities spread out all over greater Orlando, and an additional 1,500 non-Jewish seniors who benefit from its programs, without the dedicated efforts of many volunteers. The annual JP Connections event is an opportunity for the Jewish Pavilion to show its appreciation to its volunteers and members with a fun and friendly luncheon for all to enjoy.

Chairwoman Pat Rubenstein is a longtime volunteer and member of the Friends of the Jewish Pavilion who has been overseeing the event since its beginnings. "It's just a wonderful affair every year," she said, because its informal setting amid tables displaying fabulous gift items make it a great opportunity to talk to many others and expand your social circle as well as see old friends. "You'll see people that you don't see all year, but they'll come to the lunch."

The event will host an array of vendors selling items that make great gifts-for yourself or for others. Just in time for Chanukah and Christmas shopping, the bazaar will be filled with tables of jewelry, fashionable scarves and accessories, home goods and décor, kitchen items, Judaica and more.

The lunch will be light and delicious, beginning with tomato bisque, choice of salad with grilled salmon or spinach-mushroom quiche, and a dessert of chocolate mousse and fresh fruit.

Rubenstein works hard to make the event fun every year so that people will want to return again and again. She said it is always a great way for the Pavilion to "honor a couple of people who have really given their time." And this year's two honorees were well chosen, said Pavilion CEO Nancy Ludin.

"Judy Suberman has been volunteering very frequently and consistently for many, many years. She's made many special connections with individual seniors as well leading Shabbat and holiday programs. She also leads a really stimulating monthly program called History with Judy that she works very hard on. And she doesn't see any of that as special-that's just who she is. But we know how very, very special it is, and that's why she is being honored," said Ludin.

Ludin noted that Bernstein was also an active volunteer for many years, which made her an easy choice to take over as a Pavilion program director when a position came open in late summer. "Susan had already been chosen as a JP Connections honoree in recognition of the really beautiful and moving services and other programs she has been leading for so long. So even though she now works for us and does some of those same things as her job, it does not take away from our appreciation of her many years of devotion to our seniors and the Pavilion's mission when she was a volunteer."

JP Connections will be held at Hilton Orlando North, 350 Northlake Boulevard, Altamonte Springs, on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 11 a.m. Members, volunteers and the wider community are warmly welcomed with a minimum annual membership pledge of $36. The covert for the luncheon is $28. For more information or to make a reservation, contact the Jewish Pavilion at 407-678-9363 or nancyludin@jewishpavilion.org.

 

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