Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service and Melvin J. & Claire Levine Jewish Residential & Family Service recently welcomed more than 100 guests to their 2025 Annual Meeting, celebrating a year marked by growth, community impact, and transformational leadership. The event honored outgoing President and Board Chair Gary Hoffman and celebrated the installation of Jennifer Lesser as the organization’s new president and board chair, along with the appointment of Amy Garelick to the Board of Directors.
The evening also commemorated Alpert JFS’s 50-year legacy of delivering compassionate, life-changing services across Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. In 2024 alone, Alpert JFS provided essential care and support to more than 12,000 individuals from Boynton Beach to Vero Beach through its expansive network of programs, thanks to the commitment of its dedicated staff, board members, volunteers, donors, and community partners.
“We are profoundly grateful to Gary for his years of exceptional service, steady guidance, and heartfelt advocacy,” said Marc D. Hopin, CEO of Alpert JFS. “At the same time, we’re excited to welcome Jennifer as our new board chair and president. Her energy, vision, and passion for our work will help propel us into a dynamic new chapter of impact and innovation.”
Lesser brings more than three decades of leadership and service to her new role. Prior to being named president and board chair of Alpert JFS and Levine JRFS, Lesser served as a board member and first vice president of Outreach. In 2024, she and her husband, Gary Lesser, were recognized with the nonprofit’s inaugural Luminary Award. She holds degrees from Emory University, University of Miami, and Florida Atlantic University, combining backgrounds in psychology, business, and law. Lesser has served in multiple roles at Jewish Family Services, including co-chairing the No Excuse for Abuse awareness event and supporting the Kolot outreach program for domestic abuse survivors. Her extensive philanthropic service includes leadership with Hillel, Jewish Federation Women’s Division, Temple Beth David, and AIPAC Palm Beaches. A former public defender, she remains a passionate advocate for justice and community well-being.
Garelick is a dedicated community leader with nearly three decades of involvement in Palm Beach Gardens. She has served on the Leadership and Human Resources Committee of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and chaired the Mandel Leadership Institute. Garelick previously served on the Levine JRFS Board and has volunteered extensively at Temple Beth David and in local youth programs. A former banker and management consultant, she holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA from Williams College.
The Annual Meeting also spotlighted outstanding contributions from a range of individuals and organizations through special recognitions and awards:
Wycliffe Charities Foundation – Award of Distinction for more than a decade of sustained support
Arnold Lampert, Past President – Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for over 30 years of visionary leadership and philanthropy
Jill Weinberg, Treasurer – Inaugural Lay Leadership Award
Patti Lehrhoff – Linda White Volunteer Award for longstanding service as a mentor in the Mentoring 4 Kids program
Davideen Werner – Bob Schweitzer Volunteer Award for leadership in raising funds annually to purchase bicycles for underprivileged children during the holidays
Deanna “Deede” Schaumberg – Reb Sol Freedman Award for volunteer service in the Levine JRFS Apartment Program
