Jewish Pavilion Senior Services Featured Program Director

By Hedy Bass

Susan Bernstein

Susan Bernstein loves her job. As a senior program director for Jewish Pavilion Senior Services (JPSS) for the past six years, she is energized by two passions – her love of seniors and the Jewish community.

Before becoming a senior program director, Susan volunteered for JPSS for six years. That experience gave her invaluable insight into understanding the impact JPSS volunteers can have on seniors, whether visiting those who may otherwise be isolated, leading Shabbat services, or sharing the joy of the holidays.

“I have wonderful volunteers,” says Susan. “My job is to find out their skills and make sure they’re comfortable. Many want to help at services, and some enjoy doing visitations. I sometimes find myself doing at least 10 or more programs for facilities that may have minimal Jewish residents. Some non-Jewish residents enjoy learning about other cultures and are eager to participate.”

And, quips Susan: “When we have food, everyone likes to come.”

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Susan spent her childhood on Long Island. She left New York in 2014 to take a position in Orlando, joining Temple Israel as its coordinator of Jewish congregational life.

“Once a month, we’d bring students from MAGAL, a collaborative religious school, to assisted-living facilities, where they would lead Shabbat services, tell stories, and sing songs with the residents,” says Susan. Among her many talents, Susan also plays guitar. Often, Susan can be found sharing the joy of music with the seniors she visits.

When asked what she gets from her work with JPSS, Susan says, “It sounds simplistic, but helping other people is what I’ve done my whole life. I’ve been an educator and director of education. Everything I do is service-oriented. Building a sense of community is very important. I lived with my grandparents in the home, so it’s a continuation of how I was raised.

“It’s important, particularly these days, to ensure people don’t feel neglected,” Susan continues. “I want seniors to have as much quality of life in their later years as possible. I can help do that by bringing a bit of joy into their lives. It’s not the only reason I do this work, but it’s important.”

Bringing joyful and meaningful engagement to people is what Susan and JPSS volunteers strive to do every day.

This story was originally published in print in Fall 2024.