 
Senate Resolution No. 533
 
BY: Senator MAYER
 
        COMMEMORATING  the  100th  Anniversary  of  United
        Hebrew
 
  WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body  to  honor  those
illustrious  organizations  of  the  State  of New York whose purposeful
endeavors serve to enhance the quality of life for the cherished  senior
citizens in their communities; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of United Hebrew; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  United  Home for Aged Hebrews was founded in 1919, by
the Krakauer Charity and Aid Society, a  group  of  charitable  Austrian
Jews,  whose President, Solomon J. Manne, proposed sponsorship of a home
for the aged; and
 
  WHEREAS, Ten years later, 51 elderly men  and  women  in  need  were
being  cared  for  in  a large two-story frame house surrounded by three
park-like acres on Pelham Road in New Rochelle, with  Solomon  J.  Manne
serving as its first President; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In 1934, a three-story, red-brick addition to the original
building was made possible by a generous contribution from Adolph Arber;
during this time, the United Home was the  largest  institution  of  its
kind in Westchester County with 155 residents; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Ground  was  broken for a $1.5 million building to replace
the original house in 1954; three years later, the Saul and  Ada  Gutner
Pavilion  opened, and the new 102-bed facility was hailed as an entirely
new concept in living for the  elderly  in  need  and  the  first  major
departure  from  the institutional atmosphere of the traditional old age
home; and
 
  WHEREAS, In 1965, a three-story wing  was  added  to  the  building,
increasing  the  Home's  capacity  by  50  percent;  the air-conditioned
addition contained a roof patio, glassed-in rooms in the  hospital  area
with  oxygen  and  vacuum piped directly to each bed, and new laboratory
and X-ray rooms; and
 
  WHEREAS, The  Lola  and  Saul  Kramer  Pavilion,  a  skilled-nursing
facility,  was  built  in  1976,  bringing  the United Home to a 270-bed
capacity;  a  beauty  parlor,  gift  shop,  tea  room,  medical   suite,
recreation therapy room, lounge, nursing and administrative offices were
incorporated into this addition; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In  1980,  Low-Savin  Residence  (Soundview Apartments), a
nine-story apartment building for independent seniors, opened its  doors
adjacent to the nursing home; and
 
  WHEREAS,  United  Home  then  launched  a Long-Term Home Health Care
Program, the Lombardi  Program,  which  reached  out  to  care  for  the
 
elderly, infirm and disabled in their own homes with nursing and support
services; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  name  United  Hebrew  Geriatric Center was adopted in
1988,  to  reflect  the  array  of  senior  care  services  this   vital
organization  provided,  and  in 1991, the Westchester Ladies' Auxiliary
dedicated a fountain statue and garden to its residents; and
 
  WHEREAS, Continuing its rapid growth, AZOR Licensed Home Health Care
was  launched  in  1996,  extending  United  Hebrew  Geriatric  Center's
award-winning  services  into  the community to serve those who chose to
stay in their own home; and
 
  WHEREAS, In 2003, the Beverly and Alfred  J.  Green  Pavilion-Willow
Towers  Assisted  Living, opened its doors; this spectacular addition to
the United Hebrew Geriatric Center campus opened with 126 apartments and
an array of amenities for supportive living; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Winner  of  the  National  Association  of  Home  Builders
Platinum   Achievement   Award,  the  residence  includes  a  two-story,
glass-enclosed dining atrium, community rooms, a 24-hour cafe,  and  the
Phoenix  Memory  Care  Neighborhood,  a  secure,  specialized  unit  for
residents with Alzheimer's and related disorders; and
 
  WHEREAS, Furthermore, Willow Towers is the first assisted  residence
in  Westchester  County  to obtain triple licensure from New York State,
allowing residents to  live  there  as  their  healthcare  needs  become
greater, without having to move to a skilled nursing facility; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In  2006,  United  Hebrew Geriatric Center held a historic
groundbreaking ceremony for a new nursing and rehabilitation center, the
Lucile and Joseph Skalet Pavilion; and
 
  WHEREAS,   This   state-of-the-art,   143,000-square-foot   facility
propelled  United  Hebrew  into  the  future  with a new skilled nursing
facility to better serve seniors in Westchester County; along  with  the
renovation   of  the  Kramer  Pavilion,  this  expansion  reflected  its
dedication   to   caring   for   seniors   in    a    non-institutional,
resident-centered way; and
 
  WHEREAS, United Hebrew Geriatric Center was renamed United Hebrew in
2009,  reflecting the essence of its comprehensive services, "united for
our residents, caregivers, and their families"; during  this  time,  its
campus was also renamed The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Campus; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In  2014, United Hebrew held its "Breaking Down the Walls"
ceremony, kicking off a renovation of its  vacant  nursing  pavilion  to
create   Willow  Gardens  Memory  Care,  Westchester's  first  nonprofit
residence devoted exclusively to  people  affected  by  Alzheimer's  and
other  dementias, and Meadow Lane, an independent senior housing complex
for low-income adults; and
 
  WHEREAS, Willow Gardens  Memory  Care  and  Meadow  Lane  Apartments
opened  their  doors  in  2016,  expanding  United  Hebrew's  campus  of
comprehensive care with 32 new senior  housing  apartments  and  41  new
units devoted to support for individuals with memory impairment; and
 
  WHEREAS, Today, this extraordinary organization serves 1,000 seniors
daily  on  its  campus and throughout the greater Westchester community;
and
 
  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  sense  of  this  Legislative  Body  that when
organizations of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to  our
attention,  they  should be recognized and applauded by all the citizens
of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of United Hebrew; and be it further
 
  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to United Hebrew.
Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of United Hebrew

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