Get to know the lay leaders, donors, volunteers, and staff members who make our life-affirming work possible!
Volunteer Spotlight: Stefanie Jeffreys
Stefanie was raised in Cherry Hill and currently resides in Mount Laurel with her family and her dog, Ahava. Stefanie previously worked in our Disability Services Department's SAIL program and helped deliver groceries for the Betsy & Peter Fischer Food Pantry. In 2026, Stefanie returned to JFCS to provide volunteer medical rides for older adult [...]
Staff Spotlight: Rachel Ulriksen
Meet Rachel Ulriksen, Soups & Sweets Caterer! How long have you been working at JFCS? I just celebrated my one year anniversary in April! Tell us about your role. My title is caterer but, more importantly, I am a member of the Soups & Sweets team. That means we work together to teach our future [...]
Ann Miller Honored with Prestigious Lay Leadership Award!
Pictured (left to right) are: Margo Orlin, JFCS Board President; Melanie Stoopler, JFCS Associate Executive Director; Ann Miller; Cori Cherkas, JFCS President-Elect; Jill Hammel, JFCS Associate Executive Director. Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS) is proud to congratulate Ann Miller, recipient of The Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies’ Lay Leadership Award of Excellence. This [...]
Volunteer Spotlight: Mike Bass
Mike Bass and his wife, Debbi, have called Cherry Hill home for 43 years, where they raised their two sons, Alan (36) and David (39). Mike is semi-retired from his family’s hobby and craft business, whose Magnolia shop has been a fixture in the community since 1976. Mike first connected with JFCS during the COVID-19 [...]
Volunteer Spotlight: Emily G.
Emily first connected with JFCS in October 2020 while looking for ways to support the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. She began as a “bite-size” volunteer, delivering kosher meals to homebound seniors. During a Thanksgiving delivery, Emily learned that one recipient was celebrating her birthday alone, unable to be with family due to the pandemic. [...]
Volunteer Spotlight: Susan Sall
When Susan Sall retired after a 50-year career as an administrative assistant, she wanted to continue giving back — and found the perfect opportunity with JFCS. Since joining our Volunteer Transportation Program in September 2024, Susan has dedicated her time to providing rides for senior clients to their medical appointments. Susan says her favorite part [...]
Volunteer Spotlight: Jessica Yao & Karla Nuciforo
Volunteering with JFCS doesn’t always require grand actions—sometimes, it begins with the simplest of gestures. Meet two dedicated volunteers whose handmade birthday and holiday cards bring joy and connection to our Older Adult and Holocaust Survivor clients. Jessica Yao, a rising high school senior from Mount Laurel, began volunteering with JFCS in March 2022, when [...]
Volunteer Spotlight: Robert Lunsk
Robert first began volunteering with JFCS in March 2024. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Cherry Hill, where they raised their three children. Their youngest daughter, Jen Gerstein, currently serves as a Vice President on the JFCS Board of Directors. Robert is the President and Founder of United Production Group, a global event management [...]
Board Member Spotlight: Melissa Firstenberg (she/her)
Meet Melissa Firstenberg (she/her)! Tell us about yourself. I grew up in central Jersey (which does exist) and came to Philadelphia to study Computer Science, Chemical Engineering, and Mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania, moving to Marlton, NJ in the late 1990s after school. As a trusted industrial cybersecurity professional, I participate actively in industry [...]
Volunteer Spotlight: Mort Mekler
Meet Mort Mekler! Born in Israel, Mort moved to New York after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. He was the Senior Director of Service Delivery at Broadridge Financial Services, Inc. and retired after devoting 38 years to the company. He currently lives in Cherry Hill and has been happily married to Judy Griffin for five years. [...]
Staff Spotlight: Hilary Platt
Meet Hilary Platt, Project SARAH Coordinator! How long have you been working at JFCS? I am starting my 14th year! Tell us about your role.I am the coordinator of the Project SARAH domestic violence program. I grew the program from a handful of clients to around 30 to 50 clients at all times. I also [...]
Board Member Spotlight: Jerry Rothkoff
Meet Jerry Rothkoff! Tell us about yourself. I have been married for 27 years to Erica Rothkoff, and we have five children: Liza, Julia, Evan, Gregory, and Aitan. We live in Cherry Hill, and have been members of Congregation Beth El for over 25 years. I founded an elder care law firm, Rothkoff Law Group, [...]