On Monday, January 15, JFCS opened its doors to more than 60 guests and community leaders for the dedication of the Dr. Edward Rosof Play Therapy Room!
This warm and inviting space provides mental health support for young children through play, enabling JFCS child therapists to build rapport, establish trust, and better understand each child’s unique challenges. Play therapy is especially for children ages 3 through 12 who are struggling with a variety of issues – including anxiety, depression, bullying, divorce, or grief.
In her opening remarks, JFCS Executive Director Raechel Hammer shared, “Today is so important because no one should be ashamed to ask for help. Of course, Dr. Rosof knew that. The dedication of the Dr. Edward Rosof Play Therapy room is a statement that we will not allow mental health to go untreated. It is a testament to the life of Dr. Rosof, who is remembered for his compassion, his expertise, and his commitment.” The dedication ceremony featured moving speeches by Carol Rosof, Dr. Howard Orel, Cherry Hill Mayor Dave Fleisher, and others. A special highlight was the blessing and dedication of a colorful new mezuzah, during which Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro led the guests in song while Dr. Rosof’s grandchildren affixed the mezuzah to the door of the play therapy room.
For more than three decades, Dr. Edward Rosof (z”l) was dedicated to the challenges of diagnostic pediatrics and attentive to excellence in patient care. Dr. Rosof founded his first practice in Voorhees, New Jersey, in 1975. A decade later, he relocated the practice – which became Advocare Marlton Pediatrics – to its current location in Marlton. He was named a regional “Top Doc” by both Philadelphia Magazine and South Jersey Magazine. The Dr. Edward Rosof Play Therapy Room was lovingly created to honor his legacy and was made possible through generous donations from his partners at Advocare Marlton Pediatrics: Dr. Howard Orel, Dr. Jeffrey Blackman, and Dr. Howard Waxman.
In addition to the generous support of Drs. Orel, Blackman, and Waxman, several individuals shared their time and talent to make the play therapy room a beautiful place where children can play, grow, and learn: former JFCS Executive Director Beth Wynne and volunteers Susan Meklinsky, Sharon Weingart, and Miriam Feldman. To learn more about services available through the Dr. Edward Rosof Play Therapy Room, click HERE.
