Community Corner
Northern Westchester Women Hear About the Power of Friendship
Chappaqua author Amy Silverstein discusses friends' healing support during her second heart transplant at UJA-Federation of event.
Nearly 100 women from Northern Westchester heard from Chappaqua resident and author Amy Silverstein about the power of friendship and the resilience of the human spirit at a UJA-Federation of New York event at Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester in Chappaqua. The event took place on Wednesday, December 6, 2017.
After receiving a heart transplant at the age of 24, Amy Silverstein again found herself with a failing heart 25 years later. Her memoir, My Glory Was I Had Such Friends, tells how her friends’ support kept her alive during her wait for a new donor heart. Nine women put demanding jobs and pressing family obligations on hold to fly across the country to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where they sat by Amy’s bedside as she spent months battling for her life.
Guests also heard from Danielle Butin, founder and executive director of the Afya Foundation, a medical supply recovery organization based in Yonkers. Since Hurricane Maria, UJA has partnered with Afya and the Greater New York Hospital Association to dispatch 28 flights to Puerto Rico and the Caribbean to deliver desperately needed supplies.
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“If you’re like me, you may have felt pretty powerless watching the devastation caused by natural disasters over the past few months,” said Tracy Stein, who served as co-chair of the event with Mindy Bass, Laurie Brecher, and Stephanie Spiegel, all of Chappaqua. “I want you to know that through your support of UJA, you’ve in fact made a massive impact.”
Photo Caption: (From left) Mindy Bass, Author Amy Silverstein, Tracy Stein, and Laurie Brecher, all of Chappaqua
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About UJA-Federation of New York:
For over 100 years, UJA-Federation has inspired New Yorkers to act on their values and invest in our community for the biggest impact. Through UJA-Federation, more than 50,000 donors address issues that matter most to them, pooling their resources to care for Jews everywhere and New Yorkers of all backgrounds, respond to crises close to home and far away, and shape our Jewish future. Working with hundreds of nonprofit partners, synagogues, and other Jewish organizations, UJA-Federation is the world’s leading local philanthropy; our reach extends from New York to Israel to nearly 70 other countries around the world, touching 4.5 million people each year. For more information on how to donate or volunteer, please visit our website at www.ujafedny.org.
