Message From Our Executive Vice President

2020: The beginning of a year of great significance to Federation Housing. Fifty years ago in August 1970, Federation Housing Inc. was created to meet the growing need of affordable housing for seniors. Under the pioneering leadership of Founding Executive Director Ephraim F. Goldstein, with the support of the Federation of Jewish Agencies (FJA), coupled with a generous contribution by the Tabas family, FHI opened its first apartment community in the Bells Corner section of Northeast Philadelphia at 2101 Strahle Street in 1974. The Samuel Tabas Apartments with 322 apartment units was quickly filled and has housed thousands upon thousands of needy seniors ever since.

As a community, we at Federation Housing had planned on celebrating this momentous occasion with a variety of commemorative events including resident, staff and Board gatherings and community outreach activities. With the onset of COVID 19 and the need to practice social distancing and to adhere to CDC guidelines, these celebrations and group gatherings have been postponed.

Although COVID 19 has brought disappointment and uncertainty into the world and directly to our apartment communities, Federation Housing has responded with great strength and efficiency as we constantly adjust to our communities’ “new now”. At the onset of this pandemic, Federation Housing rapidly took action and closed all community spaces at each of our 11 properties in an effort to reduce mingling and congregating. Our facilities team has been working tirelessly to clean and disinfect our properties each day. Office staff remain available daily, both on-site and remotely, to assist residents in accessing needed services and addressing resident concerns. Most importantly, we have continued to offer our subsidized Meal Program, our most essential activity, in each of our homes where we are seeing great demand in the need for food security. To comply with CDC guidelines for social distancing our community dining rooms remain closed. To make the meal available to everyone in need, we have waived the $1 per meal participation fee. With residents making less trips to area markets we have seen a significant increase in the number of meals served as well as the number of residents participating. Currently, we are providing over 4,200 meals to over 350 un-duplicated residents each month across our communities.

If nothing else, this pandemic has reinforced not only how strong Federation Housing is but more importantly how flexible we continue to be in meeting the needs of low-income seniors in our region. Our deepest thanks go to our dedicated board members, long-standing partner foundations, and community friends of Federation Housing, whose generous donations and support have enabled us to continue to provide these quality programs and services to our over 1,500 elderly agency wide.

As we look back and reflect on FH’s accomplishments over the past fifty years, we can be proud of the impact we make each and every day on the lives of those we proudly serve. The demand for quality, affordable housing and related services has never been greater and we remain committed to serving those less fortunate today and in the future.

We welcome your on-going partnerships and support as we fulfill our goals of creating new homes for low and moderate income seniors, help our seniors to remain in their homes and ensure that our residents have access to a wide variety of health and wellness programs and services. We also look forward to the time when we will be able to gather again as a community to celebrate Federation Housing’s legacy of service to the community.

Wishing you and your families sustained good health,

Eric Naftulin

Executive Vice President

Board Member Spotlight: Lew Abel

“The Committee Guy”: Lew Abel

Since 1998, Lew Abel has proudly served on the Federation Housing Board. Lew is actively involved in several Board Committees, namely the Personnel, Investment and Finance Committees and has served as Chairman of both the Personnel and Finance Committees. Lew, a CPA, received his B.S. in Accounting from Temple University. His professional experience includes positions as Chief Financial Officer of Jewish Funds for Justice, Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Executive Vice-President of Sameric Corporation along with memberships in numerous professional organizations. Lew was also a past-recipient of B’nai Brith’s Man of the Year Award.

Lew is known for his dependability and quick willingness to make himself available to his fellow Board and Committee members as well as to Federation Housing’s corporate staff. During his tenure on Federation Housing’s Board and through his service on the Personnel Committee, Lew has been an advocate to Federation Housing’s employees. Lew has been instrumental in introducing benefits and policies that positively impact Federation Housing’s employees. His kind and caring nature coupled with his good sense of humor contribute greatly to the Federation Housing community. “

Lew and his wife Elaine are the proud parents of three children Ronald, David and Julie and are kvelling” in their new role as great-grandparents. The Abels currently reside in Elkins Park and are active members of Keneseth Israel Synagogue.

We are proud to recognize Lew’s tireless dedication to and on-going support of Federation Housing’s Board, staff and residents. Kathy Wiercinski, Federal Housing’s Director of Finance who has worked closely with Lew throughout his years on the Board, sums up Lew most aptly when she says, “Lew is an all-around good guy”.

Message From Our Chairman

As I get close to completing my second year as Chairman of this terrific organization, not a week goes by where I am not reminded of the wonderful Mitzvah, we are doing for our residents at every property. The programs we sponsor or have brought to us, the meal programs, the transportation and most of all the residences we provide to our less fortunate seniors.

Our committees are supported by our in-house staff, led by Executive Director Eric Naftulin, who continue to raise the bar in every aspect of their respective responsibilities to our Board.

• Social Services with a new leader, Alyssa Moss, enhancing our resident programs and service at all locations.

• Fundraising, led by Debbie Zlotnick, driving toward a well-planned series of events for our forthcoming 50th Anniversary Celebrations in addition to seeking grant support of our various quality of life programs.

• Finance, Investments and Audit Committees supported by Kathy Weircinski and her team, providing sound control of our budgeting, fiscal operations and investments while preparing for the finalization of our newly created Federation Housing Foundation.

• Staffing/Personnel Committee supported by the Eric and Jane Lahage’s expertise in dealing with the staff and resident issues that arise.

• Real Estate Committee supported by Shoshana Bannett’s high energy level at seeking out opportunities and new contacts to drive toward our goal of creating hundreds of new residences that drive the core mission of FHI.

• Facility Committee spearheaded by Jane Lahage and Megan McGinty who the ability to maintain and upgrade our eleven properties at the highest standard for affordable housing in our area.

• HUD & Tax Credit Compliance is overseen by Jill Whitefield who helps to keep us compliant with the various governmental regulations.

• Technology & Information Systems is skillfully managed by Asmir Murselovic who helps to maintain all agency computers, electronic systems and databases across the agency.

• Executive Administrative Support, Housing Inquires & Wait List Management is professionally and meticulously coordinated by Executive Assistant, Sendy Kev who brings energy, patience and skill to her various duties.

I can only tell you all that the abilities that these skilled staff provide to FHI and this Board are what makes this organization so successful. And most of all, I want to thank the many of you that are at a beckon call to any of our staff and participating with these committees and offering your lifetime of expertise. We are indeed truly fortunate to have this Staff and Board that communicate so well together and keep advancing the mission of FHI.

Ed Tannebaum

Chairman