Client Story Archives | Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland

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Mikhail and Sophia’s Story

JFSA’s Holocaust Survivor program has given Mikhail Bratslavsky a supportive community that allows him and his wife, Sophia, to live life to the fullest. Inspired by his Jewish heritage, his family, and the nature that surrounds him, Mikhail is a highly creative and prolific artist who works in leather, acrylics, and other materials. Born in […]

Carol’s Story

Categories: Client Story

Meet Carol Spero, a radiant soul who brings joy wherever she goes. Born in 1935 and raised in Cleveland, Carol’s life has been a symphony of smiles and melodies. From her early days playing the piano to becoming a music teacher in the Shaker Heights school district, Carol has been a source of joy for […]

Sam’s Story

Categories: Client Story

Sam Silverman is a testament to the extraordinary heights that can be reached when compassion and creativity intertwine. An abstract artist and a composer of classical music, Sam possesses a rare gift known as synesthesia—a condition that enables him to see sounds and hear shapes and colors. Sam draws inspiration from natural history, infusing his […]

Ida’s Story

Categories: Client Story

Holocaust survivor Ida Grinberg was only three months old in 1941, when her father was conscripted into the Russian army. “I never saw him or his relatives because he never came back,” she remembers. “My sister became sick and died. Then my mother got tuberculosis when I was seven. We had no medicine, no antibiotics. […]

Annie’s Story

Categories: Client Story

Mary Jo and Tom O’Neill lead an active family life with their three adult children, Katie, 30, Matt, 28 and youngest daughter Annie, 22, who has high-functioning Autism. The O’Neill’s are excited to be new grandparents to their granddaughter, Mary Clare, and are equally excited about the path that Annie has taken since her involvement […]

The Miller’s Story

Categories: Client Story

Beachwood residents, Drs. Jill and Josh Miller and their three children: Madeline, 16, Jack, 14, and Sydney, 12, are a lively and outgoing family who enjoy being together. “We’re a typical family,” says Jill. “But having a special needs child has put us on a journey we didn’t know we were going to take.” Maddie […]

Isaac’s Story

Categories: Client Story

In 1978 when Isaac Mintz was three years old, his parents Pat and Chuck Mintz realized he was different. Two years later there was an opportunity to move to New Jersey and Pat discovered the Princeton Child Development Institute (PCDI). This was the perfect school program for Isaac. With two years of instruction and learning […]

Morgan’s Story

Categories: Client Story

“Ever since I was in high school I wanted to be a doctor, says Morgan Fish, MD, a 2011 Orange High School graduate. At the time, she watched her father’s personal struggle with medical issues and the physicians who treated the complications resulting from his disease. “They continued to fight to save his life, even […]

Morty’s Story

Categories: Care at Home Client Story

Morton made what most people consider the “right” choices for a successful life. He graduated from college with a degree in business and thought the road to greatness lay ahead of him. But life took a detour when Morton became the responsible caregiver for his ailing mother and disabled brother. Morton was a father figure to his brother and a rock for his mother, living […]

Brent and Stephen’s Story

Categories: Client Story residential

Raising two sons with autism may seem like an overwhelming challenge, but Jeanne understood that with a little ingenuity and a solid care plan, her sons Brent and Stephen could one day live on their own as happy, healthy, independent adults. Her vision became a reality four years ago when Brent and Stephen moved into their own home, equipped with innovative technology to help them live […]

Gary’s Story

Categories: Client Story PLAN

When Gary was first diagnosed with schizophrenia, the implications of his illness didn’t hold much meaning for him. “It was just a word to me,” says Gary, “I didn’t understand what it meant for me or my life.” But the effects of his illness soon became apparent. Working as an engineer, the pressure and stress of his job made it difficult to manage his illness […]