DECEMBER 29 • 2022 | 33

Jewish Senior Life celebrat-
ed the grand opening of the 
Hechtman II Coffee House 
in the Eli A. Scherr Activity 
Room on Dec. 6. 
 Philanthropist and friend 
of JSL, Eli Scherr, attended 
the festivities along with 
more than 40 residents, staff 
and community members. 
Eli spoke of his days on 
the Jewish Apartments and 
Services Board and his 
delight in contributing to 
the lifestyle residents enjoy 
on JSL campuses.
The room, once a place 
for residents to come and 
take part in activities, has 
been transformed into 
a cozy coffee house and 
meeting space. The energy 
in the room was upbeat. 
Dignitaries included 
West Bloomfield Township 
Supervisor Steve Kaplan, 
Treasurer Teri Weingarten, 
Clerk Debbie Binder and 
Greater West Bloomfield 
Chamber of Commerce 
Executive Director Suzanne 
Levine. 
Eli proudly cut the rib-
bon on the gorgeous new 
space and invited one and 
all to come in, drink coffee, 
enjoy mandelbread and 
play the games provided on 
each table. 
The new touchless coffee 
machine has more than a 
dozen choices. The open 
door on the second-floor 
balcony offered a view 
of the Hechtman Dining 
Room renovation that is 
creating space to hold all 
the Hechtman residents in 

one seating. 
The updated Coffee 
House was the brainchild of 
Hechtman Administrator 
Melissa Morton and her 
hard-working staff, who 
spent a great deal of time 
designing a space that 
would make everyone 
happy.
“Because of Eli Scherr, 
residents and guests will 
be able to come together, 
spend time and have an 
amazing space and place to 
interact, socialize and even 
meet new people,
” Morton 
said. “We couldn’t be more 
thrilled and thank everyone 
involved for their support 
with this new space.
” 
The bountiful selec-
tion of games, cozy tables 
and comfy chairs and 
special decorative touch-
es stood out against the 
gorgeous new color on the 
walls. There’s a technol-
ogy charging station, an 
Amazon Alexa sound sys-
tem, and a large screen TV 
played a realistic fireplace. 
Speeches were made, 
photos were snapped, vid-
eos were filmed, and we all 
felt the contagious excite-
ment of the donor whose 
happiness truly showed that 
giving is receiving. 
Jewish Senior Life CEO 
Nancy Heinrich said, “We 
are so fortunate that Eli 
Scherr has been our bene-
factor for so many years.
” 

Jo Strausz Rosen is JSL exec-

utive director of development.

TOP TO BOTTOM: 
Hechtman II Coffee House 
donor Eli Scherr with JSL 
CEO Nancy Heinrich. Dean 
and Debbie Benyas. The 
coffee service area fea-
turing a touchless coffee 
dispenser. Residents Ann 
Torf and Phyllis Lewkowicz 
at the opening. Harriet 
Hessenthaler and Lenore 
Risin enjoy coffee amid many 
games now available. 

JO STRAUSZ ROSEN 
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Philanthropy, Extra Foam: 
New JSL Coffee House

