South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
No Excuse for Abuse event to feature Elizabeth Smart
Abduction survivor Elizabeth Smart will be the keynote speaker for the West Palm Beach-based Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service’s 17th annual No Excuse for Abuse event.
Smart was 14 years old when she was abducted from her home in Salt Lake City, UT in 2002. She was held in captivity for nine months, and has become a child safety advocate and author since her rescue in 2003.
The upcoming Alpert JFS event takes place virtually this year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic at 7 p.m. on Feb. 16. It will be chaired by Ilene Goldstein, Diann Mann and Judith Rosenberg, and emceed by Barbara and Peter Sidel. Marc Hopin, the agency’s chief executive officer, said, “Alpert
Jewish Family Service No Excuse for Abuse event has put a spotlight on the issue of abuse in all its forms to raise awareness, help end the cycle and support the programs and services of Alpert JFS’ Domestic Abuse Support program.”
“To engage a wider audience about abuse and Alpert, we’ve opened the event to the community-at-large, free of charge, while encouraging friends and neighbors to help meet a fundraising goal of $360,000 in connection with this year’s virtual events, which includes Dec. 3, 2020’s ‘Never Again’ Holocaust Survivors Benefit,” he continued.
Hopin added, “Proceeds will provide much-needed assistance for the most vulnerable residents from Boynton Beach to Vero Beach.”
The event will also feature Carol Shubs and Karen Berkner — co-chairs of the agency’s KOLOT (Hebrew for voices) committee — announce the winners of the “No Excuse for Abuse Poster & Poetry Contest.” Jewish student artists and poets in elementary, middle school, and high school were eligible to enter single submissions in any medium on topics of bullying. Attendees will also hear from teen leaders of the teen dating abuse and bullying prevention program, Relationships and Decisions Program. Visit alpertjfs.org/ events/2021nefa to register. Call Maxine Sonnenschein at 561-252-8825 or email nefa@alpertjfs. org. for more information. Visit alpertjfs.org/360campaign/ to learn more about the $360K Campaign, and alpertjfs.org/for-adults/ domestic-abuse-support/ regarding the agency’s domestic abuse services.