Celebrating community volunteerism and dedicated leadership is at the heart of Jewish Family Services’ 6th annual celebration, Mensches & Mimosas, which will be held on Thursday, June 5 at 7 p.m. JFS will host the event online to prioritize its focus on community needs and to direct money raised to underwrite free services offered by JFS.
For sponsorship, honorary committee and mensch tributes, visit jfsneny.org/mm2025 or call 518-482-8856.
This year, JFS will celebrate 27 community mensches and bestow the Anschel Weiss Community Builders Award to one of the area’s most cherished leaders and community standard-bearer, Scott L. Shpeen, Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Beth Emeth. Having served the congregation since 1985, and as Senior Rabbi since 1992, Rabbi Shpeen proudly led and represented the Congregation until his recent retirement in 2023.
“Rabbi Shpeen is a consummate, compassionate leader and wonderful listener,” said Garry Sanders, JFS Vice Chair and former Congregation Beth Emeth Board President. “His commitment to social justice and the greater good and concern about both the congregants and Albany Community makes him an exemplary Anschel Weiss Awardee.”
Rabbi Shpeen now splits his time between the Capital District and Florida, where he serves as High Holy Rabbi for Congregation Yemei Teshuvah at the Boca West community in Boca Raton, Florida. Still, Rabbi Shpeen remains a fixture at any local community meeting or conversation. From local organizations like the Albany Symphony Orchestra and Park Playhouse to JFS and Federation to the national stage and URJ leadership, where he presently serves on the HUC-JIR President’s Rabbinic Council, Rabbi Shpeen’s contributions are innumerable. He has also been an Adjunct Professor at the College of St. Rose in Albany and served the City of Albany Human Rights Commission.
“I joined the JFS Board under Anschel Weiss’s leadership and am particularly honored to receive this award that reflects his special brand of leadership and highlights the good work that JFS does for our entire community,” said Rabbi Shpeen.
Jane Ginsburg, President & CEO of JFS, noted that “Rabbi Shpeen has given so much to the Capital Region and exemplifies the spirit of the award as a true community builder, serving humanity with humility. Rabbi Shpeen is a leader that has walked the talk, just like JFS — serving the greater community passionately and compassionately guided by Jewish values. It is an honor to honor him.”
Rabbi Shpeen was married for 31 years to the late Susan Balan, who was the Executive Director of the Sidney Albert Albany Jewish Community Center at the time of her death in November 2009. He has two married adult children, Hilary (Josh) Brownstein and Adam (Emily Farber) and five grandchildren.
The JFS Anschel Weiss Community Builders Award
The Anschel Weiss Community Builders Award was first presented in 2007 to Anschel Weiss in honor and appreciation of his 16 years of services as Executive Director of Jewish Family Services. During his tenure at JFS, he grew the agency into what it is today — a recognized leader of human services in the Capital Region. Because of his guidance, the agency embraces his vision to serve more members of the community. The heart of the Anschel Weiss Community Builders Award is “Serving humanity with humility,” which embodies the spirit with which Anschel served the agency.
Past recipients of the Anschel Weiss Community Builders award include Jane and Mark Levine, Marvin A. Freedman, Alan Iselin (z”l), Herman Ungerman, David Alan Miller, Jean Becker, Amy Klein, Fred Erlich, Mara Ginsberg, Chanie Simon, Rabbi Beverly Magidson, The Golub Family, Jerry and Ilene Sykes, Michael Castellana, Steve Lobel, Morris (z”l) and Esther (z”l) Massry, Dr. Mark Sullivan and Representative Michael McNulty.
2025 Community Mensches
Jewish organizations throughout our region were invited to nominate an individual or couple selflessly giving their time, passion, and hard work to our community. This year’s honorable menschen from 24 organizations include Jane Architzel from Congregation Berith Shalom; Barry & Shelley Bader from Temple Sinai; Sharon L. Berko from Congregation Ohav Shalom; Erica & Len Berger from Schenectady Jewish Community Center; Susie R. Caplan from Shalom Food Pantry; Rachel Douglas from Clifton park Chabad; Bram Freedman from temple Israel; Elisa Harrington-Verb from Congregation Gates of Heaven; Barney Horowitz from B’nai Sholom Reform Congregation; Kellie Leinung from Albany Jewish Community Center; Zvi Klopott from B’yachad Collaborative Religious School; Tom Kurkjian from Maimonides Hebrew day School; Keith & Cecile Kowalski from Congregation Beth Emeth; Linda Grimm from Colonie Chabad Chai Life Center; Rabbi Amiel Monson from Jewish Family Services of Northeastern New York and Daughters of Sarah Community for; Anita Merims from Congregation Agudat Achim; Amanda Aussems Poskanzer from Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York; Howard Pressman from Jewish War Veterans; Dr. Dina Gottesman & Daniel Reznik from Congregation Beth Abraham Jacob; Menuchah Sherman from Chevra Kadisha of the Capital District; Donna Shoss from Bethlehem Chabad; and Brenda Sugarman from Congregation Beth Shalom. Newly participating organizations are Amidah, who nominated Laura Weisblatt and Jewish War Veterans whose mensch is Howard L. Pressman.