The New Jewish Home Celebrates 10 Remarkable Leaders Over Age 80

10th Annual "Eight Over Eighty" Benefit Gala Honors:
Bob and Diane Abrams, Michael Bornstein, Judy Collins, Delia Ephron, David Freeman and the Freeman Family, Carol Jenkins, Marianne Kerner, Houston Person and Judith Viorst

Harold Iselin was honored with the Spirit Award

Photos of the gala linked HERE

NEW YORK, May 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At its 10th annual Eight Over Eighty gala, health care, business and philanthropic leaders in New York City joined The New Jewish Home to honor ten extraordinary individuals whose lives exemplify the power of aging with purpose, creativity, and impact.

The gala, held at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan on Wednesday, May 28, successfully raised $1.1M for The New Jewish Home, a comprehensive nonprofit health care system providing health and rehabilitation care to thousands of older New Yorkers of all faiths and ethnicities each year.

This year's honorees included: longtime public servant Bob Abrams and legal pioneer Diane Abrams; Holocaust survivor and author Michael Bornstein; legendary singer-songwriter Judy Collins; renowned screenwriter and playwright Delia Ephron; attorney and environmental advocate David Freeman and the Freeman Family; award-winning journalist and equality activist Carol Jenkins; beloved caregiver Marianne Kerner; preeminent jazz saxophonist Houston Person; and acclaimed author and poet Judith Viorst.

"Tonight, we honor trailblazers over 80 – groundbreaking icons of the arts, journalism and public service," said Dr. Jeffrey Farber, President and CEO of The New Jewish Home. "Our honorees remind us that aging is something to celebrate – not fear. That's the spirit behind our vision at The New Jewish Home, building a future where ageism doesn't stand a chance."

The evening was hosted by Dr. Jonathan LaPook, Chief Medical Correspondent for CBS News, and featured several memorable moments, including the presentation of the Spirit Award to Harold Iselin, Co-Chair of Government Law & Policy Practice at Greenberg Traurig, for his commitment to The New Jewish Home's mission.

Each honoree was celebrated with emotional videos highlighting their life stories and continued contribution to the arts, public service, and social justice well into their 80s. The short films showcased not only their groundbreaking achievements throughout their careers, but also their ongoing passion and dedication to making a difference in their communities during this vibrant stage of life. These powerful tributes demonstrated that their 80s and beyond represents not a winding down, but a continuation of the meaningful work that has defined their extraordinary lives.

Graduates of SkillSpring—The New Jewish Home's workforce development program for young adults from under-resourced communities—also took to the stage, sharing powerful stories about how the program helped them find purpose, pursue careers in health care, and transform their futures.

Notable attendees included former honorees Letty Cottin Pogrebin, co-founder of Ms. Magazine and a feminist powerhouse; Ruth Messinger, former Manhattan Borough President; Jean Troubh, Governor of Century Country Club and Executive Chair of the Board of the City Parks Foundation; Philip Altheim, businessman and philanthropist; and Margot Freedman, longtime member of The New Jewish Home's Board of Directors.

Also in attendance were Hadassah Lieberman, widow of Senator Joe Lieberman; Scott J. Bornstein, Executive Vice President of Greenberg Traurig; Lee H. Perlman, President of GNYHA Management Corporation; Brendan Carr, CEO of Mount Sinai Health System; David L. Reich, Chief Clinical Officer of Mount Sinai Health System and President of The Mount Sinai Hospital; Luz Liebeskind, CFO of UJA-Federation of New York; Marcia Riklis, philanthropist; Michael Kessler, President of The Douglaston Companies; Georgette Bennett, award-winning sociologist; Sarah Kovner, former special assistant to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services; Victor Kovner, former advisor to NYC Mayor David Dinkins; Judith Stern Peck, Director of the Money and Family Life Project at the Ackerman Institute for the Family; Elyse Benenson, charitarian, curator and photographer; Lawrence Benenson, charitarian and Principal of Benenson Capital; and Louise Weadock, Founder and Chief Nursing Officer of ACCESS Nursing.

For links to honoree videos and full biographies, please visit The New Jewish Home's website. Please find photos of the gala here.

About The New Jewish Home:
Since 1848, The New Jewish Home has helped older New Yorkers live full and meaningful lives by providing outstanding health care and innovative programming. The New Jewish Home is a mission-driven nonprofit health care system serving older adults of all faiths, ethnicities, and income levels. We provide specialized short-term rehabilitation in partnership with Mount Sinai Health System and NYU Langone Health, long-term skilled nursing, adult day health care, geriatric care management and senior housing. The New Jewish Home is a founding agency of UJA. For more information, visit www.jewishhome.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Callie Samton, [email protected]

SOURCE The New Jewish Home