COMMUNITY NEWS
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia mobilizes
financial and volunteer resources to address the
communities’ most critical priorities locally, in Israel and
around the world.

Saving the World One Shot at a Time:
The Jewish Federation Organizes Vaccine Clinic
AFTER STRUGGLING to get the COVID-19 vaccine
due to shortages, Philip and Patricia Kaufman could
not believe their good fortune when they finally
scheduled an appointment in March with the Jewish
Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

When Philip Kaufman, 81, discovered that the
vaccine site was at Reform Congregation Keneseth
Israel he knew it was more than luck — it was beshert.

Fifty-eight years ago, almost to the day, the
Kaufmans were married at KI. The synagogue that
started their journey as a married couple was now the
place offering them a new lease on life.

“When I heard it was KI, I couldn’t believe it,”
said Kaufman, thanking his neighbor, Fern Cutler,
for notifying him when she heard about the vaccine
clinic from Congregations of Shaare Shamayim. “I
even took a copy of our wedding certificate, so I could
show people. It was the best anniversary gift ever.”
Conducted in partnership with the Jewish
Federation, Kehillah of Old York Road, KI and
Wellness Pharmacy Services, the Kaufmans were two
out of 1,432 people, Jewish and non-Jewish, to receive
their first and second dose of the Moderna vaccine on
March 19 and April 16 at the synagogue.

“The vaccine clinic highlighted that we as Jews
stand together and are there for one another as well
as for the broader community not only in celebratory
moments, but also in trying and difficult times,” said
Kim Decker, director of Kehillah of Old York Road,
a neighborhood initiative of the Jewish Federation.

The majority of vaccine recipients were senior
citizens, an at-risk group with the pandemic who have
generally had a harder time registering for appoint-
ments online.

Combating the technological challenges that online
registration poses, the Jewish Federation arranged and
manned a call center as an alternative for people to set
up appointments. Overall, the Jewish Federation received
748 calls in one day and scheduled more than 1,400
appointments for the 1a vaccine group, which included
older adults and people who had a medical condition.

“We heard from so many older adults in our
community who were struggling to obtain an
appointment for a vaccine through online portals,
so our team at the Jewish Federation was proud to
provide a simple intake system over the phone to
schedule so many appointments,” said Addie Lewis
Klein, senior director of leadership development and
community engagement at the Jewish Federation.

In addition to staff support, 109 volunteers from
the local community helped operate the vaccine
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM Philip and Patricia Kaufman receive their vaccines at
Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel, 58 years after being
married at the synagogue. 
Courtesy of Philip Kaufman
clinic. Dr. Randi Zeitzer was one of the medical
volunteers to administer vaccines on both days.

Having grown up nearby in Upper Dublin, Zeitzer
vaccinated people she has known all of her life.

“One woman said to me, ‘I remember you crawling
around on the floor,’” laughed Zeitzer, who works as a
family physician at Broad Axe Family Medicine, which
is part of the Einstein Healthcare Network. “It was so
funny, it is such a small world.”
According to Zeitzer, the excitement in the clinic was
palpable as people received their vaccines. For some, this
was the first time they had left the isolation of their homes
and interacted with others in a physically distant setting.

“Some people hadn’t been out of the house. There
were people running into friends they hadn’t seen
during the whole pandemic, and they were trying not
to give them hugs,” Zeitzer said. “You could see the
smiles under the masks.”
As the community came together to protect each
other and themselves, Susan Rubin was nervous that she
would have to miss her second vaccine. Her pregnant
daughter was scheduled to be induced, and Rubin had to
pick up her 2-year-old grandson from day care.

Fortunately, the staff was able to accommo-
date Rubin and rearrange her appointment for the
morning. By the end of the day, Rubin not only
received her second vaccine, but she also welcomed
her fifth grandchild, Jordan Bennett Brown.

JEWISH EXPONENT
Susan Rubin received her second vaccine dose at KI and
welcomed her fifth grandchild on April 16. Pictured: Susan
Rubin holds her new grandson, Jordan Bennett Brown, with
her husband Mitchell Rubin and grandson Hunter Matthew
Brown. 
Courtesy of Susan Rubin
“My husband, Mitchell, and I were just thrilled
to hear that the Jewish community had arranged for
us to get the vaccine. We were extremely concerned,
wondering how we would get our shots. I had stayed
up for days trying to log into many vaccine sites,”
Rubin said. “I felt confident when we got our appoint-
ments through the Jewish Federation, and I knew it
would be handled in a professional way. I can never
thank them enough!”
MAY 20, 2021
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