Category: News

October Moments – Art Ovation

Thank you for joining us for this wonderful event that highlighted the incredible art by Israeli artist, Sheila Bitan. 100% of the proceeds of the sale of Sheila’s art will be donated to the Jewish Home and Care Center Foundation. Help continue to support our residents with a magical by purchasing the art showcased at this event. For information on how to purchase Sheila’s art, contact Tanya Mazor at [email protected] or 414-721-9260.

the artist, Sheila Bitan, in front of an autumn tree.

Meet the artist

Sheila Bitan

Sheila is an Israeli artist whose interests lie in the strong and unique colors of the season.

Sheila was born in Israel and is married to David, the Foundation’s Director of Outreach and Engagement. Her and David met during their IDF military service in the air force. Together they have two adult children both of whom also served in the IDF. Sheila has a degree in graphic and exterior design studies and worked most of her career for an international shipping company.

As a child, Sheila always remembered herself holding paints, brushes and pencils but never had the opportunity to exhibit her art. When Sheila followed David to Milwaukee, she fell in love with the strong and unique colors of the fall and the art just flowed.

She is honored to share her art with you and donate 100% of the sales to the Jewish Home and Care Center Foundation.

Giving Tuesday

Give the gift of an enriched life

Donate Today

Ovation Communities help to provide residents, like Bruce pictured above, the care they need to live rich and full lives.

Giving Tuesday

Help Residents like Bruce

Because of your donations, programs like Art in Ovation, Adult Day Center, community events, and enrichment outings are made possible.

Donate today during Giving Tuesday and help residents like Bruce get the care they need and deserve along with vital community connections, fulfilling activities, and daily blessings.

A year-end contribution directly impacts the lives of elders in our community in a meaningful way.

Donate the gift of your time

Volunteers help Ovation Communities provide vital life-enriching activities to all our residents. Read more about our volunteer program and donate the gift of time.

Fifth Annual In-Ovation Fundraiser

Lights, Camera, Action!

Event Chairs: David Arnstein, Jillian Marx-Wenig and Marshere Shackelford

Thank you for joining us on April 10th  at the Jewish Home and Care Center Foundation’s biggest fundraising event of the year. This year’s event proceeds will help build a movie theater for Ovation Communities residents and program participants.   The Ovation Theater will be a welcoming and relaxing venue for entertainment that residents can enjoy in a group setting with each other, guests, family and friends.

We were proud to honor the following:


Ken Stein
Ovation Spirit Award

Elle Tabak
Ovation Youth Leadership Award

VJS Construction
Business Partner of the Year Award

All outgoing board members from the last year.

Photos from our April 10, 2024 event

Raffe Classical Music Concert Featuring Frank Almond and Stas Venglevski

Thank you to Ovation Chai Point Residents, Byrda and Irving Raffe whose endowment fund at the Jewish Home and Care Center Foundation, Inc. underwrote the special concert our residents and members of our community enjoyed featuring Frank Almond and Stas Venglevski. We had approximately 150 residents and members of our community enjoy fabulous music due to the generosity of the Raffes.

Frank Almond and his violin posed artistically.

Meet the artist

Frank Almond

Frank Almond was the Concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) for 25 years.

He continues a busy schedule of performing, recording, and teaching, as well as leading his acclaimed chamber music series, Frankly Music. He is also the Johnston Artist-in­Residence at the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Stas poses in front of his baylan

Meet the artist

Stas Venglevski

Stas Venglevski is an acclaimed virtuoso of the Bayan. He is a graduate of the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow with a Master’s Degree in Music.

He has toured throughout the world and has performed with numerous symphony orchestras in the US, including the MSO, where he also participates in their Arts in Community Education Program.

Helen Bader Center Set for CBRF Renovation

Committed to providing residents with a full continuum of care options, Ovation Communities staff prides itself on clinical excellence and offering the best care possible. To further extend that continuum of care, Ovation Communities will be opening a Community-Based Residential Facility (CBRF) in the summer of 2022. The Helen Bader Center, on second floor of the Jewish Home, will be transformed to take care of 16 adults facing memory issues.

“We have an opportunity to introduce a service to the community that we previously haven’t had — an assisted living environment for those living with Alzheimer’s,” said Michael Sattell, Ovation Communities President and CEO. “The CBRF allows us to honor and elevate the memory and vision of Helen Bader.”

A substantial rebuild of the Helen Bader Center will feature enlarged community spaces, larger apartments, new bathrooms, and a new solarium overlooking Prospect Avenue. Designed by Zimmerman Architectural Studios, construction is set to last throughout the winter of 2022.

“By providing an outstanding environment, and reintroducing Monya’s Rooftop Patio Garden that overlooks Lake Michigan, the new CBRF will allow our loved ones living with Alzheimer’s to experience sensory stimulation in the arts, music, and other programming,” Sattell said.

Generous Art Donation

In addition to enhanced programming and functionality of the space, a generous donation of fine art from the estate of Rita Seitner will be adding to the overall beauty of the CBRF.

“Rita Seitner was a remarkable woman, entrepreneur, and collector of fine art,” said Tanya Mazor-Posner, Jewish Home and Care Center Foundation Vice President of Development. “She loved art made by Jewish artists. In the collection there are pieces by Itzchak Tarkay and Bracha Guy. “Rita’s parents were residents of Ovation Communities, and one of her desires was to one day move into Chai Point. Unfortunately, she never had the opportunity,” Mazor-Posner continued.

For a short time, Rita was a rehab patient at the Jewish Home and saw first-hand the care and compassion staff have for residents.

“Rita had a deep passion and cared so much about our mission and caring for members of the community,” Mazor-Posner said. “This gift is a beautiful gesture of love, and Rita’s way of fusing her home and her second home of Ovation.”

Thank You to our Golden Alliance Members

Ovation Communities hosted its annual Golden Alliance Dinner in August at Ovation Jewish Home’s Monya’s Garden, where members enjoyed an elegant evening and learned about new programs that are positively impacting the community with the help of Ovation’s donors.

This year’s dinner showcased Ovation’s new Geriatric Career Development (GCD) program, and featured guest speaker John Cruz, director of the GCD program at The New Jewish Home in New York, which is run as part of a workforce development initiative for underserved youth. At the Golden Alliance Dinner, completion certificates were presented to two students in attendance who participated in the GCD Summer Ambassador Program. Ovation is thankful for the Golden Alliance members who make aspirations like this possible. Golden Alliance Membership is an annual unrestricted giving program, vital to the ongoing operation of Ovation Communities, run through the Jewish Home and Care Center Foundation. Since 1992, members of this special and important group have played a significant role in providing residents with the best facilities and care. A new donor wall listing the Golden Alliance members will soon be unveiled.

#InOvationMKE

Thank you to everyone who attended The Jewish Home and Care Center Foundation’s In-Ovation Annual Luncheon event honoring the legacy of Helen Daniels Bader and the 25th Anniversary of Ovation’s Helen Bader Center.

Just a few among thousands of reasons why Ovation Communities is wonderful place to live and work. We have such a rich history of dedicated leadership and staff caring for phenomenal residents. Nita Corre’s ob”m has left an indelible legacy.

Thank you Julie Feldman for a touching and meaningful video production!

We are truly grateful to the vision of Helen Daniels Bader who paved an important path for older adults with memory loss, Alzheimer’s and other dementia. Thank you to Dan Bader, the trustees and staff at Bader Philanthropies for your generosity and fantastic partnership, we are forever grateful!

Thank you to Julie Feldman for producing a terrific video!