Page 6 - The Jewish Voice - May '23

Page 6, The Jewish Voice

Local Happenings from page 5 as well as building a robotics lab for army training in Ashkelon.
We cherish our bond with Belev Echad as we partner with them
each year to salute and honor our soldiers. We will always stand
with our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land.”

Stevens Honored with Rising
Star Leadership Award

Caryn A. Stevens of
Stephens & Stevens was
recently honored with the
Rising Star Leadership
Award by Herizon (formerly
the Jewish Women’s
The Honorable Ann Brown during the candlelight ceremony Foundation) at The Kravis
that marks the end of the SleepOut program Center in West Palm Beach.
The award recognizes an
outstanding young woman
who has demonstrated a
commitment to improving
the lives of women and girls Caryn Stevens
in the community through
volunteerism and philanthropic investment.
Herizon, whose mission is to create long-lasting social
change for women and girls, presented Stevens with the
Rising Star Leadership Award during their 20th Anniversary
Celebratory Luncheon. Over 200 guests attended the
reception, which was themed 20 Years of Transformation.
gratitude and admiration to the soldiers. The spirited service Stevens was recently a speaker in Herizon’s free
included moving presentations by some of the wounded warriors, educational workshop series, Money Mavens. The workshops
followed by a poolside barbecue dinner with a live DJ in a beautiful empower women and teen girls to manage their own money
private home after Shabbos. One of the weekend highlights was and make informed financial decisions. Stevens spoke about
the Sunday morning brunch held at the private auto collection of how marital law impacts finances and assets in Florida.
Attendees who spent the night at the ballpark one of the members of Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens. Stevens is a partner along with Eddie Stephens at the
“No longer are we Jews that are weak at the knees,” said Rabbi marital and family law firm Stephens & Stevens. Both
could happen to any of us. At the core of homelessness, especially Dovid Vigler of Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens. “We are strong attorneys also received the Family Law Section of the
in this community, is the lack of stable and affordable housing. and we are unafraid. Like our soldiers of whom we are so proud, Florida Bar’s Alberto Romero Making a Difference Award
Plus we need to provide people with resources to rebuild their the members of Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens are strong and recognizing outstanding pro bono services and significant
lives, including access to health care and mental health services, proud Jews, unapologetic for our Jewish identity, customs, and volunteering to improve the lives of children and families.
job training, education, and supportive services.” practice. Like soldiers, we lead from the front, expressing our “It is truly an honor to receive this Rising Star Leadership
Stanley announced the agency’s plan to open two new strong faith in G-d Almighty and His incredible blessings that He Award,” said Stevens. “Given the current climate of women’s
housing programs in the next year, both earmarked for older has so generously bestowed upon us.” rights in our society, advocating for women and girls is more
adults. Burckle Place III, a multigenerational supportive housing Rabbi Vigler encouraged the community to draw inspiration important than ever.”
facility for women, the first of its kind in Palm Beach County, for our spiritual battles from the soldiers: “Our community is proud Stevens is president of the Susan Greenberg Family Law
is being built in Lake Worth and scheduled to open in the fall of to have sponsored the college education of nearly 20 IDF soldiers Inn of Court of the Palm Beaches. She was recently included
2023. Bill’s Place, a project in which The Lord’s Place is working in the 2023 edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in
in tandem with the county, will welcome 15 elderly men. America for her work in Family Law. She spent over 12 years
The evening also featured a question-and-answer session in mental health and counseling before practicing law. As
with former William H. Mann Place client Guy Putnam. Despite a mental health counselor, school guidance counselor, and
coming from a good family and attending Rutgers University on counselor for the Department of Children & Families, she
a full scholarship, Putnam started taking drugs to stay awake to assisted thousands of children, families, and couples through
study. His addiction led him to shoplifting, living on the streets difficult life circumstances. As a family law attorney, she uses
of West Palm Beach, and eventually joining The Lord’s Place her mental health training and therapeutic skills to create
reentry program. positive change for each client.
Putnam shared, “I heard the old adage, you can’t teach an Photo credit: Stephens & Stevens
old dog new tricks. But I found that you can help an old dog
remember your old truths and create new truths for yourself. At Local Happenings on page 7
The Lord’s Place, they helped me heal, encouraged me to reach
out and find the potentials I didn’t already have, and just move
forward.”
Today, Putnam lives in a home with other former clients of
The Lord’s Place and works as a Peer Specialist for the agency,
using what he has learned to help others.
Over the last 16 years, SleepOut has served as a symbolic
effort to raise awareness of the estimated 3,000 men, women,
and children without a home on any given night in Palm Beach
County. Following the program, participants were encouraged to
step out of their comfort zones and spend the night on the ballfield
or stage their own SleepOut somewhere other than the comfort
of a bed. More than 50 attendees rolled out their sleeping bags
and set up their tents in the outfield.
The home-run event is helping hit homelessness out of the
ballpark.
Photo credit: David Scarola Photography

Wounded IDF Soldiers Given a

Hero’s Welcome

Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens recently welcomed a
delegation of wounded IDF soldiers, in partnership with Belev
Echad. The soldiers were treated to lunch and a helicopter tour
over Palm Beach. The Chabad PBG community came together
to salute the soldiers on Friday night as the crowd showed their