Wexner Heritage Village

05/01/2026

At Wexner Heritage Village, we believe deeply in kehillah—community—and we know that the heart of our community is our people. Today, we are so proud to honor and celebrate team members who bring our mission and values to life through their daily acts of care, compassion, and service.

This year, we were honored to have the following staff members recognized as nominees for the LeadingAge Ohio STARS Awards, an annual program celebrating front‑line, non‑management staff whose dedication truly makes a difference:

Wexner Heritage Village Nominees:

💙 Wendy Jamison
💙 Doretha Jones
💙 Lily Moreland
💙 Teresa Smith
💙 Nicole Trudell
💙 Christian Werts

Zusman Hospice Nominees:

💙Portia Asamany
💙Je'Nai Bush
💙Envoinasia JaShaun
💙Rabbi Leigh Ann Kopans
💙Tiffany Mitchell
💙Tiffany Raver

The STARS Awards shine a light on the often‑unsung heroes of aging services—the caregivers and support staff who embody chesed (loving‑kindness) and kavod (respect and dignity) in the way they care for residents and support families each and every day. As the awards so beautifully say: “You Make the Difference!”

We are especially proud to share that Doretha Jones received the Longevity Award, recognizing her years of dedicated service and the lasting impact she has made on our campus —an example of commitment that truly honors our elders and our community.

To all of our nominees and honorees: thank you for the compassion, dignity, and heart you bring to our community every day. Through your work, you help fulfill the sacred value of k’vod habriyot—honoring the dignity of every person—and we are so grateful to call you part of the WHV family.

04/30/2026

Behind the scenes at Wexner Heritage Village, our team is always looking for ways to learn and improve—because it matters to us how we show up for the people who call our community home.

On Tuesday our team spent time engaging in the Six Thinking Hats exercise, and it was a powerful reminder of what intentional collaboration really looks like. By stepping into different
perspectives—facts, emotions, risks, benefits, creativity, and process—we challenged ourselves to think beyond our individual viewpoints. It sparked thoughtful conversation and reminded us how important it is to slow down, listen well, and make space for every voice.

Whether we’re supporting a resident, a patient, or a family member, the best care happens when we work together with compassion and respect. Moments like this strengthen our teamwork—and that strengthens the support we provide every day.

We are grateful to have a team that’s willing to think differently, engage fully, and keep growing together.

04/29/2026

At WHV, we don't just celebrate each person—we celebrate thriving! ✨
Meet Sylvia, a beacon of Chesed (lovingkindness) in our community. Deeply devoted to her Jewish faith, Sylvia bridges our rich history with a bright future, teaching us something new every single day.
The real magic happens when younger generations visit our campus. Watching them connect with Sylvia is a beautiful reminder of L’dor V’dor—from generation to generation. It’s more than a visit; it’s a joyful, meaningful legacy in action. 💙
; JewishColumbus;

04/27/2026

We are so happy to welcome Sophia Elias as Wexner Heritage Village’s new Director of Development — Bruchah Haba’ah (ברוכה הבאה)!

Sophia joins us with a heart for community and a passion for building relationships that make a real difference. In her new role, she’ll help grow the philanthropic support that sustains Wexner Heritage Village—so we can continue providing exceptional, values driven care and living for older Jewish adults and their families in Central Ohio, l’dor v’dor (לדור ודור).

If you’d like to connect with Sophia to learn more about meaningful ways to give, she’d love to hear from you: selias@whv.org or (614) 384-2271.

Wexner Heritage Village in Columbus has hired Sophia Elias to serve as its new director of development.

04/26/2026

Wexner Heritage Village is delighted to be included once again in Temple Israel’s Tikkunapalooza—a meaningful day of mitzvot and community service. The students and families who volunteered made a wonderful impact on our WHV community, and we are truly grateful for their generosity. Thank you to everyone from Temple Israel for your continued partnership and support!

; Zusman Hospice Love & Hugs; Love & Hugs for Zusman Hospice

04/24/2026

A few weeks ago, our Director of Spiritual Care, Rabbi Debbie Lefton, represented Wexner Heritage Village at the AJAS conference (Association of Jewish Aging Services)—a national network of Jewish organizations committed to helping older adults live with dignity, meaning, and connection.

Rabbi Debbie joined colleagues from across the country to share ideas and learn best practices at the intersection of excellent aging services and Jewish values—the heart of who we are at WHV. We’re grateful for the opportunity to bring back new insights that strengthen the way we serve residents, patients, families, and our broader community.

Thank you, Rabbi Debbie, for leading with compassion and for being a voice for spiritual care in the larger field of Jewish eldercare. JewishColumbus; ;

04/23/2026

We’re so proud to celebrate this meaningful honor!

A Zusman Hospice case manager at Wexner Heritage Village has been recognized by Schoedinger for extraordinary compassion and dedication to end‑of‑life care. This recognition reflects the Jewish values that guide our work each day—chesed (lovingkindness), kavod habriyot (honoring the dignity of every person), and the sacred responsibility to care for one another in life’s most tender moments. We are deeply grateful for caregivers who live these values so beautifully.

Schoedinger State Street - Midtown
Love & Hugs for Zusman Hospice

Amy Schrader, a nurse case manager at Wexner Heritage Village’s Zusman Hospice was honored March 15 with the Schoedinger Caregiver’s Award for excellence in compassionate care and professional excellence by

04/22/2026

Our most sincere gratitude to Efrat from JewishColumbus for bringing us our Israeli guests today to celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut. We began with HaTikvah as Cindy Leland led us in song, our guests spoke about their jobs in Israel. Our audience had the opportunity to ask questions— thoughtful questions and impactful answers on a wide range of important current topics! Our Chef created different food stations and we had an Israeli leaders table! Thank you Elaine and Cheryl and the entire community at Creekside! My heart is full🇮🇱 ; ; JewishColumbus; JCC Columbus;

04/22/2026

04/21/2026

A huge thank you to the Israeli dancers for joining us yesterday at Heritage House! Our residents loved the beautiful performance—and even more, they loved getting to dance along with you. You brought so much energy, joy, and connection to our campus, and we all felt truly uplifted.

Thank you for sharing your talent and your spirit with our community!