Photo Credit and Copyright: Aviva Maller Photography
Nicole Slavitt speech at the Schoke Jewish Family Service Gala May 18, 2025
Hello, Good evening. A special thank you to the whole Schoke Jewish Family Service team that brings joy and comfort to our community daily. I am so grateful that Rebekah Kanfsky asked me to share my journey. And thank you to my husband, Roy Ophir, for sharing our life’s journey together.
Who am I – A little Jewish geography. I am originally from Livingston NJ, my husband, Roy is from Tenafly NJ and we moved to Stamford, CT about 10 years ago, as we were drawn to the kindness in the community, Stamford’s Jewish connections and now, we are so thrilled to be raising our son Alan here. During my business career, I have been working in financial news with time at Jim Cramer’s TheStreert, then I went onto to be General Manager at Yahoo for the finance news division and most recently I was at Dow Jones as GM of Barron’s digital business.
I think some of our journeys, while unique, are quite similar. In my opinion, trauma happens to you but you don’t have to carry the weight of those feelings alone and Schoke Jewish Family Service provided me with light when I was experiencing darkness. My jewish identity comes from my grand-parents who were strong supporters of Israel. My dad’s father was asked by Golda Meir to come to Israel to help create laws when the state was being established. He was a leader in raising money for Israeli bonds. Founding member of multiple synagogue in the U.S. and Israel. My mother’s father was deployed in WWII to Papua New Guinea. Rabbi Prinz of our Bari Abraham synagogue in nj marched with mlk Jr. And married my parents. My husband’s father is a holocaust survivor, born Jewish in Poland 1938. My mother in law born in Israel and fought in the 6 day war. I honor our family by being here tonight.
I have experienced anti-semiitism. When I was a kid growing up in Livingston NJ my home was sprayed with swastika. My mom caught the kids, they lived a couple houses down from us. I have been bullied both as a kid and adult.
Juggling what life throws at you is not easy. I am not a good juggler. I had a checklist of what I was looking for in my mental health support. I have tried other therapists in the past. But most importantly, to me, I needed someone that would understand my Jewish journey with- no- prejudice.
July 2023 I called Schoke Jewish Family Service and went through some intake. I was quite nervous my first session going into the downtown office, but to my good fortune, I found a warm, caring, supportive, therapist that is there for me. My experience is beyond expectations, I am listened to and understood without judgment. My therapist sees me as a whole person, not just a collection of symptoms.
This experience is what makes the Schoke Jewish Family Service organization extraordinary. They understand that mental health challenges aren’t just individual medical conditions – they’re human experiences that thrive or wither in the context of community. Their approach goes beyond treatment to connection, beyond management to transformation. As this is a tip of the iceberg in what they do for the community.
I am so thankful that I am mentally stable for my family, our son, my mom who is supporting my dad through his dementia / Alzheimer’s Journey. No life journey is linear. There have been setbacks and difficult days. But the difference is that now, those days don’t define me or my future. I have tools, I have insight, and most importantly, I am part of this community which reminds me that stumbling doesn’t mean FAILING.
The professionals at Schoke JFS Stamford are beyond dedicated to this community. They are here for me and they are here for you.
Every dollar donated translates directly into someone’s breakthrough moment, helping their programs deliver quality experiences to our neighbors and community.
When we support mental health services, we aren’t just funding programs – we’re investing in human potential. We’re declaring that no one’s journey should be traveled in isolation. We’re affirming that everyone deserves the chance to find their way back to themselves, surrounded by those who understand.
I stand before you today not just as a supporter of Schoke JFS, but as living proof of what becomes possible when we create communities of care. My life has been transformed not just by professional help, but by the power of connection with others who’ve walked similar paths.
I invite you today to be part of this community of light-bearers. Your contribution, whatever the amount, sends a powerful message: No one needs to journey through life alone. We are here, together, creating pathways to healing that everyone can access.
Because the truth is, mental health challenges touch every family, every workplace, every community. By supporting Schoke JFS, you’re not helping “others” – you’re strengthening the very fabric that holds all of us together.
Thank you for listening to my story. But more importantly, thank you for considering how you can make a donation and become part of someone else’s story of healing. Together, we can ensure that anyone reaching out for help finds not just service, but a community ready to walk alongside them.
Thank you.