Upon retirement Rabbi Charles and Leah Sherman dreamed of returning to their native Philadelphia from upstate New York. The move seemed impossible; their adult son Eyal is a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic. He had suffered a stroke at a young age and can’t walk, talk, feed himself, or breathe on his own. They needed assistance—an organization they could really trust—in helping them make this transition.
The Shermans were directed to JEVS Human Services for guidance in exploring the complicated issues involving their family’s move and what would be required to ensure Eyal’s continued care in his new home. Through JEVS Supports Coordination program, and the unending dedication and optimism of the program’s staff, the Sherman family was connected to the vast resources they needed. They now reside in Elkins Park, Pa.
Despite Eyal’s physical disability and everyday challenges, his mind is intact. Eyal is not only a graduate of the Fine Arts program at Syracuse University, the 34-year-old has become an accomplished artist using a mouth stick to create his works. Rabbi Sherman said his son’s artwork became not just therapy, but a vehicle for Eyal to communicate and express his soul, to connect with the community.
The journey back to Philadelphia weighed heavy on the Rabbi’s mind, but Sherman said he is “deeply grateful” to JEVS and truly feels that the organization is a problem solver, “knows how to make things happen.” Now the Rabbi at Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El, and author of the inspirational book entitled “The Broken and The Whole,” Sherman references a quote by Theodore Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, to describe the work of JEVS: “If you will it, it’s not a dream. That is really what JEVS is all about. They are able to realize people’s dreams.”
VOICES OF JEVS—Listen to Rabbi Sherman’s story, in his own words