STATEN ISLAND, NY — The Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC of Staten Island will host its Allan Weissglass Distinguished Leadership Award Gala on Nov. 16, at 5:30 p.m. at the community center located at 1466 Manor Road.
This year’s event will honor Jerry Grushkin and Susan Sappin for their dedication and involvement in the JCC community and the larger Staten Island community. The Allan Weissglass Distinguished Leadership Award represents the highest honor the JCC can bestow on a person.
The award bears the name of Allan Weissglass, who served as a pillar at the JCC for more than 50 years before his death in 2019. Weissglass was described as an inimitable community leader whose deep inner strength, courage, and tenacity knew no bounds.
Weissglass played a key role in major JCC developments, including the expansion to the Avis/South Shore area, the monumental capital campaign to fund the building of the Bernikow facility, and the opening of the JCC/Berman ECE building. His legacy continues through his granddaughter, Allison Cohen, who serves as the agency’s chief of communications and fundraising.
The gala will be chaired by Jay Chazanoff, Dina and Frank Oswald, and Joan Bernikow. Honorary chairs include Bobby Weissglass, Julie Cohen, and Evan Weissglass.
The event celebrates what organizers call the unparalleled legacy of the late community leader while recognizing current contributors to the Staten Island community.
This community news was shared by the organization featured. AI was used in an initial story draft and has been reviewed by Advance/SILive.com staff.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.