Ira Dunst and Linda Greenfield with their dog, Benji. The couple, who are leaving the area after many years of service to the Jewish community, are being honored by the establishment of a fund bearing their name that will be used to assist seniors.
March 04, 2008
Ira Dunst and Linda Greenfield have devoted themselves to seniors and others in central New Jersey’s Jewish community for many years.
Now as the couple prepares to move from Franklin to North Carolina on March 11, their longtime service is being recognized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County.
The federation has established a fund in their honor, and expects the money collected to go toward efforts to “better the lives of seniors.”
The Linda Greenfield and Ira Dunst Fund: Enhancing the Lives of Seniors was unveiled Feb. 10 in Boca Raton, Fla., at a reunion dinner for all current and former Middlesex residents. Some 95 people attended, including Greenfield’s father, Arnold.
“We all wanted to find an appropriate way to say thanks to Linda and Ira and create a permanent legacy to the work they’ve done in this community,” said federation executive director Gerrie Bamira. “I know their hearts care about the dignity of the elderly.”
Bamira said decisions on allocations will be made after a large enough amount is collected.
Dunst served as president of the Foundation of the Oscar and Ella Wilf Campus for Senior Living in Somerset and of the East Brunswick Chamber of Commerce.
Greenfield has been active in the auxiliary of the Jewish Home and Healthcare Center in Somerset, now the Regency Home and Healthcare Center, serving twice as president. She has served on the boards of the Martin and Edith Stein Hospice on the Wilf campus and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. She also sat on the executive board of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce.
Both Dunst and Greenfield, longtime owners of Greenfield Jewelers in East Brunswick, served on the federation board and as chairs of its annual Super Sunday fund-raiser.
In 1993, they received the federation’s Young Leadership Award. More recently, Dunst received its President Award and served as president of the Greater Middlesex Jewish Cemetery Management Corporation, which oversees abandoned cemeteries. Greenfield received the federation’s Ruth Jacobson Woman of the Year award.
Diane Mandel of Somerset recalled years of working with the couple in their store and in volunteer positions with the home and federation.
“They were very dedicated to the community,” she said. “They were always willing to help and be involved with all activities. Linda and I were both involved with the auxiliary. I also chaired Super Sunday with them many years ago.”
Peggy Mombert, executive director of the Wilf Campus foundation, said Greenfield was generous in contributing to the annual fashion show while Dunst handled fund-raising initiatives for the foundation, including its annual golf outing.
From the proceeds of this year’s outing, $20,000 went toward the purchase of a new van to transport seniors to programs sponsored by the Jewish Family & Vocational Service of Middlesex County.
“It’s hard to put into words what they’ve done for the Wilf campus,” said Mombert. “They’ve just been so generous to anything we’ve ever done.”
Dunst said he and his wife were “surprised, touched, and honored” when they were told of the honor. He credits the strong relationship they had with their grandparents for their lifelong interest in assisting seniors.
“We are going to leave it to federation to decide what to do with the money,” he said. “We trust them to do the right thing to help the elderly. I’m sure events will occur that will require some additional money, and that’s what it’s there for.”
Dunst said although the couple will soon be leaving the area they will always be connected to central New Jersey.
“We’re moving but we’re not leaving,” he said. “This is a physical move, but our loyalty is still here. We’ve both enjoyed our involvement with federation and with the home.”
To donate, send checks to the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County, 230 Old Bridge Turnpike, South River, NJ 08882, with Linda Greenfield and Ira Dunst Fund: Enhancing the Lives of Seniors in the memo line. Donations may also be made on-line.
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