by Lori Silberman Brauner
NJJN Staff Writer

August 4, 2009

When Barry Fisher learned that the Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Monmouth County planned to honor him at its annual dinner in October, he did not hesitate to say yes.

Although he had not been active in JF&CS, the Manalapan resident is a strong believer in the social service agency’s ability to cast its wide net to all segments of the community, something he experienced firsthand.

“It’s a cause that is close to my family’s heart,” said Fisher, who has received advice and resources from the agency on behalf of his mother-in-law, who has Alzheimer’s disease. “Thank God they were there.”

Fisher noted the agency’s wide range of services, from adoption services, to counseling, to assisting the elderly and Holocaust survivors, and dealing with job loss.

“A lot of people are not aware of all the different programs that JF&CS does,” he said. “It’s really a wonderful organization.”

And one in need of support at a difficult time.

“This is the time when people need the organization. They’re losing their jobs, they’re having problems at home; the stress of finances just blows everything else out of proportion,” he said.

Fisher is president of Ace Aluminum Products, a home improvement company in Manalapan. A leader of the Monmouth County Jewish community, he has been an active member of Congregation Ohev Shalom-Marlboro Jewish Center for the last 12 years, serving as both executive vice president and president. He is a director at large of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s board of directors and treasurer of the USCJ’s NJ region.

He has also served as vice president of the Hebrew Benefit Society since 2003, and as vice president of the board of trustees of the Jewish Community Center of Western Monmouth County for the last five years.

JF&CS president Chris Katz said those were the activities that brought Fisher to the agency’s attention.

The annual dinner at times pays tribute to “people from the community who just deserve to be honored,” said Katz, who lives in Wayside. “Sometimes it’s just about finding people in the community who do so much for other Jewish organizations, and Barry certainly fits all that.”

“Barry’s a real believer in what we do, and hopefully people will come out because of him,” said Paul Freedman, executive director of JF&CS. “In this world of ours, you get a lot of ‘politicians,’ and it’s nice to have a guy like this for a change. He’s a down-to-earth, roll-up-your-sleeves type of guy.”

The organization hopes to net $125,000 from the combination of the dinner, ad journal, raffle for a trip for two to the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort, and auction. 

“That is what we anticipated would come in and that is the line in our 2009 budget that we have to make or we will have an additional budget shortfall,” wrote JF&CS director of operations Barbara Marshall in an e-mail.

Adding an element of entertainment to the evening will be a roast of Fisher by his friend and neighbor, New York Post sports columnist Phil Mushnick. “We’re going to remind Barry and the audience that Barry is a soft touch, and we love him for it,” said Mushnick.

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