Longtime community stalwart Alfred A. Gelfond, a past president and former campaign chair of the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey, died of cancer on Nov. 5 at his home in Watchung. He was 79.

Current federation president Bob Kuchner voiced the shock expressed by a number of people as the news spread earlier this week. "Alf gave me guidance and wise counsel for so many years, it felt as if he'd always be there,” he said.

Funeral services were scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 7, at Bernheim Apter Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel in Livingston.
Gelfond, an insurance agent, was founder in 1960 and CEO of Alfred A. Gelfond & Co., in Martinsville. Born and raised in Plainfield, he graduated from the University of Missouri and moved to Watchung 38 years ago. He incorporated his business in 1969 and earned multiple awards and citations in his long career. He was also a founder and member of Hemisphere Life and Group, a reinsurance company later acquired by National Financial Partners.

A U.S. Army veteran who was stationed in Germany during the Korean conflict, Gelfond was a member of Temple Sholom in Fanwood.

Gelfond is survived by his wife, Sandy, also a former campaign chair and his partner in his decades of activism on behalf of the Jewish community locally and abroad. He is also survived by their daughters, Beth Gelfond and Judy Eick; their son-in-law, Steve; their grandchildren, Jonah and Jesse; and his sister, Ethel Wolfson.

Kuchner, who said he had known him for 20 years, served as federation treasurer when Gelfond was president, and recently, as president himself, relied on Gelfond for his advice and support. "He gave me a hard time sometimes, but his was the voice one wanted to hear. He might not always agree with me, but I always knew that he cared, that what he said came from the heart,” said Kuchner.

The two traveled to Israel together on so many missions, they would joke about how they had lost count, Kuchner said. "But I'd tell him he'd lost count of more.”

He described Gelfond as both methodical and creative, and totally committed to the work of the federation. "He always had time for federation, and he and Sandy have always been there when you needed them, no matter how large or small the matter. Even if they were away on vacation, he'd be available for conference calls,” Kuchner said.

Current campaign chair Toby Goldberger has been friends with the Gelfonds for about 40 years, since she and Sandy met at a United Jewish Appeal luncheon in Watchung. She was with them when Alf died on Monday.

Speaking the following day, she recalled their years of close family friendship and working together to create the Central federation. "We've been together every inch, and we've never ever had a fight,” she said.

When it comes to the federation campaigns, Goldberger said, donors come and go, but the Gelfonds could be counted on to give generously, with absolute consistency, year after year. "They have set an example that so many other people have followed,” she said.

Amy Cooper, the federation's associate executive vice president and director of financial resource development, said Gelfond was associated with a tremendous pride and commitment in the Jewish community. "He and Sandy have been role models for a lot of people. They've been there for every federation event, from the Pacesetter to Super Sunday, plus they've been back and forth to Israel,” she said. "Alf was at the forefront of the [Jewish Community] Endowment Foundation investment committee, and the Ness grants committee.”

Gelfond was also a member of the board of trustees of New Jersey Jewish News.

Cooper said there was some discussion about altering plans for the Pacesetter fund-raising event scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 7, but the organizers decided to go ahead with it. "In short, that's definitely what Alf would have wanted,” she said.