Volunteer Spotlight: Tzipora Steinmetz

Most people with three sons, 12 grandchildren and three great grandchildren would slow down and take time for themselves, but Tzipora Steinmetz finds ways to make time for others.

About six years ago, after retiring from teaching, Steinmetz saw an ad calling for volunteers to work for the nursing home and rehabilitation pavilion at .

Since then she has made volunteering there on Tuesdays an important part of her life.

“It gives me a sense of satisfaction,” Steinmetz said.

At United Hebrew, Steinmetz volunteers for the gift shop where she not only helps the residents at the nursing home and rehabilitation pavilion find gifts for the holidays, but she also is noted for creating a bright spot in the lives of everyone who walks into the shop.

As a woman who is about the age of the residents, she says that they often appreciate having someone to talk with about the old times. She speaks fondly of the moments when she and a resident burst into songs from the past.

Linda Forman, vice president of community relations at United Hebrew, said the organization is lucky to have a volunteer like Steinmetz.

“She is kind and so helpful to our residents in the nursing home gift shop,” Forman said. “Her smile is a delight to all.”

Steinmetz says that she considers volunteering for older people a “mitzvah”—a good deed—and that she gets just as much out of it as she gives.

A year ago her husband, Rabbi Sol Steinmetz, fell ill in a nursing home and she had to put volunteering aside. Her generous spirit, once again, led her to take care of others.

After her husband passed, she found that going back to volunteering was  “very helpful” in getting through the mourning process and had since “filled a void.”

“There was a need for them and there was a need on my part too to be involved in something worth while,” Steinmetz said.