Donor Profiles
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The Oshers

"We help others because we were brought up that way."

In the early 1900s, two traditional Eastern European immigrants followed their families to America. Samuel and Leah made individual journeys to the land of opportunity to find freedom, and found each other. They married on Leah’s 19th birthday and began the hard work of raising a family of five children in Biddeford, Maine, during the Great Depression.

They were partners in everything they did—from running the family hardware store, to acquiring and managing their real estate holdings. They drew strength from their Jewish heritage and were active members of Maine’s Jewish community. Leah would be one of the pioneering women of The Cedars Auxiliary, and Samuel would have the honor of “burning the mortgage” at Biddeford’s Etz Chaim synagogue. The way they lived their lives instilled in their children a deep dedication to education and philanthropy.

The legacy of Leah Lazarovich and Samuel Osher lives on in their son, Bernard Osher. “Like our father, he is gregarious, adventurous and cheerful, a real ‘chip off the old block’. Like our mother, he feels strongly about taking care of elders and giving to charity,” says his brother, Dr. Harold Osher. “We help others because we were brought up that way. My parents would be very proud of this gift to The Cedars. Giving is how they defined their success.”

Though they seek neither the limelight nor praise, Bernard Osher and his wife Barbro made a most impressive contribution to this organization in 2008 through The Bernard Osher Jewish Philanthropies Foundation. They have chosen to honor the legacy of Leah and Samuel Osher by naming our new assisted living residence, The Osher Inn, in their memory.

 

Dr. Alvin A. Hoffman

Dr. Alvin A. Hoffman, of blessed memory, a retired surgeon and general practitioner who lived in York, Maine since 1953 with his late wife Sylvia (above), donated the largest single gift The Cedars has ever received. In grateful appreciation, the Board of Trustees named the building housing skilled care and rehabilitation services the Hoffman Center.

Dr. Hoffman, his family and friends were special guests of The Cedars June 14, 2006, for a recognition ceremony in honor of the gift. Jim Burns, Chairman of the Board, explained that “For an organization that is transforming senior living, this gift is a thoughtful and invaluable gesture. It will be a tremendous benefit for decades to come.”

“I’m very pleased to provide this gift on behalf of Sylvia and me,” said Dr. Hoffman. “Sylvia’s family has a rich history with The Cedars.”
Sylvia helped to keep the books at the prominent Kosher butcher shop owned by her parents, Goldie and Samuel Blumenthal, in the same Munjoy Hill neighborhood as the original Jewish Home for Aged. Sylvia, her mother and four sisters and sisters-in-law were also active life members of The Cedars Auxiliary.

Dr. Hoffman graduated from the University of Maine, Orono and then went to medical school in Chicago. He served as a captain in the U.S. Army, where he was a holocaust liberator and received both The Purple Heart and The Bronze Star.

After the Hoffmans married, he opened a progressive medical practice in York with Sylvia as his trusted bookkeeper and assistant. He was very committed to his patients—even going so far as to wait for high tide to come in to take the precarious boat ride to make a lighthouse call at Nubble Light. Dr. Hoffman recalls receiving an extra dollar for such seafaring medicine.

Giving was not new to Dr. Hoffman. According to his nephew, Sidney Geller, Dr. Hoffman often donated medical services to patients in need. “His gentleness and modesty are reflected in this gift,” said Mr. Geller.

“I have fond memories of visiting the Jewish Home for Aged with Sylvia. It is important to me that The Cedars serves and benefits everyone. It is a wonderful, vital and deserving community. I’m so glad we can do this,” said Dr. Hoffman. “I know Sylvia would be honored.”

 

Sam L. Cohen

Sam L. Cohen was a very generous man who was dedicated to family and to community. His long family history with The Cedars dates back to the early 1900’s. Many of the ladies in his family were life members of The Auxiliary, like Annette Israel. 

When we moved to Ocean Avenue in 1991 Sam made a generous donation to our rehabilitation program.  Sam made frequent visits to The Cedars and his specific interest in our rehabilitation services were punctuated with sincere generosity.  To enable the renovation and expansion, The Sam L. Cohen Rehabilitation Center, the Sam L. Cohen Foundation gifted a matching donation in 2007 which is named in memory of Sam’s parents Celia and Julius Cohen.