December 31, 2021
A bittersweet farewell to three very special employees upon their retirement at the end of 2021.
That each is leaving is difficult enough for all team JAA members to grasp, but their collective dedication to the organization is even harder for less “veteran” employees to fathom.
Nora Morant (pictured here) spent 72 years at JAA, followed by Linda Simmeth with 27 years, and Mina Kavaler whose 24 year-career makes their combined service to JAA total 123 years!
These three brought dignity, loyalty, and a tremendous work ethic that they exemplified every day on the job at JAA, always demonstrating to other staff members that those qualities are to be respected, honored, and emulated by all of us.
Nora Morant was the longest-tenured employee in the senior care industry in the U.S., recognized by the national trade association, LeadingAge USA. She came to JAA in 1949 directly from trade school and worked tirelessly in the housekeeping department until her retirement on November 16, 2021.
Joining as a retiree on December 17, 2021 was Senior Director of Human Resources Linda Simmeth, who rose in the ranks during her 27 years at JAA to run the HR department, overseeing a staff at one time as large as 500 employees.
And then, on the final day of 2021, Mina Kavaler retired after spending her second career greeting guests and managing the front desk at Weinberg Terrace, a job she held since the building opened in 1996. This followed the many years Mina spent as a teacher and volunteer extraordinaire within the Jewish community.
Each was appropriately thanked and toasted for her contributions to the organization but it will be difficult to fill the well-worn shoes left by these three mavens of senior services. They are missed more than they could ever imagine.