Q&A with Outgoing Chair Andrew Berman

Home / News & Events / Newsletter

Q&A with Outgoing Chair Andrew Berman

Jul 2, 2024

As Andrew Berman completes the final of his three two-year terms as Chair of the Los Angeles Jewish Health Board of Directors, we sat down to ask him some questions about his experiences over the past years and his hopes for the future of LAJH:

How, when, and why did you become involved with Los Angeles Jewish Health?
I became involved with LAJH approximately 10 years ago, thanks to friend and fellow Board Member Danny Rosett. At the time, I was serving as president of another nonprofit where Danny also sat on the board. Every time I saw him, he would tell me more wonderful things about LAJH. One day, former CEO-President of LAJH Molly Forrest gave me a tour, and that was it. I was so incredibly impressed. I knew I wanted to get involved to support this great organization dedicated to seniors. I have a deep passion for seniors and want to do everything I can to help in supporting their needs.

When you started this journey with LAJH, did you imagine one day being named chair and also serving for an unprecedented three terms?
At first, I just knew I wanted to participate as a volunteer. However, I really enjoy leadership positions, and I consider myself a good fundraiser and problem solver. As I learned more about the needs and how I could help, I became extremely motivated to lean in and work on the ongoing success and sustainability of this wonderful organization.

What was it like working, first with Molly, and then with Dale as everyone was called upon to navigate successfully through the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic?
When COVID-19 emerged, we quickly recognized it would take an all-hands-on-deck approach to address this threat to the health of our seniors and our staff. Understanding the devastating toll COVID-19 could have on the elderly, we got out in front of the problem quickly. The executive team and volunteer leadership met and strategized constantly, adjusting plans as needed and doing whatever it took to keep everyone safe. Especially in the early days, you needed to think outside of the box when it came to locating the needed personal protective supplies. For instance, I reached out to several synagogues, and they donated yarmulkes that could be used as facemasks. I also contacted Milken Community School, and they actually used their 3D printers to manufacture needed plastic face shields for us. I am so proud of the job done by everyone at LAJH in keeping our seniors safe throughout the pandemic.

What was your greatest challenge during your time as chair?
There were a few major challenges, including COVID, of course, but I always say it’s easy to lead when it’s the best of times and things are going smoothly. It’s when times are difficult that you must call upon your leadership skills and experience to take on the tough work required in order to reach the goals and results you desire.

What are you most proud of during your three terms?
Again, getting us through COVID, but also being part of the team that hired Dale Surowitz as CEO/president of LAJH. Replacing Molly after her retirement was a monumental task, but we certainly succeeded when we chose Dale as the next CEO. I am also proud of the hard work we did to ensure LAJH is more financially sound to become a stronger organization able to meet the needs of our seniors. Other important work was spearheading the rebranding of LAJH. It was time, and the new name better reflects where we are and where we are going as an organization. It did not come without concern by some at first, because change after so long can be challenging, but life is change.

I am so proud to have served as an ambassador of LAJH, participating in many of the events and functions over the years. And I’m pleased we have made progress with those who are becoming involved in volunteer leadership roles. We have diversified the board, focusing on more intergenerational membership, and I am so proud to be passing the chair of the board baton to Judy Freidman-Rudzki, who I believe will only be the second woman chair in our history.

What words of advice do you have for Judy Friedman-Rudzki as she takes the torch for LAJH?
Be a great ambassador for the organization and be an inspirational and motivational leader. Lead with integrity, passion, and complete transparency. Don’t do what may be the popular thing; do what you feel is the right thing.

Do you plan to stay involved with LAJH moving forward?
Yes, of course. I will always be a volunteer. Specifically, in addition to my role as immediate past chair of the board, I am serving as endowment co-chair along with Dick Ziman and Jeff Glassman. In addition, I will serve as Co-chair of Generation to Generation (G2G), a donor support group. I will also continue leading my weekly gathering of the men’s discussion group from the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center. Each week, we meet in the courtyard and talk about current events and other stimulating topics. It’s always great to hear from those who have blazed the trail for all of us.

If you had one wish for Los Angeles Jewish Health, what would it be?
My greatest wish would be to establish a very healthy endowment fund. To continue to ensure long-term success and sustainability, we must have a healthy endowment. It is important that we have this financial cushion because it takes the weight off us as we continuously work to meet the needs of a rapidly growing senior population who will rely on us in even greater numbers in the future.

I believe in this organization, in fact, I call it my passion. I see the results of everyone’s hard work and dedication every time I visit the campus.

Berman led by example throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

Berman leads the JEK men's discussion group

Berman was honored at the 2023 Circle of Life Gala

Prev Page Next Page

Share

Sign up for the Los Angeles Jewish Health newsletter, Connections.

First Name

Last Name

Email

Recent Articles

Aug 6

Los Angeles Jewish Health Welcomes Rabbi Marc Kraus

For new Los Angeles Jewish Health rabbi Marc Kraus, there’s something special about working in a residential community.“So many rabbis only have a chance to engage with their communities weekly, monthly, or even annually when they come to synagogue. But, at Los Angeles Jewish Health, I get to see people every day and to develop deep pastoral connections with them,” he says. “Finding this job was a dream come true.”Rabbi Kraus arrived at LAJH this summer as campus rabbi for Eisenberg Village, joining Rabbi Karen Bender, who serves as the organization’s chief mission officer. In his brief tenure, he has already gotten the flavor of what makes LAJH’s community unique.“It’s so wonderful to be part of this huge village in the middle of Reseda,” he says. “I’ve been breaking bread with residents at every meal, getting to know them and seeing just how beautiful Jewish life here really is. I feel so incredibly welcomed.”Rabbi Marc KrausA native of London, Rabbi Kraus has been in the U.S. since 2010. After completing his undergraduate degree in Hebrew literature at Oxford, he received his rabbinic ordination from American Jewish University and a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from William & Mary. Over the course of his professional career, Rabbi Kraus has served as both a pulpit rabbi and a licensed marriage and family therapist.“I’m a spiritual seeker, an academic, and a therapist,” he says. “I believe my diverse experience—whether it was facilitating Orthodox Jewish holiday services in England as a teenager, spending time at an egalitarian yeshiva in Jerusalem, tending to a Conservative synagogue congregation in Virginia, or logging thousands of hours as a marriage and family counselor—has prepared me well to provide LAJH residents with pastoral services that help them find meaning in their everyday lives.”Avoiding denominational labels is central to Rabbi Kraus’ rabbinic approach. “I see myself as a facilitator of people’s Jewish journeys, no matter where they’re coming from,” he says. “I think there is a lot of wisdom in every denomination, and my goal is to meet LAJH residents where they are—recognizing where they’re coming from and adapting accordingly. Ultimately, I want to help people connect with their spirituality in whatever way is most resonant for them.”Singing is another of Rabbi Kraus’ key areas of focus. “Music is such a powerful way to bring people together. As a vocalist, I feel being able to sing is a gift—and being able to share that gift with others is blessing,” he says.Rabbi Bender notes that the many blessings Rabbi Kraus brings are being felt by LAJH residents far and wide. “It is a mitzvah to ‘find yourself a rabbi,’ and we feel truly blessed to have found Rabbi Kraus—and even more so that he has chosen to join the LAJH family,” she says. “He is a gifted scholar, a soulful singer, and a deeply compassionate pastoral presence. In just his first month, he has already inspired minds and touched hearts across our community. We are profoundly grateful to welcome him as the rabbi for both Eisenberg Village and Fountainview at Eisenberg Village.”In the coming weeks and months, Rabbi Kraus looks forward to meeting as many members of the LAJH family as possible. His energy and enthusiasm are nothing short of infectious.“I was overjoyed on the day I started at LAJH,” he says, “and my excitement has only grown every day since.”Rabbi Kraus speaks to residents of the Newman Building

Breaking New Ground On Safe and Effective Reductions in Medication Use

Each year, millions of people in this country are helped by psychotropic medications—drugs that affect the mind, emotions, and behavior and that can play an important positive role in regulating mental health. These medications can be life-changing. They also carry serious risks and dangerous consequences, particularly for older adults.Despite their potential danger, psychotropic drugs (including a class known as anti-psychotics) are often prescribed for older adults, including those residing in long-term care facilities and especially those with dementia. Government and other health regulators require nursing homes to report data on the number of residents they serve that are on anti-psychotics, and the numbers in many facilities across the county show widespread use.An important initiative at Los Angeles Jewish Health is addressing this issue head-on and is implementing innovative ways to reduce seniors on psychotropic drugs while improving their overall health. Thanks to a close collaboration between doctors with expertise in geriatrics, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers at LAJH, residents are increasingly showing dramatic health improvements—and even thriving—without these risky medications.“The use of antipsychotic medications in nursing homes in the U.S. is a significant problem,” says Noah Marco, MD, CMD, LAJH’s chief medical officer. “For residents with dementia, the instinct to prescribe the drugs is perhaps understandable: They often exhibit behaviors that are difficult to manage with non-medication treatments, a challenge complicated by the lack of FDA- and insurance-approved medications for the agitation caused by Alzheimer’s dementia.”Aida Oganesyan. Dr. Noah Marco, Ilana SpringerTo address this challenge, LAJH has created a new process, bringing an interdisciplinary team together on a monthly basis to review the cases of residents who are on psychotropics and to identify safe and effective ways to reduce or eliminate the use of the drugs for those individuals. The protocol is yielding impressive results.“Thanks to the dedicated and compassionate clinicians and staff at LAJH, we’ve achieved a 49% reduction of anti-psychotic medication use from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2025,” Dr. Marco says. “The new numbers put us well below the state average for usage rates—and we accomplished this without increasing prescriptions of other psychotropic medications.”The LAJH teams’ strategy has been driven by a focus on seeking alternate treatments tailored to the individual needs of each specific resident.“We’re working to put gradual dose reductions in place, prioritizing non-pharmacological interventions to support residents’ wellbeing instead of medications,” says Ilana Springer, LAJH’s senior vice president of In-Residence Services. “Often, that translates to learning what kind of activities might prove triggering to a resident and then finding other, more soothing activities to help them feel better.”According to Aida Oganesyan, director of the LAJH pharmacy, this kind of customized care has been critical to the new initiative’s success.“We reduce anti-psychotic medications on a case-by-case basis—and we only do it in concert with providing substantial support for each resident,” Aida says. “By being extremely measured in our approach and providing patient-centered care, we ensure that we’re only tapering residents from these drugs when they truly don’t need them.”Of course, this level of individualized care comes at a cost—one that is made manageable thanks to support from LAJH’s generous donor community.“We could not be doing this without help from our donors, whose contributions allow us to have a higher nurse-to-resident ratio than many nursing homes,” Dr. Marco says. “The additional staff—as well as the many volunteers, residents’ paid companions, and family members who sit with our dementia residents and keep them safe and calm—are far more effective than any medication.”

Los Angeles Jewish Health Welcomes New Chief Information Officer

Rey Lopez brings experience and community commitment to improving local seniorsʼ lives (RESEDA, CA – July 8, 2025) Los Angeles Jewish Health announced the appointment of Rey Lopez as its chief information officer. Lopez arrives at LAJH with two decades of experience strengthening information technology (IT) infrastructure in the medical field to enhance the delivery of high-quality patient care. Central to Lopezʼs portfolio at LAJH is building technology and business solutions to help the organization grow, to assist its employees to be more efficient in their jobs, and to safeguard residentsʼ health and wellbeing by protecting their sensitive personal health information and data.“Whether itʼs securing electronic health records, streamlining our payroll systems, or reducing cost and boosting the performance of our data reporting systems, there are so many ways we can harness technology to be more nimble and to provide LAJH stakeholders with new pathways to success,” Lopez said. LAJH Chief Information Officer Rey LopezLopez joins the LAJH leadership team at a critical time in the healthcare industry, as emerging technologies play a growing role in the provision of vital care and as concerns around protecting data privacy continue to require best practices in the field. His knowledge and expertise will help drive LAJHʼs strategic approach to effective data management. “We are pleased to welcome Rey as a member of the LAJH family,” said Dale Surowitz, LAJH CEO and president. “His commitment to safeguarding the health and privacy of our residents makes him a perfect addition to our leadership team.” Lopez arrives at LAJH after a long tenure as CIO at Kern Medical in Bakersfield and, before that, as Director of Information Systems, St. Joseph Medical Center at Providence Health & Services in Burbank. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, he attended California State University, Northridge, graduating with a degree in business administration and management information systems. It was as a small business owner in the late 1990s—based in Encino, he consulted on issues related to workerʼs compensation—that Lopez developed an interest in pursuing a healthcare career. His new position at LAJH further deepens his connection to the San Fernando Valley, where he currently resides. “Iʼm so happy to be working in the Valley again, contributing to the community that I love,” Rey says. “Through LAJH, I look forward to helping make it an even better—and healthier—place to live.”