On August 24th, Ms. H. of Staten Island began work as a Telehealth Nurse with the Cleveland Clinic, one of the best-known names in American health care. Her new job marks the 965th placement made by the Parnossah Employment Services Program since it opened over a decade ago, and it leaves the program just 35 placements short of 1,000, a monumental milestone symbolic of the consistent impact it’s had on the lives of New Yorkers.

Ms. H. works 36 hours each week at $35.50 an hour. That works out to about $66,000 over a full year, a strong income for a position in a field with steady demand.

Ms. H’s involvement with JCCGCI began well before her recent accomplishment. During the 2024–2025 program year, Ms. H. received a scholarship from the Parnossah Employment Services Program to attend the School of Nursing at Pace University in Lower Manhattan, which allowed her access to top of the line professional training and insights that might otherwise have been difficult to come by. As she studied, continuously building upon her skillset and strengthening her position as an applicant, she also worked closely with JCCGCI’s Workforce Development Program, whose team offered additional pivotal career counseling services. Our Parnossah and our Workforce Development Program staff worked together to provide comprehensive employment assistance that supported her education and prioritized her growth as she progressed toward her career goals.

Jeffrey Prince, MBA, Director of the Parnossah Employment Services Program and the Workforce Development Program, reflected on what Ms. H.’s placement represents. “The Parnossah Employment Services Program is about meeting each jobseeker where they are with the support that they truly need. No two paths look the same,” said Mr. Prince. “Ms. H. showed incredible resolve and determination throughout her time with Parnossah. It is incredibly gratifying to see her advance her career at the Cleveland Clinic, and we are proud to have played a part in it.”

With 965 placements, the Parnossah Employment Services Program is approaching a milestone few programs of its kind are able to accomplish. As we eagerly approach our 1,000th placement and the celebration that will surely follow, we are reminded that every achievement has a beginning. The Parnossah Employment Services Program was created in April 2014 with funding from UJA-Federation of New York to help New Yorkers find rewarding work in a culturally sensitive and respectful environment. Today, the Parnossah Employment Services Program serves jobseekers at sites in Crown Heights, Borough Park, Manhattan, and Flatbush.

Services have expanded across the last decade, and now include one-on-one career counseling, resume preparation, interview coaching, and active job development with employers. Scholarships round out the program by funding essential professional trainings that develop marketable knowledge and skillsets that give participants a competitive edge in a challenging job market. These opportunities have helped fund and support learning for participants pursuing careers in health care, accounting, information technology, early childhood education, and the skilled trades.

Rabbi Moshe Wiener, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI), emphasized that the program’s numbers represent far more than a tally. “Behind every one of these placements is a family whose situation has improved, and that is what pushes us to continue to grow year after year,” said Rabbi Wiener. “Reaching 965 placements reflects the dedication of our staff, the generosity of our funders, and the determination of the jobseekers who place their trust in us. We look forward to celebrating our 1,000th placement and to the many more that will follow.”

Ms. H.’s journey, from a scholarship recipient in a Lower Manhattan classroom to a nurse at one of the country’s leading health centers, captures what the Parnossah Employment Services Program was created to make possible. Her success is a reminder that the right training, paired with the right guidance, can open doors that once seemed out of reach. As the program moves closer to its 1,000th placement, JCCGCI remains committed to helping jobseekers across the community take the next step in their careers.

👉 For more information about the Parnossah Employment Services Program, contact Jeffrey Prince at j.prince@jccgci.org or 718-449-5000 ext. 2246, or visit https://www.jccgci.org/programs/career-services/parnossah-employment-services/