Our History
 |
|
|
The Beth Sholom Home of Virginia was created in 1945 as an independent agency by a small group of devoted philanthropic Richmond leaders. The original home, a converted mansion in the historic Fan District, served 34 residents and was the first Jewish home for the aged in the state.
Beth Sholom experienced rapid growth and had a significant waiting list by 1955. Expansion and development was imminent. Beth Sholom moved to Henrico County's West End and built a 50-bed facility that provided care for the aged. By 1962, it was again apparent that the needs for the Jewish elderly would require another expansion. The facility increased to 116 beds in 1965. Beth Sholom gained a reputation as a leader in health care for the elderly and soon a third expansion was inevitable. The Home purchased a 16-acre plot in Henrico County's far West End for the construction of 112 units of subsidized housing and the relocation of the nursing facility. Beth Sholom thrived in the 1980s and opened a new physical plant in 1989 in far West End. The 1990s proved to be Beth Sholom's most challenging decade. With government budget decreases, revisions in Medicaid reimbursement and lower interest rates negatively impacting yield from endowment sources, Beth Sholom turned to raising its own funds to avoid cutting back services. Even during this pressure climate, the Home never wavered and looked toward the future of providing quality services for the elderly. This commitment led to the completion of a new facility, Beth Sholom Gardens (The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Assisted Living Center), which opened on November 1, 2000. The facility was the first Jewish sponsored assisted living home in Virginia. Beth Sholom did not stop there. It built the Beth Sholom Rehabilitation Clinic in 2002. The clinic provides outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. A therapeutic pool was added to the rehabilitation clinic in 2005. |
