The Founders Who Laid the Foundation for Our Mission

MJHS was founded in 1907 by Sarah Webelovsky, Emma Rosenthal, Sarah Berlin, and Flora Grodin – better known as The Four Brooklyn Ladies.

Moved by the plight of poor, frail, and elderly members of the Jewish community who were alone and in need of loving‑kindness, they created the organization that would one day become MJHS Health System. Rooted in the core Jewish values of compassion, dignity, respect, and a deep tradition of community service, the Brooklyn Ladies were determined to provide those struggling with access to quality health care and a safe place to live.

Resilient and determined, the Brooklyn Ladies began their journey by going door‑to‑door, asking neighbors for charitable support to bring their mission to life. No donation was too small, and it was the hard‑working members of the community who ultimately provided the funds needed to open our first nursing home, allowing the Ladies to care for the most vulnerable among them. This spirit of generosity and grassroots philanthropy remains at the heart of the MJHS Foundation today.

As the needs and makeup of the community evolved, MJHS grew from caring for a few dozen people in a single tenement building to serving thousands of New Yorkers of every background and financial status. Throughout this growth, our mission to provide the highest‑quality care with compassion, dignity, and respect has never wavered—and continues to be strengthened by donors who believe in this vision.

Resilient and determined, the Brooklyn Ladies began their journey by going door-to-door, asking their neighbors for charitable support to bring their mission to life. With no donation too small, it was ultimately hard-working members of the community who provided the financial support needed to open our first nursing home, allowing them to care for these vulnerable members of their community. This spirit of generosity and grassroots philanthropy remains at the heart of the MJHS Foundation today.

As time passed and the needs and composition of the community expanded, MJHS has grown from caring for dozens of people in one small building among the tenements to thousands of New Yorkers from every background, military and financial status. Throughout, the mission to provide the highest-quality care possible with compassion, dignity, and respect has never wavered—and continues to be strengthened by donors who believe in this vision.

Nearly 120 years later, MJHS continues its mission as a well-respected not-for-profit health system that is committed to supporting, guiding and caring for at-risk members of our community by offering:

• Home Care
• Short-Term Rehabilitation
• Long-Term Care
• Care in our Centers for Rehabilitation & Nursing Care
• Hospice and Palliative Care

Today, the MJHS Foundation carries forward the legacy of the Four Brooklyn Ladies by securing the philanthropic support that ensures these compassionate services remain accessible to all who need them.