Los Angeles Jewish Home

It's the Small Moments that Define Us

It has been said that the smallest moments in a life sometimes best define the man. For Earl Greinetz, this was one of those "defining" moments.

On a beautiful spring day, Earl was walking with a group of potential donors down one of the corridors of the Jewish Home, deep in conversation with one of them. Coming toward him was a Jewish Home resident, a lovely woman in her late 80s, using a walker to slowly make her way. When she spotted Earl up ahead, a brilliant smile lit up her face. As their paths crossed, Earl stopped for a moment to give her a hug, to chat, to share a joke just between the two of them. He gave her a final good-bye hug, and continued on his way, the visitors in tow.

The woman's happy smile remained, her day brightened by her brief encounter with Earl Greinetz. She commented to a passerby: "He always makes my day. Such a lovely young man!"

Earl Greinetz and his wife, Toba, have been making people's days here at the Jewish Home for many years now. Earl recalls that it was more than twelve years ago, while serving as president of the Valley Jewish Federation, that he was invited to come to the Jewish Home for the first time, and ultimately became a member of the Board of Directors.

Since then, he has worked tirelessly in support of the Home. Earl was one of the founders of the Executives support group. He was asked to serve on then-president Steve Good's Executive Committee. As an emissary of the Jewish Home in the community, he is an incredibly successful fundraiser. He served as President of the Home for two years, was honored with the Jewish Home's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, and is an active member of the Associates-IMC board.

Earl insists that fundraising for the Jewish Home is simple: "It's an easy ‘bottom line' that you can't argue with. We have more than 1,200 elderly residents, and 80% of them are in need of our help. With the costs to provide care skyrocketing at the same time that government reimbursement rates are being decreased, it's very simple to do the math. If the Jewish Home is to continue caring for our elderly, we need the full support of the community."

Earl notes that he and Toba are involved in lots of other charities, as well, but believes that the Jewish Home is one of the few places where you can see, feel and touch the results of what you do. He firmly believes that the Jewish Home, and all of the wonderful residents he has met over the years, have given back to him much, much more than he has given.

"I have a real love for this place, for these people. It makes everything I do for the Home and the residents an absolute joy."