TORONTO — Sandy Keshen, founder, president and CEO of Reena for the past 41 years, was showered with praise at a special event in her honour to celebrate her retirement, and acknowledge her four decades of tireless service to the community.

The event, held at Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue on Nov. 25, attracted more than 250 people who have been touched by Keshen over the years.

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto president and CEO Morris Zbar, who served as the MC for the event, said Keshen had a big influence on his life.

He introduced a number of speakers including York Centre MPP Monte Kwinter, Beth Israel Beth David Beth Am Synagogue’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Philip Scheim, and George Brown College’s dean of preparatory and liberal arts Georgia Quartaro,

Zbar said, “We go through life, we meet thousands of people… and most of the people we meet are similar to us and are ordinary… In our lives, we meet one or two or three extraordinary people, and Sandy Keshen is one of those extraordinary people.” 

In a biography distributed to attendees, Keshen was described as “a visionary driven by an unwavering belief in social justice for individuals with a developmental disability. She reaches beyond her Jewish faith community to raise awareness, and works tirelessly on behalf of all vulnerable people, particularly those with a developmental disability and their families.”

Keshen’s accomplishments extended beyond the walls of Reena and benefited the entire Toronto community. In the early 1990s, Keshen led the way to establish the Metro Agencies Representative Council, upon which the current Toronto model of agencies working together is founded.

Through the Faith and Culture Network, Keshen helped Roman Catholic, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese and other communities establish their own social agencies. 

As for her work with Reena, a Jewish agency that serves people of all ages with developmental disabilities, Keshen promoted it as a learning organization. 

“In 2002, Sandy observed that it was extremely difficult to recruit and retain quality employees to work in the group homes and programs offered by other similar agencies. She invested in training when there was very little offered by any colleges, universities or other educational organizations,” her biography said.

The result was the investment by Reena’s Learning and Development department in the development of courses that offer comprehensive training in the sector. 

After connecting with the Ministry of Community and Social Services, and Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities, she forged a partnership with George Brown College, the City of Toronto, and two other agencies to create a training program that provides students with a developmental disability counsellor certificate. This program is now in its 12th year. 

One of Keshen’s most recent accomplishments came in 2012, when the Reena Community Residence, a home that serves adults with special needs, opened at the Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Jewish Community Campus in Vaughan.

“We are truly happy to have this opportunity to express how much we admire Sandy for what she has done to enhance the lives of people with developmental disabilities and to help us personally with her kindness and support throughout her 41 years at the helm of Reena,” Marilyn Raphael, Reena’s past chair of the board, said at the event.

Rabbi Scheim, who was introduced as a close friend to both Keshen and Reena, said, “Because of your work and those who were inspired to support your work… you have strengthened our community because you understood the importance of providing a makom, a place where all could be loved and all can contribute.”

Overwhelmed by the praise and gratitude expressed to her by friends and colleagues, Keshen briefly took to the podium to thank them for their efforts.

“The effort that you put forth, the messaging that you send… all of you have accomplished a great deal in order to make people with disabilities live with dignity and with respect,” Keshen said.

“Thank you for being part of our family and thank you for putting together such a great effort.”