In 1919, Lena Goldberg founded a Chevra Bikur Cholim –a Society for Visiting the Sick – and built a small wood-framed house on Lafayette Ave in Chelsea, MA for elders in need of care. Her philosophy was simple: to combine a warm, inviting, atmosphere with kind, compassionate caregiving. Today that single home has grown into several, resulting in Chelsea Jewish Lifecare, one of New England’s leading healthcare organizations. With homes in Chelsea and Peabody, MA the organization offers residences and services for seniors and those living with disabling conditions. Take a look at Chelsea Jewish Lifecare’s long and evolving history. While there has been extensive growth and expansion throughout years, one thing never changed: the organization’s unwavering commitment to provide high-quality, compassionate care in a “real” home setting.
Our Historic Milestones
1919
1945
1963
1972
1980
1982
1994
1996
1997
2002
2006
2007
2010
2014
2015
2017
2018
2019
2022
2023
2023
2024
2024
2024
1919
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare
Mrs. Lena Goldberg founds a “Chevra Bikur Cholim”(Society for Visiting the Sick) and opens House for the Aged on Lafayette Avenue in Chelsea
1945
Jewish Rehabilitation Center
Opening of Jewish Home for the Aged in Lynn
1963
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare
Expansion of Lafayette Avenue house to 60-bed nursing facility; renamed “Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home”
1972
Jewish Rehabilitation Center
Opening of Jewish Rehabilitation Center in Swampscott
1980
Jewish Rehabilitation Center
Opening of Shapiro-Rudolph Adult Day Health in Swampscott
1982
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare
Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home completes major expansion and renovation (now Katzman Family Center for Living)
1994
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare
Opening of Cohen Florence Levine Estates, the organization’s first assisted living residence, on Admiral’s Hill in Chelsea
1996
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare
Opening of Manuel R. Grell Home Care Agency (now Chelsea Jewish Visiting Nurse Agency)
1997
Jewish Rehabilitation Center
Opening of Woodbridge Assisted Living in Peabody (now Harriett and Ralph Kaplan Estates)
2002
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare
Opening of Florence and Chafetz Home for Specialized Care, a memory care residence connected to the assisted living, on Admiral’s Hill in Chelsea
2006
Jewish Rehabilitation Center
Opening of Legacy at Woodbridge Memory Support (now Harriett and Ralph Kaplan Estates)
2007
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare
Opening of Dr. Matthew S. Shwartz Hospice (now Chelsea Jewish Hospice)
2010
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare
Opening of Leonard Florence Center Living, the country’s first urban model Green House® skilled nursing facility with specialties in long-term care, short-term rehabilitation and care for individuals with ALS and MS, on Admiral’s Hill in Chelsea
2014
Jewish Rehabilitation Center (now Jeffrey and Susan Brudnick Center for Living) moves to the newly built Waldfogel Health Center in Peabody
2015
Opening of Feldman Seaside Apartments, a 40-apartment independent living facility, in Winthrop
2017
Major renovation of Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home (now Katzman Family Center for Living) into the first Green House Legacy skilled nursing home
2018
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare becomes a founding member of Legacy Lifecare, a new organization dedicated to serving its not-for-profit affiliates.
2019
Chelsea Jewish Lifecare celebrates its 100th year anniversary!
2022
Regional President, Megin Hemmerling, appointed
2023
Expansion of Harriett and Ralph Kaplan Estates Assisted Living Memory Care unit
2023
Opening of the Employee Store on the Peabody campus
2024
Rebranding of CJL Homecare and Hospice to Legacy Lifecare VNA & Hospice
2024
Renovations began at Katzman Center for Living
2024
Expansion plans for 10 ventilator dependent rooms at Leonard Florence Center for Living with completion date projected for end of year
