“Those who trust in the Lord shall renew their strength….
They shall run and not grow weary.”  (Isaiah 40:31)

At Wexner Heritage Village, we understand how a healthy spiritual life can contribute to personal happiness and fulfillment.  Under the leadership and guidance of Rabbi Cary Kozberg, Director of Spiritual Life here at Wexner Heritage Village, our founding Jewish principles inspire the life-affirming spirit that is at the heart of everything we do.  While we honor and acknowledge our Jewish heritage and traditions, we also value and welcome individuals of all faiths into our family of services.  Jewish and Christian Chaplains lead weekly services and are here whenever you need an uplifting message, a time of prayer, an ear to listen, or a hand to hold. 

Meet the Spiritual Team

Rabbi Cary Kozberg

Rabbi Cary Kozberg, MAHL, DD, BCC

Rabbi Cary Kozberg has been Director of Spiritual Life here since 1989.  His responsibilities include overseeing the religious and spiritual nurturing of residents, family members and staff throughout the Wexner Heritage Village family of services.  He believes that spirituality is the base that supports our ability to serve others and states that “by promoting an ethos of sanctity, spirituality gives meaning and purpose to our mission to honor the elderly, affirm the dignity of every person, and bring healing to those who need it.”

Rabbi Kozberg is the father of four, a physical fitness enthusiast, an Instructor in the Florence Melton Adult MiniSchool, and the drummer in a rock-and-roll band that can often be heard playing at locations around our campus.  He is married to Sheryl, and the two live in the Bexley/Berwick area.

Rabbi Sharon Mars

Rabbi Sharon Mars, MAHL

Rabbi Sharon Mars is the Assistant Director of Spiritual Life for Wexner Heritage Village, a position under which she also serves as the Jewish Chaplain for Zusman Hospice, and as the Jewish Community Chaplain for greater Columbus.  Though her responsibilities are great, her role is also to nurture spirituality among residents, families, and staff of our Village.  She was called to religious service based on her love for Judaism and of people.  Feeling blessed to learn from the challenges of others, Rabbi Mars believes that quality care means addressing the needs of the “whole person, considering that person’s physical, psychosocial, emotional and spiritual needs.”In late 2010, Rabbi Mars created the Nadav Spiritual Volunteer Program (nadav means “generous” in Hebrew) in an effort to support dozens of Jewish elderly throughout Columbus who are in need of companionship and connection with their community.  Learn more about the Nadav Spiritual Program and how you can participate. Rabbi Mars and her husband, Or, have three children and both enjoy watching movies and basketball together.  She enjoys running and reading, but says her greatest passion is spending time with her family and friends.

Deaconness Linda Frank

Linda Frank, Deaconess, BSN

Deaconness Linda Frank began her career with Wexner Heritage Village as a nurse with the Zusman Hospice program, before moving to her current role as the Christian Chaplain for our Village.  Her role is to provide spiritual companionship and counseling to those of Christian faith throughout our system of services, with a primary focus on those served by Zusman Hospice, Wexner Heritage House, and the Wexner Heritage Village Rehabilitation Center.She says, “Illness and aging are triggers for spiritual reflection.”  This is why the Chaplain’s availability to residents for companionship, prayer, reflection, and worship services are vital to a resident’s spiritual well-being.Linda enjoys spending time with her family, attending classical and early music concerts, as well as teaching classes at her church.

Contacting members of the spiritual life team:

 Rabbi Cary Kozberg:  614-231-4900 x1244

Rabbi Sharon Mars:  614-231-4900 x1132

Deaconess Linda Frank:  614-231-4900 x1138  

Our Commitment to Spiritual

Well-Being and Jewish Culture

What does “spiritual well-being” mean and why is it important to us?

The National Interfaith Coalition on Aging says, “Spiritual well-being is the affirmation of life in a relationship with G-d, self, community and environment that nurtures and celebrates wholeness.”We like to think of spiritual care as the “glue” that binds all that we do here at Wexner Heritage Village.  Honoring spirituality allows us to achieve perspective on the “why” and how it connects to the “how” in our daily business of caring for people in our community.  It reminds our community that all times in an individual life are sacred, that the vulnerable need to be cared for, and that it is our duty to show deference to the elderly (Lev.19:32) by allowing them to remain as connected, integral members of our community.Our commitment to spiritual life is not just about meeting individual spiritual needs of residents, but also to meeting the needs of families and staff members, as well, in order to allow for healing, growth, comfort, and education as we strive to remain true to our Jewish ethical commitments.Founded on Jewish values, Wexner Heritage Village embraces people of all faiths, and we strive to meet varying spiritual needs through chaplaincy and other programming efforts.

What is “kosher” and why is it important to us?

Our campus of services, as well as buildings located off campus, is supervised by the Vaad Ho-Ir of Columbus with the support of a full-time mashgiach.  Kashrut, or kosher dietary laws, is set forth by the Torah and our commitment to it assures several things:

• It affirms on a daily basis our commitment to Jewish practice.
• It sets us apart from other like-type organizations – in fact we are the only kosher senior services organization in central Ohio.
• It ensures that any Jew who comes here will be able to eat.

Kosher dietary laws go beyond the separation of meat and dairy.  Some foods, such as shellfish, are disallowed, and others must be prepared specifically before they can be consumed.  For more information on kashrut, visit the Judaism 101 website.”Keeping kosher” is an act of obedience to G-d and is sacred in Torah and religious law.  Keeping kosher at Wexner Heritage Village is sacred to us, as we remain committed to maintaining the integrity of the Jewish ambience.  Therefore, only food certified as “kosher” is allowed in all public areas of Wexer Heritage Village facilities, unless otherwise designated.  Outside food is allowed in resident rooms and otherwise designated areas.

Our Commitment to Ethical Care

The Wexner Heritage Village Ethics Committee educates, consults with, and supports residents, staff, families, and others dealing with ethical issues that fall outside the scope of policies and procedures, such as:• Unsafe living environments,• Mismanagement of finances,• Elders’ decision-making capacity, and• Level of care changes in residential settings.The ethics committee can be a resource for helping you manage these kinds of issues. For details, call Rabbi Cary Kozberg, 614-384-2266. Callers’ identities will be kept confidential.

Serving Jewish Seniors in Columbus

In late 2010, Rabbi Sharon Mars created the Nadav Spiritual Program, which connects para-chaplains with seniors looking to build a stronger spiritual connection, ”Nadav” (meaning “generous” in Hebrew).In conjunction with Wexner Heritage Village and the Columbus Jewish Federation, Rabbi Mars gathered a group of 13 Jewish volunteers whom she trained to become para-chaplains and are now visiting Jewish residents in nine extended care facilities scattered throughout the Columbus area. The Nadav Spiritual Volunteers give of their time, energy and souls to Jewish seniors who might otherwise feel acutely isolated from their Jewish community, celebrating holidays together, meeting their families, building spiritual companionship.As more and more Jewish seniors are being identified in Columbus, Nadav plans to expand its reach, to embrace even more seniors in need of spiritual connection. If you are interested in finding out more about this program, please contact Rabbi Sharon Mars at smars@whv.org or 614.323.1386.