Menorah Park, Montefiore Joining Forces In July

Menorah Park and Montefiore will begin consolidation this summer. The two senior living centers announced plans for affiliation this week.

The affiliation goes into effect in July, but change won’t alter too much, said Menorah Park CEO Jim Newbrough.

“It’s going to look like what it does today,” Newbrough said. “What you’re seeing is two organizations that are very strong, that provide great services. We want to continue, we want to build on those services.”

Both Beachwood-based nonprofits will operate under the Menorah Park name, but the Montefiore name will remain on its facility. Montefiore has already been using Menorah Park’s ambulance service for a few years, Newbrough said, and Montefiore’s hospice center has worked with Menorah Park to provide services.

The nonprofits have been discussing consolidation for more than two years, said current Montefiore President and CEO Seth Vilensky. But multiple factors complicated a quick transition, he said.

“Healthcare’s changing so much, and we wanted to anticipate what the needs are going to be in the future for our community,” Vilensky said. “There was a lot of thought and a lot of planning that went into it. We made sure we had the right approach.”

The Menorah Park and Montefiore facilities operate on neighboring sites in a Beachwood campus. [Menorah Park]

Montefiore and Menorah Park already operate on the same campus, nearly across the street from one another. The two organizations have a long history in the Cleveland area. Montefiore launched in 1882, and Menorah Park was founded in 1906.

“It was figuring out ways we could bring the organizations together and really maximize the potential of all of our services and programs,” Menorah Park’s Newbrough said.

In the new, combined organization, Newbrough will continue as CEO. Vilensky will become vice president of business development and community services. The Menorah Park board of directors, which consists of 36 active members, will serve as the board for the joint organization.

“We’ll continue to be the governing board for the organization, but Montefiore will have representation on that board,” Newbrough said. “We’re in the process, over the next several months, of working through that.”

There are currently 600 employees at Montefiore and 1,400 at Menorah Park. Montefiore’s Chagrin Falls-based facility, The Weils, will also operate under the Menorah Park name.

The Menorah Park and Montefiore boards unanimously approved the affiliation Tuesday. At the Montefiore board meeting, Vilensky said, the vote received a standing ovation from attendees.

The idea has been floating around the community for some time, he said.

“Why should we have two Jewish-based senior services providers, really in the same campus with the same mission and serving the same community? Doesn’t it make sense to cooperate instead of compete with each other?” Vilensky said. “Now that it’s coming together at the right time, people are showing their support.”

The two organizations have competed for residents and clients over the years, Newbrough said. Coming together allows for those resources to go toward expansion and growth, he said.

“I think the excitement here is people realizing the fact that now we’re not using these resources to compete with each other, we can work together,” Newbrough said.

Correction: A previous version of this story stated no layoffs were planned. While the organizations plan to keep care staff, management is still evaluating what structural changes may be needed in the transition.