August marks a significant accomplishment for a valued member of our team: Mrs. Evie Hill is celebrating 29 years at JFS. As the longest-serving member of our team, she has been the voice of JFS, greeting callers and visitors with a smile and a steadfast presence that exemplifies JFS’ values. We sat down with Evie to learn about her favorite memories, life lessons, and inspiring moments.
“I’ve learned through the years that the Jewish community is very giving,” she reflects. It is their “culture of giving back and taking care of the community” that helps keep her motivated to come to work each day with a grateful and compassionate heart. “The inspiration is always there when you find that someone needs help. It automatically, you know, inspires you to help — if you have the kind of heart. That’s the way I am, when stuff happens, I jump to help someone. And because I work at a place like JFS, this happens often, and I’m grateful I can help people.”
Over the years, Evie has witnessed the agency’s growth and achievements. The annual Galas hold a special place in her heart, where she is able to celebrate the culmination of a year’s worth of efforts and contributions.
In reflecting on her journey, Evie notes a memorable moment that helped bring awareness to the type of work and organization she is a part of: “As one lady told me –‘You learn in life, that you give back to the community. And when you pray, you pray for the community, you pray for yourself, and you pray for other people. And to ‘think beyond yourself.’ — I think that’s a beautiful expression.”
Evie’s legacy isn’t just about 29 years “on the job.” It’s about 29 years embracing a culture of giving, of being a steadfast presence, and of demonstrating that the simplest acts of kindness can touch countless lives.
Read the full interview below:
Interviewer [I]: What has been the most rewarding aspect of your time here?
Evie Hill [EH]: The people, and their love and their kindness. The people that are in the office take care of me. I like to be around them. And I feel supported. I fit right in. They make me feel like, “I’m Evie, I belong here.”
[I]: Over the years, have you learned any life lessons along the way? Particularly, have you gained any wisdom from your day-to-day interactions?
[EH]: I’ve learned through the years that the Jewish community is a very giving. This is my life learned lesson. It is their culture of giving back and taking care of the community. As one Jewish lady told me, they are taught when they pray to pray for yourself and other people. And to “think beyond yourself”. I think that’s a beautiful expression. Although, I’m a Christian, I really understood that better by the way she said it. In Christianity, we are good people, we pray, we do all the stuff. But the way she said–how they learned this throughout life, and apply it everyday. As Christians, we apply it, but it’s not so consistent. She told me, “You learn in life, that you give back to the community. And when you pray, you pray for the community, you pray for yourself, and you pray for other people.” We do that too, but I never really thought about it in that way. It gave me an awareness of what the Jewish community is all about.
[I]: How have you managed to find joy and inspiration in your work, even during times of difficulty or change?
[EH]: The inspiration is always there when you find that someone needs help. It automatically, you know, inspires you to help –if you have that kind of heart. That’s the way I am, when stuff happens, I jump to help someone. And because I work at a place like this [JFS] it happens often, and I’m grateful I can help more people.
[I]: If you were not working at JFS, what would you be doing?
[EH]: I honestly don’t know. I came to work here, I fell in love with the people and their way of life. And I just never looked back. I just felt like I belonged here –you’re going to make me cry! (clears tear) I always felt welcomed. There have been some challenges but I’ve gotten along with everyone.
[I]: What is your favorite memory of your work at JFS?
[EH]: I love the Galas. I love when, you know, they say all the things we did during the year, and what things we’ve accomplished. It makes me feel good. Even though I answer the phones –I kind of know what goes on because I answer the phone. I get the distressed people, I get the happy people, I get the donation calls, I get a lot of things. I love going to the Gala and having a good time. And learning the things we’ve accomplished during the year, and celebrating that.
[I]: What are you most grateful for?
[EH]: I am grateful for this job. See you’re going to make me cry again. When I was in my thirties, I was going through a difficult time caring for one of my sons. My whole life centered around my child and getting him the care he needed. I was depressed. I searched out this part-time job–I started part-time but eventually worked more than that. But I remember what the director who hired me told me, “We’re a family agency, and we are flexible”. That stayed with me because it was different from my past experience working at the NJ Court System and Department of Social Services.
I found a school for my son and came to work here. Working at JFS gave me the flexibility to work and be able to care for my son. Did you know I left JFS for a few months? I left to go work for an insurance company. So I was away for 3 months, but I didn’t like it. It was a very cold place. So I came back to JFS because they cared about other people, and I felt they care about me.
[I]: What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self if you could go back to your first day at JFS?
[EH]: The piece of advice I would tell my younger self, is that “things are not always what they seem.” I knew my role was to answer phones, greet people and help them, but it’s so much more than that. I found a place in life that satisfied me. I never made a lot of money, but I was satisfied with what I got. I needed the support and I got it.
[I]: How do you envision the future? Especially having achieved 29 years at JFS, what are you looking forward to the most as you enter your 30th year of service?
[EH]: 29 years is a lot, isn’t it? Planning for my next chapter to spend time with my son, and with a mature Evie. (laughs).
