“Being part of a kosher Jewish community means a lot to me. The traditions that shaped my life are still part of each day.”

Sam Bierig,
Assisted Living Resident

For Sam Bierig, feeling at home means being surrounded by family, familiar faces, and the Jewish traditions that have been an important part of his life. Today, he has found all of that at Lions Gate.

An Orthodox Jew who spent many years living and raising his family in Vineland, Sam first came to Lions Gate for rehabilitation following a hospital stay. What was expected to be a temporary stay soon introduced Sam and his family to something they had not initially considered, the possibility of making Lions Gate his home.

The community’s kosher environment was especially important to Sam and his family, allowing him to continue observing the traditions that have shaped his life while receiving the support and care he needs.

“First and foremost, it’s a kosher Jewish community,” said his son, Michael. “And the quality of care is exceptional. There’s no comparison.”

As Sam progressed through rehabilitation, his family began to see how much he could benefit from being part of a community rather than returning to his home in Vineland with a live-in aide.

“Even though it was his home, we realized that being there alone with just an aide was not the life we wanted for him,” Michael said.

Today, Sam is comfortably settled at Lions Gate and enjoys life on his own terms. He joins fellow residents for meals, celebrates birthdays, and enjoys regular visits from family and friends. Most importantly, he is happy.
“I’m very happy,” Sam said. “I’m comfortable here, and that means a lot.”

The relationships Sam has formed with the staff have also become an important part of his life. He is especially fond of his aide, Angie Brown. “What would I do without her?” he asked.

Michael has seen that same personal connection. “The staff goes above and beyond,” he said. “He appreciates the familiar faces and the way people take the time to really know him.”

With his brother, Herb, visiting almost every day and other family and friends spending time with him, Sam remains connected to the people, traditions, and routines that matter most.

What began as a short stay for rehabilitation ultimately became something neither Sam nor his family expected: a new home and a community where he feels comfortable, cared for, and connected.