(Courtesy of The Jewish Home) West Orange native Hailey Kops, who skated in the 2022 Olympics for Team Israel, visited the Jewish Home Assisted Living this week.

Kops spoke about her successes in the junior Olympics, her decision to walk away from figure skating when she graduated high school and attended a seminary in Israel for the year, only to be asked to join Team Israel’s Olympic team on her return to the U.S.

Residents presented the figure skater with a bouquet and an array of questions as her parents looked on with pride. Jewish Home Assisted Living chefs prepared Israeli and Olympics-themed refreshments and even cookies featuring Kops mid-spinning jump.

“It was amazing to see how excited our elders were to connect with Ms. Kops,” said JHAL Executive Director Aryeh Markowitz. “We are dedicated to making sure our residents continue to be actively involved in the community and are able to pursue their interests. Connecting with an exceptional Olympian from our own community was thrilling and now she has a hundred or so more proud adoptive grandparents—so it’s a win-win!”