NORMA JEAN & EDWARD MEER APARTMENTS | Discover Jewish Senior Life! | |
Contact Amie Schulz
248-592-1146
aschulz@jslmi.org
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My sweet husband retired recently, and in anticipation of Spring he is attending online classes to become a Master Gardener. What a thoughtful and unique birthday gift this was from his dear friend, Steve. So now I’m thinking about Spring too. While many of our friends and family members have abandoned us for warmer climates, we hunker down in front of fireplace and remember the brave days of COVID when we entertained our friends outdoors in the snow around a firepit with propane heaters. It took some work to pull this off. It’s just one example of what people can do during times of difficulty.
As I look ahead to when the first crocuses will reach for the clouds, I gaze out the window at the stillness only winter can bring. The arctic cold blankets the forest in snow and ice and I watch the oak trees… bare, their branches naked against the gray sky. They stand tall, unshaken, their quiet strength undeniable. We all know people like these oak trees…strong, resilient individuals who draw from an inner well of power to live fully.
| WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO MOVE INTO ASSISTED LIVING? | |
Making the decision to transition to assisted living can be challenging. This special brunch event is designed to guide you through the process, answer your questions.
Sunday, February 23, 2025
10:00 AM
6710 W. Maple Rd.
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
RSVP with Janet Antin:
248-592-1144 (TTY #711)
jantin@jslmi.org
| CHAMPAGNE & MIMOSA MORNING AT HECHTMAN | |
Come sample life at Hechtman! This event includes a champagne tasting with Kosher pairings, a mimosa bar, and guided tours.
Thursday, February 27, 2025
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Hechtman Apartments
Independent Living
6690 W. Maple Rd.
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
Space is Limited.
RSVP to Beth Tryon:
248-592-5026 (TTY #711) / btryon@jslmi.org
| February 21, one month shy of the end of winter. Phew. Imagine all that white and gray turning blue and green! Right now, many of us (including me) feel compelled to hibernate, but soon we’ll be so excited to get outside and go do things. I’ve been thinking about my dad, a marathoner and triathlete, who used to say that those who trained in February won during the race season. Anyway, where I’m going with this is a big shout out to our volunteers who are braving the roads and trudging through the snow to be here in this frigid February and all winter. Bravo to you brave folks and deepest thanks. You are the champions all year! | Volunteer Nancy Simpson and Coville resident Charlotte Dubin doing chair exercises. | |
Archive Diving
Although the weather might be a bit of a downer, our 100 Years of Volunteers planning is keeping the committee, and me, busy and energized. This group has been among those who schlepped through the snowy season, showing up at the Leonard Simons Community Archives each Thursday (and sometimes more) to sift through 100 years of history. These amazing archive divers include Geri Margolis and Hannah Moss, who are chairing the year-long celebration, Sharon Alterman, Rosie Schlussel, Arlene Selik, and Janet Pont. They have uncovered the pictures we’ve been sharing in this newsletter and the stories of the amazing women who started a 100-year tradition of caring and support for our oldest adults.
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If you have your own volunteer story and/or pictures, we’d love to have them. You can email them to me at brobinson@jslmi.org or add them through our online form. We’d love to hear from you!
Cruising Through the Years
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Each year, we celebrate the oldest members of our community at the Bessie Spector Oldest Jewish Americans Celebration. The highlight of our social season, this year’s event will take place at Adat Shalom Synagogue on Friday, June 13 with a festive brunch to honor our greatest generation. Online registration is open for those who are or will be 95 and older by December 31, 2025.
Sharing Seders
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But before any of that happens, we have Pesach and approximately 800 residents who would love to celebrate with you. Come on over on April 12 or 13 to one of our residences to lead a short seder and commemorate our exodus from slavery to freedom. If you’d like to be part of this special annual event, please contact me: 248-592-5062 / brobinson@jslmi.org.
Beth Robinson
Director
FRIENDS of Jewish Senior LIfe
brobinson@jslmi.org
248-592-5062
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EDWARD I. & FREDA FLEISCHMAN RESIDENCE | Come see the JSL Difference! | |
Contact Janet Antin
248-967-4240
jantin@jslmi.org
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We've been busy preparing for Eight Over 80 after the pleasure of meeting and interviewing the honorees. We invite you to participate in JSL's premier fundraising event, which celebrates the outstanding contributions of pillars in our Jewish community who are 80 years of age or older.
We sincerely hope you can attend.
Share this special occasion.
Save the Date:
Sunday, May 18, 2025 @ 11:30 am,
Congregation Shaarey Zedek. Invitations will be mailed in March, and digital emails will be sent out as well, for your convenience.
Our wonderful and "feel good" event gets great press. Honorees and Sponsors will be recognized on the invitations, JSL website and in a variety of writeups in newsletters and the Detroit Jewish News.
Most importantly and why we hold our annual event: Contributions benefit JSL’s Quality of Life Fund, supporting services for those who cannot afford to pay for their meals and/or Jcare in-home support. Additionally, this fund provides health and wellness activities; outings and bus trips; medical transportation; educational speakers; professional musical entertainment; indoor and outdoor improvements, social gatherings, and Jewish seasonal holiday celebrations.
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Enjoy an afternoon filled with art, refreshments, fun, and great company.
Sunday, February 23, 2025
1:00 PM
15100 W 10 Mile Rd.
Oak Park, MI 48237
No artistic experience is needed.
Spaces are limited.
Reserve your spot today by calling or emailing Rick Goren:
248-592-1155 (TTY#711)
rgoren@jslmi.org
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This event is tailored for caregivers and advocates of people living with dementia. Gain essential advocacy strategies, explore valuable caregiving resources.
Sunday, March 2, 2025
1:00 PM
The Brown Center
6720 West Maple Rd.
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
Please RSVP to Joanna Dorfman by February 25 to reserve your spot: jdorfman@jslmi.org /
248 661-6390 ext. 1
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FEBRUARY FESTIVITIES FROM
OAK PARK
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This month, residents at Prentis Apartments in Oak Park were feeling festive!
Above: Singing mostly love songs, participants shared their beautiful voices, cheering each other on during karaoke.
Below: Honoring Black History Month, residents gathered, sang along and danced with singer Cheryll Johnson, who performed tunes from Motown and the Blues.
| Know sometimes as "Israel’s most underrated street food." Bourekas can be filled in so many delicious ways -- here are nine of them! A savory snack of choice, they are easy to make and great for on-the-go lives. | Strong and flexible feet can help reduce foot and ankle pain, decrease muscle soreness, and help you stay active overall. All the exercises can be done in a chair, perfect for seniors and beginners. | The magical word “abracadabra” was originally supposed to be spoken to people with hay fever, which would supposed to cure them. | | |
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This has been an extraordinarily painful week for the people of Israel and for Jews around the world.
Recently, we have felt moments of relief and joy as precious lives returned home to their loved ones. But the past several days have been marked by both sorrow and outrage, as we confront heartbreaking losses and the ongoing suffering of those still waiting to come home after more than 500 days of brutal captivity in Gaza.
We grieved as four bodies were returned to Israel, one of whom was identified as Oded Lifshitz—an ardent peace activist who helped transport sick Palestinian children to Israeli hospitals for treatment. Two others were identified as Kfir and Ariel Bibas, beautiful young boys who we now know were brutally murdered in November of 2023.
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Rabbi Dovid S. Polter, Community Chaplain
You Can Now Let Go
To mark my 60th birthday, my children and their spouses gathered at our home for a joyful celebration. Amid the laughter and cheer, each of them presented a gift. One caught me by surprise… a power drill. It was from my son-in-law, who, during his visits, always takes care of various small home repairs. I couldn't help but hear a voice in my head: "Dad, it's time to handle these things yourself."
As I reflected on the gift, I wondered if there was a deeper message hidden within it. Recently, I came across a Chassidic teaching about the significance of turning sixty. According to the Chassidic masters, when you reach this age, you are no longer bound by the internal voices of negativity that have held you captive throughout your life. At this stage, you're meant to release yourself from the grip of those destructive thoughts and emotions. It’s a moment of liberation, of freedom from the inner struggle.
This idea resonated with me, especially when I considered the connection between the age of sixty and the teachings of the Torah. In this week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim, there’s a striking reference to servitude. In biblical times, if someone stole and couldn’t repay the victim, they would sell themselves into service for six years. In the seventh year, the Torah instructed that they be set free. However, if the servant refused to leave, claiming that they were content in their current situation, “I like my life, my spouse (provided by my master)” then, the Torah says, their ear must be pierced with an awl.
Why? The Torah explains: "This is the ear that heard G-d declare, 'You are My servants, not the servants of other people.’ Yet, this person insists on remaining a servant to a human being. Therefore, their ear must be pierced."
In simpler terms, when someone is unwilling to release their attachment to inner struggle and negativity, despite being commanded to let go, they must face the consequence of being "pierced." The message is clear: refusing to break free from the chains of servitude, whether internal or external, is a violation of our commitment to G-d.
As I approached my own seventh decade, I began to see how this teaching applied to me. At sixty, I, too, am called to let go of my attachment to the internal struggles of negativity, anxiety, and worry. To continue clinging to them would be akin to saying, “I’m comfortable with my challenges; I don’t want to let go.”
I began to see my sixtieth birthday gift in a new light. The drill, a tool for fixing things, symbolized the act of releasing my attachment to these inner struggles. The message was clear: it's time to let go. And so, I choose to do just that. I am letting go.
For those reading this, regardless of your age, I encourage you to embrace this same practice. Every week, as the holy day of Shabbat arrives, make a conscious decision to spiritually "go free." Our sages teach that upon the arrival of Shabbat, we are to consider all our work done, allowing us to rest from the labor of our minds, hearts, and souls. Let this be a weekly reminder that, no matter the struggles we face, we too can choose freedom.
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Shabbat Shalom by Phone - Enjoy some inspiration.
Dial Toll free: 605-313-4107 Access code: 270368#
(Reference number not needed)
Dial # to hear the most recently recorded message.
Rabbi Dovid S. Polter Jewish Community Chaplaincy Program Jewish Senior Life 248-592-5039 • dpolter@jslmi.org
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L’Chaim!
More than half of the residents who live in our JSL communities are considered low income or indigent. Your philanthropic support is essential to maintaining programs and services to help these older adults age with dignity and with a better quality of life. In addition, your gifts could significantly support the shortfall in the cost of pharmacy bills which are so vital to the residents’ wellness. We are so grateful for your generous gifts to Jewish Senior Life.
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Nancy Heinrich, Chief Executive Officer
Kara Powers, Chief Financial Officer
Barbra Giles, Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives
Jo Strausz Rosen, Executive Director, Development
Dianne Azzopardi, Executive Director, Human Resources
Ron Colasanti, Executive Director, Dining Services
Jennifer Staniszewski, Executive Director, Independent Residential Operations
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This newsletter was created by Jo Rosen and Nicole Lupiloff
We’re human, prone to mistakes, so if we erred in our newsletter, please forgive us!
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People of all faiths and beliefs are welcome. | |
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Jewish Senior Life of Metropolitan Detroit
Eugene & Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus
6710 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322
A. Alfred Taubman Jewish Community Campus
15100 W. Ten Mile Road, Oak Park, MI 48237
Donations
248-592-5027
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