Weekly News & Updates
Caring for Older Adults Since 1907
MARGOT & WARREN COVILLE ASSISTED LIVING & MEMORY CARE
Come see the JSL Difference!
Contact Janet Antin
248-967-4240 jantin@jslmi.org
CARDIO DRUMMING
Get with the beat and Cardio Drumming. This week, Coville Apartments residents enjoyed this stimulating activity that is 50% music and 50% exercise. They had 100% fun. Pictured from left to right: Selma Goode, 98; Rose Dendel, 91, and Marvin Delidow, 89. 
HOW WE HEAL
By Jo Strausz Rosen
In the 4th installment in a series on trauma, Dr. Betsy Stone reveals and acknowledges our own connections to trauma. We ask ourselves; how can we support others and at the same time support ourselves? We try to listen without judgment, but we experience other people’s traumatic confessions, and these become our own vicarious trauma. 
GOOD TIMES
Sheba Zietchick lives at Meer Apartments and donated to provide Shabbos flowers for the tables in the Meer dining room. Marcia Mittleman said, “We appreciate all of our residents and family members who sponsor activities.” Rene Lieberman’s family is sponsoring a Havdalah service this Saturday night in memory of her late husband Dave. Son-in-law, Rabbi Lee Buckman, brought the entire family in from Israel for the occasion and they assembled packages of individually wrapped goodies for the residents. Shabbat Shalom
NEW VOLUNTEER POSITION AVAILABLE!
Jewish Senior Life provides 2 FABULOUS clothing boutiques on our West Bloomfield Campus.

Are you a BOSS who loves retail therapy? Interested in a fashion forward volunteer opportunity? JSL is looking for someone to oversee two boutiques. Responsibilities include:
  • Merchandising
  • Inventory
  • Buying and Pricing
  • Training Staff

Interested? Contact Leslie Katz at lkatz@jslmi.org or 248-592-5062 to get started
EIGHT OVER EIGHTY
Shirley Benyas, 94, resides at JSL Meer Apartments, and is one of our very special Eight Over Eighty honorees. Born in Detroit, Shirley lived in the 12th Street and Pingree area. Raised near other immigrants in the city, she was very comfortable in her neighborhood. 

Shirley began taking violin lessons at the age of 8 (perhaps a portend of future honoree status?) through age 14. In the afternoons, she attended Yiddish Shul with Moisha Har and continued studying Yiddish through her first year in college. Her bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in music were used to teach music in the public schools for 31 years. She was also the soprano soloist at Temple Israel. Shirley performed around the country always accompanied by her loving husband, Detroit photographer, Bob Benyas z’l”.

She may be most famous for the many popular films she starred in including Smooch, (Shirley’s favorite) A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas (Oy), The Funeral Guest and ZebraHead.

Shirley’s 2 sons, their wives and 4 grandchildren are her passion. We’re not going to tell you everything, but we want you to know just how much she means to us at JSL. You’ll have to stay tuned for our Annual Eight Over Eighty event on May 22 at Noon!

Your sponsorships and donations to this annual event provide important food subsidies, programs and entertainment for our residents at JSL. Thanks in advance for your support! Invitations will be sent in April.
OLDEST JEWISH AMERICANS CELEBRATION 2022
Know someone 95 years or older in 2022? We will honor them safely at home during the 20th Annual Oldest Jewish Americans Celebration on May 27th, 2022!

Fill out form online or download at jslmi.org/oab

Invitations will be mailed in April.

For more info, contact Leslie Katz
Email: lkatz@jslmi.org
Phone: 248-592-5062
Fax: 248-661-1628
LILLIAN & SAMUEL HECHTMAN II APARTMENTS
1st & 4th full month FREE if lease is effective by 3/31/22
Contact Jackie Rosender
248-444-2430 jrosender@jslmi.org
TWO YEARS
This letter from our JSL CEO, Nancy Heinrich, to all staff, warms our hearts and reminds us how far we have come.

Dear JSL Team Members:
 
Exactly two years ago today, the first COVID-19 cases were reported in the State of Michigan. The next morning, we enacted our COVID Plan and immediately shut down communal dining and activities. Dining Services leapt into action and started delivering meals to our residents’ apartments. Creative activity planning began that brought engagement to our isolated residents. Sanitization protocols were begun. The Governor’s first Emergency directive was set to expire less than a month later. Little did we know that we would still be responding to CDC and MDHHS orders TWO YEARS ON!
 
Looking back, we have all suffered losses – lost beloved residents, family members and good times with friends and family.  But overwhelmingly, I could not be prouder of our collective efforts to keep our residents and each other safe and healthy.  While we may not be completely out of the woods yet, or ever, it seems we are entering into a phase where we will all have to learn to live with this disease in our community – like we do with the Flu. Unfortunately, this is not to say that we can let our guard down – this virus can have devastating effects, particularly for those of us who have elected not to get vaccinated, or who are immunocompromised. But, as I sit in my office with the sun shining in – I am hopeful for the return of Spring, warmer weather, more joy and connection, for all of us.
 
Our challenge now is to rebuild our communities and the spirit of connection we foster. As we go about our daily work, I appeal to each of you to ask yourselves – how can I make the community I work in more welcoming, more joyful, more fun, more home-like, cleaner and safer? How many residents can I smile with, share a joke with, connect with?  How many co-workers can I help out, care about, show respect to? 
 
As we look forward to the first day of Spring (only 11 days away!) – I am thinking of all of you that make up the incredible team that makes a difference in the lives of the older adults we serve every day. I truly thank you for the work you do.
AID RESOURCES
Join JDC this Sunday, March 13 at 8pm ET for Tsuzamen: Singing Together with the Jews of Ukraine. Hosted by renowned broadcast journalist Budd Mishkin, this virtual concert will benefit JDC’s humanitarian aid to Jews remaining in Ukraine and the thousands of refugees who have fled to neighboring countries and for whom we are now caring. 
The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit Rescue and Relief Efforts
THIS WEEK'S RECIPE
Easy Savory Goat Cheese and Spinach Hamantaschen

Ingredients
Dough
15 mini tart shells
1 egg, beaten

Filling
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (or feta or ricotta)
60 grams (a bit more than 2 ounces) Frozen spinach, defrosted and liquid squeezed out
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped Kalamata Olives
3 tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes

Glaze
Balsamic Glaze, for drizzling

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Mix together cheese, spinach, basil, olives and sundried tomatoes.
3) Remove tart shells from foil. Place about two teaspoons of cheese mixture into each tart shell and fold to form hamantaschen, closing tightly.
4) Brush with egg. Bake for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven.
5) The hamantaschen are pictured here with Balsamic Glaze, but are delicious plain as well.

This recipe is from kosher.com
FRIDAY FUNNY
HOME WORKOUT
This chair aerobics workout is a great low impact seated exercise for anyone with limited mobility or if you want to try something a little different.
COMMUNITY SURVEY
Thank you for taking the survey below to help us learn what you are seeking in an older adult community. 
FOLLOW US!
SHABBAT SHALOM
Excerpt from Purim Paparazzi by Israel Rubin             
Chabad.org

Purim represents the promise of Jewish perseverance under pressure and persecution. Although it transpired in Persia approximately 2,300 years ago, Purim is not an ancient anachronism, but part and parcel of the present. As the Baal Shem Tov paraphrased the words of our sages: “One who reads the megillah backwards has not fulfilled his obligation,” for Purim is as current and contemporary as today’s newspaper.

Purim is pervaded by divine providence, as the megillah is prefaced with the royal parties and profaning of the pure priestly vessels, the priceless perfumes, then progressing to Mordechai’s premonition of peril, and the evil oppression and persecution perpetrated by Persia’s prejudiced premier, Haman. Esther and the Jews prepare to preempt Haman’s evil plot, while Mordechai is promoted to prominence, protected by purple and imperial paraphernalia. Purim’s profound principles may appear to be compromised by the peripheral pranks, silly improvises, superficial pretenses, parodies, and parades. Yet paradoxically, scriptural interpretation compares Purim to Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year!

Purim pertains to each one of us. It speaks to every person of every profile and persuasion, from the lowest to the uppermost; from a protesting preppie to a presiding provost; from the poorest, perspiring paparazzi to the prim & proper president of Purdue U., or the paradigm of any other prosperous corporation.

I will stop right now and leave my impressive PR portfolio to the professionals. For a simple paparazzo like myself, this is enough, period. May the inspiration of Purim purimeate our whole year!

Rather than preach Purim principles in the abstract, we should be particular and specific, for proverbially, practice makes perfect. So here is a paragraph on Purim’s five important precepts:
1) The Megillah parchment is proclaimed on Purim day, and the preceding night.
2) We send our friends and peers, by proxy, a pair of provisions: hamantashen (poppy or prune), Perrier, Pringles, Peroggi, pears, apricots, peppermint candy, or other appropriate food portions, whether or not they have that persistent PR pronunciation, as long as they are edible.
3) It is imperative that we open our purse and provide to the deprived on Poorim. We should proffer a coin (a least a quarter) each, to two poor persons. It is your prerogative how much to give, but the more the merrier. If you can’t personally locate poor persons, participate by placing the proceeds into a pushka (charity can).
4) On Purim we partake of a party and pour a toast and l’chaim.
5) We say the appropriate prayers, express appreciation and sing G‑d’s praises.

Happy Purim!
Enjoy some inspiration - Shabbat Shalom by Phone
Dial Toll free: 605-313-4107 Access code: 270368#
(Reference number not needed)
Dial # to hear the most recent recorded message.
Rabbi Dovid S. Polter Jewish Community Chaplaincy Program Jewish Senior Life
248-592-5039 • dpolter@jslmi.org
Purim begins the evening of March 16
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Not subscribed? Sign up today for uplifting news every Friday!
Shabbat Shalom
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
This newsletter was created by Jo Rosen and Amanda Martlock

We’re human, prone to mistakes, so if we erred in our newsletter, please forgive us!
People of all faiths and beliefs are welcome.
Share This Newsletter