Los Angeles Jewish Home

Jewish Home resident Ernie Braunstein, age 91, was born in Germany. Many of his childhood memories include his cousin, Lilly. During World War II, Ernie was sent to a labor camp before being moved to a concentration camp. In 1945 when World War II ended, Ernie began to search for Lilly. He found her in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, which had been liberated by the British. The two would then go their separate ways: Lilly to Israel, where she still lives today, and Ernie to Los Angeles, where his brother lived. They would each go on to marry, have children, and live meaningful lives. The cousins saw each other several times over the years. The last visit was when Lilly flew to the US for the joyous occasion of the bar mitzvah of Ernie's grandson. Since then, Ernie had been hoping they would be able to see each other again.

Enter Wish of a Lifetime (WOL), a non-profit organization that grants wishes for senior citizens. Elderly men and women often have something in their life they have always wanted to do or see, but for many different reasons they are unable to live out those dreams. The WOL foundation wish fulfillment program aims to change that by creating opportunities to ensure each of these very special wishes can come true.

Ernie's daughter, Gilda Evans, learned about WOL and contacted them with her father's wish: to see his cousin Lilly again. The organization was very receptive and initially offered to make his wish come true by bringing Lilly to Los Angeles. It turned out that Ernie's wish was the 1,000th to be granted.

When Ernie learned Lilly was unable to travel, he was heartbroken; WOL was undaunted. Instead, they offered to fly Ernie and Gilda to Israel via El Al to reunite with Lilly. "El Al knew I was coming," exclaims Ernie. "There was a photographer there at the airport, waiting to take my picture." Once on board, the special treatment continued. "The flight attendants couldn't do enough for me," says Ernie. "Every two hours they got me up to take a walk on the plane." Upon arrival, they were once again greeted with photographers as well as a TV crew. Ernie, now with Lilly by his side, was interviewed by a Russian station. That night, the family watched the interview together on TV.

During Ernie's time in Israel, WOL made sure he had everything he needed: a beautiful hotel (two doors down from Lilly's home), wonderful meals, a tour of Jerusalem, a trip to Tel Aviv. One night Ernie, Gilda and Lilly were dinner guests at the home of the mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat. Many meals were shared at Lilly's home so she could make Ernie all of his favorite foods. The two spent hours catching up and sharing family stories and memories.

When the family visited the Western Wall, a kind stranger offered to take Ernie to the men's section. He got a chair for Ernie so he could sit and be comfortable. People were handing their kvitels (prayers or requests written on small pieces of paper) to Ernie to place in the Wall. "This gentleman took one of my kvitels and placed it high up on the Wall, closer to God," Ernie recalls. (It turns out this kind stranger is a makeup artist in Hollywood, and put Gilda in touch with someone at the Jerusalem Post. The reporter wrote a wonderful article about WOL and Ernie's visit.) Another stranger was praying and took Ernie's hand to pray with him. On his way out, Ernie stopped to give charity to a rabbi.

Sooner than anyone could believe, it was time for Ernie and Gilda to return home. "I've been to Israel a few times, but I can't explain this trip," says Ernie. "To see my cousin again was my greatest wish. And to see what was once a desert is now a beautiful town…it's amazing! I can't express the feeling!"

Shortly after his return, Ernie received a call from WOL inviting him to speak at their annual gala in Denver. Once again, Ernie and Gilda were jetting away, this time to share their story with people who had helped make Ernie's wish come true. "Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for letting me have my wish come true," Ernie said to the crowd. "In my religion, when we have a special occasion we tell each other you should live to be 120. I wish you health, I wish you wealth, and I wish you live to 120." Afterwards people were lining up to take a photo with Ernie, and ladies of all ages were filling up his dance card.

In Ernie's words, "It was an amazing experience."

He has shared his Survivor story with many and currently leads the Home's Survivor Group at Eisenberg Village. Mazal tov to Ernie on the granting of his wish of a lifetime…a wonderful gift for a true mensch.

With summer already here, Associates-IMC, the premier women's support group of the Jewish Home, has been busily planning for its 85th Tree of Life Luncheon to be held on Tuesday, August 18, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Two exceptional individuals, whose commitment to the Home and Jewish community is unparalleled, will be honored: Diane Miller will receive the Zelda White "Woman of the Year" Achievement Award, and Rick Bender will be recognized with this year's Humanitarian Award.

As a prelude to the August fundraiser, a beautiful afternoon reception was recently held at the home of Earl Greinetz, one of the organization's fundraising vice presidents. Board members and friends had an opportunity to congratulate each of the honorees. After Florence Gorlin, luncheon chair, welcomed everyone and thanked the honorees for their dedication, she shared the many reasons why Diane and Rick are so deserving of their honors.

At the Jewish Home, Diane has served as president of The Associates and founded Operation Friendship, the group's foremost resident-involved program. She currently serves as Parliamentarian of the board of directors of Associates-IMC. Diane also chairs the organization's Author's Day program and the annual Installation Luncheon.

Rick has served on the board of directors of the Home since 1978 and currently serves as vice-chair of the Home's budget & finance committee. He has also served as president of The Guardians, another long-standing support group of the Jewish Home. In addition, Rick was instrumental in the formation of the Home's Marilyn & Monty Hall Statesman's Society.

The Tree of Life Luncheon will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a multi-vendor boutique and Opportunity Drawing. At noon, the doors of the Beverly Hills Ballroom will open, and guests will be invited to take their seats in the stunningly decorated venue. Following a welcome by president Madeleine Rosenberg and a Jewish Home update from CEO-President Molly Forrest, lunch will be served. Entertainment will be performed by pianist and vocalist Larry Lederman.

Honorary chairs of the event include Rabbi Ed Feinstein, Marion Goldenfeld, Sandy and Bill Goodglick, Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer & Mel Keefer, Evy Lutin, Malkah Schulweis, Edna Weiss, Drs. Hannah and Robert Wexler, and Rabbi David Wolpe.

Event chairs for the luncheon are Terri Bloomgarden, Joy Brook, Roberta Delevie, Earl Greinetz, Claire Kunin, Linda Matloff, Nancy Salka, Melinda Seltzer, Sandra Stackler, and Gloria Stoddard.

By attending the Tree of Life Luncheon and/or purchasing a tribute journal ad or sponsorship opportunity, you will be sustaining the thousands of seniors the Home serves each year through its extraordinary continuum of care.

Associates-IMC extends its gratitude to Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer and Mel Keefer for underwriting this year's luncheon.

We welcome your support and hope you will contact the Associates-IMC office at 818-774-3375 orDebbie.Fishel@jha.org for additional information.

Over the years, healthcare professionals, especially those who work in end-of-life care, have tried a variety of therapies to help people cope with the reality of their death. Dr. Harvey Chochinov, a psychiatrist at the University of Manitoba, did extensive studies to determine what troubled people most about dying. The answer he found: the idea that they would cease to exist after their death. To address this fear, Dr. Chochinov created Dignity Therapy, an opportunity for the dying to assert themselves by telling the story of their life.

Dr. Chochinov compiled a list of questions designed to help the person focus on the story they wanted to tell, such as:

After the interview, a document would be presented to the family; in some cases, an audio transcription would be recorded. Their loved one's words would live on forever.

At the Jewish Home's Skirball Hospice, a similar program began in 2014. Led by volunteer coordinator Lee Rothman, M. Ed., M.A., Skirball Hospice offers their patients the opportunity to create a life review video. Using Dr. Chochinov's questions as a guide, the patient is filmed talking about their life experience and sharing their most precious thoughts. "We find the questions are helpful for most people," explains Lee. "For others, they have a particular story they want to tell."

Family members are encouraged to share photos that can be incorporated into the video. The final version is copied to a DVD and/or thumb drive and given to the family.

On her 93rd birthday, Anne Stern (of blessed memory) shared her life story on video. In preparation for filming, her daughter, Joan, went through a lifetime of photos with Anne. "We looked though the photos and talked about the people in them and the events taking place" says Joan. "My husband and I watched the video at my mother's bedside during her last days. Though she wasn't awake, I feel as if she may have been listening." Since then, Joan has shared the video with family and close friends. "The video is a priceless gift of memories to cherish always, and also gave me more insight into my mother's experiences and how they shaped her. I am so grateful to Skirball Hospice for making this opportunity possible."

"With each family we are learning more about what is meaningful at the end of life and how the process can help families grow closer and potentially heal old wounds before their loved one dies," says Lee. "Each video is unique to the person telling their story."

According to Dr. Ira Byock, a pioneer in the field of palliative medicine and hospice care in the United States, we can view the time at the end of life as a developmental stage, such as adolescence or mid-life. According to Dr. Byock, "This developmental crisis, this notion that life is coming to an end, has lots of capacity for suffering, but there is obviously a capacity to grow from this experience, too." Lee would like to think "the life review video project gives the patient and their family a chance to grow and heal until the end of life."

The life review video team is made up of a staff member (spiritual counselor, social worker or volunteer) who is close to the patient, a volunteer videographer and volunteer film editor. "We greatly appreciate our volunteers for playing such a big part in making this special memory possible," says Lee.

For more information about volunteering with Skirball Hospice or the life review video program, please contact Lee Rothman, volunteer coordinator, at Lee.Rothman@jha.org or (818) 774-3040.

On Tuesday, June 2nd, over 100 members of Eisenberg Village's Shayna Punim chapter of the Red Hat Society assembled in Bagno Park for a barbecue. The annual event, sponsored by Gerrie Wormser and John N. Levi, Jr., was the largest gathering of the Home's Red Hat Society chapter on record.

Please click here to view photos from the 2015 Red Hat Society Barbecue.