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Los Angeles Jewish Home's Blog
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Chanukah Video Success!
It was.
We'd like to thank all the folks who helped spread our Chanukah video around. Whether you posted it as a Facebook status, on your Twitter feed, emailed it to your friends and family, or simply clicked the thumbs up button on the YouTube page, we appreciate it.
We'd also like to give a quick hat tip to all the bloggers who posted the video to their sites!
From Jewish Humor Central:
Today's entry demonstrates you don't have to be a schoolboy, a teenager, or a college student to participate in a funny video about Chanukah. This video stars a collection of seniors at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, all joining in to create a collective version of the song Chanukah, Oh Chanukah.
Our favorite line: "Sevivon? Now we're French?" Listen for it. Enjoy!
Our favorite line: "Sevivon? Now we're French?" Listen for it. Enjoy!
From Shades of Grey:
If you're in the mood for a bunch of bubbes and zaides have a fun time singing/celebrating Chanukah, check out the rather funny video by The LA Jewish Home called "Happy Chanukah From the Jewish Home!"
From the Jewish Women's Archive blog Jewesses with Attitude:
Who doesn't like old Jewish folks? We join the Jewish community in "awws" over the LA Jewish Home's endearing Chanuka Hanukkah Chanukah video.
From the Interfaith Family Network Blog:
How do you spell the name of this holiday in English? And what's the deal with latkes? From the senior citizens at the Los Angeles Jewish Home, some of the more pressing questions of the season:
And let's not forget the blogs Life in Israel, Jacob Richman's blog, and The Daily Rabbi.
A massive thank you to all who shared our video! We hope you enjoyed it, and hope all who have yet to see it laugh just as hard as we did.
Labels: Blog, Chanukah, Cross Post, Daily Rabbi, Funny, Hanukkah, Interfaith Family Network, Jacob Richman, Jewish Humor Central, Jewish Women's Archive, Life in Israel, Shades of Grey, Song, Staff, YouTube
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Letter from the Rabbi – Blessings of Aging
One of my classes is called “Conversation with the Rabbi”, and the conversation last week was real and fascinating. Everyone knows the disadvantages of aging: the loss of mobility and other restrictions, the aches and pains, the fact that one is no longer looking forward to a long life of dreams and possibilities, and, in many cases, the lingering loneliness after the death of a husband or wife. But I wanted to know the other side of the coin. I asked each resident present to tell me if there were any advantages to old age. (It’s natural I should want to know, as that stage of my life gets ever closer!)
I expected to get laughed at. But instead, almost every resident in the class was able to talk about some of the blessings of being older. Some talked of being wiser. Others spoke of the joy of watching their families – their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren – and that this time of life was filled with the love they could give to their families, and the love they received from them. With less responsibility now, there was greater time and freedom just for the good things. Another theme emerged, too. There was time and opportunity to reach out and help others here at the Home. Many talked of living in the Jewish Home as a blessing: they received so much, and could also give so much.
None of these residents was being starry-eyed. None pretended that old age was just paradise, without real disadvantages. One woman said: there are good things about being older, but there are more bad things. But even she was happy to tell me about the blessings in her life.
Let me tell you about one of the Torah stories we read this month. The Israelites, on their journey towards the Promised Land, passed through a country whose king was so frightened of them that he called on Balaam, a foreign prophet, to come and curse them. But God made sure that all the words that came out of Balaam’s mouth were not words of curse, but instead words of blessing, telling of the Israelites’ future success.
Just as God turned curse into blessing, we too have the ability – if only we are willing – to turn curse into blessing. I often talk of recognizing God’s blessing in the events of our life – even seemingly negative events. This is not something magical, like kidding ourselves that dark is really light. But we do have greater power over our lives than we often think. Many years ago I was asked, how does one become blessed? I answered that if we feel blessed, then we are blessed. Changing our attitude towards life can actually change the way we experience life. That is the way we turn curse into blessing.
A resident who has recently changed location within the Home has been finding it so painful leaving behind familiar people – both residents and staff – that she can’t enjoy life where she is now. I know this can be painful, but I have also been suggesting to her that each day she try to find one good thing about her new surroundings, one little blessing. She tells me she is still finding it difficult, but I believe she is beginning to experience good, to find blessing in her new life.
Another resident can’t throw off a great weakness, and is wondering whether she is coming close to the end of her life. She says she feels this as failure, but I have been encouraging her to look at what a positive life she has led and how she has all her faculties – and her sense of humor – in her late nineties. I hope she can come to see her life as a blessing, even now, as that life may possibly be moving towards its end – an end that is of course an inevitable part of all our lives.
In the story, Balaam’s lips wanted to speak negative things, just like so many of us want to speak or think of the negative in our lives. Perhaps we can let God help us to change those words on our lips into positive recognition of our blessings. Let’s speak those words of blessing out loud, just as Balaam did. Each morning we could thank God out loud – for another day of life, or for the prospect of sitting out in the sun, or for some other blessing, such as family, or friends, or a favorite nurse, or indeed the blessing of the Home itself.
I expected to get laughed at. But instead, almost every resident in the class was able to talk about some of the blessings of being older. Some talked of being wiser. Others spoke of the joy of watching their families – their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren – and that this time of life was filled with the love they could give to their families, and the love they received from them. With less responsibility now, there was greater time and freedom just for the good things. Another theme emerged, too. There was time and opportunity to reach out and help others here at the Home. Many talked of living in the Jewish Home as a blessing: they received so much, and could also give so much.
None of these residents was being starry-eyed. None pretended that old age was just paradise, without real disadvantages. One woman said: there are good things about being older, but there are more bad things. But even she was happy to tell me about the blessings in her life.
Let me tell you about one of the Torah stories we read this month. The Israelites, on their journey towards the Promised Land, passed through a country whose king was so frightened of them that he called on Balaam, a foreign prophet, to come and curse them. But God made sure that all the words that came out of Balaam’s mouth were not words of curse, but instead words of blessing, telling of the Israelites’ future success.
Just as God turned curse into blessing, we too have the ability – if only we are willing – to turn curse into blessing. I often talk of recognizing God’s blessing in the events of our life – even seemingly negative events. This is not something magical, like kidding ourselves that dark is really light. But we do have greater power over our lives than we often think. Many years ago I was asked, how does one become blessed? I answered that if we feel blessed, then we are blessed. Changing our attitude towards life can actually change the way we experience life. That is the way we turn curse into blessing.
A resident who has recently changed location within the Home has been finding it so painful leaving behind familiar people – both residents and staff – that she can’t enjoy life where she is now. I know this can be painful, but I have also been suggesting to her that each day she try to find one good thing about her new surroundings, one little blessing. She tells me she is still finding it difficult, but I believe she is beginning to experience good, to find blessing in her new life.
Another resident can’t throw off a great weakness, and is wondering whether she is coming close to the end of her life. She says she feels this as failure, but I have been encouraging her to look at what a positive life she has led and how she has all her faculties – and her sense of humor – in her late nineties. I hope she can come to see her life as a blessing, even now, as that life may possibly be moving towards its end – an end that is of course an inevitable part of all our lives.
In the story, Balaam’s lips wanted to speak negative things, just like so many of us want to speak or think of the negative in our lives. Perhaps we can let God help us to change those words on our lips into positive recognition of our blessings. Let’s speak those words of blessing out loud, just as Balaam did. Each morning we could thank God out loud – for another day of life, or for the prospect of sitting out in the sun, or for some other blessing, such as family, or friends, or a favorite nurse, or indeed the blessing of the Home itself.
Rabbi Anthony Elman serves as Rabbi of the Jewish Home's Grancell Village Campus. His professional background is multifaceted, encompassing the fields of law, social work, and psychotherapy. Rabbi Elman has been with the Home since his ordination and graduation from the Academy for Jewish Religion-California in May 2007
Labels: Aging, Around the Home, Blessings, Blog, Conversation with the Rabbi, Elman, Family, For the Spirit, Israelites, Judaism, Letter from the Rabbi, Seniors, Transition
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Reaching Out
We just came across an interesting blog.
Coincidentally, the Jewish Home is reaching out and offering our expertise in senior care to the broader community. Perhaps you read our eNews update introducing our four-event Community Education Series.
Just like Heritage Pointe in New Jersey, we recognized that many in Los Angeles want information regarding the best options available for aging loved ones. To better serve that need, the Jewish Home is hosting seminars on the various aspects and options surrounding aging and eldercare.
They are all free of charge.
The second event in our series is coming up the Tuesday after Memorial Day. It will cover common physical and cognitive issues associated with aging, how to recognize when help is needed, and the community resources available to you. The event features two experts in geriatric medicine, Dr. Edward Schneider and Dr. Esiquio Casillas. If you or a loved one are interested in issues regarding aging and care options, this is an hour you won't want to miss.
For more information on the Jewish Home's Community Education Series, click here or on the picture of the event postcard.
In Long Term Living, executive editor Sandra Hoban wrote about how an assisted living facility in New Jersey was reaching out to the "Sandwich Generation" (aka Baby Boomers), educating them on the options they have to help their aging parents.
This past April, Heritage Pointe of Teaneck in New Jersey, extended its hand to support and show these caretakers how to access services, select an appropriate long-term care setting and help their parents transition to new caregivers, services, technologies and environments. Saundra Pomerantz, CALA, Heritage Pointe’s Director of Communications, joined by realtor Maria, and geriatric psychoanalyst Mosse Burns, LCSW, MSW, met with 10 adult children of aging parents to address their problems and educate them on the options available for providing for their parents.
Coincidentally, the Jewish Home is reaching out and offering our expertise in senior care to the broader community. Perhaps you read our eNews update introducing our four-event Community Education Series.
Just like Heritage Pointe in New Jersey, we recognized that many in Los Angeles want information regarding the best options available for aging loved ones. To better serve that need, the Jewish Home is hosting seminars on the various aspects and options surrounding aging and eldercare.They are all free of charge.
The second event in our series is coming up the Tuesday after Memorial Day. It will cover common physical and cognitive issues associated with aging, how to recognize when help is needed, and the community resources available to you. The event features two experts in geriatric medicine, Dr. Edward Schneider and Dr. Esiquio Casillas. If you or a loved one are interested in issues regarding aging and care options, this is an hour you won't want to miss.
For more information on the Jewish Home's Community Education Series, click here or on the picture of the event postcard.
Labels: Aging, Assisted Living, Baby Boomers, Blog, Community, Cross Post, Education, Long Term Living, Sandwich Generation, Seniors, Series, Staff
Monday, April 25, 2011
USC Grad Student Covers 99th Annual Passover Seder
In 2011, Passover continues to have special meaning for the Home. Last week, for the 99th year in a row, we celebrated Passover. On the second night, we opened our home to residents, families, and anyone around the community for our traditional Los Angeles Community Seder. Word of this special Seder spread far enough so that USC graduate student Benjamin Gottlieb decided to cover the event in the USC Annenberg School of Communications blog, Neon Tommy.
Check out the video report he made!
Also, take a look the photo album by Andy Holzman of our Community Seder on the Daily News website!
We'd like to extend a huge thank you to Benjamin for stopping by and producing some great footage, to the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism for including our tradition on their school's blog, and to Rabbi Rita Hertzberg for leading an amazing Seder.
Labels: Andy Holzman, Annenberg, Benjamin Gottlieb, Blog, Community, Cross Post, Daily News, Hertzberg, Media, Neon Tommy, Passover, Pesach, Photos, Report, Seder, Seniors, USC, Video, Vimeo