President’s Message
by Rebecca A. Gold
I feel like I’m still 29 – in my mind! There are many physical and emotional signs that I am aging, but I am still amazed that I’m as old as I am! Recently, I was marveling at my friends in their 80s and 90s who are vibrant and active in comparison to the many older adults who need help, companionship, and special care. It is core to our Jewish values and Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest’s mission to attend to and give dignity to the most vulnerable amongst us. Through our agencies and partnerships, Federation cares for our people from cradle to grave.
I used to visit my Grandma Yetta of blessed memory (GiGi to my then-young boys) at the Somerset Jewish Home for the Aged. Jamie, then eight, and Jonathan, four years old, didn’t always jump at the chance to go, but they were obedient (sometimes) and joined me on these visits. I usually bribed them with a pancake breakfast and turns in GiGi’s electric chair that stood her up from a sitting position. To them, the chair was an imaginary and fantastic transporter. My boys were always happy once we arrived, and they put a smile on everyone’s face. My grandmother adored seeing them and I’m certain that looking forward to their visits is what kept her going.
Not everyone is so fortunate as to live in a comfortable and compassionate home with visits from loving family, but our Federation does a wonderful job funding programs that serve older adults who need attention, activities, and care – everything from Meals on Wheels (10,000 a year!) to Café Europa, a special social group for Holocaust survivors. Through programs too numerous to mention, we strive to enhance the lives of a broad spectrum of seniors, living on their own as well as in nursing homes. What impresses me most are our professionals and volunteers, locally and overseas, who provide these programs and services. They are nothing short of remarkable. It takes a special kind of neshama (soul) to care for this population, especially seniors at risk. It is so important to give seniors dignity and a sense of community; I feel this is vital to the quality and length of their lives.
There are numerous volunteer opportunities to help seniors in the Greater MetroWest community and beyond. Some of my own experiences include participating in a Kabbalat Shabbat at Jewish Federation Plaza housing in West Orange and meeting a man in his 90s who was a partisan in Poland during WWII. Singing with residents, serving them challah and wine, and hearing their life stories was so touching. Another highlight was braiding challah with participants of Café Europa and getting to know this community of Survivors – such brave and wonderful people with so much to offer. The Café Europa visit was one of the Volunteer Boot Camps organized by our Federation’s Center for Volunteerism. Another Boot Camp enlisted us to make salads and sandwiches along with teens and elderly women. We just enjoyed each other’s company while getting the job done.
If you are interested in performing a special and much-needed mitzvah, consider volunteering for the senior programs at our JCCs in Scotch Plains and West Orange or at one of our senior homes: the Lester Senior Housing Community in Whippany, Daughters of Israel, or the Jewish Federation Plaza in West Orange. I’m a big believer in “what goes around, comes around.” While I am young at heart, one thing is certain: it may be me in 30 or 40 years who needs a program to keep me going, a visitor or a meal brought to my door. I support our Federation with the hope that Federation will be here tomorrow, next year, and for decades to come. Thank you so much for doing the same – you make a world of difference!
Wishing you a very happy Hanukah and a wonderful 2017!
Kulanu B’yachad – All of Us Together,
Rebecca