Shabbat Shalom!

LILLIAN & SAMUEL HECHTMAN II APARTMENTS

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Contact Jackie Rosender

248-444-2430 jrosender@jslmi.org

THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS

by Jo Strausz Rosen

I googled TW3 and hummed along with the theme song from the 1962 TV comedy satire, “That Was the Week That Was”. I was nine years old in 1962 and I still remember the melody. Why is that? As if I don’t have enough 1960’s trivia crammed into my brain. But in recent weeks I've been thinking back to those years in the 60's when conflict and uncertainty at home and abroad were in the news almost daily.

FRIENDS

Wow, what a night!

Lives Well Lived: Wrinkles in Time is in the rearview mirror, but it left a warm afterglow (along with a bunch of leftover cookies.)

But nobody really came for the cookies. They came for the camaraderie, for the entertainment, and for the feel-good evening everyone needed in these challenging times. One attendee said “each moment of the pre-glow was filled with love being spread around the room.” She went on to say, “There were so many hugs and kisses, it will be a miracle if no one gets a cold after last night!”

Good lord, I sure hope we didn’t have the super spreader event of the season!

But more importantly, she said to tell everyone “how much we appreciate them for giving us such dignity as we get older and older.”

And that’s what Lives Well Lived and JSL are all about – warmth, love, fun, outstanding experiences, and dignity for our older adults (and cookies).

In addition to the bon homie of the pre-glow, event highlights included:

Great films – Wendy’s Shabbat, Death Metal Grandma, and Young at Heart, which won an Oscar in 1987, and the intervening three decades have proved it absolutely timeless.

A lovely tribute to Sue Marx by Jack Lessenberry and Bill Haney – Filmmaker, Detroiter and portrayer of older adulthood as a time when life and living continue, albeit at a slightly slower pace.

Recognition of the sponsors who make it possible for JSL to be a place where older adults have access to a wide range of arts, education, and entertainment activities, where people don’t just live, but thrive at any age.

The highlight for me was handing the copies of “Don’t Write Me Off!” to the writers, editors and sponsors, and watching the writers sign each other’s books. This project was a passion project for me and a labor of love for everyone who was involved, and it was the culmination of five months of hard work (and fun!). So it was a complete delight to see people finally get to experience this amazing collection.

Copies of “Don’t Write Me Off!” are available in our boutiques and on our website – they make great holiday gifts!

If you weren’t able to join us, you can get a taste of the evening from the recap on the Lives Well Lived page.

Thank you again to our amazing chair, Hannah Moss, and all of the volunteers who made the book and the event possible, and, of course, to our sponsors:

Publisher

Nancy & Jim Grosfeld

Editor

The Edward I. Fleischman Foundation

Author

Robin & Leo Eisenberg Family

Fritz Enterprises, Inc. & the Fritz Family

Huron Valley Steel Corporation & the Fritz Family

Lisa & Dan Mendelson

Cover Artist

Susie & Bob Bluestein

Fusco, Shaffer & Pappas, Inc., Architects and Planners

Nancy & Dr. Joseph Jacobson

Jerold & Ellen Minkin

Hannah & Dr. Gordon Moss

Anita & Robert Naftaly

Proofreader

Apartment Cabinets & Countertops, Inc.

Beth and Jeff Applebaum

CKC Agency

Shari Cohen

Marvin & Betty Danto Health Care Center

Rochelle and Bill Elson

Susie and Steve Feldman

Drs. Lynda & Conrad Giles

Linda & Jeff Golding

Marla & Neil Gorosh

Nancy & Robert Heinrich

Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network

Synde Keywell

Jackie & Larry Kraft

Renee & Martin Laker

Dottie & Dan Levitsky

David Lubin / MJS Packaging

Eunice Ring

Judy Robins

Joni and Neil Satovsky

Bluma Schechter

Arlene and Rick Selik

Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Ann Torf

Can’t wait ‘till Lives Well Lived 2024!

Lives Well Lived Committee

We are looking to expand the committee for next year, so if you would like to join us in putting on this delightful evening, please give me a call any time at

248-592-5062 or shoot me an email at brobinson@jslmi.org.

Boutique

We have so many new items for the holidays. And we’ll have a special sale going on Friday, November 24, so come check out the selection – in addition to our wonderful women’s apparel and accessories, we have toys for all ages, men’s items, stationary, jewelry, purses, and, of course, copies of “Don’t Write Me Off!”

MARGOT & WARREN COVILLE

ASSISTED LIVING &

MEMORY CARE

Come see the JSL Difference!

ASSISTED LIVING

MEMORY CARE

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Contact Janet Antin

248-967-4240 jantin@jslmi.org

VETERANS DAY CELEBRATIONS

Freedom rings and JSL celebrates! Veterans Day 2023 included featured speakers, festive food, and friends gathering at both Hechtman Apartments and Fleischman Residence Friday, November 10. Both decorated in red, white and blue, with matching patriotic pastry treats, selective guests shared stories and memories.

At Hechtman, Jewish War Veterans of Michigan reps Arnold Gartner and Mark Weiss spoke about the history, goals, and current activities of JWV. They also shared their individual experiences serving in the military while answering residents’ many questions. Following the JWV presentation, popular entertainer Dianne Morgan shared her beautiful voice with us as she sang a selection of patriotic songs and tunes from the “good old days”. Many residents were able to sing along with her, and a great time was had by all. At Fleischman, residents listened to patriotic songs, stories shared by veterans Leslie, Sandy and Dr. Stern, wrote cards to soldiers serving overseas, and solved Veteran’s day-themed crossword puzzles.

WORLD KINDNESS DAY

On November 13th, Fleischman residents celebrated World Kindness Day, sharing kind words and appreciation for one another. Residents made and wrote cards filled with gratitude to our staff, volunteers, and families. Messages of hope, inspiration and love were shared with many. Stories of acts of kindness were shared by residents and everyone left the celebration feeling uplifted, inspired and appreciated.

WEEKLY RECIPE

Roll With It - Kosher Style

A Thanksgiving favorite, kosher style -- who doesn't enjoy soft, warm garlic rolls with dinner? Easy, puffy, pareve and positively delicious.

CLICK HERE

WORKOUT OF

THE WEEK

Simply Stretching

A relaxing, but effective video of stretches, with emphasis on breathing and posture techniques as well.

FRIDAY FUNNY

"I tried to recoup five months of Vitamin D in one 52-degree day."

A 'NO KIDDING' NOVEMBER FUN FACT

Humans have been performing dentistry since 7000 B.C., which makes dentists one of the oldest professions.

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SHABBAT SHALOM

Rabbi Dovid S. Polter, Community Chaplain

The Sportscaster and the Rabbi

Special Edition

Editor's Note: Mrs. Smilovitz z'l passed away prior to the publishing of this article. May her memory be a blessing.

The call came on a random Sunday morning. "Rabbi Polter, hi, my name is Donna Smilovitz. I received your phone number from the local private school. My husband and I recently moved to Michigan from New York and we're looking for a Rabbi to tutor our sons."

The name Smilovitz rang no bells for me, but Mrs. Smilovitz quickly amended that. "Bernie Smilowitz, the famous sportscaster, is my husband. We're not a religious family but with two bar mitzvahs coming up we want to provide our children with a connection to their spiritual heritage."

To me, sports is an exercise for the body and wonderful recreation. Torah learning, however, is our bread and butter as Jews. I was eager to share some of what I knew with the Smilovitz family to help them all prepare for their boys' big days.

Three days later, a smiling Mrs. Smilovitz introduced me to her boys. “Z is going to be bar mitzvah in less than a year so we'd like to start him on bar mitzvah lessons right away," she said.

What followed that initial meeting was weekly tutoring sessions spanning the course of ten months. My visit to the famous sportscaster's home became one of the focal points of my week and though I was wholly focused on preparing Z for his bar mitzvah, I slowly got to know his younger brother, J and his parents as well. It was clear that physically the Smilovitz’s lacked for nothing, but spiritually I was happy to provide them with a taste of what a true connection with G-d meant.

Over the course of our sessions, Z's Big Day drew near, and I knew that the Smilovitz's had a huge event in their reform Temple planned.

"How about also having a smaller party in the privacy of your home where Z can celebrate his tefillin donning in addition to his "coming of age,” I suggested to the Smilovitz’s about a month before Z's big day.

The Smilovitz's liked my idea, and a smaller bash was planned for Z's donning of his tefillin. I couldn't help but reap joy as I watched Z wrap his tefillin straps around his arm and then mill around with the men as cake and wine were distributed.

The ceremony ended and it was time for me to present Z with a bar mitzvah gift.

I reached into my bag and handed Z a box. A leather yarmulkah (kippa) with Z's Hebrew name embroidered upon it lay nestled inside. To me, that yarmulkah seemed like the symbol of who Z was and what our time together had truly been all about.

Z thanked me for his gift and the bar mitzvah ended. Z graduated from seventh grade and from my private tutoring sessions and I moved on to teaching his younger brother, J.

A year of bar mitzvah lessons following a pattern similar to that of Z's lessons a year earlier ensued. As J's Bar Mitzvah neared, the Smilovitz’s prepared for a Big Bash at the temple while I asked them to arrange a smaller "tefillin donning party.” As the donning of his tefillin drew to an end, I bestowed J with an embroidered leather yarmulkah just one shade lighter than that of his older brother's.

Years passed. The Smilovitz’s remained on my list of families to visit before the holidays and to share inspiration. I was usually invited inside for my visits and there I received a close-up view of the leather yarmulkahs on the family's' glass breakfront.

Those yarmulkahs took a very long vacation on that breakfront.

And then Z got married. And J followed suit. I wasn't invited to their weddings, and I have no idea whom they married, but there was a call that I received after each wedding from Mrs. Smilovitz. "Rabbi Polter," she said. "I just wanted to let you know that my son wore your bar mitzvah yarmulkah down to his chuppah (wedding ceremony) last night."

Those yarmulkahs were "out of order" for so many years. But when the right moment came and the soul was the proper receptacle for them, they were brushed right off in order to adorn their owners' heads like kings. Or true champions.

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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Shabbat Shalom