Jewish Community News

News: June 2007

Volunteers hold Shabbat at local senior homes

By Michelle Gabriel

    At 83 she adjusted well to her move to an assisted living facility. She had frequent visits from family and friends and participated fully in the craft classes, exercise program, Bingo and Shabbat services offered monthly through Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley’s Chaplain Aide program. Gradually, as she moved to nursing care, her interests waned – Bingo numbers were hard to hear, crafts were difficult for her fingers and exercise classes were too tiring.  All that remained were Shabbat services. Hearing the prayers recited over the candles, grape juice and challah, and singing the songs that were so familiar to her, became her lifeline to the Jewish community in which she had once been so active.

      Like so many outreach services provided by Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley, the Chaplain Aide program touches the lives of the isolated and frail seniors who are in retirement, assisted living and nursing homes. 
       In addition to monthly Shabbat services, Chaplain Aide volunteers provide holiday celebrations that incorporate some of the foods and symbols of each holiday.
    The program, which Avital Agam, JFS social services case manager, credits as having made a huge difference in the lives of many, began over 15 years ago when Murray Kern and his wife, Beatrice, relocated to this area from Florida where they had organized similar Shabbat services. “We decided we should have these services available here,” says Kern. He and his wife (who died three years ago), along with another couple, each visited two facilities once a month. It didn’t take long before the idea took off, more volunteers were added and the number of facilities benefiting from the program increased.
     Kern, now 95, says the purpose of the Chaplain Aide program is to “make sure that the Jewish people living in the various facilities know that the Jewish community hasn’t forgotten them.” Kern continues to do his part by coordinating Jewish gatherings and holiday celebrations at the Terraces of Los Gatos, where he now resides.
   Each Chaplain Aide volunteer has his or her own facility where the room, table, chairs, tablecloth, grape juice and challah is provided. Some volunteers, like Rosalyn and Robert Applebaum, who facilitate the Shabbat service at Saratoga Retirement Community, add their own touch by bringing in Shabbat candles and homemade sweets. Prayer books, adapted for various preferences such as more Hebrew or less, Reform or Conservative and/or additional prayers, are provided by JFSSV.
     The program allows residents to practice Judaism without having to drive or be picked up. “Friday evening services are too late, Saturday morning services are too early and sitting through lengthy services can be difficult,” explains Agam.
   In-house Shabbat services offer the perfect compromise. “If we don’t bring this kind of program to them,” says Agam, “they won’t have it.”
       And the volunteers gain as much as the seniors. “Once volunteers start, they don’t stop,” says Agam. “They develop close relationships with the seniors, frequently staying after services to schmooze.”
    “We’ve been doing this since the facility opened six years ago,” says Rosalyn Applebaum. “It’s a connection for me to my past,” she says pointing to one of the participants. “Bella is 100 years old. She was born in the same shtetl as my father. Bella doesn’t talk much, but when we sing Yiddish songs, she remembers every word and sings with us.”