Love... Jewish Pavilion Style

For many people,  it is hard to imagine celebrating Hanukkah for eight nights.  Our family gathers around the menorah for all eight nights, and we sing songs and play games until the candles burn down. The emphasis is on spending times together and enjoying the Hanukkah food, decor, music and candle lighting. For the Jewish Pavilion, Hanukkah lasts much longer... 18 days and nights. Our four Program Directors plan ten parties each, at different ends of town, and dozens of volunteers participate in the festivities. Musicians like Carol Stein, Nancy Waldman, Paul Stenzler and Penny D'Agostino perform at multiple nursing homes and residents of all faiths have the opportunity to celebrate Hanukkah with the Pavilion. Yesterday, I attended a Hanukkah party at Westminster Towers along with other volunteers, the Westminster staff, residents and their family members. Ella Colley, age 9 delivered a speech about the history of Hanukkah. She and her brother Ben age 6, decorated Hanukkah cookies for all. The most incredible aspect of the party for me was the number of times I heard the words "I love you." Flory Kahn and her volunteers continuously told one another how much they are loved, while the residents and volunteers did the same. If you are looking for love during the holiday season, you can certainly find it on a daily basis at the Jewish Pavilion.

Tis the Season ( for hanukkah too)

Tis The Season… (for Hanukkah too)

Tis the season for Christmas. Everywhere we look we see red and green. Christmas carols abound on the radio and can be heard in all places that have a speaker system. We count on seeing beautifully decorated Christmas trees and other holiday ornamentation. Wherever we go, people are wishing us a “merry Christmas.”

Some Jews refer to this time period as the “December Dilemma”, wondering whether they should expand their Hanukkah celebrations and add commercialism to the Festival of Lights. Like most Jews, residents in nursing homes are not looking for “equal treatment.” All they can hope for is that their holiday is acknowledged. Just like the elementary school chorus may  sing one or two Hanukkah songs during their Holiday performances, the residents are looking for a little Hanukkah in their lives.

The Jewish Pavilion fulfills this role in spades. While most large cities have a Jewish Home for the Aged, Orlando does not. Instead the Jewish Pavilion, an outreach organization, ensures that everyone in long term care has the opportunity to celebrate our holiday. At Hanukkah time, 40 parties are planned in independent, assisted and skilled nursing facilities, and residents of all faiths are invited to celebrate.

Everyone has the opportunity to  hear the Hanukkah story and all residents get to enjoy potato latkes, Chanukah cookies, chocolate gelt,  candle lighting and fun songs.  For the Jewish resident, it feels like it is his birthday party and others are celebrating with him. Instead of party balloons, the festive table is decorated with colorful  blue and yellow paper goods donated by Publix supermarkets.  The tables are adorned by blue and white chocolate lollypop centerpieces created by Nancy Layish. Volunteers bring dreidels and gifts for the elderly. Musicians donate their time to make the parties extra special. To learn more about the Jewish Pavilion and/or participate in one of the parties visit www.jewishpavilion.org.