At the Jewish Home, Friendships that Bridge Distance and Span Generations

Connections to Care Mobile Hero
Home / News & Events / Newsletter

At the Jewish Home, Friendships that Bridge Distance and Span Generations

Sep 1, 2020

As any gardener knows, seeds can take root and thrive even under the most challenging conditions. Although the coronavirus pandemic has made socializing extremely difficult for Jewish Home residents, many have nurtured robust new friendships thanks to an innovative partnership between the Home and Builders of Jewish Education (BJE), an L.A.-based nonprofit that facilitates Jewish educational experiences from early childhood through high school.

Earlier this summer, BJE Experiential Educator Michal Kress reached out to the Home about a potential month-long partnership focused on connecting Jewish teens and Jewish Home residents. The idea was simple: teens and seniors, both stuck at home with few outlets for socializing, could meet over Zoom and get to know one another. The result would be strong intergenerational relationships that fostered Jewish continuity and enriched all the participants' lives.

Stacy Orbach, director of volunteer services at the Jewish Home, was enthusiastic about the program from the get-go. "Our residents have been lonely during the pandemic, and this presented such a wonderful opportunity for them to bond with people in the community," she says. "It also enabled residents to share their knowledge with teens – to pass on the wisdom they've accumulated throughout the course of their lives."

The program paired eight Jewish Home residents with 15 teens from high schools across the city including De Toledo, Milken, Shalhevet, Cleveland and Notre Dame. During weekly Zoom chats lasting between 30 minutes and an hour, the residents and teens learned about each other, swapped stories, and even studied together. "One of the residents who participated was a Spanish teacher, and he started teaching the kids Spanish on his Zoom!" Orbach says.

In addition to the Zoom calls, the teens also attended workshops to talk about what their time with the residents had taught them. The goal, says BJE's Kress, was to focus on the Jewish value of "lizkor" (to remember). "We asked the teens to think about what the Jewish Home residents want their legacy to be for future generations."

At the end of the program, the teens wrote reflections about their experiences. "Over the past few weeks, I have learned not to take any moment for granted and to be thankful for the opportunities that come my way," wrote one student. "My partner showed me that, even through this very difficult time for all of us, we must be grateful because we are fortunate to be healthy and safe."

Residents who participated used iPads donated by Jewish Home supporters, who purchased the equipment precisely so seniors at the Home could stay linked to the outside world. "The past months have been hard on our residents, and things like having ‘face-to-face' conversations can make such a difference," says Corey Slavin, the Home's vice president of community engagement. "With the iPads, our donors are helping residents stay happy, healthy, and optimistic about the future."

Although summer has come to a close and the new academic year has begun, a number of the students plan to stay in touch with their new Jewish Home friends even as they balance schoolwork and other activities. "We had to say our official ‘goodbyes' before the kids returned to their classes," Orbach says, "but I've heard from a number of participants in the program that these friendships were built to last!"

For more information about exploring partnerships like this with the Jewish Home, contact Stacy Orbach at (818) 774-3219 or [email protected].

Sign up for the Los Angeles Jewish Health newsletter, Connections.

Recent Articles

Jan 8

Be The Shamash: The Light That Illuminates the Other Lights:

Chanukah 2024 at Los Angeles Jewish Healthby LAJH Chief Mission Officer Rabbi Karen BenderWhy it was important, this year especially, to bring in the Light Chanukah’s arrival this year inspired me to consider that there are three kinds of people in the world. The first are those who unfortunately bring darkness to our world. The second are those who bring light where there is darkness. Those people are wonderful, because where there is despair they bring hope, where there is sadness they bring joy, where there is cruelty they bring loving kindness, where there is tension, they bring peace. Then there is the third kind of person, the one who, like the shamash candle of the Chanukah menorah, in addition to conquering darkness, actually kindle the other lights. These are the staff members and residents at Los Angeles Jewish Health. Not only do they bring light, they inspire others to bring the light. What made the events this year at LAJH Extraordinary As holidays approach, it is always our goal to ensure residents experience something akin to what they would have had in their homes and at synagogue. This year, we are proud to have gone beyond that goal to bring joy, celebration, surprise and delight! Residents enjoyed not only potato latkes but also creative vegetable latkes. They enjoyed traditional sufganiyot and kosher Krispy Kreme donuts. At Grancell Village, they experienced a sufganiyah tasting, including creme brulee and dulce de leche. There were concerts performed at each campus with the renowned Cindy Paley and elaborate outdoor extravaganza lightings with our enormous and artistic outdoor Chanukiot. Twelve year old twin volunteers dressed up as a life sized menorah and dreidel and visited each floor bringing smiles and laughter. Shabbat Chanukah services were led by a skilled nursing resident Rabbi and a band he assembled!  Resident volunteers took charge of lighting the menorah lights on their floors each night. At the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center, those same twin volunteers assisted me in re-affixing mezuzahs on every room, as residents participated. Rabbi Ron Goldberg held a food and toy drive at Eisenberg Village, enabling the entire campus to participate in seasonal giving to those in need. In the midst of it all, our wonderful activities staff ensured that residents celebrated New Year’s 2025, perhaps a once in a lifetime overlap with Chanukah. We are so grateful to all who worked together bringing so much joy and celebration to the residents of LAJH! Chanukah celebration led by resident Rabbi WarshawYoung volunteers delight residentsEisenberg Village toy driveConcert with Cindy PaleyResident sufganiyot tastingGoldenberg-Ziman Special Care Center residents celebrate with glowsticksMezuzahs re-affixed in the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical CenterToast to the New YearBrandman Centers for Senior Care PACE celebrates the New Year
Read More
Jan 8

Author Visits LAJH to Share Story of the Rescue of Her Niece and Advocate for Hostages

Since October 7, 2023, Jews around the world have been on tenterhooks waiting for news of the hostages taken captive during Hamas’ brazen attack of Israel. The worry and concern have been constant companions of many Los Angeles Jewish Health (LAJH) residents, as well. In December, they gathered in the theater at Fountainview at Eisenberg Village to hear prominent podcaster, political influencer, and philanthropist Liz Hirsh Naftali, who spoke about her role in securing the release of her great niece Abigail and about her continued commitment to freeing the hostages who have still been left behind.Liz, a lifelong Angeleno with deep roots in Israel, recounted arriving in Israel to celebrate the holiday of Simchat Torah on October 6, 2023. After an evening of dancing and celebration, she was awakened the next morning to the sound of alarms blaring: Hamas had breached the Israeli-Gaza border.“I have family who lived along the border, in Kibbutz Kfar Aza,” she told the crowd of LAJH residents and members of SAYVA (a collaborative network focused on community, positive aging, and wisdom) in attendance at the event. “I called my sister-in-law that morning and discovered that my niece and nephew had been murdered by terrorists there—and that their three-year-old daughter, Abigail, had been kidnapped.”A long history of activism equipped Liz for what came next: returning to the United States and sharing Abigail’s story as widely as possible with media outlets and political leaders on Capitol Hill.“I met with Democrats and Republicans; I believe hostages should be apolitical, and we received incredibly beautiful support from people on both sides of the aisle,” said Liz, the host of The Capitol Coffee Connection podcast. “I was driven to keep talking to people and refused to take ‘no’ for an answer because when you’re in a situation like this, and someone you love is being held against their will, you cannot rest or even take a breath until you see their face again.”Liz’s efforts ultimately contributed to a deal being struck: After 51 days in captivity, Abigail was freed along with 104 other hostages during a truce between Israel and Hamas.Inspired to preserve a record of Abigail’s story, Liz wrote Saving Abigail: The True Story of the Abduction and Rescue of a Three-Year-Old Hostage, a book about the rescue efforts.“As humans, we need to elevate these stories—to tell the truth about October 7 so people can start to heal,” she said. “I also wrote this book so people would understand they have the power to influence events. There are still hostages who haven’t been able to come home, and people might feel like nothing they do can have any impact, but my experience shows that’s not true. I think we can each play a role, in our own ways, in bringing the rest of the hostages back, stopping the fighting, and allowing Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace.” 
Read More
Jan 8

Brandman Centers for Senior Care PACE Welcomes New Vice President

Executive leadership has always been one of the signature strengths of Los Angeles Jewish Health’s Brandman Centers for Senior Care PACE. This past fall, LAJH added another exceptional leader to its roster when it welcomed Kim Stratman as the Brandman Centers’ new vice president.Kim comes to the Brandman Centers from St. Paul’s Senior Services, which has been caring for San Diego seniors for over 60 years. As vice president of operations and housing at St. Paul’s, she developed a track record of accomplishments serving the frail elderly—experience she looks forward to bringing to her work at the Brandman Centers.“Like LAJH, St. Paul’s offers assisted living, independent living, memory care, skilled nursing, and PACE programs,” Kim says. “I’m excited to build on the knowledge I gleaned during more than a decade at St. Paul’s and to find new opportunities through the Brandman Centers to enrich the lives of seniors in the greater L.A. area.”At LAJH, Kim will oversee the continued growth of the Brandman Centers for Senior Care PACE program.“We have an ambitious schedule for expansion, with new facilities planned in Van Nuys, the beach cities, and Palm Springs in addition to our current sites in Reseda and West L.A.,” Kim says. “Our goal is to have everything up and running sometime in 2026.”Kim will assume the role and responsibilities of Susie Fishenfeld, the Brandman Centers’ beloved long-time vice president. During her decade-long tenure, Susie was a key driver in launching PACE at LAJH and turning it into the vibrant and dynamic program it is today.“Susie has made invaluable contributions to our organization and has been absolutely instrumental to our PACE program’s ability to thrive,” says Larissa Stepanians, LAJH’s chief operating officer. “I am extraordinarily grateful to have had her as a wonderful colleague and to have benefited from her incredible expertise.”With Kim’s arrival, Larissa says, Brandman Centers is poised to reach new heights of success. “Kim has demonstrated a strong ability to spark innovation, foster collaboration, and achieve strategic goals,” Larissa notes. “We are extremely fortunate to have her overseeing PACE and its alignment with LAJH’s organizational mission.”As Kim sees it, central to advancing that mission is the commitment and cohesiveness of LAJH’s staff.“In the short time that I’ve been here, it’s already clear to me how wonderful this organization is and how much everybody cares about the team,” she says. “I feel so fortunate to now be a part of that.”With the staff’s support, Kim is eagerly preparing to broaden the Brandman Centers’ reach.“We’re going to continue increasing our impact as we work to give more seniors access to high-quality, all-inclusive care,” she says. “It’s amazing to see the ways in which we can improve seniors’ lives.” 
Read More