I am writing to you on the last night of Chanukah. Tonight is nearly the darkest night of the month and year, as the Winter solstice arrives this Monday. The rabbis understood this 1500 years ago and intentionally had us light the nine lights of the menorah at this time on the calendar to pierce the darkness. Let us be frank: we are living in dark times. I think of the staff who need to inform and be informed that they have Covid. I think of the resident who learns they are being transferred to a different room or campus or the hospital to ensure they get the maximum care they need, but are uprooted from the comfort of the familiar. There are those confined to their rooms, which can feel so restrictive despite the knowledge it is a confinement of caution, love and protection. And there are others who bravely enter those rooms without hesitation to provide food and personal care. My heart goes to those who are being constantly briefed on updated policies so they can implement what will help us be safe. Residents miss loved ones, friends, table mates, families, affection and smiles without masks. The anger and fear is palpable on our floors and in our buildings, as we arrive and when we depart. Some shed tears but can’t get the hugs they deserve, others wear a uniform of courage but go home and weep with loved ones or alone. For some, loneliness is the hardest part. For others, exhaustion is barely manageable. There are those among us who may have lost hope. Moses knew our feelings. When his sister, Miriam, contracted leprosy, a highly contagious virus that often plagued members of the community, he prayed, "Oh G-d, please, heal her, please!" How many times have we prayed, "Source of life, keep them safe, keep me safe!" I am so impressed and moved seeing residents take one day at a time with prayers and strength some did not know they had. I am touched and amazed by our extraordinary staff, who come through for residents and each other every day. And the solution is coming soon! Very soon we will all be able to receive the vaccine. Tragically it will be too late for some, which makes the news bitter-sweet. But it is not too late for us. And it is never too late to ask ourselves, "What can I learn from what has happened this year?" To this I would recommend, do not waste a minute. Because soon this pandemic will be conquered and it will be natural for us to go back to worrying about matters which don’t really matter. So before redemption comes, let’s ask ourselves what is the lesson about life and ourselves for today? Whether you are 95, 50 or 20 there is an opportunity for growth today. The prophet Zachariah said, "Not by might nor by power but by spirit…" We are not watching a gladiator fight where there will be a winner and a loser. This is not Star Wars with a war between good and evil. Rather, this is a pandemic which will be beaten not with sword but with love, not with weapon but with courage, not with anger but with the spirit of hope—and vaccines and medications, too. You are the candle that illuminates the darkness. Thank goodness for you. May the Creator of the Universe bless you and everyone you love with health, hope, peace and the spirit of the light. Rabbi Karen BenderSkirball Director of Spiritual Life, Grancell Village [email protected]

Every winter, the glow of the Chanukah candles brings warmth, festivity and fun to the Jewish Home. This year, our menorahs will burn brighter than ever as we work to fill the halls of the Home with the tastes, smells and sounds of the holiday, rising above the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and filling residents' lives with light. The difficulties involved in staging a celebration right now, notes Rabbi Karen Bender, Skirball director of spiritual life at the Jewish Home, are clear. "As we began brainstorming about the holiday at the Home this year, we asked ourselves, 'In the era of COVID-19, how do we bring Chanukah alive?'" she recalls. The answer: "We focused on making those things we could do as wonderful as possible." Those things include serving latkes to the residents at least three times during Chanukah's eight nights, hand-delivering Chanukah cookies and chocolate gelt to residents' rooms and providing dreidels for residents to spin. The Home will also be taking the tradition of sufganiyot (round jelly donuts) to a whole new level, Rabbi Bender says. "My hat goes off to Rabbi Ron [Goldberg, campus rabbi of Eisenberg Village], who wanted to do something extra for our residents during such a trying year," she says. "He found a Krispy Kreme location that's kosher, tracked down its kosher license to ensure dietary appropriateness and then arranged for a big delivery of delicious jelly donuts. Our residents could really use some extra sweetness right about now!" Plans for the holiday also include nightly broadcasts on the Jewish Home's in-house, closed-circuit TV station. "We'll be lighting candles and singing, making it fun and interactive," Rabbi Bender says. "On the second night, which is a Friday, we'll be marking Shabbat, as well. The great thing about it is that we can post our videos online, so residents can be watching at the same time as family members outside of the Home." In preparation for Chanukah, Jewish Home staff have been busily decorating buildings across multiple campuses in blue and white, and as in previous years, the Home set up its giant, 10-foot-high menorah outside of Grancell Village. Of course, part of what makes Chanukah special is receiving holiday greetings, and residents can look forward to receiving them courtesy of the Jewish Home's #Notes of Love campaign. The initiative encourages friends, relatives, and the public to send letters and cards to residents during the ongoing restrictions caused by COVID-19. There will also be presents, says Annette Weinberg, the Jewish Home's Eisenberg Village lifestyle and enrichment director for residential care. "We're grateful to our volunteer partners including the Home's own support groups: The Associates, The Executives, and The Guardians, as well as Our Space and Wilshire Boulevard Temple, who will be providing the gifts. And another volunteer is putting together do-it-yourself card-making kits, which residents can use to send Chanukah wishes to family members," she says. One exciting bit of holiday cheer will come from the family of the late actor, director, comedian, screenwriter, and author Carl Reiner, who graciously donated books by Reiner to gift to each Jewish Home resident. The books include titles such as Approaching Ninety-Six: The Films I Love Viewing and Loved Doing, Scrunched Photos of Celebrities, I Remember Radio, and Why & When the Dick Van Dyke Show Was Born, and will be put into individual gift bags and given to residents with a personal message from Jewish Home President-CEO Dale Surowitz. Rabbi Bender points out that Chanukah at the Jewish Home would not be Chanukah without also "bringing the silly," especially during a pandemic that keeps serious news front and center all the time. Finding opportunities to spark joy is always one of her central goals, and this year she plans to walk around the Jewish Home campus wearing a giant dreidel and menorah costume. "I like to do whatever I can to put a smile on our residents' faces," she laughs.

The Jewish Home will be spreading good cheer throughout the Home this holiday season as it continues its #NotesofLove campaign, which encourages friends, relatives, and the public to send in homemade greetings for residents eager to stay connected to the community during the ongoing restrictions caused by COVID-19. #NotesofLove launched earlier this year with great success. At the Jewish Home, keeping residents healthy has meant instituting safeguards that have included restrictions on visits with friends and family. As the pandemic stretches into its 10th month, staff have been working to identify ways to keep up communications with the residents' loved ones and with the community at large. The Jewish Home has responded with a wide range of wonderful activities including #NotesofLove, which delivers warm wishes from the community directly to residents' doors. This outreach effort is exactly as advertised: Community members are invited to write notes, draw pictures, and make cards for Jewish Home residents to express their love and affection. When the Jewish Home first rolled out #NotesofLove five months ago, the response was overwhelming. "People from all over the city were writing, and you could see residents' faces light up when we would bring them the notes," recalls Stacy Orbach, the Jewish Home's director of volunteer services. "It's been such a hit that we're extending the campaign to create #NotesofLove, Holiday Edition." The beauty of the initiative, Stacy notes, is that anyone can participate. "Whether it's schools, synagogues, or families—we welcome all contributions," Stacy says. The "notes" bring joy to residents and can help infuse the Jewish Home with holiday spirit during this challenging year. They are also, Stacy points out, a fun way for community members to get creative. "We recently received some ‘rocks of love'—a woman whose mother lived at the Home until she passed away several years ago sent us these beautiful, hand-painted rocks, each with a different inspirational saying on it. It was such a lovely gesture to make our residents feel good," she says. The holiday outreach is already well underway. "I've been contacted by a number of schools and youth groups that plan to mail us cards and letters," Stacy says. "The seventh graders from Wilshire Blvd. Temple are going to send Chanukah gifts to our nursing care residents. But we're looking for even more people to get in the #NotesofLove spirit—there are eight nights of Chanukah, and that's a lot of love that needs to be spread!" As Stacy sees it, people's enthusiasm for the campaign has been a bright spot in an otherwise dreary year. "The pandemic has interrupted a lot of things, but it didn't change how the community feels about the Jewish Home," she says proudly. "We've asked for them to engage with us, and they've really stepped up." #NotesofLove can be sent directly to the Jewish Home's Eisenberg Village campus, c/o Stacy Orbach, at 18855 Victory Blvd., Reseda, CA 91335.

Four new paratransit shuttle buses, whose purchase was funded by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, (Metro) were recently delivered to the Los Angeles Jewish Home. They join a fleet of shuttles utilized daily to transport more than 240 community residents to medical appointments, deliver meals and safely transport seniors to and from the Home’s Brandman Centers for Senior Care. While several leaders from Metro have been working from home since the outbreak of Covid-19, they traveled to the Los Angeles Jewish Home, as they felt it was important to help celebrate the recent grant award which enabled the Home to purchase four new paratransit shuttle buses. The grant award of $259,200 funded the purchase of four paratransit buses to continue and expand Los Angeles Jewish Home capacity for transporting seniors to and from critical services, both residents of Los Angeles Jewish Home and those living in the surrounding community. These new buses are critical to the care provided by the Home. The Brandman Center features a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), providing a broad range of benefits including high-quality, comprehensive medical and social services to seniors aged 55 and older. Services available at the Center allow seniors independence in the comfort of their own homes, even when health challenges may make them eligible for nursing home care. The Center offers a full continuum of care including: on-site primary medical care, preventive health services; physical rehabilitation; social work services; nutritional counseling; medications; supplies; and Adult Day Health Care filled with stimulating activities. These shuttles are equipped with special features such as electronic lifts for the ease of those requiring wheelchair access. Present at the small, safe distance, event, held in front of two of the new shuttle buses, from Metro’s Countywide Planning and Development, Grants Management and Oversight department were: Executive Director, Shawn Atlow; Senior Director, Adam Stephenson; Senior Manager Anne Flores; and Manager Ruben Cervantes. Also joining the celebration was CEO and President of the Jewish Home Dale Surowitz and Steve Klappholz, Vice President of the Jewish Home Foundation. In recognizing the grant award Dale said, "We are extremely grateful for our continued partnership with Metro. Its ongoing support and assistance is helping to empower the seniors of this community to receive the vital support and health care they need, while also enabling them to continue residing in their own homes. This is truly a win-win for the seniors of Los Angeles." "Metro is proud to partner with the wonderful Los Angeles Jewish Health programs that we were are able to support by leveraging Federal Transit Administration funds," said Shawn Atlow, Executive Officer for Grants Management and Oversight for Metro’s Countywide Planning & Development Department. "The Los Angeles Jewish Health leadership and staff graciously hosted Metro staff to see firsthand the impact of these investments. Metro is dedicated to improving mobility for all individuals throughout the County, and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Los Angeles Jewish Health." The Home’s partnership with Metro illustrates Metro’s commitment to meeting transportation needs where and when they are needed, especially during these challenging time.

Choosing the right health plan can be tricky at any age. Our reliance on the healthcare system increases as we age—and so, too, does the difficulty in finding a plan that meets our growing needs. Starting in January 2021, the Los Angeles Jewish Home will introduce the Brandman Health Plan, a new offering designed with aging seniors in mind. "Traditionally, health insurance tends to think of seniors as being between 65 and 80 years-old, but the age of the demographic is really changing. The Brandman Health Plan is based on a more expansive model of care that grows out of our more than 100 years of real-world experience with residents at the Jewish Home, where the average age is over 90," says Stephen Martinez, Ph.D., CEO of the new plan. "Our program is different because it’s been built to reflect the evolving needs presented by the interaction of geriatric care and pre-existing conditions." The plan is a Medicare Advantage Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan, also known as a C-SNP. To enroll, a senior must be a resident of Los Angeles County and be diagnosed with at least one of four qualifying chronic conditions: diabetes, chronic heart failure, cardiovascular disorders and/or dementia. "We offer two plans depending on the chronic condition, Aspire and Arise, and each plan has two options based on Medicare and Medi-Cal eligibility. All plans cover Medicare Part A and Part B, as well as Part D—the pharmacy component," Stephen notes. "But what makes us competitive is the range of additional, or supplemental, benefits we’re providing." The Brandman Health Plan’s supplemental benefits offering was created based on feedback from Jewish Home clinicians and administrative leaders. "We asked our staff for a wish list of what they would like to see a health plan offer," Stephen says. "They shared that people with dementia frequently lick their lips, which can cause their dentures to shift out of alignment. Based on this information, we made sure to include denture alignment in our dental benefits. When discussing hearing benefits, we learned that many people could not afford additional batteries. We made sure to offer a range of hearing aids, from a basic model at no copay to an optional upgrade at an additional cost, with extra batteries included. The bottom line is that the Brandman Health Plan provides comprehensive coverage at a great value." A partial list of the benefits offered by the Brandman Health Plan includes dental, hearing, vision, transportation for medical appointments, mental health services, in-home safety assessments, and a rich drug formulary that offers prescriptions, such as insulin at a $35 copay for a 30-day supply. "We are extremely enthusiastic about all of the ways the Brandman Health Plan will help support the seniors who enroll," says Jewish Home CEO-President Dale Surowitz. "Our goal is to uplift and empower them so they can stay healthy and thrive." Though the plan is open to any Los Angeles County resident who is eligible for Medicare and has one of the four chronic conditions, Stephen thinks it will have particular resonance for residents of the Jewish Home. "I think they’ll be especially pleased with what we’re offering because it speaks directly to their situations," he says. The Brandman Health Plan will go live on January 1, 2021. Enrollment is now open and will continue year-round. For more information, contact Maria Carreon, the plan’s manager of sales and broker relations, at (818) 457-7608, or visit us online at www.brandmanhealthplan.com.

This Thanksgiving, the Jewish Home has much to be grateful for, in particular the health and safety of the seniors in our care. As we continue to ensure their well-being during the holiday season, we are also working to make this a joyous time—showing residents that COVID-19 will not stand in the way of a meaningful celebration. Jewish Home staff are particularly focused on creating a safe and festive atmosphere for residents, says Annette Weinberg, lifestyle and enrichment director for residential care. "We're still unable to welcome in-person visitors, but we're not going to let that hold us back," she says. "In addition to decorating the hallways and nursing stations, we'll be providing gratitude kits to residents so they can make their own Thanksgiving cards. We have a wonderful volunteer who assembles the kits, and it's a fun and engaging activity for people who are artistically inclined." Residents will also relax in their rooms watching a movie marathon courtesy of the Jewish Home's in-house, closed-circuit TV station—and can do so while snacking on some special holiday treats that will be delivered to each room. "Even when it's not a pandemic, Thanksgiving is a great time to stay home, relax, and indulge, so I'll be buying some chocolate to distribute," Annette says. "We want to do whatever we can to get the message out to residents that, even though these are tough times, we love them and are here for them." No Thanksgiving is complete without a delicious holiday meal, and on that front as well, the Jewish Home will deliver. "We're going to be serving the same traditional Thanksgiving meal as always, including turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, fresh mashed potatoes, green beans, and pumpkin pie," says Cindy Cordon, director of dietary services for both Eisenberg and Grancell Village campuses. "We're also working with the California Department of Public Health to strategize the logistics of a communal dining experience, with seating and timing coordinated to ensure six-foot distancing for residents involved." Staff can also look forward to partaking in the holiday goodness: All three shifts of Jewish Home employees working on Thanksgiving will receive a delicious packaged meal for their enjoyment. Our frontline workers make a tremendous difference in the lives of our seniors each and every day, especially during this challenging period, as they prioritize residents' needs and do their utmost to protect them from COVID-19. We are deeply appreciative of their dedication and care. We also offer our thanks to the many donors of the Home who continue to provide their financial support, ensuring we can continue to purchase critical resources such as surgical gowns and face masks. And, of course—immense gratitude to our residents themselves, who inspire us on Thanksgiving and every day with their positive attitudes, spirit, and good humor. We wish every member of the Jewish Home family a Happy (and Healthy) Thanksgiving!

Every year on Rosh Hashanah, Jews around the globe recite these ancient words: Hayom harat olam—Today is the day of the world's creation. It is a prayer for positivity and hope that is particularly poignant during these trying times. As we grapple with a deadly pandemic that continues to wreak havoc on our daily lives, says Rabbi Karen Bender, Skirball director of spiritual life at the Jewish Home, this is precisely the message we need. Rabbi Bender shared her optimism during a unique series of High Holy Days services—welcoming Jewish Home residents, their families and friends, and the general public to take part in virtual celebrations of the New Year and the Day of Atonement. Shared on closed-circuit TVs in residents' rooms and on YouTube, the services enabled people from across Los Angeles and beyond to come together and embrace new possibilities for the year ahead. My goal was to make the services special so that participants would feel connected to one another, Rabbi Bender says. I also wanted to infuse joy. As Jews, we often forget that the High Holy Days are not a sad or somber time. In fact, Yom Kippur is known as 'Shabbat ha-Shabbatot,' the Shabbat of all Shabbats. These are not days for mourning; they're a time for renewal, healing and repair. Rabbi Bender notes that, even during a pandemic—perhaps especially during a pandemic—it is vital to seize every opportunity to uplift and engage people. Her High Holy Days services did just that, combining ritual prayer with soaring music, fun videos and other lighthearted moments. I inserted a clip of Barbra Streisand singing Aveinu Malkeinu, which was gorgeous. During the telling of the story of Jonah, I held up an action figure—narrating the story seriously, but using props to illustrate it, she says. I also included a YouTube video of a gentleman blowing a shofar that has over one million hits. As soon as I found it, I thought to myself, 'Our residents deserve to hear the best shofar blower in the world!' A central priority of Rabbi Bender's was involving Jewish Home residents in the services to help them feel included, inspired—and less isolated. Throughout this pandemic, seniors have really suffered because they're at greater risk from COVID-19, which means we have to take even greater precautions to keep them safe. Our message at the Home is that they might be quarantining in their rooms, but they are still vital members of a community that loves and cherishes them, she says. Rabbi Bender videoed four residents—two from each Jewish Home campus—holding the Torah during the Kol Nidre prayer. On both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur morning, while the services were being aired, she and her colleague, Eisenberg Village Rabbi Ronald Goldberg, went into as many residents' rooms as possible (outfitted in full PPE) so people could see the Torah in person and blow kisses to it if they wished. It was a 3-D surprise while they were watching on their TVs, in 2-D, she says. It was wonderful to do such a meaningful hakafa (circling around with the Torah). It usually lasts about 15 minutes, but I carried the Torah for over an hour. I think it may have been the longest hakafa in history! After the services were over, the reviews quickly poured in. I was spellbound, says Lenore Karish. I'm 98 years old, and these were the best services I've ever heard. I want to give the rabbis an Emmy for their hard work! Sally Wilk was similarly enthusiastic. Rabbi Bender and her cohorts did an incredible job, she says. It meant so much for us to be with them at such a difficult time in our lives. For her part, Rabbi Bender says the feeling was mutual. Putting these services together was such a gratifying experience, she says. It really took a village to make it happen. From the IT department's support, to the dietary department presenting holiday-appropriate food, to the nursing and activities departments preparing residents for the holidays, to the communications department getting the word out to families, everybody worked tremendously hard. It was our way of saying to our residents, who have been through so much, 'We love you, and we're here for you.'

Getting out the vote during this Presidential election season is among the many challenges being presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the Jewish Home is up to the task, and seniors on its multiple campuses will be marking their ballots this November as enthusiastically, and as easily, as ever before. Anticipating the increased logistical difficulties, Jewish Home staff have been busy helping residents exercise their right to be heard on Election Day. For the past month, staff have advertised and encouraged voter registration, posting flyers with key information on how to register (safely, without leaving the Jewish Home) and how to check current registration status. They have also put voting on the agenda during the Home's weekly Town Hall conference calls, ensuring all participants are aware of the upcoming election and their ability to play a role in it. On the digital front, residents had an opportunity to log on for the League of Women Voters' recent Ballot Measures Pros and Cons online forum. In addition, the Jewish Home is posting its don't-forget-to-vote message across its social media platforms, engaging followers to support the seniors in their lives in voting safely however possible. Pundits are predicting historic levels of absentee and mail-in voting, putting increased scrutiny on whether those ballots will be filled out properly—and, if not, whether their legitimacy might be questioned. To help guarantee every ballot is counted, Jewish Home Director of Volunteer Services Stacy Orbach and Eisenberg Village Lifestyle and Enrichment Director for Residential Care Annette Weinberg are offering to consult with residents on any ballot-related questions they may have, as well as double checking ballot envelopes to make certain residents are marking them correctly before posting them. Stacy and Annette also plan to drive completed ballots to a local voting center for any residents who prefer not to send theirs by mail. Jewish Home staff are also on hand to assist residents with physical challenges, such as impaired vision, that can complicate voting. It's part of the Jewish Home's ongoing commitment to helping residents feel empowered to make a difference. Over the next few weeks, Americans of all political persuasions will be taking part in the hallowed democratic process of choosing our nation's leaders—and this includes the residents of the Jewish Home.

Every fall, the Jewish Home braces itself for flu season by urging residents and staff to get the recommended annual vaccine. This year, compliance is more vital than ever as seasonal influenza dovetails with COVID-19, creating a potential double threat of risk and susceptibility. The overlap complicates the issue in many people's minds, but the mandate for action remains abundantly clear, says Noah Marco, MD, the Jewish Home's chief medical officer. "People might think they're less likely to get influenza because they're social distancing and wearing masks, but that's really the wrong way to look at it," he says. "We're all part of a community, and we all have responsibility to that community. Even if you aren't worried about getting influenza yourself, the possibility of you contracting the virus and then giving it to someone and potentially even killing them is no different now than it was in prior flu seasons." In fact, Dr. Marco continues, now is precisely the time for an elevated level of concern. The coronavirus has disproportionately affected the elderly and those with lower socio-economic status – the same populations disproportionately affected by influenza. "The bottom line is that the likelihood of both viruses running rampant in these communities is higher, so everyone should be getting the flu vaccine in order to help an already at-risk population," he says. There are other compelling reasons to get the flu vaccine this year, as well. Many symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to what patients would experience from the flu, making it difficult to determine which illness is actually the underlying cause. "It's a serious question: How do we figure out whether someone has COVID or influenza?" Dr. Marco says. "But if the person has already had the flu vaccine, it's much less likely to be the flu. When it comes to treatment, that helps a lot in decision making." Coronavirus aside, Dr. Marco points out that there have always been myths circulating that have dampened people's enthusiasm for getting a flu shot. "I've heard it all, from ‘I've had the vaccine in the past and gotten the flu from it,' which is impossible, to ‘It's too late in the season; at this point, it doesn't matter,' which is also untrue," he says. When a vaccine for COVID-19 finally becomes available, there will be a separate set of issues to consider, Dr. Marco notes, such as which shot to get first (flu or coronavirus) and how far apart the two should be spaced out. The answers will rest, in part, on decisions made at the federal level as to how a coronavirus vaccine should be distributed. "There is a National Institutes of Health panel looking at how to set priorities in terms of who gets the COVID-19 vaccine first," he says. "The medical director of Eisenberg Village, Dr. Michael Wasserman, sits on that panel, which means the Jewish Home has a voice in making those difficult decisions." For now, people's focus should be on the flu shot, Dr. Marco says, and the good news is the Jewish Home purchases sufficient amounts of the vaccine to inoculate all residents and staff who request it. "We're coming up on an ideal time to get the flu vaccine," he says. "My general recommendation is to do it in October, so it carries you through the peak of the flu season. But, really, any time is good – the main thing is just to do it!"