michael lopez michael lopez moish ellis - Sephardic Nursing ...

ALZHEIMER’SMEMORY WALKDear SephardicHome’s CasaWalking Team,On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of the Alzheimer'sAssociation, New York City Chapter .... thank you, thank you, thankyou! ... for all the hard work, dedication, and commitment that helpsus believe that we will, one day, live in a world without Alzheimer's.We are humbled by your accomplishments, and deeply grateful. Itwas a remarkable experience and you made a difference! Despitethe need to get up early on a Sunday morning - which turned out tobe an incredibly beautiful summerlike day - you came and helpedMOVE our cause forward!I am so proud to report that Memory Walk 2007 was a record-breakingyear in attendance and money raised - over $900,000 to date - withdonations still arriving.Once again, thank you for helping to MOVE our cause forward on behalfof the more than 200,000 individuals in our five boroughs who haveAlzheimer's, as well as their family members and caregivers. You shouldbe very proud, because we are proud to have you as part of our team.I look forward to seeing you at Memory Walk 2008!Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive,degenerative diseaseof the brain attacks thememory and the ability to think, reason,and judge. People with this diseasegradually forget who they are,where they live and how to function.Over 5 million people are living withAlzheimer’s - 200,000 living in the fiveboroughs of New York City – fromevery race, gender and culture.Seventy eight million baby boomersare approaching the age of the greatestrisk for the disease.The New York City Chapter of theAlzheimer’s Association recently sponsoredtheir annual Memory Walk andthe Sephardic Home was proud oftheir staff and family members whoparticipated. The “team” walkedproudly carrying a banner bearing theTHE TEAMHome’s logo.The Sephardic Nursing andRehabilitation Center recognizes theunique needs of persons withAlzheimer’s disease by offering specializedprograms. Our purpose is toassist in areas of impairment whileencouraging remaining abilities,always treating the individual withdignity and respect.Specially trained and selected staffaccepts an increased responsibility tobe sensitive to the resident’s needs andto respond with compassionate, lifeenrichingprograms.Plan on joining the “team” nextyear, the proceeds from the MemoryWalk are used to underwriteAlzheimer’s research, education andsupport services. Chanuka—Festival of LightsChanuka means dedications.Chanuka calls on us torededicate ourselves to theJewish faith and the Jewish people.Judaism is precious because it bringsmeaning and goodness into our livesand motivates us to strive for a worldof justice.Each holiday has its special wayof celebration. We celebrate Chanukaby kindling the lights of the menorah.On Chanuka, we celebrate and thankG-d for two great miracles: 1) the victoryon the battlefield- in which thesmall army of the Chashmonaimdefeated the much larger forces oftheir Greek-Asyrian enemies. This isexpressed in the "Al Hanisim" prayer,which is recited on Chanuka;" Youdelivered the strong into the hands ofthe weak, the many into the hands ofthe few…" 2) the miracle of oil- inwhich a small amount of oil, enoughto last only one day, sufficed for eightdays.The festival of a great act of faith,the festival of strength and dedicationto the liberation of the people. Thefew against the many, the weakagainst the strong. A handful of faithfuland brave men who risked theirlives, shook off the yoke and calledupon the people to revolt againsttheir cruel taskmasters, against theconquerors who tramped upon allthat was holy, against cowardly sons,who polluted the national culture andplotted to uproot it. No law and orderwere there, no organization and summons—butpeasants from mountainvillages, faithful to their country, loyalto their people, eager for freedom,guarding the faith in their hearts.Mattathias, the venerable priest,revered and well advanced in years,Judas the bold hero, the Hasmoneanbrothers, Hannah the mother with herseven sons—from generation to generation,and from year to year theywill return and whisper to the massesof Israel, scattered and lost, the hopeof redemption.This year, Chanuka started onTuesday December 4, 2007, throughWednesday December 12, 2007.Throughout these eight days, we celebrateat the Sephardic Home, a specialceremony and special service oflighting candles on each floor in thedining rooms with music and songs.Throughout these eight days, our residentswill enjoy the holiday with variousactivities of fun. My warmest good wishes to youfor a happy and inspiring Chanuka.Sincerely,Rabbi A. AmarChaplainMany good wishes for a happy, healthy & peaceful holiday season.We recently introduced aprogram for our growingSyrian population. Ournew “SY” Program, as it is known, isgeared to our residents ofSyrian/Sephardic descent.Over forty residents, familymembers and staff, either conversedin their native tongue or Englishtelling “their story”, getting to knowone another.While listening to music, playingtambourines, and castanets everyonewas busy rekindling relationshipsand making new ones. Next on theagenda was dancing followed bydelicious authentic Middle Easternfoods; kebbe, Moroccan cigars, samboosa,lahma ba’jene and burekas,just to name a few.Sincerely,Susan SugarmanVice PresidentDirector of Marketing &CommunicationsOUR NEW SYRIAN PROGRAMThe “SY” Program will continueto meet monthly and we look forwardto welcoming all our newSyrian Residents. Renee Haber with sister Rose and Doris DweckEnjoying ethnic Middle Eastern foodMary Tawil with her familySEPHARDIC HOME NEWS Vol. 61 ⏐ 5 ⏐