Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

One of the more wonderful parts of being Jewish is living in "Jewish time." It's having Rosh Hashanah in September, instead of waiting four months to define the end of a hard year by bringing in the sweet promise of goodness and redemption.

As 5781 rolls over to 5782, we will all be looking to repeat some of the wishes that we had this time last year. 

• The wish for Covid-19 to stay put and not join us as a most unwelcome guest in the coming year.

• The wish for loved ones, friends and colleagues to be able to get through this hardship with both our physical and mental health intact.

• The wish for our livelihoods to be safe and that as our rabbis taught us, "may we all be blessed to give thanks to G-d that in the exchange of hands, ours was the one giving this past year and not receiving."

We also prayed for the peace of Israel and all her inhabitants, and this too feels as far away as our hope for civility to return to our society.

There were, and indeed are, so many prayers and wishes left over for us to ask for again this year. For many there were more blessings that we can count if we would just see them. In this past year, in a world filled with challenges, we endured.

For the residents of Kinneret, this past year has been about all the above challenges plus the fears and anxieties that surround those in our community for whom financial security has been consistently elusive. The difficulties of facing financial struggles as well as the horrific decisions of choices of "food vs. medicines" are compounded by the inability to leave one's apartment or connect with other humans for months on end.

When I talk with our residents who are now free to socialize in a much more communal manner, they are almost universally filled with gratitude and joy. They are excited about the future and while there will no doubt be challenges in the road ahead for us all, our seniors have taught me that in life, it just doesn't pay to sweat the "small stuff." The things we consider to be "HUGE" today will be tomorrow's "small stuff" that we look back nostalgically upon. Because we will one day look back fondly at this period, why not start now?

On behalf of our Board, staff, and our wonderful residents, we wish you and your families a most Healthy, Happy and Sweet New Year!

May we all be worthy of a good inscription in the Book of Life in the coming year. May the continued merits or our good deeds sustain us all in 5782!

Sharon Weil, executive director

Ali Polejes, KCOA president

Kinneret Council on Aging

Rhonda Pearlman,

president Kinneret

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