xt7gth8bkk7b https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7gth8bkk7b/data/mets.xml Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Kentucky Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass 2015-05 Newspaper of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, previously named the Central Kentucky Jewish Association and Central Kentucky Jewish Federation. Published ten times annually. The Federation seeks to bring Jewish community members together through holiday parties, lectures, Yiddish courses, meals, and other celebrations of Jewish heritage and culture. They also host fundraisers and provide financial assistance for Jews in need, both locally and around the world. This collection is part of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records, 2016ms010. newsletters 2016ms010 English Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass Inc.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass records Jews -- Kentucky -- Lexington Jews -- History Shalom, May 2015 text image Shalom, May 2015 2015 2015-05 2025 true xt7gth8bkk7b section xt7gth8bkk7b Volume XIV
Issue 4
Iyar/Sivan 5775

N e w p a p e r of

y, 4; Mav2015
Qt HE E;._cJEC«RAS‘3 '

 

The Jewish Federations of North
America Urges Caution and
Congressional Review of Any Iran Deal

April 2. 2015

The Administration has repeatedly reaffirmed that “it is
unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapon." Evert
during the current negotiations. the White House has often
said, “a bad deal is worse than no deal.”

We appreciate the good faith efforts made by the Admin—
istration and the other members of the P5+1. We all hope
that a diplomatic solution to stop Iran from acquiring a
nuclear weapon is possible.

However. the framework presented today leaves vital is—
sues woefully unresolved. The agreement provides scant
detail on how the phased sanction relief will be imple-
mented. It contains insufficient clarity on how Iranian
adherence to the agreement will be verified. And it is
ambiguous on what penalties will be imposed if Iran fails
to fulfill its commitments.

A weak agreement presents a clear and present danger to
all nations. It is also likely to lead other countries in the
region to seek their own nuclear capabilities. resulting in
a proliferation of nuclear w eapons in a part of the world
already destabilized by Iranian proxies spreading terror-
ism and fomenting extremism.

And of course. a nuclear Iran. a regime which declares its
intention to wipe Israel from the map. represents an exis—
tential threat to the Jewish State.

We are heartened by the President's statement that he will
engage Congress as the US. continues the negotiation
process. We urge the Administration to present any agree-
ment to Congress for review.

Sincerely.

Michael D. Siegal. Chair of the Board
The Jewish Federations of North America

Jerry Silverman. President & CEO
The Jewish Federations of North America

View photos oflhe community Yon; HaS/toah
Commemoralion on pages I 6 l 7.

 

CAMPAIGN NEWS
Major Gifts Brunch to be held on May 17

The Major Gifts Champagne Brunch w ill be held on Suri-
day. May 17 at 1 1:00 am. at the home of Linda and Leon
Ravvin. The guest speakers will be Jeff Polson and Tif~
fany Fabing. Executive Director and Board Coordinator of
the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence.

With financial assets exceeding $100 million, the Jew-

ish Heritage Fund for Excellence (JHFE) is committed to
improving health and fostering a vibrant Jewish Commu»
nity in Metropolitan Louisville and the Commonwealth of
Kentucky through its two grantmaking programs: Medi—
cal/Health Grants and Jewish Community Excellence
Grants.

In order to foster a strong. vibrant Jewish community. the
Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence has identified four
strategic funding priorities: Jewish Identity and Communi-
ty. Creating Sustainability within the Jewish Community.
Jewish Education. and Senior Jewish Adult Services. We
are grateful for the grant our community has received for
Camp Shalom. Last summer and this coming summer. the
Jewish Heritage Fund has subsidized the cost of bus trans—
portation and paid salaries for a catnp nurse and Jewish
program specialist. The Fund continues to welcome grant
proposals from our community.

The cost of the brunch is $18 per person.

Major donors to the Federation give a minimum of $1000
per couple and individuals contribute a minimum of $500
to the annual campaign. For information and registration.
please call Judy Wortman at 268-0672.

 

  

President’s Message
Michael Grossman

Father Ted, RIP

As I noted in my previous
President's Message. there
. seems to be no limit or end
to the shocking news of the
day. News cycles being
what they are. before we
can even process past trag-
edies. today our attention
is focused on events in South Carolina. New York.
California. and Ohio. where unarmed people of color
have been killed by the police. It seems that when

it comes to civil rights. as a society we take one

step forward and two steps back. This is not what
the leaders of the civil rights movement envisioned.
Where are the 21st century champions of the civil
rights movement? Where is Father Ted?

 

Father Theodore M. Hesburgh. who dedicated his
life to justice and peace. died recently at the age of
97. “Longevity has its place,” the Rev. Martin Lu-
ther King Jr. said the day before he was murdered

in Memphis in April 1968. But it also has its draw—
backs. One of them is that many younger people will
be unable to appreciate fully the significance of the
life of a long-lived person like Father Ted.

Father Ted is known to many for his legendary tenure
at the University of Notre Dame. where he served as
its president for 35 years. (Full disclosure—Kathy
received her MBA. and I received my JD. from Notre
Dame). But his most lasting legacy may well be his
contributions to civil rights and humanitarian causes.
Father Ted. who marched hand-in-hand with Rabbi
Theodore Heschel and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in
civil rights marches in the South. was appointed to the
US. Commission on Civil Rights in the late 1950s.
The Commission’s task was to find out what life was
like for blacks in America. It held hearings across the
country and compiled more than 100 reports on such
topics as access to voting places. housing. justice.
education. and transportation.

In I971. as chairman of the Civil Rights Commis—
sion. Father Ted released a report criticizing President
Richard Nixon's administration for its lack of effort
on civil rights. Shortly thereafter. Nixon asked for
and received Father Ted's resignation.

Father Ted had a clear understanding of the relation-
ship between peace. democracy. human rights. eco—
nomics. and cultural development. He saw those as
interconnected and interdependent. all dimensions of

the same reality. He had a talent for bringing people
of different faiths. races. political leanings. and nation—
alities together and persuading them to work towards
shared goals. He had a vision of working with part-
ners everywhere to alleviate human suffering.

Father Ted devoted his long and consequential life to
serving humanity. always taking courageous stands

on the serious moral issues that have faced our na-
tion and the world, including his fight for civil and
human rights. his stand against nuclear proliferation
and global hunger and his efforts to seek peace among
people in conflict. As a dedicated member of the
clergy. outstanding educator. caring humanitarian. and
civil rights champion. Father Ted leaves behind a tow-
ering legacy of leadership—inspiring all of us to keep
fighting for a world that honors the spark of divinity
that rests in everyone.

May Father Ted’s memory be for a blessing and a
hope.

L'hitraot.

 

Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass
Nominations for Officers and Board

Members for 2015

Officers

President ......................................... Michael Grossman
Vice President .......................................... Evalyn Block
Secretary .................................................. Gayle Bourne
Treasurer .................................................. Dianne Bazell
At—Large Executive Committee ........ Amy Faust Mayer

Seth Salomon

mm
For a Second Three-Year Term ...... Mickey Hernandez.
Seth Salomon. Judy Worell
For a First Three—Year Term .................... Daniel Baker.
Erin Gold

The Annual Meeting will take place on Wednesday.
May 27 at 7 pm. at the Federation office.

 

 

 

follow US Oil “Like" us on our
“with“ facebook
@JFedofBluegrass page
www.twitter.com www.facebook.com

 

   

Letter to the Community

The last issue of Shalom included an op—ed entitled
How to Become a Rodef Shalom written by Gary
Yarus. The Shalom editorial committee understood
that the views expressed in it were controversial. and
not held by the vast majority of our community. The
op—ed was preceded by a statement from the editorial
committee that the views expressed were not those of
the committee. JFB or its constituent organizations.

It was the editorial committee's hope. which in ret-
rospect was naive. that the publication of this op—ed
would encourage thoughtful members of our commu—
nity to address and refute the assertions in this piece.

The editorial committee has heard from several mem-
bers of our community. While unanimous in their
refutation of the views expressed in this op—ed. they
also question the editorial decision to print the op-ed
in the first place. While our readers agree that encour-
aging members of our community to write articles and
letters for Shalom is a laudable goal. attempting to do
so by printing viewpoints which otherwise have no
support in our community was unwise. In hindsight.
the editorial committee agrees with this assessment
and understands that this op—ed should not have been
published.

Shalom is our Jewish Federation‘s newspaper. Our
Federation supports the people of Israel through your
contributions. There are articles in Shalom every
month featuring the exciting events and innovations
taking place in Israel. and we will continue to report
on them. Each issue of Shalom highlights the numer—
ous activities and programs benefitting the Central
Kentucky Jewish community that our Federation sup—
ports. You will find some fresh faces and new prose
in this edition of Shalom. The editorial committee
wishes to thank you all for your continued support and
understanding.

The Shalom Editorial Committee

 

ATTENTION PROUD GRAND-
PARENTS, PARENTS, & STUDENTS
We want to publish any original writing

produced by our community’s elementary—
and high-school-age children. If you’re proud
of something written by one of our kids,
either fiction or non-fiction, please email it
to shalom @jewishlexington.org

 

 

 

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' The Shalom Editorial Committee is seeking '
enthusiastic new members tojoin their team. I
The Editorial Committee convenes once per

month to edit Shalom articles and have a short

meeting. If you are interested in learning moreI
or wish to volunteer. please contact

Judy Wortman at (859) 268—0672 or

jfb@jewishlexingtonorg

 

 Big Blue Nation Sitting Shivah
By Jon Grossman. son of Kathy and Mike Grossman

y family reunited
or Pesach this year.
a nice ingathering of
. exington exiles from
ur far-flung corners
f the country. As an
dded bonus. I‘d be
round for the crown-
ing of our hometown
basketball team. a team for whom perfection seemed a
realizable goal. Even better. a friend of mine invited
me to play a gig that night on campus. sure to be the
most memorable of the year.

 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 

Indeed it was. but not for the reasons I anticipated. In-
stead of presiding over a triumphant celebration. l wit-
nessed a remarkable event. unlike any in our town's
history: all of Lexington sat shivah that night.

Walking out in the ghost town that was Euclid Av—
enue that Monday night. I felt a powerful kinship with
my fellow mourners. Though most had cleared their
schedules to celebrate. neither a person nor burning
couch was anywhere to be seen. (Not like last year.
when a sofa with only enough upholstery to burn

for one stayed alight for eight miraculous hours!)
Adorned to the porches ofevery third or fourth house.
the homemade banners. with their hand-scrawled
messages of support for the team. still waved in the
breeze. Despite its dominance. and its image as a
behemoth steamrolling the competition. this was the
heart of the Big Blue Nation. On this night of nights.
one could hear it crying out.

At first glance the UK basketball program, with its
prowess and dominance. has little in common with the
Jewish people. so used in our history to disappoint-
ment and defeat. Yet high expectations and double
standards rue us both. as though no achievement is

Show Your Support
Help us keep Shalom solvent.
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ever enough. This year‘s team was supposed to be the
chosen ones. but instead the deadly quiet on campus
recalled the Yiddish proverb: we make plans and G-d
laughs. Perfection. meanwhile. can only occur in the
messianic age. and whatever his salary. John Calipari
falls far short of that title. Each generation possesses
this potential. but maybe this misses the point. Per—
haps our perfection is more akin to America's. where.
President Obama reminds us, “Our union may not be
perfect. but it is perfectible."

Despite the joy of reuniting. a certain heaviness ac—
companied the family Pesach after the Cats‘ loss.
My mother. Kathy not to be confused with a die—hard
sports fan. offered some insight by way of Rudyard
Kipling’s poem “If": “If you can meet with Triumph
and Disaster/ And treat those two impostors just the
same.

Every death is demoralizing. even when it‘s only the
dream of perfection that's died. As we tear our wildcat
jerseys andjoyfully recall this season. so tantalizingly
close to a perfect one. let us treasure its memory. and
enjoy the sorrow of loss that so closely binds together
the citizens of Big Blue Nation.

 

Make a Donation to JFB in Someone's
Honor or Memory

Make a donation to the Jewish Federation in honor
or memory of someone. or in celebration of a spe-
cial occasion. and help JFB nurture the values of
tikkun olam (repairing the world). tzedakah (char—
ity and social justice) and Torah (Jewish learning)
within our Jewish community at home and abroad.

Send us your special contributions with a note
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Celebrate your loved ones and support our Jew-
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tion. Thank you for your support.

Thank you to:

Judy Wortman for her gift in honor of the
births of Madison Mayer. Simon Goldstein-
Michler. and Julia Marie Salomon. and in
memory of Ken Mayer.

 

 

 

 

  

Ask a Rabbi—
Rabbi H.D. Uriel
Smith

Question :

What can King David
teach us today?

Response:

We often sing: “David
melekh Yisrael Hai
v’kayyam.” “David,
king of Israel. is alive
and enduring." How
come that we still sing
in honor of a man who lived three thousand years ago?

 

Early this year I braved the winter snow in Chicago

to deliver a paper on King David giving some new
answers to this question. Here are some older answers.
The Hebrew Bible tells us that David was a great ruler
and a great musician. Christian tradition remembers
him as the ancestor of a man who became a god. Jesus.
Muslim tradition remembers him as a prophet. a war—
rior who killed Goliath. a metallurgist who perfected
chain mail. and a musician who wrote the Zabuur. the
Book of Psalms. In my paper I argued that he also was
a great peacemaker.

By scrutinizing textual studies and archaeological
evidence. I showed that David set up procedures that
delivered peace and harmony between two sets of
communities for several centuries after he died. He
arranged a continuing pact between the Philistines and
the Davidic dynasty. a pact that lasted most of the First
Temple period. And he ensured that the twelve tribes
of Israel felt they were one nation even after they were
split for two centuries into two kingdoms.

My argument has major implications today. If David
found the right “buttons” to push in order to bring
peace between Israel and the Philistines, we should
search how to bring peace between Israel and Pales-
tine today. And if David ensured the sense of unity
between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. we should
continue searching how to help Jews throughout the
world to realize that despite our major differences. we
are still one religious family.

In some ways David had it easier than we do. Because
we Jews have become part of the foundation myths of
Christianity. Islam. and Marxism. and we disregarded
or rejected their paths and followed our own destiny.
we stand out as a specially marked sacred community.
We continue to learn how to live with that.

' Mesopotamia and Egypt did not consider them—
selves to be stakeholders in the future of Israel. But
Christians. Muslims. and Marxists from outside the

Holy Land. each want to force Israel and the Palestin-
ians to follow their own mutually contradictory paths
to the future.

0 Ancient Israel and the Philistines spoke mutually
comprehensible dialects of the same language. Israe-
lis and Palestinians today speak respectively Hebrew
and Arabic. and thus cannot understand each other.
unless they learn their neighbors‘ language.

- Life was dangerous then. The people wanted a
strong king to keep them from being massacred. To-
day the Jews are spread over the entire world. There
is no one person that can safeguard all of them.

- King David and Achish. king of the Philistine city

of Gath. remained friends. Today. if an Israeli leader

is openly friendly with an Arab leader. this friendship
endangers both their lives. Sadat of Egypt was assas—

sinated after meeting with Begin. Rabin was assassi—

nated after meeting with King Hussein.

Life is becoming especially dangerous today as a
thirty—years war is spreading between the Sunnis and
Shiites with all sorts of outsider nations being drawn
into the maelstrom. In 1618-1648 CE a similar Thirty
Years“ War occurred in Germany between the Catho-
lics and Protestants. and half the civilian population
were killed. We still do not know how to navigate
ourselves. so as to limit the casualties of this war.

Before David was enthroned. the Israelites and Philis-
tines had become Doppelg'anger. twinned communi—
ties. They were major antagonists. In the Song of the
Sea (Exodus 15:14) the first antagonist community
mentioned after Egypt is Philistia. King Saul. Davis‘s
predecessor. fought with the Philistines during his
whole reign. In his last battle against the Philistines.
around 1000 BCE at Mount Gilboa. Saul and his three
sons were killed. David had fled from Saul who tried
to kill him. David eventually escaped to Gath. a Philis-
tine city. where he stayed for a year and four months.
When Saul died David went to Hebron. the chief city
of Judah. where he was enthroned as king. During the
next seven years. while David consolidated his king—
dom. he skirmished with the Philistines. Around 993
BCE David made Jerusalem his capital. after which
the skirmishes became major battles.

Still. David maintained good relations with Achish the
king of Gath. While living in Gath out of Saul‘s reach.
David had become Achish’s bodyguard. Now as king
of Israel. working with Achish. David arranged to
have two troops. the Cherethites and Pelethites. sup-
plied by the other Philistine cities. They became the
household guard of King David. something like the
modern Swiss Guard in the Vatican. David had a spe—
cial plan for a separate Gittite troop from Gath. Within
a year after he made Jerusalem his capital. David

 

 (continued from page 5)

brought the Ark with its Tent of Meeting and furnish—
ings to Jerusalem. In my paper I argued that David
made the Gittites the security troop for the Ark and the
Tabernacle.

Solomon. David’s successor. maintained the Cher-
ethites and Pelethites as his household troops. After
the kingdom split. in 922 BCE. Rehoboam. Solomon‘s
son. reduced the two Philistine troops to one. the
Carites, adding a Judean troop of Ratzim, “Runners”,”
to be the other household troop. The Bible (2 Kings

1 111—20) describes how a century later Jehoiada. the
High Priest organized (in 837 BCE) a revolt against
the murderous queen Athaliah. using these house-
hold troops together with the Temple security troops.
Jehoiada set up Joash. a seven—year old boy. as king.
Joash was the sole survivor of the massacre of David's
dynasty line by Athaliah. Thus, the Philistine “Swiss
guard" troops continued to serve a century after David
died. There are stories implying that the household
troops tried saving later Judean kings” lives. So. prob-
ably the Carites continued serving for another century
and a half.

David had learned that the Pharaohs had used the Phi-
listines as faithful mercenaries in the Egyptian army

a few years after fighting with them. They even saved
the life of Pharaoh Rameses II in the famous Battle

of Kadesh in I274 BCE. So there was a tradition of
the Philistines serving a foreign king. though they had
previously fought against him. David used that tradi-
tion to make an honorable peace with the Philistines.
The kingdoms of Israel and Judah were also twinned

Doppelga‘nger. David also kept them united. The story
of how he did this is more complicated.

Before David became king, Samuel had presided over
an annual circuit of the Ark with its Tent. The circuit

went from Bethel (during Tabernacles). to Gilgal (near

the Jericho ruins. for Passover). and to Mizpah (for
Pentecost. the Feast of Weeks) (1 Samuel 7:16). There
also was a winter stopover in Ramah. the hometown
of Samuel. All four towns belonged to the tribe of
Benjamin. David enlarged the Ark circuit. traveling
from Gilgal (for Passover). through Adam (where

the Jordan had been dammed temporarily just before
Passover lcf. Joshua 3: l 6]. and the preparations for
the next year’s circuit were set up). to Shechem (for
Pentecost). and to Jerusalem (for Tabernacles. and
where the Ark stayed over the winter). This larger cir—
cuit involved more of the tribes. He further organized
parades of the Ark leading to the festival sites. from
Shittim in the Reuben territory to Gilgal (cf. Micah
6:5). from Adam in Issachar to Shechem. and from
Gibeon in Benjamin to Jerusalem. He developed with
the engineers of Zarethan a series of dams and sluices

at Adam, which watered the fields around the Jordan
River. and closed the riverjust before Pesach to enable
the parade across the river “from Shittim to Gilgal”.

This circuit lasted till the country was split into two in
922 BCE. Jeroboam I ruling over the northern tribes
of Israel. and Rehoboam ruling in Jerusalem over
Judah. In my paper I argued that Jeroboam became the
guardian of the Ark. building a permanent Temple in
Shechem. and returning the Tabernacles pilgrimage
site to Bethel. Even though Judah and Israel fought
with each other. the tribes of Judah and Simeon would
send their representatives to the festival pilgrimage
sites. Zeev Meshel. an Israeli archaeologist. found an
inscription in Kuntillet Ajrud on the border of the Si—
nai desert. an inscription from around the 91h century
BCE beginning “I bless you by YHWH of Samaria.”
The prophet Amos from Judah went to Bethel on such
a pilgrimage (Amos 7:l2—l3). Later. the kings of Israel
and Judah. Ahab and Jehoshafat made a pact. marry—
ing off Athaliah daughter of Ahab to Jehoram son of
Jehoshafat. and the Ark circuit was enlarged to include
Jerusalem again. Thus the twelve tribes maintained a
religious unity despite the split.

After the destruction of the northern kingdom by As-

syria. King Hezekiah ofJudah took over the authority
over the Ark. and maintained the twelve-tribe unity as
best he could from Jerusalem.

My analysis shows that if we know which “buttons”
to push it is possible to transform Doppelganger
(‘twinned") enemies into friends. Thus. eventually it
will be possible to transform the relationship of Israel
and Palestine into friendship. But the path will be long
and difficult, especially since the “Thirty—Year War”
spreading throughout the Middle East and beyond will
be so bloody.

In the mean time. I recommend that we in the Dias—
pora support NGO‘s such as B‘Tselem. the New Israel
Fund. the Abraham Fund. and Tag Meir. the Inter-
religious Coordinating Council in Israel. These work
to keep the Israeli and Palestinian governments hon—
est. We should also support CAMERA. FLAME. and
Memri. who are trying to keep the news media honest.
For the more traditional. those who want to look more
at the USA. should support AIPAC. ADL. and Hillel.
and on the world scene. B‘nai B‘rith. WJC. HIAS, and
Mazon. The Jewish Federations are giving a portion
of their donations to the Joint Distribution Committee.
Jewish tradition states that we have to support general
programs to help the needy as well. HIAS is support-
ing the Syrian and Iraqi refugees as part of its refugee
support programming. I do not know how to prioritize
all these needs. But we in the USA need to look at our
relations with Israel simply because these reflect back
upon us. Reform and Conservative Jews should sup—

 

   

port ARZA and MERCAZ respectively (remember
tovote). and all of us should support Hadassah.

The Doppelganger nations of Israel and Palestine

will have to learn each other's language and tradi—
tions. learning to work with each other and respect
each other. This will take some time. More dual
language schools will have to open. More adult lan—
guage ulpanim will have to open. More of the Israeli
Arab citizens should follow the lead of the Druze and
Cherkessian Israelis. who regularly serve in the Israel
Defense Force (IDF. Tsahal). Behind the scenes co-
operation between the Palestinian and Israeli colleges
and universities will have to continue. These processes
will take some time to produce new results. Till then
the pressures on both sides for harsh retaliation will
increase. These pressures should be limited by the
needs for cooperation on the local level in deliver-

ing food. water. electricity, and other necessities. The
more sophisticated and knowledgeable among the
Israelis and Palestinians will have to work hard to cori-
tinue delimiting and reducing the tensions. If enough
people work on it. it should become clear within ten
years to most of the Arabs in Palestine and Israel that
the IDF is saving their lives from the terrible civil
wars swirling around Israel. Most Israelis should then
realize that they need the Palestinians to interact with
the moderate elements in the Middle East. At that time
the Roadmap to Peace begun with the Oslo Accords
can be resumed.

 

 

Have a question?
Ask a rabbi.

The rabbis write columns in response to questions
submitted by the readers. We encourage you-
—whether you are a member of the Jewish com-
munity or not--to submit your queries on theology,
morality, ethics, religious Observances, etc. for
response by one of our rabbis. If you have an issue
you would like to see addressed, please email it to
shalom@jewishlexington.org and put “Ask a Rab-
bi” in the subject line of your email. (It may take
quite a while until your question is answered or it
may net/a be answered, if no rabbi selects it.) You
will not be identified as the writer of the question
to either rabbis 01' readers, nor will you be asked to
specify which rabbi should answer.

 

 

 

PJ Library Israel Sababa!
with Candy Mountain Music

Sunday, May 3

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

  

ASK JFS

Mimi Kaufman

Fall prevention does not
seem like a very lively
topic. but it is important.
As we get older and have
physical changes, falls

are more likely to happen.
They are the leading cause
of injury in older adults. I
want to give some insight
and tips to try to prevent

 

falls that happen at home.

1. Remove home hazards. You have probably heard
this one before. but the number one cause for a fall at
home is tripping over a throw rug. If you must have
them. secure them with some kind of tape or slip—
resistant backing. Use nonslip mats in your bathtub
or shower. Remove cords that may be in your walk—
ways.

2. Use assistive devices. If your doctor recommends
using a cane or walker to keep steady. please do

so. Other devices can help too. For example. install
handrails for both sides of stairways. nonslip treads
for bare-wood steps. a raised toilet seat or one with
armrests. grab bars for the shower or tub. a sturdy
plastic seat in the shower. and a hand-held shower
nozzle that will allow you to sit while showering.

3. Light up your living spaces. Use night lights and
keep flashlights handy.

4. Keep moving. Gentle exercise that helps to
strengthen your muscles and help your balance is
extremely important. Not moving because you are
afraid of falling is not the right answer. You may
need to work with a physical therapist or instructor
to get some instruction on how to be safe with your
exercise routine.

5. Wear sensible shoes. No explanation needed.

6. Talk to your doctor about your medications and
conditions from time to time so you can understand if
you are at risk for falling.

With summertime approaching it is time to be with
friends and family enjoying the outdoors. Festive ac-
tivities can sometimes be a safety risk for older adults.
Remember to be careful in crowds. There can be a

lot of pushing and shoving. Hang onto your friends.
Also be aware of your surroundings. If you are on a
nature trail or at a picnic pay attention. Walking on an
uneven surface like the grass does not always provide
stable footing.

    

One more related topic that I would like to share is
that every year the UK Ag Cooperative Extension of-
fice in Fayette county has a conference called “Meet-
ing the Challenges and Opportunities of Aging." This
year's conference is on May 29th. As of this writing
the registration forms are not out yet and the workshop
lists are not available so I do not have the details. It is
usually very affordable, $10-$15 dollars.

I would encourage people to check it out on the Coop-
erative Extension website as there will be more infor—
mation by the time of this publication. See if it looks
interesting to you. You can also call me at the office,
and I can give you more information. I am certainly
planning to go and would be happy if anyone would
like to join me.

 

Recent J F B Programs

 

One Book Jewish Lexington — Discussion of
The 0016117 and the Jinni by Helen Wecker. led by
Professor Randall Roorda.

 

Arts and Adventures celebrated William Shakespeare's
birthday with a discussion of The Mmhant of Venice
led by Marcia Blacker at Shakespeare and Co.

 

   

when“):

JEWISH BEDTIME STOREFS and SONGS

By Talia Smolkin. JFB Coordinator of Informal
Jewish Education

Spring is here. and spring brings a great deal ofjoy
for PJ Library. In April, the flowers bloomed, and PJ
Playgroup celebrated rebirth by making flower pots
and reading about Passover. In May. spring celebra—
tions continue with Yom Ha‘Atzmaut. as well as all
the births we‘ve had in our community.

Candy Mountain Music has had a fabulous presence
in the wider Lexington community. Led by Sarah
Smitha. Candy Mountain Music creates fabulous
musical programs for children around the PJ Library
age range. The programs range from summertime
gatherings in parks to classes at Baby Moon to private
parties. Sarah Smitha created a custom program for P]
Library about Yom Ha‘Atzmaut. Israel Independence
Day. On May 3. at 3:30 pm. at Jewish Federation of
the Bluegrass. Sarah led PJ Library children in a musi—
cal celebration of the birth of Israel. through song.
dance. and free play. (Pho