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KEHILA RICHMOND JEWISH SENIORS (KRJS)

TO THEMAY/JUNE 2007 NEWSLETTER

Well folks just two months left before the summer and then we are closed until September. If you are like me, you wonder where that year went. It seems that in the blink of the eye another day has passed. It has been wonderful seeing so many of you taking part in the weekly activities. I have heard so many positive remarks from the participants and our group stands out as a role model for other senior groups. It is with many thanks to the members of our committees, all volunteers, who give so much of their time to make our center so successful. Hopefully next year we can expand our activities. Maybe a senior choir or an acting group, or a reading club is a possibility. It would also be exciting to partner with some of the other neighbouring Senior Jewish communities and to plan some joint ventures. We hosted one of the Senior Alliance’s Empowerment series: “The Joys of Jewish Music” which was a resounding success. We will be working with the Senior Alliance again in the fall on a Forum. More information will be forthcoming in the August newsletter. ***************************************************** March proved to be quite busy. March 5 we had an important topic for discussion – Long Term Care. What is it and what is available. In Richmond we do not yet have a Jewish Seniors Communal facility but maybe that is something we could look at in the future. A Senior Jewish Day Care Center, a Jewish Seniors Assisted Living Facility and a Jewish Long Term Care Facility. As our Jewish Seniors population keeps growing these are growing concerns that the Jewish Community and other agencies will need to consider.

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On March 15 th Rabbi Saulter spoke to us about meditation vs. medication. He explained about Kaballah and how we can try to achieve inner peace. We cannot change other people but we can change ourselves and become more in tune with our being. How we project ourselves will determine how others react to us. We need to search for our own truths. Even though we relax our body we need to expand our thinking so that we can achieve more serenity and calm in our own life. Set aside at least 10 minutes a day to do your meditation.

On March 19 th Abba Brodt from the Jewish Federation came to speak to us. He gave us some statistics about the Jewish population in the Greater Vancouver area. Similar to most other populations the Jewish senior population has shown a very large gain. Richmond has one of the fastest growing Jewish Seniors population and as well we are more involved in our Jewish community and have the least amount of intermarriage.

On March 26 th we held our mock Seder. We were fortunate to have Rabbi Saulter run the service as Rabbi Kaiser was out of town at that time. Thank you to Rabbi Saulter and to the Richmond Jewish Day School for sending their senior choir to sing and participate in the Seder. That is always such a highlight. Thank you also to Naomi Summers for coming out of retirement to lead the choir.

On April 16 th Pat Ralston from the Richmond Music School and her student Winnie came to entertain us with their classical piano concertos. It was a stellar performance. Pat gave us background information about the composers, played some pieces, and then had Winnie play for us. Winnie, who is extremely talented, received a standing ovation.

On April 23 rd we had a change in our programme. Mike Kljajic from “Freedom 55” came to speak to us. With his background in Safety Enforcement he gave us some hints on how to keep ourselves safe from criminal assaults and then he also discussed estate planning. He gave us much worthwhile information.

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ONCE A MONTH ACTIVITIES:

The Wellness Clinic: This busy programme is held on the third Monday of the month except if there is a holiday Monday. Blood pressures are taken and blood sugar levels are tested. Ruth Singer, who is a retired nurse, makes all the arrangements for the practitioners. The manicures and pedicures are very popular and often if you don’t sign up ahead of time you may just miss out. We also offer Therapeutic Touch and a new therapy has just been added: Reflexology. I tried the reflexology last week and felt renewed. Make sure on the day of the Wellness Clinic you are there on time for your appointment. If you haven’t booked, try to get there early and Rima will put your name on the list. The Wellness Clinic starts at 9:30 a.m. and goes to noon.

Gisi Levitt: From the Jewish Family Services attends the last Monday of the month. So if you have any questions or concerns she is there to speak to you

Birthday Recognition: At the end of each month we provide birthday cake, a card, and a free lunch for our members who had a birthday in that month. It’s lots of fun and a nice way to have everyone join in.

March birthday celebrants: Sally, Pat, Sonya, Naomi and Michelle

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ONGOING ACTIVITIES:

Community Kitchen: Every third Thursday some of our Richmond Russian Jewish Seniors meet at the Chabad Synagogue on Blundell to cook, eat and enjoy. Often Rabbi Baitelman will join them. The meal is planned and prepared by the participants as a joint venture with JFSA. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. There is a $2.00 cost and any Jewish senior who is willing to help set up, cook, serve or clean up is welcome to attend.

Like Zoia says “Come and enter our World.”

Movie afternoon: Every third Wednesday the theatre in Richmond Center has a free movie (just bring something for the food bank.) After the movie some of our members meet in the lobby and go out for lunch and a visit. If you are interested please join us.

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A SUMMER RECIPE

LAVENDER LEMONADE

Make a pot of Lavender Tea. 1 tea bag for the whole pot is enough. Cool. Put a can of frozen lemonade in container, substitute cooled tea for water. Chill and serve over ice.

So refreshing.

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REMEMBERING LAYA CAPLAN

Laya Caplan was one of the charter members of the Richmond Jewish Seniors Group. She was an active participant, happy to regale us with her jokes and humour and also willing to let us know what was

working and what needed improvement. She was an amazing woman, always in good spirits and a willingness to help out; a wonderful role model for many of us. We all will miss her.

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Laya Caplan passed away quietly on March 30 at Richmond General Hospital at the age of 93. Laya was born on March 5, 1914 in Hutin, Bessarabia, Romania. She was the youngest of 7 children all of whom pre­deceased her. Laya was brought up in a Balabustishe home where Yiddish was their first language in this primarily Jewish town. Laya also spoke Romanian and Russian in her youth. Her beloved mother, Manya, passed away in 1934 as a deadly flu epidemic claimed many lives in Eastern Europe. The love and devotion that her Mother had for her children would become a central principle of Laya's life. Laya made the difficult choice in 1936 to immigrate to Canada along with her brother Mendel. It was to be the last time she saw her father, Chaim Josef, and her sister, Hinda, who both perished in the Shoah. Adjusting to life in Canada was not easy, but Laya learned to speak both English and French in Montreal. She worked in the fur industry as a sewer. Laya met Jack Caplan on a blind date and love blossomed, culminating in their marriage on June 6th, 1945. Laya and Jack had 2 children, Manya (named for her beloved mother) and Michael. Laya was a terrific mother, great wife, fabulous cook, able gardener, with a positive attitude, and a zest for life. Two of her proudest moments came with the birth of her grandchildren, Shelli­Ann and David. She loved being a "Bubbie".

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Laya was always active in the Jewish community in Montreal, volunteering in the Sisterhoods of the synagogues of the communities she lived in. She was famous for the wonderful Seders she would conduct on Pesach. Laya conducted her life with great dignity and in accordance with Jewish tradition. In 1982, Laya and Jack followed their son out west and settled in Richmond. The love of her life, Jack, passed away in 1992. In 1994, Laya traveled to Israel and visited her cousins, Rivka and Zalman, whom she had not seen since the day she left her home in Hutin in 1936. It was an incredible trip and Laya's energy to visit many tourist sites in Israel left her younger relatives exhausted. Laya later became involved with Jewish Seniors groups in Vancouver and Richmond. She helped in any way she could, to ensure the continued growth of these groups right up until she passed away. Laya did not consider herself as a Senior, but instead called herself a "recycled teenager". She never stopped learning, her favourite show was Jeopardy and she loved to watch CNN and Fox News. She tried to bring joy and happiness into everyone's lives, with a smile, a joke, or a story. Laya had a kind soul, and will be sadly missed by everyone who knew her.

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THE MANY FACES OF SENIORS

HELLO, MY NAME IS LENA SLATER. I was born in one of the reef towns outside of Johannesburg, South Africa in July, 1925. I was the first born followed by two brothers. It was a beautiful place to be brought up in. There was a good sized Jewish community and each community had a shule which had a community hall. We were a cohesive group. Even though they were depression years as I was growing up and my family were not rich we, like other white families, could afford a nanny and a cook. We kids survived very well in our middle class environment. My father, who came from Lithuania, owned a butcher shop, a general store and a furniture store. I enjoyed going to the public school where I did well in my academic classes and participated on the debating team and in the choir. But, even more so, I loved sports, especially playing field hockey and tennis. Every morning we set off for school wearing our mandatory uniforms. There were schools for the white kids and separate schools for the black kids. We didn’t think too much about this separation as it was the norm and both sides seemed to find it quite acceptable. Mine, was a very happy childhood. I graduated from high school in 1942 and then went to University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. I had wanted to be a doctor but my father felt that the casualty training and emergency work which was a part of the training and which required night time shifts was too risky for a young woman. So instead I studied and got my degree in Physio­therapy. I was very fortunate to be enrolled in that programme as the university only accepted 25 students each year; but my grades were good enough. It was a good programme and I made many friends. None of us were rich but we had fun. I continued to play field hockey at University. For me, sports were a

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necessity. In my third year I met David, my future husband. It was love at first sight (on his part), me – I had to work at it. When I graduated I got a job in the Johannesburg Hospital as a physio therapist. When David and I were 22 years old we got married. The first year we stayed at my parent’s house then we moved to our own flat and finally we bought a house. David worked as a furniture salesman and I carried on working at the hospital for a short time. In those years, when you got married, you lost your permanent status so as a result I changed to a hospital which treated miners; all black patients. That was an interesting position. After 3 years I got pregnant. I was the first woman in the mining industry, in S. Africa, to get maternity leave. Even though I didn’t get paid leave I did set a precedent and I would have a job to go back too. I was Lena, the activist. I had a total of 3 children (all sons) and during the time they were growing up I continued to work. When my oldest son, Martin, was 21, he was very much against apartheid; he was a liberal and chose to not live under that regime. So he and his girlfriend decided to move away and to travel the world. They landed in Vancouver and they didn’t look any further as this was the place where they wanted to live. Meanwhile, in our country, my husband and I and my two other sons realized that things were not going so well; there was a lot of unrest and crime and it was time to leave. In 1987 my second son, his wife and 2 children emigrated. We came in 1988 and my youngest son, wife and 2 children came in 1989. Now we all live in Richmond except for Martin and his family who live in Surrey. Once I was in Canada I was a retiree – a woman of leisure. Good? No! I was bored and I missed my work. Now all I had to do was clean my house and I even took up cooking. (No affordable cooks here). Finally I was cooking for my husband; I became a talented chef. The senior centers in Richmond were my stomping grounds. I was an avid bridge player. After my wonderful David died in 1998 I had to go through an adjustment period. My family was there for me and I did a lot of travelling but eventually I could run away no longer and I needed to settle down. So I did. Now I am a young at heart senior. I am so active I don’t know where I find all the time. One of my favourite activities is as a volunteer twice a week as a teacher’s aide with the grade 1’s at the Jewish Day School. Those little ones are so cute. “Mrs. Slater, Mrs. Slater, look at me, I can read three

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books!” It is so satisfying. I am also “THE Strata Chair, treasurer, secretary, building committee, etc. in my 12 unit complex where I live. I keep the books, call the meetings, arrange for the new roofing (no; I don’t climb on the roofs) and I have to be responsible for all our aging, elderly residents. I also run the fitness/yoga programme for the Kehila Seniors every Monday. We started with only 5 participants and we have had as many as 18 people there. “March! Swing those arms! Get that gut sucked in! Breathe! Let’s get fit!” I also like to play bridge several times a week and in between I try to sleep, that is, when I am not reading, knitting or visiting with my family and friends. In May, I will be going for one week to my 60 th class reunion in Cleveland. Yes life is sooo sweet.

HELLO. MY NAME IS PAMELA TIGGELER. I was born in Birmingham, England in January 1928. My mother was a pianist for the silent films and my father was a silversmith and a travelling salesman and later he specialized in diamonds and antiques. My twin sisters, who were 22 years older than me, were out of the home before I really got to know them. I was reacquainted with them in later years. My sister Betty was a ballet dancer. My great aunt, Alice, was an accompanist to a famous British singer, Cissy Loftus. During a command performance for Queen Alexandra, Cissy wore a beautiful gown which was first handed down to Alice and then later to me. The dress, which is now almost 150 years old, was exquisite. It was mostly guipure lace and pure silk satin. I wore it in concert for my first debut in London and Birmingham and it was also my wedding dress. Music, dance, theatre seemed to be quite prevalent in my mother’s side of the family.

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In 1937, my parents and I moved to a beautiful house in the country 5 miles from Stratford­on­Avon and that was where I received most of my schooling. When I was 13 years old I started to study voice and singing became my passion. At 15 I left boarding school and went to the Royal Albert Concert Hall in London where I went to drama school. I thoroughly enjoyed drama, but it was war years and the bombings were just too close for comfort so my parents called me home. I eventually stayed in Birmingham at the Repertoire theatre and drama was all encompassing. Three months after I returned to London my voice teacher recommended that I audition for a singing role in a musical production. I was accepted at my first audition and I was in the chorus and as an understudy for the lead singer in “Miss Hock of Holland”. For six months I sang my heart out. That was just the beginning. For the next few years my professional life was a busy one. I went on tour for the troops and performed in Aladdin. At 21, I got the second lead role in “Lilac Time” at the Palace Theatre and then I was on at Her Majesty’s Theatre. I was constantly working. For 10 weeks, I was on CBC Radio with my very own show: “Romantic Rhapsody” and it was my job to sing 10 songs for each airing for 10 weeks. This was live recording so if you made a mistake there were no retakes. I was 21 when I met Cyril, got engaged and shortly after that we were married. Cyril was a charter accountant and alas, he didn’t have a musical bone in his body. In 1951, after the twins were born our marriage took a turn for the worse as Cyril was not thrilled about having children. It took me 11 years before I decided to leave him. My next career was catering. I ran my business from my home. One of the highlights of that job was catering for John Dankworth and Cleo Lane. Their special guest was Princess Margaret who purchased one of my special cheesecakes. Next, I borrowed 2000 pounds to buy a home in the country side and turned it into a tea shop most days and a bistro on the other days. I was kept very busy. In 1983, after my twin boys left home I met my second husband, a Canadian. We opened a restaurant in London called “The Little Willow Tree”. We both worked hard at this and were busy 7 days a week. A few years of that and we considered retiring. So we moved to Spain and settled down; or we tried to. Neither of us was ready for that so we opened another restaurant and a general store. As a sideline, which proved to be very lucrative, we

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both taught Spanish children English. This was private tutoring for the children of wealthy parents. We also bred and raised Rotweillers. Spain was our home for 30 years. Leo, my husband, had always wanted to return to Canada, so in 2001, when his health began to fail I sent him to stay with his daughter, her husband and their 5 children in Vancouver, sold our home and then joined him. Leo died 2 years after coming to Vancouver and I established a relationship with his daughter. Now, I had no commitments and I could get back to my first passion – singing. I was, and still am, a volunteer singer for senior homes in and around Vancouver. I also sing at concerts. In my spare time I do dog sitting, sewing, crocheting, entertaining, cooking and reading. I am on the phoning committee and a volunteer driver for Kehila Seniors as well as a volunteer driver for the Tuesday lunches at the Temple Shalom. My life has been varied, interesting and exciting and the adventure continues.

On Sunday, May 6 th 2007 at 7:00 p.m. at Grace Vancouver Church, 1696 West 7 th Ave. Pamela Tiggelers will be the guest soprano with I Musici Sushi, a Chamber Orchestra.

Mark this date on your calendar and let’s go out and see our own Pamela in concert.

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In May and June there will be a total of 6 sessions. Brina has arranged for some interesting and entertaining programmes. May 14 and June 11 we will have an afternoon of song for your listening pleasure: Golden Oldies in May and classical singing in June. For our last session Rabbi Laura Kaplan will be our speaker. So come on out, participate in the fitness programme; socialize, have lunch and stay for the programmes.

TO ALL OF YOU HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE SUMMER. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE BARBECUE ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER10.

For further information please contact the Kehila office at: Or e­mail marilynkrygier@yahoo.ca