PLAZA PRESS. Celebrating January. January A Whole Year of New Years. Adopt a Rescued Bird Month. Mentoring Month. International Creativity Month

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1 January 2015 PLAZA PRESS The Newsletter for Jewish Federation Plaza Celebrating January Adopt a Rescued Bird Month Mentoring Month International Creativity Month Universal Letter Writing Week January 8 14 Vocation Awareness Week January Buffet Day January 2 Twelfth Night January 5 Midwife s Day January 8 Cut Your Energy Costs Day January 10 Belly Laugh Day January 24 Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day January 26 A Whole Year of New Years Many people around the globe will be counting down the seconds until January 1 to shout, Happy New Year! But there are also many people who won t be celebrating a new year on January 1. Some cultures do not even consider it to be the year 2015! For many Chinese, the New Year festival is the most important of the year. February 19 marks the beginning of the year of the sheep, considered an unlucky year, for those born as sheep are said to be meek. New Year s in Thailand, known as Songkran, is celebrated over three days from April The Thai people take the notion of spring cleaning seriously, and they celebrate their New Year each spring with a festival of throwing water. Coincidentally, April is also the hottest month in Thailand, so thousands of people drenching each other with water in the streets provides the perfect means of escape from the scorching heat and suffocating humidity. It is tradition amongst both Ethiopians and Jewish people to celebrate their New Year in September. Enkutatash in Ethiopia falls on September 11, marking the end of the rainy season and commemorating the return of the Queen of Sheba to Ethiopia after her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem in 980 BC. The Ethiopian calendar is also eight years behind the Western calendar, so the year 2015 will be Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown on September 13. It will be year 5776 on the Hebrew calendar! It is customary for this first high holiday to be announced with the blowing of the shofar, which is a hollowed-out ram s horn. Those of the Islamic faith do not celebrate their New Year until the evening of October 13, which marks the first day of the month of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, and the year will be 1437.

2 Greetings from Ann Marie... As the cold weather continues, let s be sure we are doing everything necessary to help keep ourselves warm and healthy. If you need help with ways to keep your apartment warmer and free from drafts, please let us know and we will gladly help. The 4 th floor renovations are coming along just fine and looking better and closer to being done every day. Please remember that all rents are due by the 5 th of every month and if you re not sure what your amount is please inquire at the office. I want to wish everyone a Happy and Safe New Year!! Enjoy your New Year s Eve Party Ann Marie Bass

3 Photo: Plaza resident Tessie Schpiro s Birthday celebration with friends. December Kid s Concerts n Cookies featured children from Berman Early Childhood Center at Suburban Torah Preschool. Painting in the Recreation is relaxing and gives residents a chance to express their creativity.

4 Upcoming Events: Move Today & Walking Club Book Club Special Evening Religious Service Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers New Brunswick TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, World Market, Farmer s Market, Rt 10 Poetry Workshop Red Lobster Meditation & Relaxation Jazz Meets Tin Pan Alley by Bob Gold Lambert Castle and Tick Tock Diner Tenant s Association Birthday party featuring Stephen Fuller The Information Superhighway & How it Grew by Mark Grebenau Life Long Social Worker: Care Alternatives Program Please be sure to check your calendar for dates and times of all events. Happy January Birthday Kvell and Kvetch! We Want To Know!!! Jan 01 Ruth Palin Jan 01 Toby Rosenstein Jan 03 May Schwitzer Jan 07 Miriam G. Lateiner Jan 07 Lawrence Corrin Jan 07 Barbara Spierer Jan 08 Linda Israel Jan 10 Beatrice Murray Jan 14 Shirley Linker Jan 20 Mary Castro Jan 25 Stuart Burglass There is a suggestion box located in the lobby of building 4, near the office. Please share your thoughts or comments about things going well; or suggestions to help us as management improve your experience living here at Jewish Federation Plaza. All suggestions are reviewed. Signing is optional: Signed suggestion slips will be answered by the management team.

5 The West Orange High School Choral Group performed a holiday concert for Plaza residents. The Magic Touch The ingenious system of raised dots that are read through the fingertips by the blind is known as braille and is named for the Frenchman Louis Braille. As a student at the National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris, Braille loved to read and craved a wider variety of books. His mission was to create a new alphabet for the blind, and, at age 15, he developed braille. January 4, World Braille Day, celebrates his achievement and his birthday. Braille based his alphabet on a secret military code developed by Captain Charles Barbier de la Serre for Napolean s French Army. This code of dots, known as ecriture nocturne, or night writing, was a way for soldiers to communicate silently and without a light at night. Barbier visited the Institute for Blind Youth in Paris to present his system. Braille quickly mastered Barbier s system, discovered its flaws, and developed his new system. When he presented his improvements to Barbier in person, the old army Captain was incredulous and offended. History, however, has proven Braille s contribution to be as important as Gutenberg s printing press.

6 A Letter from Judy Solomon Hi December is not quite over yet but it was a good month at the Plaza. The December holidays have been enjoyable. Holiday dinners, religious services and observances were available for all. At last winter is here. Please make sure you are well stocked and prepared in the event of an emergency. Weather conditions can range from freezing to spring like. You never know what conditions will be. So it s best to be prepared. The crown of this month is sure to be the gala New Year s Eve party. By now, you all know about that! The year 2015 is now here with its promise of activities, socializing and friendship. There will be the great art classes, meditation and relaxation, book club, lectures and bingo to name a few. Tenant s birthday parties, welcome to newcomers and tenants association meetings are among the other activities to look forward to. Here is to 2015 and a good new year at Jewish Federation Plaza. Judy

7 The Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System Extends Thanks to: Residents of Jewish Federation Plaza C/O: Ms. Gertrude Freeman, Chairlady Dear Ms. Freeman: Thank you for your donation of various personal care items and snacks for Veterans. Your generosity provides Veterans with easy access to comfort care articles. Your donation allows Veterans to see change, feel comforted or find a renewed sense of self. We appreciate your generous contribution. Isn t That Peculiar? January 10 is the day to hug the nonconformist in your life it s Peculiar People Day. The word peculiar is not an insult. Some of the most creative scientists and artists were known for their eccentricities. Albert Einstein picked up cigarette butts off the street to collect tobacco for his pipe. Howard Hughes spent days in a chair in the middle of his germ-free zone in a Beverly Hills hotel room. Ben Franklin began his days with an air bath, standing in front of an open window to catch a breeze in his birthday suit. All of these people may have shared a trait that psychologists call cognitive disinhibition, a failure to ignore irrelevant information. While many filter out unhelpful information, creative types make offbeat connections all day long, leading to peculiarity, yes, but also wonderful innovations. It s only with committed volunteers like you that we can support such positive efforts. I am grateful to you and the members of the Residents of Jewish Federation for your contribution of time and energy toward the collection and delivery of comfort care articles. Our patients greatly benefit from these types of activities. Your organizations efforts of volunteerism served to bring people together toward a common purpose of good which has benefited our patients. Thank you again, Tyrone Steed

8 HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES HAPPY BIRTHDAY GET WELL WISHES Ronald Rames Rhoda Morris Saul Blazer Rhoda Morris Bica Bercovici Rhoda Morris Dolores Lederman Florence Widelitz Ilse Frank Irene Goldberg Helen Mandel Sophie Lubka Sandye Garrison Marlene Hyatt Rachelle Chriss Marion Brod Elaine Botterman Marlene Mankoff Dolores Lederman Florence Widelitz Ilse Frank Irene Goldberg Elaine Botterman Helen Mandel Marlene Hyatt Sophie Lubka Sandye Garrison Marion Brod Renee Levy Marlene Mankoff Pearl Berkowitz Helen Boll Bea Greenberg Pearl Berkowitz

9 Condolence Library Angels Happy 2015 Sharon Yonteff in memory of her mother Linda Israel Marlene Hyatt Dolores Lederman Mrs. Michael Wofsy in memory of her sister Marlene Mankoff Norma Tooter in memory of her cousin Marion Klein Clara Beckerman and Aggie George Aptecker Alice Atkins Irene Goldberg Shirley Linker Ronald Ramos Norma Tooter Art s Unbounded Art Class This free art class conducted by Professional Art Instructor: Joan Cummings will take place in the Plaza Recreation Room Wednesday, January 7 th and January 21 st 9:00 a.m. All are invited to attend! Wishing all Plaza Residents a Healthy and Happy New Year! Rabbi Study Group The Study Group Featuring: Rabbi Polansky Tuesday, January 20 th 1:15 p.m. in the Dining Room All are invited to attend!

10 JANUARY 2015 PLAZA Calendar is subject to change Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 New Year s Day Office & Dining Room Closed 2 9:00 10:00 1:00 ONEG SHABBAT 7:00 Religious Service 3 9:00 SHABBAT SERVICE 11:00 KIDDUSH 7:00 MOVIE 4 11:00 BRUNCH 2:00 MOVIE 11 11:00 BRUNCH 2:00 MOVIE 18 11:00 BRUNCH 2:00 MOVIE 25 11:00 BRUNCH 2:00 MOVIE 5 10:45 Walmart Cedar Knolls 10:15 TOWN BUS 11:30 TAI CHI 6:45 Life-Long 12 10:45 Rt 10 Shopping TJ Maxx 10:15 TOWN BUS 11:30 TAI CHI 1:00 Social Worker: Care Alternatives Program 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Office & Dining Room Closed 6:45 Life-Long 26 10:15 Whole Foods & Target 10:15 TOWN BUS 11:30 TAI CHI 1:00 GO RED Barnabas Healthcare 6:45 Life-Long 6 11:00 EXERCISE 1:00 JCC Marguiles Membership Program Recreation Room 2:00 CURRENT EVENTS 6:00 LIBRARY 6:45 Meditation & Relaxation 13 11:00 EXERCISE 2:00 CURRENT EVENTS 6:00 LIBRARY 20 11:00 EXERCISE 1:15 Rabbi Study Group 2:00 CURRENT EVENTS 6:00 LIBRARY 6:45 Meditation & Relaxation 27 11:00 EXERCISE 2:00 CURRENT EVENTS 6:00 LIBRARY 7 9:00 Art Class 10:45 Livingston Mall 11:00 Move Today & Walking Club 12:15 Life-Long 1:30 CHORAL GROUP 3:00 Floral Design Workshop 14 10:45 Essex Green 11:00 Move Today & Walking Club 12:15 Life-Long 1:30 CHORAL GROUP 21 9:00 Art Class 10:45 Willowbrook Mall 11:00 Move Today & Walking Club 12:15 Life-Long 1:30 CHORAL GROUP 28 10:45 Essex Green 11:00 Move Today & Walking Club 12:15 Life-Long 1:30 CHORAL GROUP 8 9:30 Zimmerli Art Museum Rutgers New Brunswick 11:00 Exercise 2:00 Painting in the Recreation Room 7:00 Book Club 15 10:45 Red Lobster 11:00 Exercise 2:00 Poetry Workshop 7:00 Tenant s Assoc Birthday Party with Stephen Fuller 22 10:45 Lambert Castle & Lunch at Tick Tock Diner $4.00 Sr. Admission 11:00 Exercise 2:00 Bob Gold Jazz Meets Tin Pan Alley 29 10:15 Trader Joes Millburn 11:00 Exercise 2:00 The Information Superhighway by Mark Grebenau 9 9:00 10:00 1:00 ONEG SHABBAT 16 9:00 10:00 1:00 ONEG SHABBAT 23 9:00 10:00 1:00 ONEG SHABBAT 30 9:00 10:00 1:00 ONEG SHABBAT 10 9:00 SHABBAT SERVICE 11:00 KIDDUSH 7:00 MOVIE 17 9:00 SHABBAT SERVICE 11:00 KIDDUSH 7:00 MOVIE 24 9:00 SHABBAT SERVICE 11:00 KIDDUSH 7:00 MOVIE 31 9:00 SHABBAT SERVICE 11:00 KIDDUSH 7:00 MOVIE