COMMUNITY NEWS
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
mobilizes financial and volunteer resources to
address the communities’ most critical priorities
locally, in Israel and around the world.

What is the NORC?
IN NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA, there’s a free retirement community
— one where older adults can age safely and with dignity in their very own
homes, with Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s support. We call it the
Northeast NORC.

NORC stands for Naturally Occurring Retirement Community. It’s a neighbor-
hood that contains a large proportion of people over age 60. Since the area wasn’t
originally planned to meet aging populations’ needs, residents of a NORC can
find it increasingly hard to do things like grocery shopping, changing light bulbs,
mowing the lawn or getting to a doctor’s appointment. Often, they can feel isolated.

And yet residents of the Northeast NORC — which spans six zip codes — would
prefer to continue living in their homes. That’s why Jewish Federation, along with
many community partners, created a system to link NORC’s 1,700 members with
the services they need.

NORC provides home assessments; home maintenance and repairs; transpor-
tation to medical appointments and Jewish life and learning events; socialization
opportunities; and information and referral services.

“The squirrels get in and chew up all my screens. And they sent someone and
repaired all my screens.” said Helen, a 92-year-old NORC resident. “I have a friend
in North Wales who tells me, ‘I wish I had someone like that.’”
NORC personnel also regularly check in with friendly visits and phone calls.

And residents are encouraged to come to KleinLife for free exercise classes, garden-
ing in the hoop houses and socializing over lunch and learns.

Volunteers are key to the NORC’s success.

They do everything from raking leaves, flipping mattresses, painting and
changing smoke alarm batteries to minor repairs like installing shower grab bars
and winterizing homes by covering windows in plastic. NORC volunteers find the
experience meaningful beyond the work itself, as it becomes an opportunity to talk
and connect with older adults, and hear their stories. One recent group of teenage
volunteers visiting a woman living by herself even lit Chanukah candles together.

At the Jewish Federation, we help our older adults stay healthy, safe and con-
nected. For more information about the NORC or to volunteer, visit jewishphilly.

org/norc or contact the NORC at norc@jewishphilly.org or 215-320-0351.

Jewish Philly Podcast Episode 11:
Attorney General Josh Shapiro
IT’S 2019, AND we’re kicking off
the new year by celebrating new
life and examining the challenges
facing Jewish millennials and young
parenthood. That’s followed by a conversation
about the recent Women’s March with
Jewish Exponent reporter Selah Maya
Zighelboim, and finally we’ll share the
story of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel,
who marched in Selma arm-in-arm
with Martin Luther King Jr. in pursuit
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH EXPONENT
of righteousness and equality.

We also had the honor to sit down with
Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Josh Shapiro to
talk about the issue that has propelled him on to the
national stage — the Pennsylvania Catholic clergy
abuse scandal. We also talk about how his Jewish
values guide him as Pennsylvania’s head lawyer,
his future political plans and his advice for Jewish
communities combatting anti-Semitism.

You can listen to the Jewish Philly podcast at
jewishphilly.org/podcast or subscribe to our
channel on iTunes, Spotify or Google Play.

FEBRUARY 21, 2019
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