H EADLINES
Virtual Dementia
Support Groups
New Friendships
Blossom During
Pandemic L OCA L
SOPHIE PANZER | JE STAFF
ALTHOUGH REMOTE
learning and safety restrictions
made Marley Slotkin’s fi rst
semester at Temple University
anything but a normal college
experience, she hasn’t had a
problem making new friends.

The freshman joined a
Facebook group for the Temple
Class of 2024 last summer and
started connecting with her
peers online. She also joined
a Snapchat group chat for new
Jewish students and became
close with the members.

“We ended up doing weekly
calls, and we all got to know
each other really well,” she said.

Once she arrived on campus
in the fall, Slotkin was able
to meet up with members of
the group, who are now some
of her closest friends. Many
of them ended up joining
Temple Hillel, where Slotkin
is now a student engagement
intern. Th ey have partici-
pated in group activities like
virtual yoga, virtual Shabbat
dinners and outdoor gardening
together. Many people have used
social media and video call
platforms to keep in touch
with old friends and loved
ones during the pandemic, but
some, like Slotkin, take it a
step further and forge entirely
new friendships thanks to an
abundance of virtual programs
and online groups.

Jenn Reiss, director of
Jewish student life at West
Chester University Hillel, was
pregnant with her fi rst child at
the beginning of the pandemic
and joined a Facebook group
for new moms. One day, feeling
especially isolated, she put out
a call for other mothers who
would be giving birth in late
August, the same time she
was due.

Th e response was over-
whelming, so she formed a
group chat with the fi rst 10
people who responded. Since
then, they became a support
system for each other by
off ering advice, convening on
Zoom for group happy hours
and organizing gift exchanges.

Th ey’re located in diff erent
time zones across the country,
so if someone is up feeding her
baby in the middle of the night,
there’s oft en a fellow mother
awake to off er encouragement.

“Being so alone at home,
working from home with the
new baby and my husband
working from home, it’s just
been one of the most helpful
things, having this group of
ladies to lean on and talk to,”
Reiss said.

Alicia Rosenbaum made
new friends during her
Jewish Changemakers fellow-
ship, which is run by Jewish
Federations of North America.

One of the fellows made a
Facebook group for everyone in
the program, and Rosenbaum
joined a group chat for planning
virtual events.

Th e fellows bonded over their
passion for Jewish community,
which gradually evolved into
virtual game nights and movie
nights. Rosenbaum, who lives
in Mount Laurel, New Jersey,
became especially close with
Samantha Kuvin, who lives in
Ohio, and Izzy Bennett, who
lives in Maryland.

“Even though we met over
the summer, we still tend to
talk every week or so. And I
actually had a virtual birthday
in late February and they came
to that. And they’ve gotten to
Specially Designed for Families and
Caregivers on Zoom
The 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the Month
March 30, 2021
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Joining is easy!
Call 215.321.6166 or e-mail Yardley@arden-courts.com
to register and receive the link to join the support
group. You do not need to download the Zoom application
to join the event.

Memory Care Community
If you are caring for someone with dementia,
who is caring for you?
You are not alone. This virtual informational, supportive
group will help you to learn more about the disease as well
as understand their feelings about the changes dementia has
made on their daily lives. Support groups can also help you:
• •
• •
Learn practical caregiving information
Get mutual support
Learn about your local community resources
Find solutions to challenging behaviors
arden-courts.org See Friendships, Page 8
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