local
‘Bark Atah’: JCC to Host
Blessing of Dogs, Pool Party
SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER
H arley, a 7-year-old yellow
Labrador retriever, is a Jewish
dog, at least according to his
owner Amy Foster, the chief program
offi cer of the Kaiserman JCC.

Aft er all, he’s ever-present around
the table for holidays (though perhaps
just looking for scraps); has a Jewish
mother; and, like any middle-aged
Jewish man, loves paddling laps at
the Kaiserman JCC pool (though he
only does so aft er outdoor pool season,
when his slobber won’t be a concern for
avid pool-goers).

“As part of our family, he feels
Jewish,” Foster said. “I’m sure he feels
Jewish.” Th ough the dog days of summer
have ended, Foster believes that Harley
shouldn’t be the only canine with pool
privileges this year. On Oct. 2, the
Kaiserman JCC will host Paws in the
Pool, an opportunity for area dogs,
Jewish or not, to take a dip in the
outdoor pool, which is closed for the
season. Th e JCC has clearly barked up the
right tree: Twenty dog parents have
already expressed interest, and Foster
expects a ruff estimate of 10 more
pooches to show up.

“It’s great to socialize him with other
dogs,” said Talia Kassie of her dog
Stitch, a brown and white Boston ter-
rier adopted in December 2020.

Stitch plans on showing off his shark
fi n life jacket at the event.

“I’d like to give her a new experi-
ence besides just the dog park,” Oreet
Schwartz said about Nala, her 3-year-
old rescue beagle-husky mix.

In addition to a day of swimming
and butt-sniffi ng, the dogs will be
blessed by Adath Israel on the Main
Line Rabbi Eric Yanoff .

Th e blessing Yanoff plans to give is a
play on words that requires a little bit of
Harley swimming in the
Kaiserman JCC outdoor pool
after its summer season
V OTE F
O WINNE R THE
RS! From your favorite restaurant to the best
bagel, day camp to your favorite doctor,
Family-friendly Shabbat service to best non-
profit organization, vote for your favorite
people, places and things in Jewish Philly!
The winners are chosen by popular vote, so
nominate your favorites. As a business, share with
your audience to help you win the title of “Best” in
your category!
F 2
2 BEST O
02 Jewish Exponent
VOTING CLOSES OCTOBER 7
PHILADELPHIA ISH
P PHILADEL
Jewish Exponent
PHILADELPHIA 8
SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
H IA
JE W
Winners will be contacted in October and the results
will be in the October 27th issue of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent.

Go to www.jewishexponent.com/readerschoice2022
and vote for your favorites!
Print | Digital |
Contact Jeni Mann Tough
for more information
jmann@midatlanticmedia.com



background Torah knowledge: “What
we say is, “Y’simcha elochim — may
God make you — t’Kalev ve ne’eman —
like Kaleb.”
Kaleb is the figure in the Torah
who was one of Moses’ 12 scouts sent
to survey Israel and return to the
wilderness to report back. While 10
scouts returned and deemed Israel as
an unfit homeland, Kaleb and Joshua
returned, insisting that God had
promised that land to the wandering
Jewish people; they were the only two
scouts who had demonstrated loy-
alty and faith to God’s word, Yanoff
teaches. Great story, rabbi, but more importantly,
what does this have to do with dogs?
“It’s not enunciated the same way,
but ‘Kaleb’ is spelled the same way
as ‘kelev,’ which is the word for dog,”
Yanoff said.

Like Kaleb, Yanoff said, a kelev also
demonstrates loyalty and devotion.

Of course, Yanoff understands the
absurdity in his forthcoming task of
bestowing a Hebrew blessing to doz-
ens of wet dogs, which most certainly
do not count toward a minyan. But
he believes the absurdity is rooted in
Jewish tradition.

“When you are able to be playful in
that way, it makes you feel part of some-
thing, right? And every value structure
and every group has its language, its
inside jokes, its lore, its history,” Yanoff
said. “And when you resonate with
something like that — in a playful way
— it is very affirming.”
Jews engage with this same play-
fulness during Purim, when spiels
draw on popular culture to poke fun
at Jewish culture, at the same time
bringing to life and adding meaning
to a story of Jewish history told year
after year.

It’s also a Jewish practice to find
the principles of Torah in unexpected
places from unexpected teachers. You
may not be able to teach an old dog
new tricks, but old dogs may be able to
teach Torah.

Among the dog owners planning
on attending Paws in the Pool, there’s
a unanimous feeling that Foster
describes: “You just feel like dogs are
part of your family.”
Sure, it’s going to be darn cute to see
some good boys and good girls doggy
paddle in the pool, but the dog parents
are concerned with more than just a
good time. They want their fur babies
enriched, socialized, tail-wagging and
panting with happiness. It’s an infec-
tious joy that comes with being a dog
owner. Yanoff describes that two-way street
of a relationship between dogs and
their owners.

“The care of a dog is constant,” he
said; a dog will rely on you for the
entirety of its life. However, for the
duration of one’s time with their dog,
there’s also a lifetime of love that a pet
has to give. It’s a never-ending cycle of
having to care for someone and receive
love in return.

“It’s a very Jewish thing to have both
constancy of care and constancy of
love,” Yanoff said.

For more information about the event,
visit phillyjcc.com/pawsinthepool. JE
srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com Compassionate
Care with Peace of Mind!
V is it !
Come The Hearth is Licensed Assisted
Living and Memory Care community,
where our residents enjoy the compassionate
care, sense of family, a homelike feeling, with
beautiful and personalized apartment homes.

on Sunday, October 2 nd, 2022
rain or shine 10:30 a.m.

For additional information and to schedule
your in-person or virtual tour, please go to
www.TheHearthAtDrexel.org/Visit or
call 1-877-205-9428.

Assisted Living • Memory Care • Respite Care
Broadcasting service live on our website
www.TheHearthAtDrexel.org 238 Belmont Ave. | Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 9