BY MARISSA STERN | JE STAFF
ne of the summertime perks of living in
Philadelphia is that during the hot vaca-
tion months, we can easily take day and
weekend trips to New Jersey for one of
the best things the state has to offer: the
sand and the ocean.

Don’t be mistaken, though — we don’t “go to
the beach.” We go down the shore.

And seniors find ways to spend their time un-
der the boardwalk as much as anyone.

Many times, people will seek out second
homes in the beachier parts of the state — Mar-
gate, Avalon, Cape May, the list goes on. And as
June inches closer, so too does the appeal of walk-
ing on the boardwalk, enjoying the cool ocean
breeze, indulging in an overflowing tub of John-
son’s caramel popcorn or salt water taffy or some
Polish water ice. … Is anyone else hungry?
For senior adults, this time could be a perfect
one to spend on the beach with grandchildren
or gamble in Atlantic City.

Even if gambling isn’t your scene,
there are plenty of other ways to enjoy
the warm weather.

6 MAY 12, 2016
THE GOOD LIFE
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



Rose Valentine, 75, has lived on Long Beach Island, N.J. for 15
years after she and her husband decided to live there permanently
following his retirement, though they split their time between LBI
and South Carolina.

She is a past president of the Jewish Community Center of Long
Beach Island and does public relations for the organization, though
she is quick to point out, “this isn’t your normal JCC.”
“We’re a full-year synagogue,” she clarified. “But most of the peo-
ple — 70 percent of the people — are not there during the winter.”
The synagogue offers programs and events targeted for the whole
congregation, but older adults do tend to gravitate toward certain
programs, she said. They have mah jongg nights and movie nights
and Zumba classes, which many senior adults enjoy.

Living in a place where many people do not stay for the full year
is challenging, Valentine said. Having the JCC and synagogue there
has helped her create a life for herself and her family.

“When you live in an area where people aren’t there all year,” she
said, “I think most people need some kind of an anchor or place
where they belong. Most of us did not raise our children there; it’s
not where we spent our adult life. So you need to find a place where
you can find friendship, activities and a sense of belonging — I could
not really live there if the JCC was not there.”
She grew up originally on Long Island, N.Y. and went to the beach
“every day” as she put it. Later, she moved to Livingston, N.J. and
started renting a house on LBI for 25 years. Her children came with
her, and they would spend time there in the summer.

Eventually, she and her husband bought a house and their son
followed suit, so now it has a special meaning for her whole family.

“It’s our place,” she said.

Her grandchildren love coming to the beach and spending time
in LBI. They’re “beach bums,” Valentine said with a laugh.

Two of her younger grandchildren, who are 7 and 8, love to come
and stay with them, and Valentine enjoys taking them to the JCC
for different activities, such as the movie nights.

The environment of LBI is good for seniors and for families, she
said, because it’s quieter than say, Atlantic City, with its bright lights
and busy lifestyle.

“It’s really about family,” she said. “Being together without the
distractions of normal life and being together and going to the
beach — getting away from the other things.”
One of her favorite things to do is ride her bike on the
boardwalk and go to the beach with her grandchildren.

Being a grandparent is what many seniors in the area
focus their time on during the summer, she said.

But they come together through activities the
JCC offers, such as Shabbat on the Beach. The syn-
agogue is holding three of these this year, she said,
rather than the usual two because it’s so popular.

“We get about 150 or so people to come on the
beach and do a Kabbalat Shabbat and people go out
to dinner together,” Valentine said. “People bring their
children; I bring my grandchildren. It becomes a three-
generation thing — it’s quite lovely.”
Further up the coastline, many Jews congregate to other
beach towns, such as Ventnor, Margate and Longport.

Only a 10-minute drive each way from the casinos in Atlantic
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JEWISHEXPONENT.COM THE GOOD LIFE
MAY 12, 2016
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