MARCUS
We Can Help.
Continued from Page 17
The Jewish Relief Agency can provide a
monthly home-delivered box of nutritious
kosher food to seniors in need.
Call (610) 660-0190 to apply.
More information at jewishrelief.org
(C) 2020 Jewish Relief Agency. All Rights Reserved.
STAY SAFE, SECURE AND
WELL-CARED-FOR WITH PCA.
Philadelphia Corporation
for Aging has over
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with a heavy accent and told her that he had survived a concen-
tration camp. He added that he had vowed he would never walk
into a synagogue again after what he had experienced, but was
inspired by her service to return to prayer.
“I was left speechless and in tears,” she said.
Now, Marcus is the only Jew in her Catholic nursing home, St.
Mary’s Center for Rehabilitation & Healthcare, where she moved
after suffering a broken hip. She misses being around other
Jewish people and conducting services, but she has attracted a
group of friends during her residency at the Cherry Hill, New
Jersey, facility.
She frequently visits other residents, although she is confined
to her section of the building during the pandemic.
Elizabeth Pellerin struck up a friendship with Marcus while
visiting her mother.
“I will forever be grateful to have met Rivian. When my
mother lived at St. Mary’s, Rivian would wheel herself down to
Mom’s room at the end of the hallway each night to check in
on her and make sure she was comfortable. Despite the situa-
tion Rivian has found herself to be in, she always looks out for
others,” Pellerin said.
Students at a local yeshiva, Foxman Torah Institute, heard
about the Jewish woman staying at the Catholic nursing home
and decided to visit.
“Let me tell you, until the pandemic, every Friday, sometimes
Thursday and Friday, anywhere from two to eight young men
would come to see me,” she said. “I would have cookies and
cashews, and we always sang a song before they left.”
The boys are still in touch, although they can’t visit her in her
building. We are COMPLIMENTARY, very personable, available 24/7 and we help our families
navigate the “search” and help narrow down the type and number of communities to
consider and tour typically 2-3 reputable options. We coach families on what is most
important to look for in each option, and design a customized list of questions that
will be very beneficial when touring. We are also available to accompany families on
tours if your would like. We also offer guidance to ensure our families obtain the best
value, monthly rate and incentives. Additionally, we offer a care plan once a loved one
settles into a community to ensure their expectations are being met.
Lorri Bernstein
Lorri@seniorlivingspecialistsphilly.com 717-648-6319
COURTESY OF TARA MARCUS
Mindy Mozenter
Mindy@seniorlivingphilly.com 610-256-9983
www.jewishexponent.com 18
DECEMBER 17, 2020
THE GOOD LIFE
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
“I will forever be
grateful to have met
Rivian...Despite the
situation Rivian has
found herself to be
in, she always looks
out for others.”
Find your
gear with us.
ELIZABETH PELLERIN
Make new friends and discover
new activites at White Horse
9LOODJH:HRHUDIXOOUDQJH of senior living options and
healthcare services.
Call (610) 546-7460
“One came to the window when I was
on the first floor and sang and played a
song. He writes Jewish music,” she said.
The boys ask for her blessing when
they visit her, and they’re not the only
ones. “After a while, I had three priests
who were residents here who asked me
to come and bless them. And the young
priest who is doing services now came
to see me and ask for my blessing when
he was taking a group to Israel,” she said.
Marcus suffered a small stroke in
November, but has no intention of slow-
ing down. She fills her days with reading,
writing, playing Scrabble on her tablet
and phoning friends and family.
She is working on another book of
wisdom, “Getting Old is Not a Hot Fudge
Sundae.” The volume, aimed at the elderly
and their children, will address the chal-
lenges of aging through stories of her
own lived experience, including when
she broke her hip and ended up in a
poor-quality rehabilitation center.
“I found out there was another one
not very far away, that was a hundred
percent better, but not knowing about it, I
couldn’t request it,” she said.
“Age creeps up on you when you’re not
ready for it. When you’re in good health, I
suggest at the end of the book, get around
and see what’s available, get a lot of infor-
mation, visit institutions and read up on
it and keep it for your children, so when
you’re in need of that kind of help they
have that information,” she added. l
*UDG\YLOOH5G_1HZWRZQ6TXDUH3$ whitehorsevillage.org
spanzer@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0729
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM THE GOOD LIFE
DECEMBER 17, 2020
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