Guest Bloggers: Passover Package Deliveries with Dorot

I want to thank you all for taking time from your busy lives to bring smiles
to those people who are further along in their lives and who are now coping
with the problems "staying alive" brings. The person I visited was very
grateful that we came.

Iris Berger, Aron Bederson and Florence Cohen went to visit a terrific woman
on West 73rd Street. She was so happy to see us and share memories of her
very full life which started in Germany and brought her to America with her
parents and sister, fortunately before WWII. She must be in her 90's and
although physically somewhat incapacitated her mind and memory are very
active. She edited books and wrote beautiful poetry which we were able to
read. Her determination and good spirits keeps her going and she is able
to participate in activities at the senior citizens center. Aron sang an
aria from Tannhauser in German which thrilled our lady along with Iris, the
aide and myself. By Florence Cohen

Ruth Sandberg and I visited a woman who imigrated from India many years ago. She received most of her education in India and England then came to the US for her doctorate in Economics. She was only able to get part time jobs then was not able to complete her PhD. She was most hospitable to Ruth and I. Ruth and Jharma shared some experiences they had at the various Jewish Community Centers in the neighborhood--Jharma lives on West 77th Street in the luxury Hotel on the Avenue. However she and some others are rent stabilized tenants and the landlords are always looking for reasons to evict. The hotel cleans her apartment--a room and a kitchen--and makes her bed weekly. She also has keys to a kitchen on her floor but only for her. She is very interesting and likes to have discussions and company. I am happy to have visited her as is Ruth as well. By Barbara Bova

Barbara Nathan and I visited a wonderful Brooklyn native named Herbert. He's 97 and all smiles. He regaled us with sweet stories of his days as a hair dresser and shared some of the challenges, such as having an absent father, he's faced in his long life. He was so appreciative of our visit and it was touching to see how much he likes his assistant, Sal, from the Philippines. I happened to wear a yarmulke that day and when Herbert asked me about it, Sal promptly brought Herbert his yarmulke, which he put on the man's head. It had his Hebrew name, Tzvi, embroidered on it. 97th birthday decorations were on the wall behind him and in the kitchen. They spelled out his nickname "Hoopert" because his grandkids couldn't say Herbert when they were very young. Herbert says the decorations remind him of his age when he forgets. It was such a warm and fulfilling experience. Thank you, Michael, for making these happen and getting the Actor's Temple involved in such mitzvahs. By Philip Rosenbaum

We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to you and all the Actors' Temple volunteers who participated in DOROT's Passover Package Delivery on Sunday, March 25, 2012.
Your delivery of Passover treats and welcome company helped brighten the holiday for nearly 525 isolated elders, and helped forge yet another loving link between the generations. From Dorot, the Agency under whose auspices the deliver was accomplished.