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Rabbi Address’ new book, Seekers of Meaning
Rabbi Richard Address has devoted his career to helping transform synagogues into caring communities. Now, in his most personal work to date, he explores how the notion of a caring community can be transformative for individuals, particularly baby boomers struggling with issues of aging and mortality.
To order this book, click here.
Category Archives: Thought Pieces
Treating our homes as sacred space
There is a growing acknowledgment of the heavy load the boomer generation is carrying. Many of us — even Rabbi Address, the leader of this site — are juggling work, caregiving, and navigating the increasingly complicated healthcare system for ourselves … Continue reading
Posted in Rituals, Thought Pieces
Tagged chores, eldercare, energy, health, home, organizing, repairs, rituals, sacred space
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Coping with Loss….A Yom Kippur Thought Piece
Adam, the first human, was created on the 6th day. The sun shone for him throughout the entire first day, Shabbat, but he became frightened when he saw darkness encroaching at the conclusion of this first day. He feared that … Continue reading
Posted in Thought Pieces
Tagged blessings, coping, havdalah, high holy days, loneliness, loss, newburge, rituals, temple emanuel, yom kippur
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Humor, Laughter, Illness, and Health
At first thought, one might wonder what humor and laughter have to do with illness; it doesn’t seem like a very likely mix. But on closer examination, humor and laughter have a large role to play in the ability to … Continue reading
Posted in Health and Wellness Programs, Thought Pieces
Tagged health, humor, laughter, norman cousins, voltaire
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Why Listening Is So Important
There is a saying about listening that eloquently summarizes the nature of the process. The source of the words is unknown, but the message is universal – “God gave us two ears, but only one mouth. Some people say that’s … Continue reading
Reflections on Aging
I am part of the generation born during WW II, who now look in the mirror and are startled by the realization that even we are aging. The youngest of us has already reached that unheard of age of 65 … Continue reading
Posted in Reflections on Aging, Thought Pieces
Tagged aging, living will, medical care, medical ethics, prayer, rituals
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The Spiritual Challenges of Caregiving
Can faith and community be powerful aids to those caring for an aging loved one? In honoring our “father and mother,” how do we honor ourselves? Can a deeper understanding of spirituality and aging result in better care? In this … Continue reading
Posted in Care-Giving Concerns, Thought Pieces
Tagged caregiving, medical care, prayer, praying, spirituality
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Honoring Choices…Discussions on Health Care Directives and Advanced Care Planning
At dinner the other night, a friend asked if I had a list of all the things an adult child should discuss with their aging parent. As we delved deeper into the question, it turned out that my friend’s mother … Continue reading
CBS News: Dancing at 93 Years Old
Dance legend Mary Anthony has had a life-long love of dance. At 93 years old, she continues to dance and teach students. Dr. Jon LaPook talks with Anthony about her philosophy on life. Dancing at 93
Not going gently…
“Aging is not just a process that can be measured or a population that can be counted, plotted, and tracked.” So wrote Dr. Fernando A. Guerra in a collection of essays entitled (Aging, Biotechnology, and the Future” (Johns Hopkins Press). … Continue reading
Meditations on Aging from Sig and Joy – Shavuot – the Season of the Giving of our Torah
Why do we celebrate the Giving of the Torah and not the Receiving of the Torah? Because the Giving of the Torah happened at a specific time and place in history. And we celebrate that moment in time. But, and … Continue reading
Posted in D'vrei Torah, Thought Pieces
Tagged marriage, mitzvah, mitzvot, relationships, torah, wedding
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