May 1, 2020
Dear Family Members and Caregivers,
You are all so amazing! The outpouring of cards and notes we’ve received through our “Love Letter Link” program has been heart-warming, and the response to the “Rainbow Hunt” has been really overwhelming! We receive dozens of rainbows every day in every form and we’re hanging them in hallways, windows, and residents’ rooms. They have brightened all our days. Thank you and keep ‘em coming!
To keep the appreciation flowing, we’ll be honoring our nurses during Nurses Week, May 6-12. If you know a specific nurse you’d like to thank, please let us know via email or the mail, and keep an eye out for us honoring each of them with a Facebook post during that week. We also have other surprises planned. They’ve simply been amazing in their unwavering devotion to the Jewish Home residents and to our entire staff.
Overlapping with Nurses Week is Nursing Home Week, celebrated May 10-16. If ever there was a year to celebrate nursing home workers, this is it. We have many celebrations planned for our team, and once again, cards, notes, pictures, and more are welcome. From our nurses to our foodservice team to the environmental services staff, we are proud to serve during these very stressful times.
We know that being separated is so difficult, and we have planned a short service of healing for our community to “be together,” albeit virtually, to spend some time reflecting on what we’re all going through.
Rabbi Sandhaus will lead two 20-minute services on Wednesday, May 6th, at noon and 6 pm, via Zoom, for any family members or caregivers who would like to attend. If you’d like to join us, please contact Nicole Lipinski, our Senior Director of Community Engagement, by email at nlipinski@jhep.org or via phone at 570-344-6177 ext 1113. She’ll get the Zoom login information to you. We know we all need to take some time to just be together and hear comforting words.
On the Operations front, we’ve been able to add to our compassionate and caring staff by bringing on additional nurses to join our team. We also want to make you aware that Pennsylvania’s Department on Aging has an ombudsman in every county with whom any concerns may be shared. In Lackawanna County, our Ombudsman is Linda Korgeski, and she may be reached at lcombudsman@epix.net.
We look forward to seeing you virtually on our Zoom service next week. Below are the readings and psalms Rabbi Sandhaus will be using during our service of healing on Wednesday, May 6, at either 12-noon or 6 pm. Please contact Nicole Lipinski for Zoom instructions.
Stay safe, and please know that in your absence, we are sharing all our love and attention with your loved ones here.
Sincerely,
The Jewish Home Leadership Team
READINGS & PSALMS
Psalm 15
A Song of David.
Lord, who shall abide in your tent? Who shall dwell in your holy mountain?
He who walks uprightly, and does what is right, and speaks the truth in his heart.
He who does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor.
In whose eyes a vile person is despised; but he honors those who fear the Lord. He who swears to his own hurt, and does not change.
He who does not put out his money at interest, nor takes a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
Psalm 23
A Song of David.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 121
A Song of Ascents.
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!
He will not let your foot be moved; he who watches you will not slumber!
Behold, he who watches Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep!
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade upon your right hand!
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night!
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; he shall preserve your soul!
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and for evermore!
Psalm 130
A Song of Ascents.
Out of the depths I have called to you, O Lord!
Lord, hear my voice; let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared!
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope!
My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, watch for the morning!
Let Israel hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is loving kindness, and with him is bountiful redemption!
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities!
Psalm 91
He who dwells in the secret place of the most High, who abides under the shadow of the Almighty,
Will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust,
For he shall save you from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wings shall you find refuge; his truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night; nor of the arrow that flies by day;
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor of the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Because you, O Lord, are my refuge. You have made the most High your habitation;
No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.
For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.
They shall carry you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread on the lion and on the adder; the young lion and the crocodile shall you trample under foot.
Because he has set his love upon me, therefore I will save him; I will set him on high, because he knows my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will save him, and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation.
The Voice of Tears
For the conductor,
with instrumental music
for the eight-stringed instrument,
a psalm by David.
God, do not rebuke me in your anger
And do not punish me in Your rage.
Dear God, be gracious to me, for I am crushed.
Heal me, God, for my bones tremble.
My soul is terrified.
God, how much longer will this last?
God, turn away from Your anger
And rescue me.
Because of Your love, save me.
Who acknowledges You in death?
Who will you You thanks in the grave?
I am worn out from sighing,
Every night my bed is drenched
And my couch is soaked with tears.
My eyes are dim from grief,
Weakened through those who torment me.
Leave me, all you who go after evil,
For God has heard the sound of my crying.
God has listened to my appeals,
God will accept my prayer.
May all my enemies be ashamed and greatly terrified.
And then let them be shamed again.
