Spotlight on Doing Good

Long before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rabbi Ed Feinstein and a cadre of leaders from our flourishing senior group, Hazak, launched the Positive Aging Task Force, an ambitious effort to help our community thrive. Once the lockdown orders began, the task force immediately pivoted to specific activities that would help this vulnerable population and the “War on Isolation” was born.

Initially, the group of volunteers made phone calls to at-risk senior synagogue members before the High Holidays to let them know that their VBS family cared for them. They assessed the needs of each individual and worked with our Helping Hands volunteer team led by Nitzan Barlev to assist them in a variety of ways, including delivering High Holiday prayer books, helping them connect to our virtual High Holiday services, delivering groceries, picking up prescriptions and other errands.

On December 9, members of the Positive Aging Task Force and VBS Caring Connection Director Susan Rubin attended a virtual program on loneliness and isolation during COVID-19. The event was hosted by the Bay Area Jewish Healing Center and featured prominent University of California, San Francisco gerontologist Carla M. Perissinotto, MD, MHS. Dr. Perissinotto explained to the virtual gathering that social isolation and loneliness may be harmful at any age, and likely worse for older adults. She concluded by saying, “connection is a powerful way to protect our lives and our health.”

Meeting with Rubin afterwards, senior VBS volunteers Louise Spitzer and Eileen Sudeck decided to follow Dr. Perissinotto’s specific advice - regular repeated contact with the same person is vital.  They identified 180 of their most vulnerable members and put together a team of senior volunteers to call them, peer to peer, every week. While some said the calls weren’t necessary, the large majority were deeply grateful for the regular connection and friendships that have begun to bloom. Spitzer says “The calls have been very rewarding and they are received with much gratitude and enthusiasm.” This truly demonstrates what a huge impact a group of responsible, caring and dedicated volunteers can have. In the words of Rabbi Farkas, “Commitment to tikkun olam - repairing the world - is central to our mission at VBS. These volunteers exemplify that as well as a commitment to gemilut chasadim (acts of loving kindness) and we are very proud of their leadership and hard work.”

If you are interested in learning more about our peer to peer program for seniors, please contact Susan Rubin at srubin@vbs.org or 818.530.4056.

Article written by Susan Rubin