by Sidney Rankin, NNC Member

What more wonderful thing could have

happened in Northwest Baltimore in recent years than the success of Northwest Neighbors Connecting (NNC)? We are a group of people living in the Northwest area of Baltimore (Neighbors), most of whom had not previously known each other, who joined (Connecting) in an organized way to meet new people and help each other to a better life.

NNC is based on the “Village” concept: gathering people within a

designated area to provide mutual volunteer support and socialize under the supporting cover of a professional community organiza-tion. It’s not a traditional village. No buildings, housing, roads, or stores make up our village; just people. What could be better, and more envi-ronmentally friendly?

We just had our second Birthday Bash. It was a great party! Just look at what NNC has accomplished: In our second year, NNC membership grew to 200-plus members. We have monthly general meetings, fairs, trips, parties and other activities. We have 12 very active committees (see page 2). We arranged 824 rides by members for members who do

not drive. We visited hundreds of homes with birthday greetings. Our Care Partners helped 10 members to connect in a deeper, one-on-one capacity.

If you live in our neighborhood, and are not a member, we wish you would join our village. We need all the help we can get, and you may need us. If you are just nearby, but not in our neighborhood, CHAI is planning to establish a new village for you. We will keep you posted.

ISSUE 11 | MAY/JUNE 2015brings you Staying

Staying

CONNECTEDSEND YOUR STORIES, COMMENTS OR

SUGGESTIONS TO NNC AT 410-662-6620 OR ECREEGER@CHAIBALTIMORE.ORG.

WWW.CHAIBALTIMORE.ORG

NNC Welcomes New Director by Lane Levine, Community Network Director

“You’re not going to start building a bridge after the

road is already washed out ahead of you,” says Chava Ball about the importance of joining a village like Northwest Neighbors Connecting. Ms. Ball began her tenure as the new Director of Northwest Neigh-bors Connecting on March 12. She brings a wealth of experience in teaching, leadership development and organizational development — as well as a wealth of sayings that help illustrate her philosophy about aging in place, neighbors helping neighbors, or anything else that helps people live better.

Chava comes to us in Baltimore after having lived in Louisiana, Missouri, and Texas. In her past

work, she has created curriculum, designed programs for youth and adults, and won heaps of awards — including “Mentor of the Year” and “Best Program of the Year.” In her few weeks, Chava has already built relationships, imple-mented new systems to help NNC members maintain their membership fees in a smoother way, signed up new members, and engaged NNC lead-ers in clarifying their roles — all in the effort to make NNC a stronger organization that can better facil-itate its members to care for each other.

Please join us in welcoming Chava Ball. You can meet her at NNC’s next General Meeting on Tuesday, May 19 at the Myerberg Center. See the Community Calendar on page 4 for details.

Chava Ball, NNC’s new

Director, has been

hard at work.

Page 2 | Staying Connected

What’s Happening with NNC?NNC is a dynamic community

organization that is trans-forming the way people care for one another. We are growing every day. Some of our activities and services are open to the whole community, and some require you to be a member. Call 410-662-6620 to learn more.

Why Join?• Volunteer services: driving,

grocery help, technology help, small home fixes

• Shopping and other trips on the CHAI Northwest Senior Shuttle

• Referrals to professionals, such as handymen and lawyers

• Advocacy support from fellow members

• Opportunities to share your skills and expertise

• Ever-expanding connec-tions with other community resources

• The opportunity to support a transformative organization

• Exciting social activities• Peace of mind

If you are not a member, you can get involved in many ways; however, in order to receive services through NNC, you must become a member.

How do I become a member?

Someone from NNC’s Membership Committee will meet with you and talk you through the process. Membership fees are on a sliding scale. Call 410-662-6620 to sign up today!

How to Get InvolvedWe need you for our committees and other upcoming activities. Pick a committee and get in touch at

nncbaltimore@gmail.com or 410-662-6620.

Advocacy Committee: Is a company giving you the runaround? Not sure what forms to fill out for a warranty? Call us. Know how to help? We need you!

Care Partners: A trained cohort of “enhanced friends,” Care Part-ners visit other members, run activity groups in buildings, and accompany members to the doctor.

Caring Committee: Sensitively acknowledges our members’ special and challenging times. Send someone a card, or take someone out for coffee.

Community Leadership Academy: Join NNC members and other community members for a training academy to be a leader and change-maker in the community.

Finance Committee: Help NNC prepare its organizational budget and monitor our funds.

Friendly Check-in Callers: Join our vast network of members who chat on the phone once a week. Call someone and be called by someone.

The Fundraising Committee: Be a part of fundraising for NNC. Organize fundraising events, write grant proposals, and more. Your ideas and experience are welcome.

Health and Wellness Committee: Help run initiatives to support NNC members to live healthier lives.

Membership Committee: Our happy members are our best ambassadors. Join this committee to help make prospective members feel welcome. Requires some train-ing. We are recruiting now!

Newsletter Committee: Our NNC newsletter is an important tool that connects all of us — members and non-members — as well as a means to reach out to the community at large and let them know who we are and what we do. Most of our articles are conceived and written by our members.

Office Volunteers: Answer phones at the office to connect our members to the services they request. Enter data, make event reminder calls and more. You can take the shuttle to get here.

Trips Committee: Help NNC determine which plays to attend, and other outings to take together.

Personal NotesNNC Success Story by Joel Cohen, NNC Member

As an NNC office volunteer, one of my duties is to match NNC member requests with volunteers and/or partners who can perform those tasks. Back in January, Eileen Creeger, Member Connec-tions Coordinator, informed me of a member who needed assistance with her computer. While my computer skills are limited to say the least, my daughter’s boyfriend, a computer science major from the University of Toronto, was in Balti-more for the week. Michael had kindly worked on my computer in the past and quickly agreed to help NNC member Alice Porat.

Issue 11, May/June 2015 | Page 3

Coincidently, Alice and Michael both hailed from Toronto, so it was besheret (fate) that the computer problems would be fixed. On a blistery cold Sunday, Michael and I went to Alice’s apartment. Alice is a savvy computer user who emails

many documents to Toronto and Israel. Michael was able

to reinstall Microsoft Word and make some minor adjustments.

Everything worked well. Alice was happy her computer issues were solved, Michael was happy he performed a mitzvah (good deed), and I was happy my volunteer mission was completed. This is the way NNC is supposed to work — neighbors helping neigh-bors.

Trip to Cuba by Barbara Carter, NNC Member

If you have not visited Cuba recently, I think you would be as pleasantly surprised as I was on January 16 this year when I walked out of the Havana airport to see bright sun, lots of new cars and tour buses. I was in Cuba on a mission to visit the Jewish community there, one of the few tours sanctioned by the U.S. government.

Our first stop in Havana was the Sephardi shul. Mrs. Levy, the pres-ident of the congregation, let us question her, rather than lecture to us. They have about 300 members, mostly elderly, whose dues are about 25 American cents a month. The kosher butcher has a list of people who can purchase meat because the supply is limited.

Services follow Conservative practice with mixed seating and egalitarian leadership. Synagogues receive no monetary support from the government, so a large part of their building is rented to a theatre group. A basement gym is also rented out. There is an excellent

Holocaust exhibit with photos and text. A ladies’ craft group meets in the building and they have made lovely challah covers to sell to visi-tors for some much needed addi-tional income.

We also visited the larger Patro-nata Synagogue, which is also aligned with the Conservative movement. The president of the Jewish community, Adela Dworin, told us that about 100 young people attend Sunday School and 80 to 100 people attend Friday evening services. We were privi-leged to attend these services and share a meal with the congrega-tion afterward. [In addition to our contribution to this congregation, we gave an additional amount to pay for our meals, as they cannot afford to feed visitors.] Twenty percent of the congregation is made up of senior citizens.

A couple of years ago a rabbi came from South America and performed 80 conversions and 20 weddings in one day!

The Patronato congregation has also had to divest itself of part of its building. The remainder was restored by the year 2000 by the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Greater Miami Federation. It is a beautiful modern worship space.

In Santa Clara, Am Shalom Syna-gogue serves the Ohr Hadash community. We met David Romano, the president of this community. The original syna-gogue was taken by the govern-ment after the Revolution, but with the help of the JDC, a house was purchased and a new and beautiful shul emerged.

Julio Eli and his family live in the small town of Caibarien with a prominent Star of David in the sidewalk at the entrance to their home. Before the revolution, his family owned five stores in several locations in Cuba. He now plays in the Municipal Band of Caibarien and teaches young people to play instruments for the band. His wife teaches tour guides, and their daughter recently graduated from college and works for the radio station. Their son made aliyah (moved to Israel) and is doing very well in Israel.

In the mid-1990s, after the Sovi-ets left Cuba, the government changed the constitution to read that Cuba is a “secular” country. Before this, the official stand was that the country was “atheist.” Fidel himself was quoted by Jeffrey Goldberg, stating that he knew the Holocaust happened and that he had great sympathy with the Jews.

The Jews of Cuba say there is no anti-Semitism there and my research bears this out. Jews have taken part in every historic and economic event in recent times and even after the Revolution the Cuban government paid for buses to take Jewish students to study Hebrew/Yiddish/religious classes after their usual school day. Today everyone in Cuba may obtain free education through university level, with the promise of a job when finished. Jews work in many

continued on p.11

A Jewish memorial sculpture in Cuba

Page 4 | Staying Connected

Stay Tuned: A Community CalendarEvents shaded in gray are presented by NNC.

COME & LEARN ABOUTNNC Rug Hooking GroupMembers meet once a month at 4 p.m. to hook rugs and socialize at the home of Eileen Rosenbaum. Please contact Eileen at 410-764-8443 or ejrosenbaum@gmail.com for more information. Free.

AARP Smart Driver CourseMon., 6/22; 12-4:30 p.m.North Oaks Retirement Center, 725 Mt. Wilson Lane, PikesvilleRefresh your driving skills. Learn defensive driving techniques, proven safety strategies, new traffic laws and rules of the road. Instructor: David S. Fischel, 410-484-6729, dfischel@gmail.com. $15/AARP member; $20/ non-members

Community Bereavement GroupsThurs., 5/14-7/2For people mourning the loss of a spouse. Pre-registration required. Call JCS at 410-466-9200 for information and registration.

17th Annual Irvin B. Levinson Memorial Lecture Series on Death, Dying and BereavementWed., 5/20; 6-9 p.m. Sol Levinson & Bros. Funeral Home, 8900 Reisterstown Rd., PikesvilleFeatured speakers: Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb and William C. (Bill) Dietrich. Limited seating. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. No registration required; no reservations can be taken. For information, call JCS at 410-466-9200. Psychologist/social workers attending the program may earn 3 CEUs (category A or I).

NNC Diversity DialogueMon., 5/18 & 6/15; 4-6 p.m. CHAI, 5809 Park Heights Ave., BaltimoreNNC members share experiences and learn from each other about race and religion, our similarities and differences, and how to break down barriers between us. Contact Susan Russell at 410-205-7177 or slrbalto@yahoo.com. Free.

NNC Creative Writing GroupSun., 5/10; 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. CHAI, 5809 Park Heights Ave., BaltimoreJoin other NNC members to write and share poetry and prose together in a guided and educational atmosphere. Led by Adina Edelman. Free.

take the shuttle NNC General MeetingTues., 5/19 & 6/16; 3-5 p.m. Myerberg Center, 3101 Fallstaff Rd., BaltimoreCommunity members have a ball together while getting updates on all NNC happenings. Call 410-662-6620 for more information. Call 410-889-1148 for a seat on the shuttle.

NNC Board Meeting Thurs., 5/28 & 6/25; 4-6 p.m. CHAI, 5809 Park Heights Ave., BaltimoreRestricted to NNC members.

Portrait Drawing Fri., 4/17-6/16; 10:15 a.m.-2:15 p.m. Owings Mills JCC, 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave., Owings MillsWork with pastels using a live model. Emphasis is on head construction, light and shadow, and composition. 10 weeks. For more information, contact Melissa Berman, 410-559-3593 or mberman@jcc.org. To register, contact Marilyn Zvili, 410-559-3510 or mzvili@jcc.org. $84.

Watercolor Painting Tues., 4/14-6/16; 9:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m.Students will explore still life and landscapes. Some classes will be held

at scenic locations. 10 weeks. For more information, contact Melissa Berman, 410-559-3593 or mberman@jcc.org. To register, contact Marilyn Zvili, 410-559-3510 or email mzvili@jcc.org. $84.

Ceramics with Laia Tiderman SpringWed., 4/29-6/3; 7-9 p.m. Park Heights JCC, 5700 Park Heights Ave., BaltimoreUse the wheel! Sculpt figurines, receive individual, hands-on instruction from an accomplished clay artist, or just explore. All levels are welcome. Fee includes clay, over glazes, kiln firing, and supplies. For more information, contact Melissa Berman, 410-559-3593 or email mberman@jcc.org. To register, contact Marilyn Zvili, 410.559.3510 or email mzvili@jcc.org.$74/JCC member; $111/non-member

Johanna’s Book ClubMyerberg Center, 3101 Fallstaff Rd., BaltimoreFri., 5/15; 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m., Land of Love & Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique Fri., 6/19; 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m., The Tulip Eaters by Antoinette Van HeugtenInstructor: Paulette Kamelgard. Free/Myerberg member; $5/non-member per session

Current Events Roundtable Tues., 10-11:30 a.m. Park Heights JCC, 5700 Park Heights Ave., BaltimoreDiscuss American government and politics; explore issues at local, national, and international levels. Join this social group and meet year round. Free to all. For more information on Enrichment classes, contact Melissa Berman, 410-559-3593 or mberman@jcc.org.

Jewish Legal Services ClinicMon., 5/11 & 6/8, 7-8:30 p.m. Jewish Community Services (JCS), 5750 Park Heights Ave., BaltimoreJCS offers a free walk-in legal clinic for Jewish individuals with limited income.

Issue 11, May/June 2015 | Page 5

Legal information and referral for issues including bankruptcy, landlord-tenant, family, immigration. Call 410-843-7305 for more information.

Job Search NetworkWed., 5/6, 5/20, 6/3 & 6/17; 9:30 - 11:00 p.m., JCS Owings Mills, 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave., Owings MillsExplore current job search and recruiting trends, branding and social media for an effective job search, interviewing and negotiation skills and networking with other job seekers. Sponsored by JCS. Call 410-843-7433 for more information.

Entrepreneur and Business MeetupTues., 5/19 & 6/16; 5:30 -7 p.m., Park Heights JCC, 5700 Park Heights Ave., BaltimoreSmall business owners network, collaborate and brainstorm to develop effective business strategies. To pre-register and for more information about future meeting dates, visit www.meetup.com/JCSEBM or call JCS at 410-843-7433.

Low Vision Support GroupWed., 5/13 & 5/27 and 6/10 & 6/24; 1:30-3:00 pm, Myerberg Senior Center, 3101 Fallstaff Rd., Baltimore, MD 21209JCS offers this free group. Learn about helpful resources, hear informative speakers, and gain support from others facing similar challenges. Contact Wendy Garson, LCSW-C, at 410-843-7309 or wgarson@jcsbaltimore.org for more information.

COME AND MEET YOUR NEIGHBORSNeighborhood Association Meetings Cheswolde: Wed., 5/6 & 6/3; 7:30 p.m. Falls Village Apartments Community HallCross Country: Tues., 5/12 & 6/9; 7:30 p.m. CHAI, 5809 Park Heights Ave.Glen: Wed., 5/27 & 6/24; 7 p.m. JCC, 5700 Park Heights Ave.Fallstaff: Thurs., 5/7 & 6/4; 7 p.m.

Fallstaff Elementary School, 2801 Fallstaff Rd.Mt. Washington: Tues., 5/12 & 6/9; 7:30 p.m. The Wesley, 2211 West Rogers Ave.

Warm HousesDevelop connections and create a support system in the comfort of your living room! Groups gather weekly in their homes to participate in conversation, educational, social, and recreational activities. Newcomers and new ideas welcome. For more information on Warm Houses or to join a warm house, contact Malka Zweig at 347-517-5587.

JCC Community Block PartySun., May 31, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Owings Mills JCC, 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave., Owings MillsA fun-filled afternoon for the entire family, including photo booth, face painting, live music, a marketplace with more than 50 vendors, kosher food and more! Free after-party, including swimming, in the JCC Rec Park 4-6 p.m. For more information, email Paul Lurie at plurie@jcc.org.

LET US ENTERTAIN YOU!Concerts at the Second Presbyterian Church4200 St. Paul St., BaltimoreSun., 5/3; 7:30 p.m. Chamber Music by CandlelightSun., 5/17; 3:30 p.m. Amy LinAll music lovers are welcome to classical music concerts in our beautiful sanctuary. For more information, contact 443-759-3309 or communityconcertsatsecond@yahoo.com. Free and open to the public.

Senior Drop InMake the JCC your home away from home. Participate in conversation, educational, social and recreational activities. Activities change weekly. For an up-to-date schedule of programming, contact Malka Zweig at 347-517-5587.

Senior N’SheiWed., 5/20 & 6/17; 12 p.m. B’nai Jacob Shaarei Zion, 6602 Park Heights Ave., BaltimoreGather monthly for a large-scale program with a featured presenter and an opportunity to interact in a larger group setting. For more information, contact Malka Zweig at 347-517-5587 or pick up a calendar magnet at the Park Heights JCC front desk. $5 at the door.

JOIN THE EXCITEMENT! AND AS ALWAYS. IF YOU NEED A RIDE, CALL 410-662-6620 — WITH PLENTY OF NOTICE!

SPECIAL DAYSMay 10 – Mother’s DayMay 24-25 – Shavuot (Jewish harvest holiday)May 25 – Memorial DayJune 14 – Flag DayJune 21 – Father’s Day and the first day of summerCondolences to Beverly Wiseman, Lane Levine and family on the loss of Toby Wiseman, beloved husband, father, and grandfather.

Place your ad here.Call 410-500-5307 or email llevine@

chaibaltimore.org to reserve space in our

next issue — which will be seen by thousands!

Page 6 | Staying Connected

NNC Birthday Bash Extravaganza by Shoshana Harris, NNC Member

Northwest Neighbors Connecting (NNC) celebrated its second birthday in grand style at the Birthday Bash held on Sunday,

March 15, at the Edward A. Myerberg Center. More than 100 guests were treated to a rich assortment of goodies, from home-made cakes to delicious snacks, as well as an enjoyable program.

Board member and Birthday Bash Mistress of Ceremonies Katika Mercer welcomed everyone with her a cappella rendition of “Getting To Know You.” She then introduced the staff members of Comprehensive Housing Assistance Inc. (CHAI) who helped launch NNC and continue to provide guidance and support.

Sheila Mentz, NNC member and one of the vice presidents of The Federation of Jewish Women’s Organizations of Maryland, intro-duced delegates from Baltimore County’s 2nd and 11th districts. NNC received citations in recognition of its achievement from the delegates as well as from Betsy Gardner, a representative of the office of the Baltimore City Council President, Bernard C. “Jack” Young. The next speaker, Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore City Health Commissioner, stressed the importance of following five tips to staying and keeping healthy: (1) It is never too early or too late to make lifestyle changes. Commit to one change during the year, such as cutting out soda or quitting smoking; (2) Know your body. Don’t underplay symptoms — take them seriously; (3) Know that falls can kill. Twenty-five percent of people who fall will die within a year. To avoid falling, exercise to increase bone density and be on the alert for home hazards, such as loose steps; (4) Stay connected with others to foster and maintain physical, spiritual, and mental health; and (5) Take care of yourself. Many of us are used to taking care of others but it is important for the caregiver to care about him or herself.

NNC members were welcomed by President Esther Weiner, who pointed out that programs such as NNC “are the future of an older, American society” and that it is imperative for us to “create a new way…and a valuable way for us to age by contributing skills to each other.” Services that NNC already provides include transporta-tion to appointments/errands; social events; friendly phone calls, and many more types of assistance. Follow-ing Esther’s remarks, the NNC Board and our new Director, Chava Ball, were introduced.

A very special guest was then introduced to the audience by Shoshana Harris, her 106-year-old neighbor, Mary Shofer. Mary spoke of her enjoyment of cooking and walking around Towson Town Center. Mary also spoke of being able to stay in her apartment and “keep busy” with assistance from her companion, Doris.

Since the Birthday Bash, NNC has learned that Ms. Shofer passed away. We are glad we got to meet her, and we extend our condo-lences to her family.

The Birthday Bash ended with wonderful entertainment from Abu the Flutemaker, the NNC Dance Troup (Joyce Wolpert, Margot Brilliant & Norma Brooks Perry), two story-tellers (Yvonne Archer and Sidney Addis), and a choral rendition from the Charm City Labor Chorus, starring our own Lane Levine.

And so the celebration continues. NNC looks forward to building on its first two years’ success and expanding ways to connect people in a fun and supportive way.

The Charm City Labor Chorus serenades the crowd at the NNC Birthday Bash.

Public officials join the celebration: (from left) Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen, Delegate Shelly Hettlemen, Delegate Dan Morhaim, Baltimore County Council Member Vicki Almond,

Delegate Dana Stein, CHAI Executive Director Mitchell Posner, City Council President’s Neighborhood/

Jewish Community Liaison Betsy Gardner.

Wordshop is your chance to share your creativity and

inner thoughts with the commu-nity. Send your poems, jokes and stories to Northwest Neighbors Connecting, care of Eileen Creeger at ecreeger@chaibaltimore.org or 5809 Park Heights Ave., Baltimore, MD 21215. We would love to hear from you.

Why? by Joe Shulim, NNC MemberI very often wondered why I had a tendency to cry When I was just about knee-high And watched my mom cook very close by.

Take my word I was not a sissy Definitely not the least bit prissy. Then why should I shed many tears so freely When my mom didn’t cry, not even nearly.

Gee, I wonder if I determined the answer That my instigator was a flavor enhancer. And isn’t it possible that if my mom had bunions She would naturally be impervious to onions??

Where Did All the Delis Go? by Sid Katz, NNC MemberIf you are now part of the gray-haired crowd who once crowded into Nate’s and Leon’s on a Saturday night, you were likely to become animated, caffeinated, and finally rejuvenated. And that was my exact feeling for the Nate’s and Leon’s Electric Chair Banana Shortcake, the meal I would die for.

You might remember back then when there was always a deli nearby; you might now ask, “Where did all the delis go?” Most went from lox to woks, with menus written in columns that then became the basis for offering one from column A plus one from column B.

The word delicatessen derives from the Latin word for pleasure combined with “essen,” defined as “pleasurable eating.” Did you know that from brisket you can make corned beef, and from corned beef you can make pastrami, and from any of these you can make heart burn? Readers note: the phrase heart burn was gleaned from a line written by Ira Gershwin after a midnight nosh of garlic salami, who then wrote, “I saw you last night and got that old feeling and when you came in sight I got that old yearning burning inside of me.”

I read in the Eater’s Digest that I could improve my image and gain a clever sense of humor by eating tongue on wry. And if that fails, try tongue in cheek.

For the list of those delis that we’ve known in the youth of our era, let’s take a look through the rear view mirror…

Atlantic Import, Attman’s, Albrech, and Pearl, Ballow’s, Bridges, Vellman’s, Cohen’s, Caplan’s, Cooper’s, Duke and Lou’s, Frank’s, Galley in the Alley, Globus, Jack’s, Knish Shop, Liebes, Malins’, Mandels’, Manny’s, Nate’s and Leon’s, Paul’s, Pumpernicks’, Sussman and Lev’s, Marty Scheff’s, and Wolfie’s.

If you remember the pickle barrel on the sidewalk in front of Attman’s Deli on Lombard Street, then all of those memo-rable delis, like the pickles in that barrel, are all…well…done.

The Meaning of Springby Joel Cohen, NNC Member

Spring means the rebirth of the earth. Nature reemerges with birds singing and plants blooming and sunshine returning to our drab winter lives. The crack of the bat signals the return of baseball — those hot humming days eating hot dogs and watching our beloved Orioles at Camden Yards.

Most of all, spring represents the return of our optimism, wiping the snow and icicles off our sidewalks, our animals, and ourselves, and taking a long walk outside to reintroduce ourselves to nature.

Birthday greetings to these members of our family!

May 2 Jack Light 3 Lewis Barasch Betty Cherniak 4 Jack Rosenfeld Laura Melamed 6 Carol A. Ransom Rebecca Bradley 7 Joe Shulim Esther Saltzman 8 Martha Hurtt 10 Wendy Thompson Susi Rossman Sid Katz 12 Frances Blasbalg 15 Estelle Rivers Annette Uszerowicz 16 Miriam Rittberg 17 Gilbert Goldman James Conaway 18 Cassandra Rigby Ellen Koronet Frances Weinstein 19 Martha Nathanson Selma Richards 20 Cindy Zonies 21 Charlotte Eppel 24 Ruth Bloch 25 Irma Schechter RanA Shabazeh 26 Christopher Cahoon 27 Ellen Carter Cooper Nicholas Pummill 29 Suzanne Sachs Paul Landsman June 1 Pam Miller 5 Molly Griner Mike Schneider 6 Eli Schlossberg 8 Merle Caplan Anita Volk 9 Helene Weiss 10 Lila Curry 11 Kendra Knieriem Vivian Reed 12 Deborah Kalmar 13 Devora Schor 16 Carolyn Peoples 17 Bernie Weksburg 18 Esti Greenstein Melissa Chua 20 Miriam Lewkowicz Sarah Nelinson 22 Patricia Long Rita Lucas Albert Bedell 23 Kim Langston 24 Miriam Sperling Martha Weinrauch Joyce Blockman Aaron Seiden Shirley Jones 25 Violet Miller Sandra Napier 26 Leni Broder 27 Rachel Afrah Charles Schweiger 30 Ana Leika Connors Michael Federman Eileen Yoffe Erma Sigler

Page 8 | Staying Connected

Health & Wellness Caregiving, Medical Advocacy…Connecting the Dots by Joyce Wolpert, Member Wellness Coordinator

With only 10 percent of Amer-icans dying suddenly, the

other 90 percent of us will find our way into caregiving somewhere along the spectrum. It is reason-ably safe to say that everyone has or will have some experience with giving or receiving care.

Caregiving is both a national preoccupation and a national crisis. There are simply not enough well-trained caregivers to go around, or enough money to pay them a living wage.

If we are family and friends giving or receiving care, then we are involved in a dance that may encompass loyalty and genuine affection, as well as simmering levels of guilt, resentment, worry and energy drain.

If we are paying for caregiving companions and nurses’ aides, then we well know the vagaries of searching for and keeping someone trustworthy, pleasant, and tuned into our real needs. We may feel lucky just to have a person show up every day much less really be open to delving into our moods and bodily changes.

In life, things are changing; we rarely hold still. We are either on a slope towards greater health or greater decline. Who marks these passages? Often we wait until we don’t feel well, get obvious symp-toms or fall down before we seek more professional care. But what would it be like if we became more of the arbiters of our own health care, more astutely tuned into what is going on and intervening

with preventive measures to help stave off emergency room visits and crisis episodes?

We need to be our own best advo-cates. We need to insist on knowl-edgeable caregivers who will be devoted to health care awareness and intervention, not just persons who will sit passively with us.

We need to become more comfort-able in articulating our caregiving and self-care practices so that when we go to an ER, a rehab facility or a hospital, we can speak assuredly about what has worked for us, what we would like to continue, and how we may now partner with doctors and nurses as active participants in our health care.

Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore City Health Commissioner, wrote a book called When Doctors Don’t Listen. Here is a sampling of some prac-tices that patients can engage in:

• Tell your whole story. Besides stating current symptoms, also give background to your lifestyle and current health practices.

• Assert yourself in the doctor’s thought process. Before a doctor jumps to conclusions, insist that your version of what’s going on be addressed.

• Participate in the physical exam. Rather than sitting passively, ask specific questions so you understand what is being eval-uated and also help the doctor focus on areas of your concern.

• Apply tests rationally. Get a thorough explanation of why each test is being offered; know that you do not need to accept the test; understand what the

results may or may not show.• Integrate diagnoses into the

healing process (find out as much about your diagnoses as you can; ask for a clear expla-nation between this and what-ever healing modalities are suggested; know the risks and benefits).

To read more, get a copy of Dr. Wen’s book. Let’s continue our own discussion on caregiving and medical advocacy. Please email your comments to me at jwolpert@chaibaltimore.org or call me at 410-500-5334.

Friendly Health Tips by Menachem Edelman

With its annual vaccination update, the Centers for

Disease Control (CDC) for-mally adopted the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommenda-tion from last fall that revised pneumonia vaccination pro-tocols. There are two types of pneumonia vaccines — Prevnar and Pneumovax. They cover different strains of bac-teria that promote improved immunity from all sorts of infections.

The two vaccines do over-lap on 12 types of bacteria; however, the vaccines are designed differently so that they produce different levels of immunity. Because of this, instead of requiring one shot of Pneumovax for people over 65, the ACIP is now recom-mending that everyone 65 years of age and older get the Prevnar vaccine, and then 6 months to a year later, get the Pneumovax vaccine. Of course, recommendations should be individualized for each patient, so talk to your local pharmacist or your physician today about what vaccines you need.

Page 9 | Staying Connected

Who’s Who? Getting to know our NNC members by Andre Lee, NNC Member

Joel Cohen is an NNC member and volunteer. We recently had the following conversation with him:

How long have you been a member of NNC, and what is your role as a volunteer?

I have been a member of NNC for the past year. I volunteer primarily with the Partnerships Coordinator for the Supportive Community Network, Jacke Schro-eder.

How would you describe your work with the Partnerships?

The idea is to find a partner or partners who can address the needs of an NNC member. An NNC member will call the main NNC number, 410-662-6620, and inform us of his or her specific need. If the need cannot be filled by a volunteer, Jacke or I will call the member back for more information. It then becomes our job to match that NNC member with the partner who is equipped to address that member’s specific needs.

Who or what are the partners?

Usually non-profit organizations or businesses are partners. Partners are iden-tified by NNC as organizations and/or businesses that offer a service beneficial to an NNC member. Individuals or entities that have direct personal contact with an NNC member are vetted by having their backgrounds checked. I recently met with the Coordinator of the University of Maryland’s Baltimore County’s (UMBC) Student Volunteer Program. This would result in UMBC being a partner with NNC. The goal is to have UMBC students volunteer their time with NNC.

What are some of the other ways that you volunteer your time with NNC?

I also help coordinate rides, answer telephone calls at CHAI, refer individuals to the person or place that will handle their concerns, make follow-up calls to NNC members to find out if they are satisfied with the help they received, and I am a member of the Newsletter Committee.

Have you been faced with any obstacles and/or have you found the need for improvements in NNC?

We need a better system to publicize NNC’s network of services to our members. We need to enhance the use of our website, which provides a wealth of information for the community that we serve.

How has volunteering for NNC benefited you?

Volunteering for NNC has been very satisfying. I am able to talk to people who have a variety of needs and concerns. One person that comes to mind is a woman whose husband is suffering from Alzheimer’s

disease. There are times when she just needs someone to talk to who cares about her situation. When you are compassionate about others it goes a long way to easing their stress; they know that there is someone

there to help them through the difficult times.

Do have any final thoughts that you would like to share with us?

NNC is member-driven organization, not a dictatorship. We invite the participation and feedback that we receive from our members. This helps us grow and improve. I am one of the many NNC volunteers who care

about others. Being an NNC volunteer is very rewarding to me.

Page 10 | Staying Connected

Out on the Town with NNCLearn about the exciting shuttle trips you can take with NNC.

Maryland Historical Society On Thursday, May 7, we will visit The Maryland Historical Soci-ety (MDHS). Founded in 1844, the MDHS is the state’s oldest continuously operating cultural institution. In keeping with the founders’ commitment to preserve the remnants of Maryland’s past, MDHS remains the premier insti-tution for state history. With over 350,000 objects and seven million books and documents, this institu-tion now serves upward of 100,000 people through its museum, library, press and educational programs.

The museum features an incredible collection that celebrates Mary-land’s rich and diverse history, from 18th- and 19th-century paintings and silver, to 20th-cen-tury objects of everyday life. Among its more than 350,000 objects, the most significant collec-tion of Maryland cultural artifacts

in the world, are over 2,000 paint-ings (including the largest collec-tion of works of art by members of the Peale family), a significant collection of maritime-related artifacts, and important collections of 19th-century Maryland painted and inlaid furniture, silver, quilts, costumes, ceramics, dolls and toys. After our trip to the museum, we will eat lunch together at the famous Attman’s deli.

Free. Please call AIM at 410-889-1148 by May 4 to reserve a seat on the shuttle.

Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic ShrineOn Thursday, June 18, we will visit Fort McHenry. Fort McHenry is a coastal star-shaped fort best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy in Chesapeake Bay Sept. 13–14, 1814.

Visitors to Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine should begin at the Visitor Center.

A short 10-minute orientation film is shown two times per hour: on the hour and half-past the hour throughout the day. Restrooms, exhibits and a gift shop are also located in the building.

Visitors can purchase a $10 life-time pass that provides access to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by five Federal agencies, with up to 100 percent of the proceeds being used to improve and enhance visitor recreation services. You must be a perma-nent U.S. resident, or a U.S. citizen with identification such as a U.S. Driver’s License, a Green Card or a U.S. Passport. It provides entrance or access to its owner and three accompanying adults arriving in a single, private non-commercial vehicle.

Plan to spend about one hour touring the fort — all self-guided. An entire visit usually requires two hours.

$7 or purchase a senior pass. Please call AIM at 410-889-1148 by June 15 to reserve a seat on the shuttle.

Shuttle Trips with NNCCheck your mail or email for the latest schedule for the Northwest Senior Shuttle. It will give you times and destinations for the coming month.

Also, take a look below to see some of the exciting trips that the NNC Trips Committee has planned for May and June. You can also check out the shuttle schedule at www.chaibaltimore.org/NNC.

To arrange a spot on the Northwest Senior Shuttle, or to learn more about the schedule, call 410-889-1148. If you are not yet an NNC member, call 410-662-6620 to become a member and gain access to the shuttle system.

Issue 11, May/June 2015 | Page 11

professions, but not in the new private enterprises springing up all over the country.

Now that relations are thawing a bit between our two governments I am sure that many more than the dozen types of sanctioned tours will be available to Americans who want to visit Cuba.

It was a true privilege to meet the Jews of Cuba, and to see the beauty of the country as well. My only regret is that I was able to contribute only a bit to make their lives a little easier. Many members of the community are committed to their country and to keeping the Jewish community viable. Every-one has access to free education, free medical care and jobs even though I doubt most would say life is as easy as they would like.

A Tale of Two Gentlemen by Margot Brilliant, NNC Member

On February 5, it was my pleasure to interview Mr. Myron Rosen-berg and Mr. Jack Light, two very likable and accomplished gentle-men who, since they are both widowers, have “joined forces” and live together. Their friendship orig-inated in Brooklyn, NY, and goes back more than 20 years.

Before I met Myron and Jack, I had visions of “The Odd Couple,” but Oscar and Felix they are not. Both men came across as charming, totally put together, very educated and well-informed, totally inter-ested in life, and dedicated to social activities.

Jack’s background includes having been a dentist in practice up until

two years ago. He also did clini-cal research for cancer patients. He is a docent at the Hirshhorn Museum, a volunteer at Arena Theater, and if that does not make him busy enough, he added the Walters Art Museum and the Jewish Museum to his list of activ-ities. He has also studied banjo, painting and sculpture at the Community College in Rockville. He has exhibited his artwork at the JCC, loves Yiddish music, likes to write, and has 30 professional articles to his credit.

Myron has two younger brothers, both of whom reside in Califor-nia. He has three children — one daughter and twin boys. He is the proud grandfather of four. One son has a farm. I know Myron is extremely proud of his family since it was the very first piece of infor-mation he offered.

Myron is also a profes-sional writer and covers proposals and grants. His mother was a Sabra (born in Israel) and he went back in 1962 with his wife. Myron enjoys reading books, listening to the radio and writing.

This assignment for Staying Connected was a pleasure. First, I was driven to the appoint-ment by Jillian Lipman, one of CHAI’s fellows from Repair the World, a new organization covered in the last issue. During the rides to and from the interview, Jillian and I had a great time conversing on various topics. She is a

college graduate, so I did a lot of listening; I supplied a bit of infor-mation on Yiddishkeit (Jewish/Yiddish culture). We had a great time.

Now back to Jack and Myron. The assignment I was given stated that they are very good about finding and using senior resources in Balti-more and that their story is inspir-ing. I was so intrigued and listened so closely that I failed to jot down nearly enough information. I think I should return for a second visit!

Correction: In our March/April 2015 issue, it was reported that Cassius Clay (Mohammed Ali) made anti-Se-mitic statements in the 1960s. This information is erroneous. We apolo-gize for the error and any misunder-standings.

Trip to Cuba continued from p. 3

Myron Rosenberg and Jack Light joined forces as they became widowers.

Page 12 | Staying Connected

Enjoy discounts with NNC PartnersGive us a call today at 410-662-6620 to get connected. NNC members get a discount. Winter is here! The following NNC Partners will come to your house.

Computer Cure MD Computer repair and training www.compcure-md.comBoy Scouts of America, Baltimore Area Council Snow-shoveling www.baltimorebsa.org Beauty and Beyond In-home hair care www.ruthjankowitz.comAngel Hands Phlebotomy Blood draws, medication level checks www.angelhandsmpcs.comMobile Medical Imaging X-ray, EKG, ultrasound, echocardiogram www.mobile-medical-imaging.com

The following partners do not come to your house, but offer discounts or other benefits to NNC members.

Baltimore Humane Society Discounted vet care and volunteer opportunities

www.bmorehumane.org

Myerberg Center Discounted membership, classes, programs and activities

www.myerberg.org

NNC Partnerships: Angel Hands Mobile Phlebotomy by Monique Reid, Owner

Angel Hands Mobile Phle-

botomy Concierge Services (MPCS), a proud partner of NNC, is excited to offer blood draws in your home. We understand it is difficult for some of our clients to get to a lab to have their blood drawn. They may be home-bound or they may lack transportation. We offer on-site blood draws, whether

at your home or your place of employment.

Our services include blood collec-tions, DNA testing and drug and alcohol testing. NNC members enjoy special benefits from us, including a discounted rate of $30 for a visit, and after-hours avail-ability. We are also excited to offer our services as NNC volunteers for other tasks, like driving! Contact NNC at 410-662-6620 to get connected.

The Boy Scouts & NNC by Heidi Schloss, NNC Member

NNC has instituted a number of partnerships, one of which

is a pilot program with the Boy Scouts in Northwest Baltimore.

Scout members earn merit points as well as community service hours towards high school graduation.

They assist NNC members, of which I am one. In the summer, they mowed my lawn and this past winter, shoveled my sidewalk. The program was arranged by Jacke Schroeder, NNC Partnerships Coordinator, and Rona Gross, CHAI’s Senior Home Repair Coor-dinator, as well as leaders from the participating Boy Scout troops.

Jacke, Rona, and the Boy Scouts hope to be able to expand this program to more NNC members in

the very near future.

Issue 11, May/June 2015 | Page 13

Lunch & A Movie by Jacquie Perry, Trips Committee Chair

NNC’s second “Lunch & Movie” took place on March 25; we watched The Trip to Bountiful, starring Cicely Tyson as Carrie

Watts, whose fondest wish is to return to her home town of Boun-tiful, Texas one last time. The story was very engaging, and Cicely Tyson was excellent.

Following the movie, we discussed how important it is for people to age in their own homes and communities, and how much our identity is tied to our home. “As a senior, I could relate to it!” commented NNC member Frances Lomnitz. “I liked eating together. The movie was very good,” proclaimed Eileen Rosenbaum. Miriam Rittberg agreed. “I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a warm family movie. Cicely was great!”

Please join us on Wednesday, June 24 to see The Perfect Game. A ragtag group of boys from the wrong side of the tracks in Monterrey, Mexico discovers the joy of sandlot baseball under the guidance of a coach who had once hoped to make it in the major leagues. Armed with the dream of playing a real Little League game, the young players defy a total lack of resources, disapproving parents, and widespread prejudice to score their first Little League victory and find themselves at the beginning of a journey all the way to the 1957 Little League World Series. We look forward to seeing you on June 24. Bring your lunch; NNC will provide the drinks. RSVP for the movie by calling 410-662-6620. If you need a ride, call the shuttle, 410-889-1148, by June 19.

Milbrook Updates Our Travel Club by Mariya Peysina, Ella Novikova, Katya Barr, Larisa Levitan and Mayya Molchanova

The Milbrook Friendly Neigh-borhood’s Travel Club meets once a month to “virtually” travel to destinations in the United States and abroad. Led by Tatiana and Harry Mela-mud, the group travels via films, music and professional commentaries. We study the history — ancient and modern — of the places we visit, and well as the culture of the region (painting, sculp-ture, architecture, flora and fauna). To date we have trav-eled virtually to Israel, Flor-ence, Paris and Greece. At our last meeting, we “drove” from San Diego to San Francisco.

The group was an idea of a member who loves to travel. Its members are apprecia-tive of the opportunity to travel and the freedom to see new places. Most of the group members lived in the Soviet Union, behind the Iron Curtain, and could not travel abroad. Traditionally, we end our meetings at the tea table, exchanging impressions of the film shown and stories of our personal trips. As always, we at the Milbrook Travel Club express our gratitude to the hosts of our club.

Page 14 | Staying Connected

Need a Lift? Information about transportation options for NNC members

If you would like a ride, please call 410-662-6620 with as much notice as possible (we like at least 3 days). Leave a message with the date, time, and length of the appointment/errand.

The driver will be in touch with you to confirm. And remember, you must be current with your NNC dues to be a part of this wonderful service. Read on for more updates and

reminders.

• We need more drivers! Do you know a business or organization from which we could recruit drivers? Let us know.

• Give us early notice. If you know you have an appointment in a month, call now to reserve your ride. If something just came up, you can certainly call and see if we can help you, but the chances are slim-mer the less notice you give. We appreciate at least a week of advance notice.

• Please be understanding if we cannot get you your ride. We are still growing. (See #1)

• How far will we take you? Some of our drivers have gone to Westminster, BWI, GBMC, White Marsh, Ellicott City and University of MD Dental School, just to give an idea of our range. Other driv-ers only drive within a 10-minute radius of CHAI. Again, advance notice helps!

• What if I realize I need to go somewhere else during our trip? Unfortunately, we ask that you stick to the ride that you requested. Our drivers want to do the right thing and give you the help you need, so we don’t want them to feel that we are taking advantage of their good intentions.

• Will my driver stay with me? If you need this, please make sure to ask us. Some drivers will wait for you to finish your appointment; others will drop you off and be called when you are ready for the return trip. Still others will only drive one way, so we try to find a second driver for the return run.

• What if the appointment is canceled or you are unable to go? We ask that you contact our office line (410-662-6620) to notify us, and also contact the driver.

• What if the driver has car issues, or is suddenly unable to drive? We ask that you be patient and understanding of this possibility, and we ask that the driver contact us as well as you. This is more than just a courtesy—it also gives us the opportunity to possibly line up an alternative ride, even last-minute.

• Once the ride has occurred, we appreciate hearing from both passenger and driver about how things went. This ensures quality control as well as accurate statistics. Call us at 410-662-6620.

• What about the shuttle? NNC members have free access to the CHAI Northwest Senior shuttle. We encourage its use for grocery shopping, bank-ing, doctors’ visits, or visits to Sinai and Levindale. You can also take the shuttle to NNC meetings, plays (see the Community Calendar for upcoming plays), and special excursions on Wednesdays and Thursdays (see the shuttle schedules that will now be sent to you on a monthly basis).

Call 410-662-6620 to become a member and request your first individual ride. Reserve your shuttle trip by calling 410-889-1148.

Issue 11, May/June 2015 | Page 15

Our Agency Friends Maryland’s Department of Aging by Joel Cohen, NNC Member

On February 5th and 8th a contingent from NNC

traveled to Annapolis to wit-ness Maryland House and Senate Budget Subcommit-tees on future funding for the Department of Aging (MDoA). NNC President Esther Weiner eloquently testified before the committee for the necessity to not reduce MDoA’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year. NNC depends on money from MDoA for many of its programs. Pres-ident Weiner and others force-fully argued that villages like NNC ultimately save the State money by allowing seniors to remain in their homes rather than be forced to move into nursing facilities more costly to Maryland.

MDoA is a federally funded agency in existence since 1959. The mission statement of the agency is to provide leadership, advocacy, and access to infor-mation for all seniors, their families, and caregivers in the state. The agency’s vision is to have seniors age with dignity and opportunities, a vision very similar to the goals of NNC. It may be of no surprise to anyone that the fastest growing segment of the State of Maryland is people ages 80-84. In 2010, these octoge-narians numbered 94,892, and are projected to reach 219,250 by 2041. In 2010, the popula-tion of people over the age of 60 in Maryland represented 18.5 percent. This number

is projected to jump to 25.8 percent by 2036. It is no wonder that the MDoA and villages like NNC are vital today and are only going to grow in importance in succeeding years.

Some of MDoA’s programs include: (1) Prevention of elder abuse; (2) Assistance for people with disabilities; (3) Ombuds-men to nursing homes and assisted living; (4) Public guard-ianships for seniors unable to make responsible decisions; (5) Legal services; (6) Promotion of health and wellness; (7) Disease prevention; (8) Nutrition and meal assistance; (9) Assistance with Medicare and insurance options; and (10) Regulation of senior centers.

Nineteen regional MDoA offices assist older Marylanders with services and information. The Baltimore City office is located at 417 East Fayette Street. Arnold Eppel is the director, and the phone number is 410-396-4932. The local Baltimore County office is located at 611 Central Avenue, Towson, Md. Joanne Williams is the direc-tor, and the phone number is 410-887-2591.

To implement its policies and connect to the public, MDoA uses a state initiative known as

Maryland Access Point (MAP). NNC’s very own Board Secre-tary, Emily Miller, works for the MAP program. The MAP for Baltimore City can be reached by calling 410-396-2273.

I was fortunate to interview Ami Patel from the Baltimore City MAP office. Ami began as an intern in the MAP office three years ago and is now responsible for seeking applicable federal and state grants. She oversees the local agency budget. Ami is involved in reviewing proposed budgets, maximizing capital funds, and optimizing senior needs. MAP’s mission is similar to NNC’s goal to allow individu-als to remain at home and plan for future needs. When seniors and their families seek infor-mation, their initial call should be to their local MAP office. MAP workers inform the public on a range of topics from legal advice to housing and nutri-tional information. Any person over 55 can request a confiden-tial questionnaire from MAP to determine what services he or she may be eligible for. NNC members are grateful for profes-sionals like Ami Patel who look out for their interests.

Each issue, this section features news from a

different agency in our community that works

with seniors.

NON-PROFIT ORG.

US POSTAGEPAID

PERMIT #1262BALTIMORE, MD

The Supportive Community Networkc/o CHAI5809 Park Heights AvenueBaltimore, MD 21215

Newsletter CommitteeMargot Brilliant Joel Cohen Adina Edelman Shoshana Harris

Deborah Kalmar Sid Katz Andre Lee Sheila Mentz

Sid Rankin Heidi Schloss Beverly Wiseman

StaffMitch Posner Executive Director, CHAI Lane Levine Community Network DirectorChava Ball NNC Director

Joyce Wolpert Member Wellness CoordinatorJacke Schroeder Partnerships Coordinator

Eileen Creeger Member Connections CoordinatorIgor Balzac Milbrook Organizer

Staying

Staying

CONNECTED

WWW.CHAIBALTIMORE.ORG

Staying

Staying

CONNECTED

ISSUE 11 | MAY/JUNE 2015

Northwest Neighbors Connecting had its second Birthday Bash on March 15. It was a blast! Open the newsletter to learn more.