by Elaine Durbach
NJJN Bureau Chief/Central

July 9, 2009

Feeding the body might have taken center stage at a festive luncheon to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Together on Tuesday program at Ahawas Achim B’nai Jacob and David, but the weekly get-togethers for seniors at the Orthodox synagogue in West Orange have also fed hearts and minds.

The gala on June 30 was no exception. Yoel Sharabi came to perform, and the Yemenite-Israeli musician delighted the audience as much with his rollicking rhythms as with his tongue-in-cheek tales of his childhood in Tel Aviv.

“I was the youngest of 10 children, and they called me the tachsheet,” he recounted, putting aside the two flutes he had just played simultaneously. “That usually means ‘jewel,’ but in my case it meant ‘troublemaker.’”

Felice Blank, a member of the shul for 43 years, has been director of the program since its inception in 1999. It began, she said, as a way to provide older members of the congregation with stimulation and companionship.

Funding came initially from the Grotta Foundation. When that ended after two and a half years, the program had become such a success that the synagogue opted to keep up the funding itself.

Most of the participants are shul members, but many are not, and some come from as far afield as Bergen County. They pay just $15 a year to belong to the group, and $2 for the lunches ($1 if they are members), which Blank and a few helpers prepare.

Working within that budget can take ingenuity, Blank acknowledged, but she works all the contacts she has developed over the years to find the most interesting and talented people. A big helping hand has come from the Hirschhorn Foundation, which has provided up to 11 speakers or entertainers a year.

Speakers have included politicians; experts on health, finance, Jewish culture, and Torah; and even a former agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Some Tuesdays, there is an outing — to art exhibitions, plays, concerts, and museums.

Close to 100 people came to the catered anniversary luncheon. The usual turnout is more intimate — between 20 and 40 — but there are 170 members on the rolls. About 57 have belonged from the start. They were recognized at the event, and presented with gift packages contained in coffee mugs inscribed with the words “Together on Tuesday.”

There has been attrition, an inevitable occurrence with a seniors group, and quite a few people — including Blank herself — live in Florida for part of the winter. But there is new blood too, and a constant inflow of recent retirees or people new to the community.

Leah and George Greenfield of West Orange, 45-year members of the congregation, created a large poster for the event, a collage of flyers from previous programs. They also designed the floral centerpieces for the tables. Leah — along with many of her friends — joined at the inception, and George did when he retired from his job as an electrical engineer five years ago.

They said they have always had broad interests and they welcome the intellectual stimulation. “Felice is amazing,” Leah said. “She finds such interesting people. The talks are really excellent.”

Blank was presented with a plaque by the congregation’s leader, Rabbi Eliezer Zwickler, and with a gift from her members — a gift card for the Short Hills Mall and a donation to the program in her name.

“When Felice went to Florida last year, she asked a few of us to fill in for her. It was a lot of work!” Bea Kallus, who made the presentation, told NJ Jewish News. “She does an amazing job.”

Blank’s husband, Herbert, a semi-retired accountant, recently began attending meetings and was on hand to help out last Tuesday. He looked proud as he witnessed the tributes to his wife.

Felice, for her part, appeared embarrassed yet touched by the attention. “When I started, I had no idea I would be doing this for so long,” she said. “But it’s been very interesting, and I’ve gotten to meet some wonderful people.”

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