Looking forward to Shabbat

By Hope McCormack

Cascade Heights has the privilege of having a wonderful Shabbat service almost every week. The third week of July was no different. The service was led by Program Director Susan Bernstein who started the service with everyone's favorite song Bim Bam that transitioned effortlessly into Hee-Nay Ma Tov. She is a wonderful guitar player and everyone enjoyed her playing along to the prays. Bernstein told the story of Joseph and how his brothers sold him into slavery because of his vanity and their jealousy. For almost every pray, Bernstein gave background knowledge so that anyone new to the service would understand its importance.

Bernice Davids, a long-time resident of Cascade Heights, said that Shabbat services had been important to her ever since she was young. She enjoys the Shabbat services that the Jewish Pavilion and its volunteers provide as well as the other activities done by the Jewish Pavilion such as the Almond Horn Baking. She has participated the past three years and plans to continue helping as long as she can. Jack Sami, another resident of Cascade Heights, was born in Greece, but raised in Israel. He likes that the Jewish Pavilion provides him with a way to pray when he cannot make it to temple.

June Brown is another resident of Cascade Heights who enjoys Shabbat services. She enjoys being able to help out before services begin by passing out challah and conversing with the volunteers and other residents. Brown was born in Havana, Cuba, and moved to New York when she was just three months old. She volunteered for over 40 years at a Jewish hospital on Long Island before moving to Florida. She moved into Cascade Heights three years ago and has enjoyed the services and activities provided by the Jewish Pavilion ever since. All the residents enjoy having Bernstein sing and pray with them and look forward to Friday nights when Shabbat will arrive.