Naomi Leavitt, the Community Liaison at Cedar Sinai Park, had a problem; the kind of problem that, it turned out, was best solved with a party.
Saturday afternoons at Rose Schnitzer Manor are quiet, and not in a good way. The “lonely, isolating” kind of quiet.
“One, that’s not what Shabbat’s all about and two, that’s not okay,” Leavitt said. “That’s sad, but we can change that.”
Elders aren’t the only ones who can be unmoored by unscheduled Shabbat afternoons. That’s where the idea of a Shabbat party came from.
“Especially on these long days when Shabbat ends like 10 o’clock at night on Saturday, to keep the Shabbat spirit, you can do something simple. A lot of folks have a Shabbat party, whether it’s in your living room or in your backyard. There’s a family, they don’t live here anymore, but they had told me when we first met, ‘you’re invited to our house for our Shabbat party every Shabbat at 4 pm. Don’t RSVP, just come,” Leavitt recalled. “They would bring out the best chips and the nicest things.”
Taking the inspiration, Leavitt consulted with residents at Cedar Sinai, who were on board with the idea, and invited the community to the facility’s first Shabbat Party on Aug. 1.
“There was a baby and there were like grade school kids and then there’s residents in their 90s and 100s and parents and everyone in between,” she said, “It was simple and I think it really filled some gaps on all levels, both for the residents and then for folks in the community.”
Leavitt had thought she might need some icebreakers, but none were required. Even the songbook she had put together was set aside as the conversation and connection amongst the crowd flowed naturally enough to let things take their course.
“Songs are great, but I don’t think that’s the priority. It was such a happy, buzzy, engaging environment of chatter. They were kids who recognized each other from summer camp. There were people who were like, ‘oh, you’re so and so.’ ‘Oh, I know them,’” Leavitt said. “It just happened. It felt very, very good. It felt absolutely like we needed that. It was lovely.”
For residents without family close by, it’s a golden opportunity for casual, multi-generational engagement – that kind that might otherwise occur gathering a family together for kiddush on a Saturday afternoon. It’s also a valuable experience for younger attendees who don’t have regular interaction with elders, whether their grandparents or anyone else,” Leavitt explained.
“These kids are learning, ‘How do we engage with elderly? How do I talk to someone who doesn’t hear well, or someone who might have some memory issues?’” she said. “Those are life skills.”
While the event was enjoyable in the moment, Leavitt said the real verdict came when residents were still talking about it well into the following week.
“Residents say to me, ‘oh, that was great.’ ‘Oh, that baby,’” she explained. “Then they say, ‘ let’s keep it going. When’s the next one?’”
The answer is Saturday, Aug. 22, at 2 pm at Rose Schnitzer Manor. All are welcome.
“It doesn’t matter what your background is or isn’t or how much you do or don’t know, just come hang out, have some ice cream, sing a Beatles song with us and enjoy,” Leavitt said. “It’s an easy bite-sized piece you can add into your week without any pressure or feeling like, ‘I don’t have the knowledge or the background.’ This is for everyone.”
For more information, contact Leavitt at [email protected].
PHOTO: Courtesy Cedar Sinai Park