January 17 • 2019 5
jn

T

his week, it’
s 
Tu b’
Shevat, 
the New Year 
of the Trees, and I’
m 
gonna go out on a 
limb here and suggest 
that they don’
t exactly 
celebrate the way we 
do. Or maybe they do. 
Maybe — while we’
re 
sleeping, of course, because it would 
be awfully spooky otherwise — all 
the trees head over to their local syn-
agogue, listen to the shofar and take a 
mass field trip where they throw their 
twigs in a frozen lake. (Side question: If 
a twig lands on a fish, is it then called a 
fish stick?) 
Or maybe they have the tree equiva-
lent of fireworks and the ball dropping. 
Nah. Chances are the lazy buggers 
will stay exactly where they are, not 
paying the slightest bit of attention to 
the folks who are happily peeling their 
(at least for us in Detroit) expensive 
imported fruit and wishing them Shana 
Tova. Basically, they don’
t give a fig. 
Well, at least all the trees in my neck 
of the woods are totally letting off a 
“
All my leaves have left, and if I wasn’
t 
rooted to the spot, I’
d also take off 
for Florida” vibe. Trees don’
t look too 
happy these days, let alone celebratory. 
Which, of course, begs the question: 
Why on earth is the New Year of the 
Trees in the thick of the winter?

One reason is that the 15th of Shevat 
is the exact middle point between fall 
and spring (in Israel) and once half the 
winter has passed, this particular rea-
soning goes, its strength is weakened; 
the cold isn’
t as intense and the bud-
ding process begins. In other words, 
we’
re at the beginning of the end of 
winter. And it can be so thrilling to 
know you’
re halfway there, that you’
re 
closer to your goal than your starting 
point.
It’
s the same with everything — 
whether it’
s a long-distance trip, a diet 
or even cleaning a room. Once we’
re at 
the halfway point, a little celebrating’
s 
in order. Halfway! Yeah! That knowl-
edge will give us the push we need to 
keep going. Almost done! Might as well 
finish!
It’
s only little kids, blissfully unaware 
of the concept called time, who don’
t 
always remember our humble begin-
nings. 
For example: My 3-year-old Zahava 
recently came to me. “Remember when 

we had a newborn baby in our house?”
“Yes …
”
“What was his name again?”
“
Azriel Nachum.
”
“Hey!” She pointed to our 1-year-
old toddling around on unsteady feet. 
“That’
s his name, too!”
There are two types of people: those 
who love word play and those who hate 
it. People who hate it should probably 
stop reading now. The raisin for that 
stems from the fact that while others 
think word play is sub-lime, are grape-
ful for a punnet of fruity puns and find 
them completely applepropriate for Tu 
b’
Shevat; they will just groan and say, 
“You’
re kiwing me.
” They’
ll complain 
that this article’
s gone pear-shaped; it’
s 
upset the apple cart; this is the pits. 
They’
ll say I’
m nuttier than a fruitcake. 
No need for sour grapes — we’
re 
more than halfway done! (Is that the 
cherry on top?) The time is ripe for my 
leave-taking.
Shanah tovah la’
ilanot (good year to 
the trees) … Hope you go bananas! ■

continued on page 10

for starters

Rochel Burstyn

views

Happy New
Year, Trees!

I

’
ll admit to learning that a swastika 
drawn on our elevator, then later on 
the outside of our building wasn’
t 
what I bargained for as a volunteer on 
the Petoskey District Library Board.
When I learned about the two inci-
dents, I felt like someone had stabbed 
us in the heart. I can hardly imagine the 
pain suffered by Library Director Val 
Meyerson. She is an active member of 
Northern Michigan’
s only Jewish synagogue, Temple 
B’
nai Israel, only a few blocks away from the library.
For me, it was a sad day. But, this comes as little sur-
prise after working as a journalist for 40 years. I lived 
through the Lansing and Detroit riots and attended 

a nearly-all-black Lansing junior high school once 
attended by the late civil rights activist Malcom X.
“I am sickened by the notion that someone in our 
community associates themselves with Nazis,” wrote 
Meyerson in a commentary published in the library 
newsletter and local newspaper. “Although I support 
the right for people to believe what they choose, I can-
not allow this destruction of property to go unnoticed. 
I also cannot be silent about the underlying meaning of 
this graffiti. In the wake of the Pittsburgh anti-Semitic 
terrorist attack, I think it important to share with the 
greater community that this is happening. These types 
of issues are here in our lovely, peaceful, ‘
safe’
 town,” 
she concluded.
Unfortunately, while the state touts the decade old 

Ken Winter 

guest column

Anti-Semitism Has Never Left
 —
Even in Rural Northern Michigan

For more information contact 
Tracey Proghovnick, Director 
of Residential Marketing and 
Communications (248) 661-1836 or 
visit our website www.jslmi.org

Your Best 

Before Ruth came to live with Jewish 
Senior Life, she put off learning the card 
game, Canasta. She was busy and really 
didn’
t think she wanted to devote the time 
needed to learn this form of Rummy. After 
Ruth moved in, she changed her mind. She 
now plays regularly with old friends and 
new, enjoying not only the camaraderie, 
but the health benefits. Our JSL Program 
Directors are second to none and provide 
daily opportunities for this type of mind 
sharpening activity and more for the 
residents we serve.
Information provided by older adult blog 
source, Kendal At Home, cites Dr. Andrew 
Budson, a cognitive behavioral neurologist, 
who says participating in card or board 
games provides an excellent form of social 
interaction, a vital key to emotional health.
Participating in games also keeps your 
brain healthy. Word games partnered with 
chair yoga and stretching exercises create 
overall feelings of wellbeing. These activities 
keep your brain engaged, according to 
scientists. Researchers studied the effects of 
using the computer, playing games like chess 
or bridge, crafting, assembling puzzles, and 
going to the movies and socializing on brain 
health. They found that all the activities, 
provide a protective effect against mild 
cognitive impairment.
Although not a substitute for social 
interaction, researchers found casual 
participation in video games had positive 
effects on mood, reducing feelings of 
depression and anxiety. In addition to such 
solo activities, residents at JSL participate 
in group activities such as Wii Fit bowling, 
which allows players to participate in 
simulated real-life activities in a less 
physically taxing modality but with all of the 
friendly competition and fun. This type of 
play is equivalent to light aerobic exercise. 
Jewish Senior Life is far more than a 
place to live. It’
s 6 beautiful residences in 
2 vibrant communities in Oak Park and 
West Bloomfield, Michigan where bonds of 
friendship are built or renewed, and passions 
are pursued. It’
s where residents actively 
engage with one another and, as a result, 
remain active in mind, body and spirit. And 
it’
s where creative programs and services 
extend spiritual, social and cultural values of 
the Jewish tradition to residents, families and 
community members. JSL is a place where 
older adults can embrace life and community 
in a secure and supportive environment. 

JSL is proud to provide inclusive 
residential communities, programs and 
services. We welcome all people without 
regard to race, color, national origin, religion, 
disability, gender, sex, sexual orientation, 
gender identity, age, familial status and 
marital status.

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