July 4 • 2019 5 jn views R ecent events are leading me to believe there are no coinci- dences. I’ m experiencing more moments where things I’ m thinking about intersect with things going on around me. You’ ve had that feeling, right? You think about a friend you haven’ t spoken to in a while and, almost instanta- neously, you receive an incoming call from him. Or perhaps something more dramatic like what I witnessed at a funeral of a friend some years back. I, along with many others in atten- dance who talk about it to this day, remember the precise moment the rabbi mentioned our beloved friend’ s love for trains — a train, with the rabbi having no forewarning of its approach, appeared out of the dis- tance and rambled by the cemetery. Eerie? Actually, I found it comfort- ing. This past June 5, just one day prior to the June 6 75th anniversary of D-Day, I was having breakfast with my 92-year-old WWII Jewish War Veteran (JWV) buddy Art Fishman. We were joined by Debi Hollis, the president of the Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial, who was updat- ing us on the tribute she is working tirelessly to bring to the grounds of Memorial Park on Woodward in Royal Oak. It will pay homage to the unique contributions the state of Michigan made during WWII, both on the war and home fronts. As we finished our coffee and dis- cussion, I looked down and noticed a penny on the floor just beside our booth. I’ m a penny-picker-upper from way back. Are you familiar with the old tradition of making a wish on a found penny? I do it often and have a collection of “wishes” in a cup at home. Upon closer inspection, the date on this penny was … 1944. Yes, with a WWII veteran as my witness, I had just found a 75-year-old penny on the eve of the 75th anniversary of D-Day. I’ d like to think this was more than a coincidence — it was a “c-o-i-n”- cidence. On Friday evening the day after the 75th anniversary of D-Day, Art Fishman left me a voicemail: “Al, give me a call. I have a story you’ re not going to believe.” It turns out while washing his car Art looked down and saw … a penny. A 1945 penny. 1945, the year WWII ended in Europe. Another “c-o-i-n”-cidence? On Sunday, June 9, three days after the 75th anniversary of D-Day, I attended a Shavuot Yizkor service at Temple Israel. Honored guests that morning were members of the Jewish War Veterans Department of Michigan, who were invited to par- ticipate in the morning prayers. Just days after Memorial and D-Day commemorations, Rabbi Marla Hornsten spoke passionately to the congregation about our beloved JWV and their contributions to our nation. It was the perfect setting to share with her my and Art’ s recent historical “penny” currency encoun- ters. After I gave the rabbi my “2-cents worth,” she said: “Wait here.” She left for a moment and retuned with the Temple Israel prayer book, Shema Yisrael, in hand; opening it to a page with a published work of hers about … a penny. She was inspired to write the pas- sage after witnessing a ritual a family performed about 15 years ago while presiding over an unveiling. “When we reached the end of the service,” Hornsten said, “they told me that instead of leaving a stone at the grave, their family tradition was to leave a penny. The idea was that we constantly find pennies around us and every time we find one it’ s a message or a sign of our loved ones. And so, they leave a penny as a marker that they were there.” I put a penny on your grave instead of a stone, Because whenever I see a lost penny on the street, I think of you. I remember how you used to put a penny in that little dish next to the cash register that’ s says, “Give a penny, take a penny. ” How you used to throw your loose change into the case of the street musi- cian even when he was out of tune, And how you dug deep into your pockets for more than just pennies to help the person on the street. “Find a penny, pick it up … ” I look for lost pennies because every- where I look, I see you. — Rabbi Marla Hornsten So is everything I just shared mere “c-o-i-n”-cidences? Perhaps. Though I’ d prefer to think of it as “change” you can believe in. ■ Alan Muskovitz is a writer, voice-over/acting talent, speaker, and emcee. Visit his website at laughwithbigal.com,“Like” Al on Facebook and reach him at amuskovitz@renmedia.us. for openers Pennies from Heaven? Alan Muskovitz Art Fishman and Alan Muskovitz For information, contact Tracey Proghovnick (248) 661-1836 jslmi.org JEWISH SENIOR LIFE INDEPENDENCE DA Y Living Your Best ... Jewish Senior Life Jewish Senior Life is far more than a place to live. It’s six beautiful residences 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. Our Jewish community has long been aware that it is one of the oldest in the country and has understood that when the Baby Boomers enter their older adulthood, communal needs will intensify. What the community may not have understood is that another trend has been developing as the Boomers have been approaching their seventies: People want to age in place. JSL has already experienced this trend – older adults are coming to live in our communities laterthan they did in decades past and with more needs. What we now understand, is that the true impact of the Baby Boom may not really be felt until the Boomers hit their eighties - which will happen in just seven to ten years. Therefore, JSL has a critical window of opportunity to anticipate and address the needs and desires of our older adults. So, while it may be the preference of Boomers to age in their current homes, many will not be able to afford to do so. Given the high cost of home care ($1,000 - $15,000/month, depending on how many hours a day are needed) and the astonishingly low savings rates of Baby Boomers, solely on social security just a few years intoretirement and cannot afford to live at home. With longevity increasing, this means we’ll have thousands in our community whether at home or with us. While JSL has HUD-subsidized apartments pay only 30% of their monthly income towards rent, many older adults will earn too much to qualify for subsidized housing but may not have enough to pay for senior housing with the types of supports they’ll need, another trend JSL is concerned about. JSL has been working with international thought leaders in senior housing, Perkins Eastman, to help us anticipate, plan for and dream about how to meet the needs of the Baby Boomers as well as their desire for more choices in older adult housing. Stay tuned and help us shape this dream. Give us a call!