20 | MARCH 25 • 2021 

PASSOVER

D

uring Passover last 
year, residents of 
Jewish Senior Life 
(JSL) were restricted to their 
individual apartments to help 
prevent the spread of COVID. 
 Group dining and other 
activities, as well as visits from 
family members, were eliminat-
ed. As a result, a few residents 
chose to leave JSL and move in 
with family members. These 
strict precautions were mandat-
ed by the state because the age 
and medical status of many JSL 
residents made them especially 
vulnerable to COVID.
The situation has improved 
greatly as Passover approaches. 
Eighty-two percent of JSL
’s 650 
residents have been fully vac-
cinated for COVID. According 
to Nancy Heinrich, JSL CEO, 
health statistics are carefully 
monitored. She says there hasn’t 
been a resident COVID case at 
JSL in some time. As a result, 
small groups of residents are 
able to eat together and enjoy 
activities while wearing masks 
and maintaining a safe distance. 
Visitors are permitted at its 
four JSL independent living 
communities - Prentis and 
Teitel Apartments in Oak 
Park and Hechtman and Meer 
Apartments in West Bloomfield. 
At its assisted living communi-
ties (Fleischman and Coville), 
visits are permitted for those 
who test negative for COVID.
Transportation services are 

being restored. Residents can 
leave JSL for outside visits and, 
in most cases, not be required 
to be tested for COVID upon 
return. As a result, Passover 
should be much less solitary 
this year. Residents have been 
reminded that they should take 
recommended CDC precau-
tions, such as limiting seders to 
no more than 15 people from 
no more than three households.
“We are restarting slowly 
because there is still a risk for 
transmission. We are anxious 
to get residents engaged and 
active,
” Heinrich said. 
Passover meals will be deliv-
ered to each resident, along 
with a seder plate for the first 
two nights of the holiday. In 
addition, gift bags with Pesach 
candy and ingredients to make 
charoset will be distributed.
Small group seders will be 
held in some JSL communities, 
conducted by local musician 
Avi Schreiber, as well as staff 
and volunteers. A special social-
ly distanced model seder will be 
held for residents of the Memory 
Care Pavilion. In addition, where 
available, a livestreamed seder 
will be broadcast in-house and 
an audio version will be available 
by phone.
Most important this Passover, 
many JSL residents will be able 
to see their children and grand-
children, even if masks are still 
required and elbow bumps sub-
stitute for hugs. 

JSL moves toward 
a more normal 
Passover.

Visitors 
Welcome

SHARI S. COHEN 
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Avi Schreiber will lead small 
group seders at JSL this Passover.

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5030 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323
248.683.5030 | greaterdetroit@hadassah.org 
www.hadassah.org/detroit

Happy Passover! Chag Sameach!

Hadassah Greater Detroit wishes you 
a safe and healthy holiday

Wishing everyone a
Chag Pesach Sameach
and good health.

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