30 | NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 J
N
OUR COMMUNITY
O
ne person’s essay
discusses preparing
food specialties for
neighbors at unexpected
times. Another person’s
essay stresses the importance
of talking about early and
ostensibly personal health
issues. A third person’s essay
recalls the significance of
travel with family.
The three essayists are
among 39 residents of Jewish
Senior Life of Metropolitan
Detroit who contributed to
a new book, Don’t Write Me
Off! that tells about lessons
learned with the experiences
of life and gives readers
insight into what these people
learned by going through the
experiences.
The idea is that lessons
from the book will be direct
and helpful for readers and
illustrate that older adulthood
is a rich and diverse
experience. Don’t Write Me
Off!, filled with the tales of
those living in the six West
Bloomfield and Oak Park
residences administered by
Jewish Senior Life, will be
introduced at a fundraising
event, Lives Well-Lived:
Wrinkles in Time, on Tuesday
evening, Nov. 14, at The J in
West Bloomfield. Dessert and
coffee will be served. Guests
will also see three short
documentary films.
A CHORUS OF
OLDER VOICES
“This book contains a moving
chorus of older voices of
people who have survived loss
and hardship and found love,
friendship and new passions,”
said Beth Robinson, director
of FRIENDS of Jewish Senior
Life and the one
who had the idea
for the writing
project.
“This engaging
collection creates
a colorful mosaic
that is equal
parts poignant, touching,
funny, upbeat, surprising and
inspiring.”
Eleven local writers and
editors worked with the
writers to tell their stories,
and local photographers Ira
Goldberg and Jon Lyback
volunteered to take artistic
portraits of the contributors.
Phyllis Lewkowicz, who
earlier had done some writing
about her late husband
surviving the Holocaust, told
about pleasures
derived from
cooking, and she
explained how
friendships were
extended through
that.
“I hope
people learn
the importance of taking
one day at a time,” said
Lewkowicz, who has used
some days to deal with the
physical ailments of herself
and daughter and other days
to write “If There’s a Will,
There’s a Way.”
“I’m organized, and I
wanted to share that.”
Nancy Kalef has
successfully survived cancer,
and she wrote about the
importance of talking about
the illness,
regardless
of where it’s
centered, so it
can be caught
early and treated
properly as hers
was. Kalef’s
efforts also have
resulted in the realization of
Beth
Robinson
Nancy
Kalef
Phyllis
Lewkowicz
JSL to introduce its anthology
Don’t Write Me Off! at fundraising
event Nov. 14.
A Festival of
Storytelling
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER