September marks National PACE Month, an opportunity to celebrate Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and its ability to keep seniors living in their own homes as long as possible. Here in our community, Los Angeles Jewish Health’s Brandman Centers for Senior Care (BCSC) PACE program is making a tangible difference in improving local seniors’ health by giving them the critical resources and support they need to thrive.BCSC PACE helps coordinate care for seniors by providing them with all-inclusive primary care services, specialty healthcare services, adult day healthcare, transportation and meals. It’s a total gamechanger for program participants, says Paige Yaffe, director of rehabilitation at BCSC PACE.“It can be a challenge for anybody, but especially for older adults, to navigate the current healthcare system, and at BCSC PACE, we take care of all of that for them—making their appointments, driving them to the doctor, and ensuring they receive proper nutrition and medical management,” Paige says. “Our program is wonderful because it removes seniors’ stress about having to take care of their basic needs and allows them instead to start enjoying this phase of their lives.”A central component of BCSC PACE is offering seniors essential tools to help them live independently. This hands-on, in-home service distinguishes BCSC PACE from most other healthcare programs.“We do home safety assessments—something Medicare and HMOs typically don’t do—evaluating people in their own environments and figuring out what will help keep them safe and independent,” Paige says. “That could mean installing grab bars in their showers, putting ramps on their steps so they can get in and out of their homes with the use of a wheelchair or walker, or putting in adaptive equipment to make it easier for them to turn on the stove or open their doors. It’s very gratifying for me as an occupational therapist because I get to see what’s important to our seniors and then figure out how to help them accomplish it.”BCSC PACE has been an indispensable ally and advocate for so many seniors across Los Angeles, including:Guadalupe, an 88-year-old woman who fell in her apartment and broke her hip. After weeks in the hospital, where she underwent both complex hip repair and heart surgery, she was unable to walk or stand for several months. The BCSC PACE team provided vital therapy, and with patience and hard work, Guadalupe can now walk for short distances with a walker and use the bathroom instead of being bedbound for her self-care. She is also able to come to BCSC PACE to participate in activities and socialize with friends.Daniel, a 63-year-old man who built a celebrated career as a chef. He suffered a severe stroke but received very little after care, which left him unable to walk, speak or take care of his basic needs. With extensive physical, occupational, and speech therapies at BCSC PACE, Daniel can now walk with a cane and uses a white board to express his thoughts and desires. Today, he is even starting to participate in cooking activities at BCSC PACE, which allows him to reconnect with a core part of his identity.“BCSC PACE does so much good for so many people that it’s hard to capture it all in just a couple of stories,” Paige says. “I think what makes it so successful is that we evaluate seniors from top to bottom, not just treating one diagnosis or issue, but instead trying to figure out holistically how we can help secure their safety and improve their quality of life.”In honor of National PACE Month, this September BCSC PACE will host special events at its Reseda and West Los Angeles locations featuring musical entertainment, games, dancing, and a special menu.“We’re so excited to celebrate our program, the people who make it possible, and the seniors who benefit every day,” Paige says. “BCSC PACE is a place where people can come to be connected with services that help them find joy. Everybody deserves to find happiness, no matter their age!”

August 24th is National Waffle Day, though if you ask Los Angeles Jewish Health resident Joe Levoff, 95, every day is a great day for waffles. Joe, who opened iconic San Fernando Valley restaurant More Than Waffles 50 years ago, was in attendance this past August 24th as LAJH hosted a special event to celebrate the beloved breakfast food and toast to Joe’s enduring L.A. legacy.When Joe first opened the restaurant’s doors in 1975 in the Encino Town Center—the first shopping center on Ventura Boulevard— it was known as Belgian Waffle Chalet. The name was changed a decade later, and More Than Waffles became a Valley institution and must-visit breakfast destination. In 1998, Joe sold More Than Waffles to his long-time waitress and manager, Ika Taft, and her husband, Greg, who met at the restaurant and began their lives together there.Joe LevoffWith proceeds from the sale, Joe moved to Israel, where he had lived during his late teen years and 20s working as a farmer and serving in the country’s army. He stayed there for about 10 years before returning to the U.S. and retiring to LAJH’s Eisenberg Village in 2013.“I loved living at Eisenberg!” Joe recalls. “It’s such an amazing place.”Today, Joe and his partner, Marilyn Poliskin, live in the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center, located on LAJH’s Grancell Village campus. It was there that LAJH decided to honor Joe—and to share a little breakfast love with his fellow residents—by throwing its National Waffle Day celebration.The event was part of LAJH’s Achieve a Dream program—an opportunity for residents to find joy and fulfillment and make new memories.“We brought Ika to LAJH for a reunion with Joe, so she could catch him up on the latest More Than Waffles news and share with him how his beloved restaurant is still having an impact after half a century,” says Stacy Orbach, LAJH’s director of volunteer services. “It was wonderful: They were able to reminisce, and Joe got a chance to speak to the assembled residents about his life as a restaurant entrepreneur.”LAJH residents at the celebration also learned about how More Than Waffles continues to make a difference in people’s lives.“It’s still such a popular place. If you go during the weekend, you’ll have to wait for an hour!” Joe exclaims. They come for the food, the atmosphere—and perhaps for bit of More Than Waffles’ matchmaking magic: Ika and Greg’s daughter, Henny, helps them run the restaurant, and she met her husband there, too.Ika brought 50 jars of More Than Waffles’ homemade strawberry jam to the event, and LAJH’s Dietary Department brought out waffles for everyone in attendance.“It was a fantastic celebration with a delicious ending,” Stacy says. “At LAJH, we endeavor to make every day that sweet for the incredible seniors in our care.”

For new Los Angeles Jewish Health rabbi Marc Kraus, there’s something special about working in a residential community.“So many rabbis only have a chance to engage with their communities weekly, monthly, or even annually when they come to synagogue. But, at Los Angeles Jewish Health, I get to see people every day and to develop deep pastoral connections with them,” he says. “Finding this job was a dream come true.”Rabbi Kraus arrived at LAJH this summer as campus rabbi for Eisenberg Village, joining Rabbi Karen Bender, who serves as the organization’s chief mission officer. In his brief tenure, he has already gotten the flavor of what makes LAJH’s community unique.“It’s so wonderful to be part of this huge village in the middle of Reseda,” he says. “I’ve been breaking bread with residents at every meal, getting to know them and seeing just how beautiful Jewish life here really is. I feel so incredibly welcomed.”Rabbi Marc KrausA native of London, Rabbi Kraus has been in the U.S. since 2010. After completing his undergraduate degree in Hebrew literature at Oxford, he received his rabbinic ordination from American Jewish University and a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from William & Mary. Over the course of his professional career, Rabbi Kraus has served as both a pulpit rabbi and a licensed marriage and family therapist.“I’m a spiritual seeker, an academic, and a therapist,” he says. “I believe my diverse experience—whether it was facilitating Orthodox Jewish holiday services in England as a teenager, spending time at an egalitarian yeshiva in Jerusalem, tending to a Conservative synagogue congregation in Virginia, or logging thousands of hours as a marriage and family counselor—has prepared me well to provide LAJH residents with pastoral services that help them find meaning in their everyday lives.”Avoiding denominational labels is central to Rabbi Kraus’ rabbinic approach. “I see myself as a facilitator of people’s Jewish journeys, no matter where they’re coming from,” he says. “I think there is a lot of wisdom in every denomination, and my goal is to meet LAJH residents where they are—recognizing where they’re coming from and adapting accordingly. Ultimately, I want to help people connect with their spirituality in whatever way is most resonant for them.”Singing is another of Rabbi Kraus’ key areas of focus. “Music is such a powerful way to bring people together. As a vocalist, I feel being able to sing is a gift—and being able to share that gift with others is blessing,” he says.Rabbi Bender notes that the many blessings Rabbi Kraus brings are being felt by LAJH residents far and wide. “It is a mitzvah to ‘find yourself a rabbi,’ and we feel truly blessed to have found Rabbi Kraus—and even more so that he has chosen to join the LAJH family,” she says. “He is a gifted scholar, a soulful singer, and a deeply compassionate pastoral presence. In just his first month, he has already inspired minds and touched hearts across our community. We are profoundly grateful to welcome him as the rabbi for both Eisenberg Village and Fountainview at Eisenberg Village.”In the coming weeks and months, Rabbi Kraus looks forward to meeting as many members of the LAJH family as possible. His energy and enthusiasm are nothing short of infectious.“I was overjoyed on the day I started at LAJH,” he says, “and my excitement has only grown every day since.”Rabbi Kraus speaks to residents of the Newman Building 

Each year, millions of people in this country are helped by psychotropic medications—drugs that affect the mind, emotions, and behavior and that can play an important positive role in regulating mental health. These medications can be life-changing. They also carry serious risks and dangerous consequences, particularly for older adults.Despite their potential danger, psychotropic drugs (including a class known as anti-psychotics) are often prescribed for older adults, including those residing in long-term care facilities and especially those with dementia. Government and other health regulators require nursing homes to report data on the number of residents they serve that are on anti-psychotics, and the numbers in many facilities across the county show widespread use.An important initiative at Los Angeles Jewish Health is addressing this issue head-on and is implementing innovative ways to reduce seniors on psychotropic drugs while improving their overall health. Thanks to a close collaboration between doctors with expertise in geriatrics, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers at LAJH, residents are increasingly showing dramatic health improvements—and even thriving—without these risky medications.“The use of antipsychotic medications in nursing homes in the U.S. is a significant problem,” says Noah Marco, MD, CMD, LAJH’s chief medical officer. “For residents with dementia, the instinct to prescribe the drugs is perhaps understandable: They often exhibit behaviors that are difficult to manage with non-medication treatments, a challenge complicated by the lack of FDA- and insurance-approved medications for the agitation caused by Alzheimer’s dementia.”Aida Oganesyan. Dr. Noah Marco, Ilana SpringerTo address this challenge, LAJH has created a new process, bringing an interdisciplinary team together on a monthly basis to review the cases of residents who are on psychotropics and to identify safe and effective ways to reduce or eliminate the use of the drugs for those individuals.  The protocol is yielding impressive results.“Thanks to the dedicated and compassionate clinicians and staff at LAJH, we’ve achieved a 49% reduction of anti-psychotic medication use from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2025,” Dr. Marco says. “The new numbers put us well below the state average for usage rates—and we accomplished this without increasing prescriptions of other psychotropic medications.”The LAJH teams’ strategy has been driven by a focus on seeking alternate treatments tailored to the individual needs of each specific resident.“We’re working to put gradual dose reductions in place, prioritizing non-pharmacological interventions to support residents’ wellbeing instead of medications,” says Ilana Springer, LAJH’s senior vice president of In-Residence Services. “Often, that translates to learning what kind of activities might prove triggering to a resident and then finding other, more soothing activities to help them feel better.”According to Aida Oganesyan, director of the LAJH pharmacy, this kind of customized care has been critical to the new initiative’s success.“We reduce anti-psychotic medications on a case-by-case basis—and we only do it in concert with providing substantial support for each resident,” Aida says. “By being extremely measured in our approach and providing patient-centered care, we ensure that we’re only tapering residents from these drugs when they truly don’t need them.”Of course, this level of individualized care comes at a cost—one that is made manageable thanks to support from LAJH’s generous donor community.“We could not be doing this without help from our donors, whose contributions allow us to have a higher nurse-to-resident ratio than many nursing homes,” Dr. Marco says. “The additional staff—as well as the many volunteers, residents’ paid companions, and family members who sit with our dementia residents and keep them safe and calm—are far more effective than any medication.” 

Enhancing wellness and expanding impact are critical components of the work at Los Angeles Jewish Health. Through the highly acclaimed Annenberg School of Nursing (ASN), progress is occurring on both fronts, most recently with the opening of an additional location that is broadening the ability for ASN to prepare the next generation of nurses to serve seniors and others in need of quality healthcare.This new location, currently identified as ASN-LA, is part of a collaborative partnership between Los Angeles Jewish Health and AltaMed, one of the country’s largest community health networks. Based at AltaMed’s headquarters in City of Commerce, the new location will offer the Annenberg School of Nursing’s signature fast-paced, 12-month licensed vocational nursing (LVN) program. ASN-LA’s inaugural LVN class is scheduled to launch this August, with 24 students selected from among more than 200 applicants who applied for the chance to attend.“The demand for a nursing education—and for Annenberg-level training—is extremely high, and we’re thrilled to be increasing our capacity to reach more students than ever before,” says Amandeep Kaur (who has served as executive director of the Annenberg School of Nursing for more than seven years and logged nearly two decades of experience as a nursing instructor). “Combining our expertise and AltaMed’s footprint, ASN-LA will extend the pipeline of talented nurses even further across Southern California.”(Left to Right) LAJH CEO & President Dale Surowitz, ASN Executive Director Amandeep Kaur, ASN Board Member Armida Colmenares‐Stafford, and ASN Board Chair Sheldon Steier)The opening of ASN-LA is just one of many exciting developments underway at the Annenberg School of Nursing. Later this summer, the location of the school will be moving from its current location, on the corner of Sherman Way and Tampa, just across from LAJH’s Grancell Village Campus, to the Max Factor Building on the Eisenberg Village campus, located on the corner of Victory and Wilbur. The move marks a tremendous stride forward for the school, which will now occupy a much more clinically-aligned space, and paves the way for many future healthcare training initiatives to come.“This new space opens the door to so many opportunities for us, as we identify innovative ways to ensure nurses are ready for emerging challenges in healthcare,” Amandeep says. “It’s a new chapter full of possibility and progress!”That progress includes a simulation lab designed to bring clinical training to life. Equipped with four mid-to-high fidelity manikins, the lab replicates real-life patient scenarios, enabling students to practice critical thinking, clinical decision-making, and hands-on skills, all in a challenging yet quality-controlled immersive environment.“The lab is a dynamic space that mirrors a real-world healthcare setting and provides an engaging, interactive learning experience that prepares students for success in the field,” Amandeep says.LAJH CEO and President Dale Surowitz notes that these and other groundbreaking advances are helping the Annenberg School of Nursing continuously redefine excellence in nursing education.“We’re incredibly proud of the role we play in preparing the next generation of nurses to meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals,” he says. “The Annenberg School of Nursing is an unparalleled asset, not only for our students, but for the entire community, as it helps ensure more people receive high-quality care from these outstanding future nurses.” 

One secret to the success of Los Angeles Jewish Health has always been the talent and dedication of their leaders. This spring, LAJH added yet another outstanding staff professional to its administrative roster: Chief Information Officer Rey Lopez.Rey arrived at LAJH after a long tenure as CIO at Kern Medical Hospital in Bakersfield and, before that, as Director of Information Systems for St. Joseph Medical Center at Providence Health & Services in Burbank. For over two decades in the healthcare field, he has played a vital role in enhancing IT infrastructure, which in today’s medical field is critical in the delivery of high-quality patient care.“I love being part of this industry. The value of the work you put in makes such a difference to patients and others,” Rey says. “That was a huge part of what attracted me to LAJH: knowing I could provide critical support to residents, employees, and the entire community.”Central to his portfolio is building technology and business solutions to help LAJH grow, to assist its employees to be more efficient in their jobs, and to safeguard residents’ health and wellbeing by protecting their sensitive personal health information and data.“Whether it’s securing electronic health records, streamlining our payroll systems, or reducing cost and enhancing the performance of our data reporting systems, there are so many ways we can harness technology to be more nimble and to provide LAJH stakeholders with new pathways to success,” Rey says.Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Rey attended California State University, Northridge, graduating with a degree in business administration and management information systems. It was as a small business owner in the late 1990s—based in Encino, he consulted on issues related to worker’s compensation—that he developed an interest in pursuing a healthcare career.“As I began encountering issues related to employee injuries and the need for retraining, my eyes were opened to what a positive impact working in healthcare could have,” Rey says. “The people I was serving were getting a real, tangible benefit that could seriously improve their lives.”During his tenure at Providence, Rey got to know LAJH CEO and President Dale Surowitz, who was Providence’s CEO at the time. For Rey, having an opportunity to team up with Dale again was an important factor in his decision to accept the LAJH position.“I’d already had a front-row seat watching Dale run an organization,” Rey says. “Knowing what he’s done for the community, and getting another chance to collaborate with him, was a really big draw for me.”Rey’s new position at LAJH further deepens his connection to the San Fernando Valley, where he lives with his wife and two children, who are 11 and 14. He also has two older kids and is a proud grandfather of three.“I’m so happy to be working in the Valley again, contributing to the community that I love,” Rey says. “Through LAJH, I look forward to helping make it an even better—and healthier—place to live.” 

Los Angeles Jewish Health (LAJH) has long worked in close partnership with the state of California in helping to set the standard for comprehensive senior care. This spring, California Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced an extension of this work by awarding LAJH $28 million to support the expansion of inpatient behavioral health services.The grant is funded through Proposition 1, a bond initiative passed by voters in 2024 to establish the state’s Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP). The award to LAJH is a vital step in addressing California’s growing senior behavioral health crisis at a time of intensifying need: California’ senior population is projected to double by 2040, and with it, the number of older adults experiencing behavioral health challenges (particularly those who are low-income, medically complex, or socially isolated) is rising sharply.This funding will support the expansion of inpatient behavioral health services for seniors“This grant is a transformational investment in improving the mental health of our community’s seniors, empowering us to expand access to high-quality, compassionate inpatient care for seniors in acute psychiatric distress,” said LAJH President and CEO Dale Surowitz. “We are tremendously proud of our past successes meeting seniors’ most critical healthcare needs, and we look forward to extending that track record of achievement in ways that will strengthen the fabric of our entire community.”Governor Newsom underscored the importance of Proposition 1 in his remarks announcing the awards.“Californians demanded swift action to address our state’s behavioral health crisis when they voted for Prop 1 in March 2024…and we’re delivering our biggest win yet,” he said. “Whether it’s crisis stabilization, inpatient services, or long-term treatment, we’re ensuring that individuals can access the right care at the right time.”This funding is part of California’s broader strategy to modernize the behavioral health system—increasing transparency, broadening access, and building the infrastructure necessary to provide a full continuum of care for individuals living with mental illness and substance use disorders. Through Proposition 1 and BHCIP, the state aims to create more than 6,800 new residential treatment beds and 26,700 outpatient treatment slots, addressing urgent gaps in care across every region of California.“Our seniors require the very best mental health care possible,” Dale said, “and this new grant helps ensure we will continue to deliver the care and compassion they deserve.”The expansion will take place in the Mark Taper Building on the Grancell Village campus

Extensive scientific research continues to demonstrate the medical benefits of healthy eating. A new collaboration between Los Angeles Jewish Health (LAJH) and the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology (USC) is deepening that body of evidence with a study looking at the effects of diet on older adults who reside in a senior living facility.USC Associate Professor Roberto Vicinanza, MD, PhD, a noted specialist in geriatric medicine, led the eight-week study, which was designed to gauge the impact of a modified Mediterranean diet on LAJH residents’ health. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes plant-based, whole foods, including those from all five food groups. Featured in the diet are select fruits and vegetables; fish, lentils, and beans for protein, while limiting red meat and poultry; nuts and olive oil, which provide healthy fats; and opting for whole versus refined grains.  “The Mediterranean diet and its health effects are well documented, but older adults are often overlooked,” Dr. Vicinanza says. “To design this dietary intervention, I was inspired by the traditional eating habits of a long-lived community in southern Italy known as Cilento—a longevity hotspot that I have explored extensively in the last three years. Based on this experience, in our study we adjusted the Mediterranean diet to meet the unique needs and limitations of older adults, many of whom experience challenges in the digestion of certain foods.”LAJH residents enrolled in the study ate their meals together to help foster a sense of community. In addition, they increased their physical exercise, incorporating activities like walking into their daily routines.LAJH Residents Participated in the Mediterranean Diet StudyAccording to Noah Marco, MD, LAJH’s chief medical officer and executive director of the Brandman Research Institute, researchers evaluated study participants based on three core components measured prior to the introduction of the diet: their ability to walk, their muscle strength, and their biological markers of health as indicated through blood tests. Results are still pending, but Dr. Marco notes that preliminary data are highly encouraging.“We wanted to know, going into the study, whether someone in their later stages of life could, by modifying their diet and adding a little exercise, change markers of longevity, frailty, and health, even in a short period of time,” Dr. Marco says. “Based on our findings, the answer is clearly ‘yes!’”He points to one example as anecdotal evidence of the study’s success.“We had a participant who has been diabetic most of her adult life; for 20 years, she was on three different medications. As a result of this study, she now has better control of her disease and is down to one medicine,” he says. “We saw lots of things like this: improvement in people’s cholesterol and blood sugar levels, significant weight loss, weight gain in one instance where the resident needed it. The benefits were clear.”Some of these benefits seem to have stemmed from the study’s social aspects, Dr. Vicinanza says.“Seniors sometimes feel isolated and lonely,” he says. “But we saw something amazing during the study, which was that participants were supporting and encouraging each other, which provided a sense of community and purpose—both things that have been associated with longevity.”LAJH resident Marcia Mass, 83, was one of the study’s enthusiastic participants. She says it has transformed her physical health.“I’ve lost weight, and I feel better—more energized and alert,” she says. “I play a word game on the computer, and before the diet, I was getting to level 15 or 20. Now, I’m at level 64! Everything seems easier.”LAJH resident Marcia Mass (center) receives a certificate of completion, with Noah Marco, MD (left), LAJH Chief Medical Officer, and USC Associate Professor Roberto Vicinanza, MD, PhDThe study was made possible through generous funding from the Anita and William Jeung Estate Research Grant and the Simon Nutrition and Alzheimer’s Research Fund.In addition to Dr. Marco and Dr. Vicinanza, other key investigators from the USC School of Gerontology included Pinchas Cohen, MD, dean of the school, for the aging biomarkers; Cary Kreutzer, EdD, RDN, who played a critical role in developing tools to improve diet adherence; Julie Pollard, a part-time lecturer, who helped establish protocols for physical activity; and Adam Hughes, Shirley Liu, and Chiara Pomari—students from USC’s Master of Science in Nutrition, Healthspan, and Longevity Program—who served as study coordinators.Once the study’s results have been finalized, Dr. Marco and Dr. Vicinanza hope to replicate it with a larger cohort of residents.“We’ll be applying for a grant from the National Institutes of Health, and we think this falls directly in line with its priorities: leveraging lifestyle changes to increase health dramatically among seniors while potentially reducing costs,” Dr. Marco says. “It’s win-win!” Sample food eaten during studyDuring the study, residents complete a form following mealsUSC and LAJH worked together to complete the studyResearchers made sure residents were well informed during the study

Passover is a time for celebration around the world as Jews mark the liberation of their ancestors from Egyptian slavery. This year, across the campuses of LAJH, residents joined together with visitors, family, and staff enjoying delicious food, inspirational music, and the ritual retelling of the biblical Exodus.On the Grancell Village campus, residents of the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer (JEK) Medical Center and the Mark Taper Building gathered for the campus’ annual seder, generously sponsored by philanthropist Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer. Led by LAJH Chief Mission Officer Rabbi Karen Bender, the seder featured  musicians Cindy Paley and David Kaminer, as well as a surprise appearance by “Moses” carrying a baby sheep residents could pet and cuddle.“The reputation of our seder is that it’s special and spectacular, and we’re incredibly grateful to Ms. Eisenberg-Keefer for making it possible every year,” says Ilana Springer, JEK’s CEO and administrator. “It’s so joyful and is a fantastic community-building experience. This year, we hosted at least 200 people!”Additionally, members of JEK’s Drama Club put on a production of the Passover story; residents ran auditions, acted in, and produced the play, which was a huge hit with all in attendance.The Eisenberg Village campus played host to four seders, two for residents of the Newman Building and two more for residents of LAJH’s Fountainview community. On hand to officiate were Rabbi Bender and Rabbi Barry Lutz.“At each event, residents sat together at communal tables decorated with beautiful linens and flower arrangements, and everyone received their own seder plate,” says Annette Weinberg, campus lifestyle and enrichment director for Eisenberg Village. “The seders were truly lovely, and our residents were excited to participate!”Coinciding with the holiday, all Eisenberg Village residents were invited to attend a dynamic Israeli dance performance as well as a traditional Moroccan Jewish celebration of Mimouna (meaning “faith”), a time when families traditionally open their homes to guests and serve an assortment of sweets as they wish each other “success” for the coming year.It was a busy holiday at LAJH—and a wonderful way to usher in a gorgeous spring season! Large crowds atttended Grancell Village's celebration, which included music by Cindy Paley and a visit from "Moses" holding a gentle lamb. Donor (and former board member) Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer and board member Nicholas Thacker were also in attendance, demonstrating their continued support Fountainview residents and guests enjoyed two meaningful Seders led by Rabbi Barry Lutz and Chief Mission Officer, Rabbi Karen Bender, as well as a traditional Moroccan Jewish celebration The Newman Building's Passover Seder offered an interactive experience of the Exodus through readings, songs, and food along with a traditional Israeli dance performance These plates from the Goldenberg-Ziman Special Care Center event showcase the dining staff’s ability to thoughtfully create individualized Seder plates, ensuring the participation and enjoyment of all those at LAJH At the Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer Medical Center, residents showcased a heartfelt Passover performance. They wrote and directed the play themselves, bringing the timeless story of Passover to life with creativity, spirit, and meaning Grancell Village residents took part in the traditional biur chametz, the symbolic burning of leaven, before the Passover Seder Our diligent dietary team, joined by Chief Mission Officer, Rabbi Karen Bender, and overseen by a representative of our Mashgiach, Yehudah Bukspan, engaged in the process of kashering the areas dedicated to culinary endeavors for Passover. This procedure is designed to ensure all aspects of the kitchen are kosher for Passover, employing a thorough cleansing regimen that utilizes boiling water on every surface and utensil, as well as eliminating all leaven such as yeast and baking powder.