CAN WE CHAT? CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS AS WE GROW OLDER AND WISER. We are excited to announce that our popular “Growing Older, Growing Wiser” series is transitioning to a new series called “Crucial Conversations: Preparing for the End of Life,” beginning on March 12. It will be a 3-session, in-person class led by Rabbi Raff and Rabbi Aaronson, made possible with the support of Mount Sinai Memorial Parks and Mortuaries.

Session 1 is the last “Growing Older Growing Wiser” class of the year titled “Rituals of Mortality,” taught by Rabbi Raff and Gail Goldstein, LMFT & Art Therapist, and will be a discussion of the process of growing older - including end-of-life issues & rituals and preparing for death. Session 2 is about the rituals & customs of Jewish mourning, through the end of the Shana, taught by Rabbi Aaronson and will be a discussion of the preparation process of the body, burial options, the funeral service itself, shiva, yizkor, and more. Session 3, “The Legacy We Bequeath: Ethical Wills,” will be led by both Rabbi Aaronson and Rabbi Raff and will include a discussion of the most important things we can leave are loved ones - Jewish values and ethics.

Everyone is welcome to attend this 3-part series, regardless of if you have attended in the past, are currently enrolled, or have never participated in “Growing Older, Growing Wiser.” Please register for “Crucial Conversations: Preparing for the End of Life” here.

“Growing Older, Growing Wiser” has been an incredibly popular class among our congregation. When asked about his experience, participant Arthur Jablon shared “the growing older classes may not have been originally created for the formation of a new cohesive group in our congregation, but it has succeeded 100% in doing that…I have felt this transformation of a class of individuals to a community approaching that time in life when many new hard decisions must be made.  The group functions much like the havurahs that many of us have known or are presently in…the discussions are open for anyone to add their life experience without concern of being criticized.  The result is a class where the take-away is always of value.”

We are excited to continue these crucial conversations with our new series and hope you’ll join us. We look forward to the return of additional sessions of “Growing Older Growing Wiser” in the coming year.