Six months ago, I moved into the assisted living residence, Beit Tovei Ha-Ir, in Jerusalem, and that was one of the best moves I ever made.
Five years ago, I moved back to Israel, into my apartment in Rechavia, Jerusalem. I had bought that apartment 15 years ago and whenever I came for a holiday, that was where I went.
It was furnished with loving care, and I loved it very much. One whole wall in the living room was all windows and when the sun was setting over my beautiful city, G-d’s display was breathtaking. And when I came to live here full time, every day and night I thanked Hashem for bringing me back to Jerusalem and to my beautiful apartment.
I have a large wonderful family, most of whom live all over Israel, and children and grandchildren popped in for a small visit whenever they could. And I feel very blessed to have all of them. But I spent my days alone, reading, and on the computer, working for The Jewish Press. Once in awhile my forever friends, would come for a few hours, and I cherished those times.
So why did I move? I am in a wheelchair and have a very good caretaker, but on a daily basis, I was lonely. I discovered that if I don’t have conversations with people every day, I was not only forgetting my Hebrew, but I was losing some English as well. And Shabbos, my favorite day of the week, I could no longer go to my shul, because the Young Israel of Rechavia, the shul where Rabbi Berel Wein was the rabbi, was up a steep hill and it was too hard for my caretaker to push me. I truly missed davening in shul especially when it was Shabbos mevorchim (blessing the new moon). And I missed going to the afternoon class. Where could I find the answer to everything in one place?
My very dear friend Chave Heftler, a”h, moved to Beit Tovei Ha-Ir after her beloved husband died, and on two separate occasions she invited me to spend Shabbos with her there. It was very special; in fact it reminded me of a hotel, and I love hotels. But I wasn’t ready then. However, I told my whole family that someday I am going to live in Beit Tovei Ha-Ir.
Six months ago, I finally made the move (very sadly Chave died soon after). I am really sorry that I didn’t move here sooner. This is everything I was looking for and so much more. It’s a really happening place. I can be as busy as I want to. There’s a heated pool, an art class, beginner’s bridge class, choir, daily shiurim, music in the lobby every evening, exercise classes for women and another for men, a fully stocked gym (separate hours). Monday night is movie night. Lunch is the main meal of the day and the food is first class. And I get to go to shul every Shabbos, right here.
My apartment here was the first one I was shown. It’s bright and airy, right on the main floor. I have a beautiful mirpeset (porch) with two trees planted for me, lemon and clementine. I bought all new furniture to fit my two rooms, but I brought some of the things that I most loved from my Rechavia apartment. And I do love this new apartment.
Every Thursday evening a schedule for the coming week is in our mailbox. It makes me feel like I am in a hotel. For Purim we were told to invite family for the seudah. I invited my grandchildren Rachayli, and her husband Shaul Klein and their children. That made it a real seudah for me.
Friends? I have so many here. There are about 50 percent English speakers and 50 percent Hebrew. I am by nature a very friendly person and I very quickly made friends in both languages.
The war with Iran was handled exceptionally well here. Since it wasn’t wise to have more than a few people in any open area, the dining room was closed and our meals were delivered to our rooms. On Shabbos I invited three good friends from here and their meals were also sent to my apartment. We had such a good time. In fact, when I was talking to my sister, Hindy, on the phone, she asked me if all these three friends were from America. I said yes. But no, Irene is from Ireland, Rose is from Australia, and Shoshana is from Switzerland. I was the only American.
Whenever the siren rang out, always in the middle of the night, my caretaker quickly got me out of bed and into the elevator down to the safe rooms. People from the administration were here every night, all night with us whenever we had to go down to the miklat. They relaxed the nervous amongst us, and filled our cups with water or orange juice, and sang songs. When the all-clear sounded, they helped everyone into the elevators in an orderly fashion. It might sound like nothing, but when dealing with a lot of old-timers, some of them Holocaust survivors, it meant a lot.
There are always exceptional people who go out of their way to make life very good for newcomers. CEO and Managing Director, Shaul Glouberman, is very accessible and I enjoy talking to him. He’s never too busy for a quick chat. Miriam at the reception desk lights up the room with her warm smile. Tamar Luza, how can I thank you. Tamar is my go-to person for any problem that might arise during my first year. I am truly indebted to you.
I am sitting in the lobby. I just finished playing Rummikub, my favorite game (I won), and I’m looking all around at the beautiful surroundings, listening to soft music, waving to a few good friends here, and I thank Hashem with a full heart, for all the multitude of blessings He has blessed me with.
