Disappointment

DISAPPOINTMENT                                               April 2, 2017

    I recall that my favorite subject in high school, carried over from grade school, was American History.  I love the history of my country.  In grammar school, I believed the stories about George Washington and Betsy Ross.  When I had the opportunity to do so, I even picked up a college course in American history.  Perhaps I had more inspired teachers for that subject than I had in Math and Biology.  But by the time I was an adult, I knew our history backwards and forward, I believed in our Constitution and our way of life with a whole heart.  I was a happy American.  What has happened to our country today is a big disappointment to me.

    Mr. Donald Trump has seriously entered the fray, he ran roughshod over Hillary Clinton and won at the polls.  In shock and disappointment I was terrified. Mr. Trump’s seeming disregard for truth; his disrespect for the basic rules of our democracy and finally his willingness to repeat alt-right conspiracy theories, racist memos, and crackpot ideas (with apologies to LA Times) are proof positive that we are in for a very uncomfortable ride. If he is allowed to complete four years, our country will be in trouble or maybe at war.  It is difficult to read our future with this president in the drivers’ seat..  Will he lead us into war as he satisfies his ego needs and drags the country with him?

     I am frightened, not for myself, but for my children’s children.  Will our President’s  exaggerated ego take us away from our goals of peace and equality, justice and sanity, tranquility and calm?  Will we find ourselves at war with Iran, China or North Korea in the near future?  All of it is a scary prospect.  Within the borders of this country are the many folks who voted for Donald Trump. We need to hone our debate skills that we were so proud of in high school.  We have to be willing to talk about Donald Trump and express how frightening we think he is and why.  We NEED to talk about him, to get him out of our gut.  It is not safe to believe this man who colors his hair and probably crosses his fingers when he lies, just like our kids? Is he a child or an adult?  Does he have any idea that he is sitting on a keg of dynamite?  Perhaps he does and does not have the sense to care.

   The ascendancy of Donald Trump is not only a disappointment but it is also scary.  Is he preparing to set up an oligarchy with himself in the lead – are we headed back to the old Hitler era - is our democracy going down the drain with Donald Trump?  NO, it will not and it may not happen here!  There are too many of us who really care for this country and will NOT let it go      

Ag Herman

Loneliness

BCC’s 2017 Awards Brunch & Concert                                                            Nov 26 2016

Dear Ag,

We are all thrilled and delighted that you have agreed to be honored at BCC’s 2017 Awards Brunch & Concert.  And this year, in tribute to BCC’s 45^th Anniversary, it’s especially exciting that you will be the recipient of the 2017 Rabbi Erwin and Agnes Herman Award! What could be more appropriate and timely! We’re deeply grateful for your willingness to accept this well deserved honor, and contribute to an always amazing BCC event.

At the event, Richard Lesse will receive the 2017 Presidents’ Award, and the celebration will include a concert featuring performances by six of our most beloved vocalists and musicians, who will receive a special BCC Musical Culture Awards.

Introducing the Plans

We want you to have a wonderful experience on March 26 as well as leading up to it, so I’m going to go over some details that will help you prepare.

Joel Kushner will be your liaison and go-to person for any and all details, questions and assistance. See list below.

Put March 26, 2017 on your calendar!  Guests will arrive around 11am for coffee, champagne and schmoozing, but honorees and participants will need to arrive earlier. We are looking for a venue with a reception room, a banquet room and an auditorium that will lend itself to a lively, entertaining and memorable day for you as well as your friends, fans and family.

About Fundraising

BCC’s gratitude to you extends far beyond your contributions to our community and culture, and in the case of this event, includes your willingness to help BCC celebrate our wonderful shul, honor special people we love, and raise needed funds too.

Here are the basics!

·         The first is to assemble a Guest List of your friends, family and fans (the 3Fs!) on a spreadsheet.

·         Guest List info includes names, email, phone, mailing address, and connection to you (like friend, relative, work, organization, relationship, shared performances, school, etc). This helps your liaison to know why you’ve included someone on your list.

·         DEADLINE for your Guest List is December 12! I know that’s only 2 weeks from now, but since the Brunch is 4 months away, time is of the essence.

·         Your liaison will contact people on your guest list to explain the honor you’re receiving and invite them to attend the brunch.

Then, as soon as possible, please provide the following information to be used in the invitation, event program, and short Honoree Video:

·         A paragraph on how you like to be described, including such things as your professional or volunteer experiences, interests and activities

·         Set of 5-15 photos and/or video clips

·         Links to any online appearances

Taking part in BCC’s Annual Awards Event is a precious facet of our lives together, and we're so glad you'll be there to share it with us!

Marc Breindel, Co-Chair                                                 Tracy Moore, Co-Chair

(415) 652-0727                                                                   (323) 309-8477             

marclb@yahoo.com                                                          tracymoore@earthlink.net

Program Participants

Adam Kulbersh – Emcee

Mark Farber – Program Director

Awards                                                   Honorees                                               Liaisons

Herman Humanitarian Award	Agnes Herman	Joel Kushner
Presidents’ Award	Richard Lesse	Brett Trueman
Musical Culture Award	Fran Chalin	Ruth Geffner
Musical Culture Award	Tamara Kline	Laurie Newman
Musical Culture Award	Cantor Don Croll	Lauren Schlau
Musical Culture Award	Jeanelle LaMance	Bracha & Davi Cheng
Musical Culture Award	Phranc	Robin Berkovitz
Musical Culture Award	Juval Porat	Marc Breindel

Members of the Event Committee

Ronnie Wexler, Ginger Jacobs, Hannah Theile, Mark Farber, Adam Kulbursh, Laurie Newman, Bruce Maxwell, Jeffrey Janis, Ruth Geffner

The Recent Presidential Election……………………………Agnes Herman

Published in Seacrest Happenings

     I was disappointed when candidate, Hillary Clinton lost the Presidential election to Donald Trump.  I was inconsolable.  I believed (still do) that Clinton had the experience, the smarts and the ability to handle the job.  I believe, also, that many American men would not trust the future of this country in the hands of a woman.  I do not give them full responsibility for Clinton’s loss, but they contributed to it.

     On the other hand, I fear Donald Trump.  He is a man quite used to having his own way in business, on television and in his family circle.  He does not hesitate to denigrate anyone or any group who might cross his path going the other way.

     Through my academic life I was in love with the story of the United States.  The saga of the founding of this country seduced me when I was young and I never lost my fascination with American history.  The “chutzpah” of the founders, the risks taken, the battles fought are confounding.  To this day I seek books that tell me more of the story of this country. 

     When I learned that Donald Trump was going to run for President, I became frightened for the first time since World War II.  His denigration of minorities is scary and destructive; his disrespect challenges everything that I was taught by my parents and my teachers.  Doesn’t he understand that the variety of faces that make up America is what makes America strong?

     Stephen K. Bannon Trump’s chief political strategist has been accused of being a racist and an anti-Semite.  True or false, my friends, the simple accusations remind me of the recent past.  We have no room in our political structure for anyone accused of racism or anti-Semitism. Now as Mr. Obama prepares to re-enter private life, I know that I should begin to respect my new President.

     That will prove difficult; I believe that Mr. Trump won over working class America when in October he told a Florida audience, “It is our corrupt political establishment that is the greatest power behind the efforts at radical globalization and the disenfranchisement of working people…the depths of their immorality is unlimited. Our political establishment has no soul.” (LA Times 11-23-16)

     Yes, it is sheer politics when Steve Bannon also states, ”It is everything related to jobs.  The conservatives are going to go crazy.  I’m the guy pushing a trillion dollar infrastructure plan….It is the greatest opportunity to rebuild everything….we will get 60% of the white vote and 40% of the black and  Hispanic vote and we will govern for fifty years…”  (Same LA Times article) I do not know where that puts the Republican Party, or where it leaves the Democratic Party.  According to Doyle McManus (columnist for the LA Times), “Trump already has helped white working class voters feel less forgotten…”  That is the good news, but is that all there is to being President?

     

MEMORY                                                    December 21, 20016   Ag Herman

     Stop worrying about a faulty memory!  I frequently open the refrigerator door and wonder why I did!  Did I want milk, a hard-boiled egg or a piece of fruit?  I cannot remember, I slam the door and worry:  is Alzheimer’s disease around the corner?  There are actions, tricks to embrace to help allay our fears.  I am not a doctor, but nevertheless there are strategies that will help ease the frustration of forgetting.
     Harvard studied the problem.  The first finding is simply keep learning.  No, we do not have to go back to school.  The simplest tools that help are always within reach: read, play bridge, do a crossword puzzle, volunteer to join friends.  Here at Seacrest, it means participate, share an outing, enjoy the music, listen to the lecture, speak up, join the book club, take advantage, chat with your neighbor and learn from each other.  We all have a lifetime of stories to share.
     Next the study suggests we use our senses.  They did a study that supported the theory “The more senses you use in learning something, the more your brain will be involved in retaining the memory.”  They presented participants with a neutral object accompanied by an odor.  When objects were shown without a smell, recall became difficult. The ones most easily recalled were those that had an odor attached.  Find or add an odor, it will help us remember.
     The next suggestion from Harvard is special: “Believe in yourself!”   We are inundated by the myths connected to aging.    Harvard says, “Myths about aging can contribute to a failing memory.”   Listening to the old wives’ stories about what happens as we age, contributes to our failure to remember.  If we believe that we can keep our minds sharp, we have a pretty good chance at doing just that.  I tell myself, “This aging thing is not going to get me!”
     Economize your brain means plan, use a calendar, scatter little sticky notes with reminders, put your keys and glasses in the same place each time you lay them down.  This allows us to focus on learning new things, experiencing new events and prevents us from searching, searching for those doggone glasses or keys.
     Repeat what you want to know.  That is not a novel idea, but it sure helps. When I meet someone new, I try to use her name several times in our conversation.  It works.  Harvard says repeat it out loud or write it down.  If you put anything in its wrong place, tell yourself that that is what you have done, repeat it, write it down and you will know where it is when you are looking for it.
     Space it out, do not repeat something you want to learn quickly.  “Spaced rehearsal improves recall, (every hour or every several hours helps) not only in healthy people but also in those with certain physically based cognitive problems….”. Rehearsal helps on stage and off as well.
     Lastly, make a mnemonic clue, a creative way to recall lists.  The example used by the newsletter was RICE, specifically in matters that involve an injured arm or leg.  Rice stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation.  When I was a child we used to say,  “every good boy deserves fun” to help us remember the scale on the piano: egbdf.  Frequently when I am making an effort to remember something, I take the first letters in each word add a number and I have a clue.   For example: please shop today becomes ps2da.
      It is urgent to understand that the starting place for keeping our memories sharp is a good night’s sleep.  Without that foundation our memories cannot be fine-tuned.  It is also true that stress in our lives erodes memory.  No one lives a stress-free life; there are many ways to handle it.  Talking to a friend or therapist helps; shouting at the wind or the person responsible is reasonable; hitting the air with your fist or pounding a pillow can be therapeutic.
     Memories are precious, but forgetting is threatening!  I suggest, “Forget it, we all do, remember life is precious!”

Loneliness

LONELINESS                                                    Ag Herman   10/07/16

                                                                   My 71^st Wedding Anniversary! 

     Loneliness is not a disease we can medicate, nor is it a garment we can shed.  It is a disconcerting fact of life that we can fix, if we try.  It is easy to say “woe is me” and lie down, give in and give up.  On the other hand, we can examine our loneliness, try to understand it and find out how to minimize it.

     Since my husband died almost eight years ago, I have experienced that lonely feeling in a way that does not compare to anything I have ever known.  It is not the childhood complaint, “I have nothing to do, no one to play with, I’m bored!” nor is it the young adult whining, “It’s Saturday night and I don’t have a date!”  I try to manage my days. There are numerous opportunities for my involvement, satisfying ways to keep busy.  Here at Seacrest Village, the program is varied, seductive and inviting.  But my nights are lonely.  Old movies and new ones do not entice me.  Memories of sharing our loveseat, holding hands and whispered critiques continue to erode my complacency.

     I am not looking for sympathy.  I am attempting to assure those of my readers who are experiencing loneliness, that you are not alone!  A recent poll indicates that one in four Americans have no one to confide in, they are lonely.  That is bad news!  Loneliness can lead to isolation; isolation opens the door to depression!  Lonely folks are frequently more vulnerable to illness and early death.  There are ways to beat the odds.  I find that having music in my apartment helps create a happy, pleasant ambiance, it is there when I return and keeps me company as I wade through my day.

     I find that there is therapy in a walk outdoors.  When I do, I sing to myself, argue with myself and forget the latest petty irritation on the phone or in the dining room.  Lengthy phone calls with old friends and/or family members provide great satisfaction, we do not talk of visiting as much as we discuss the day’s fun, the humorous experiences we enjoy and of course, the old days when we were kids together.  Reminiscing can be fun and therapeutic.

     Reading and writing are the primary weapons in my war with loneliness.  Everyone has a talent: singing, swimming or sketching; playing with the children or walking the dog, others garden, even on our small balconies one can glory in a garden’s growth. 

     Above all there is the stream of events that take place here at Seacrest Village.  Whether one participates and enjoys a Sabbath Service is a matter of taste or desire.  Shopping is fun for some; others prefer playing “Judge Judi” and still others gain from Torah study.  There is scrabble and yoga, knitting and computers.  I could continue but I believe that everyone reading my words has his or her favorite Seacrest activity.  Here at Seacrest loneliness is a choice, not a necessity.                              

Loneliness is my very own secret

that embraces me each night.

Catching me by surprise,

then chased by the morning sun.

Each night,

as the sun begins to set,

it’s there.

Before I tire and yawn

or think of my cozy bed.

                                                                              As if to keep me company

my loneliness arrives,

it has become a friend.

It returns with memories

for me to savor,

                                                                                            it touches

my heart where my beloveds rest!