Life partners notice a decline or change in their partner’s behavior

Children are faced with the fact that their parents are aging
and roles are reversing

An aging person undergoes uncontrollable changes
– how to cope and adjust accordingly

Do you feel like one of these subjects is addressing you personally and you have no-one to turn to who understands what you are going through?

Stop for a moment – read the following information. Be comforted by the knowledge that there is a helping hand and a listening ear to assist you cope and understand what has turned your once peaceful life upside down.

Be it male or female, any new decline or disability creates stress. So often, this affects not only the person diagnosed with the problem, but also the spouse or partner who shares their daily life.

The aging process is often accompanied by loss. Whether it is one or more of our senses – eyesight, hearing, taste, smell or mobility, co-ordination, reflex responses, incontinence, sexual drive, mood changes, memory loss... they are all life changing factors that are difficult to cope with and accept.

While the person experiencing the loss is trying to come to terms with the changes, the difficulty they are going through is often ignored or badly handled by those closest to them, simply because they themselves feel frustrated and angry and have no idea of how to help or cope.

It is not only the person undergoing these changes that needs assistance, but the family and/or care givers who also have to adjust to the outcome of such changes. They need tools and strategies to help them find fulfillment and satisfaction again with their relationships on different levels.

The new limitations placed on relationships can often endanger the wellbeing of both partners. When not addressed, the resulting stress can be destructive to each partner as well as to the broader family circle.

Often the care givers are unable to deal with the new demands placed upon them as a result of their partner’s inability to continue handling certain affairs. This results in added stress for both sides: guilt, resentment and sadness are all elements resulting from such situations.

Learning to deal with new limitations, adopting new attitudes or different behavior patterns will bring the balance back to all your lives.

Beth Protea offers an outreach program called “Protea Plus”.
This wonderful service is offered to the community at large and all these issues and many more are handled and addressed by an experienced social worker. Protea Plus’s extensive knowledge in this area offers assistance and support in finding that personal road to follow. Total confidentiality and discretion is always assured.

For further information, contact Ziona Kemelman at 09-9595228
or by e-mail :ziona@bethprotea.com

Beth Protea Honors Herman Musikanth

I have goose-pimples when I look around and see all the people whom I was closely involved with and when I think of the wonderful memories we created together.

Above: Walter Robinson and Herman with the painting presented to Herman at the farewell function.

January 2008 - These were Herman Musikanth's opening words to the gathering of fellow volunteers at a function in his honor, marking his retirement after 19 years devoted service to Beth Protea.

Herman recalled the day he was recruited by Walter Robinson and Myron Weinberg to chair the finance committee of what was then still a planned retirement home for Southern Africans. It so happened that at that time he and his wife Daphne had just completed an investigation into available facilities for elderly English speaking people for Daphne's mother. They had found that the costs in any facility prepared to accept an English speaking person were prohibitively expensive. They were fortunate, however,  that Daphne's mother was accepted by their Kibbutz,  Maagan Michael, which saved them from having to consider the possibility of having to return to South Africa.

Walter and Myron had told Herman that the job would involve at the most two days a month, but in Herman's words " their estimate of my time was the biggest con job ever imposed upon me. The acceptance of the position changed the course of my life".

Herman spoke of the group led by Walter Robinson, who together with Joel Katz, himself and many other volunteers, built a "dream team" whose dedication ensured the success of the project.

He also thanked Basil Gamsu and Monty Hilkowitz for their assistance at all times. He spoke of general manager, Lynn Lochoff  as the finest example of  concern and warmth, whose management of Beth Protea truly reflects the ideals of the founders. 

December 2007 - Chanukkah is a time to celebrate the tiny miracle of oil and light, and the spirit of the Jewish people fighting to preserve our identity throughout the course of history.

We followed tradition again this year and were honoured to have the Levin family bring light to Beth Protea. However, sadly this year, Sam is no longer with us, but we know he would have been proud to see Harriet so ably tell the wonderful story of their family chanukkiah that proudly lives with us in Beth Protea. Their children and grandchildren participated in the candle lighting celebration which warmed the hearts of us all.

This year, one of the celebrations at Beth Protea was held on the seventh night and focused on women’s connections to the Chanukkah story. Quotations from Rabbi Jill Hammer’s article “The Festival of the Daughters” was used explaining that Chanukkah has special resonance for women. Her article explains that some legends say women did the work of re-dedicating the Temple with unusual zeal. Other stories say that women have a connection to Chanukkah because of Judith, the heroine of the Book of Judith. Judith, frequently depicted on medieval menorahs, is one of Chanukkah's most pro-active female heroes.

More than that, Judith represents the heroism of women throughout Jewish history. By celebrating her, we remedy the neglect of Jewish heroines. In North African countries, the seventh night of Chanukkah, Judith's night of triumph, was set aside as Chag haBanot, the Festival of the Daughters.

Therefore the seven candles were all lit in honor of women – Judith, heroes, teachers, spiritual leaders, mothers, grandmothers, girls, family and the Shekhinah – the indwelling presence of God that is in every person (in Jewish mystical tradition, the Shekhinah is depicted as female).

An absolutely wonderful exhibit of the residents art work was beautifully displayed in the gallery and it was truly inspiring to see what creativity lives right within our walls. None of this would be possible without our very talented art teacher Sarah who manages to bring out the very best in her students.

November 21, 2007,was surely a night to remember. While the heavens poured and stormy weather enveloped the country, hearts were warmed by the magical performance of 47 young classical musicians from the Moriah College in Sydney, Australia.

Beth Protea was proud to play hosts at the Mishkan Le Musika Ve Omanut in Raanana to this talented group of teenagers whose exemplary performance was thoroughly enjoyed by a packed hall.

Despite the difficult weather conditions, everyone in the audience was thrilled to have been able to share in this special evening.

The performers ranged between the ages of 15-17 and were visiting Israel as the guests of “The Israel Experience”. After this visit, they are headed to Paris where they had been invited to perform at Euro Disney and then on to the United Kingdom where they were also invited to perform.