Tucked away in Somerset New Jersey on a sprawling and lush property, is the Regency Jewish Heritage Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
It is considered a ‘gem’ in the community and beyond and is steeped in a rich Jewish tradition. However, Regency Jewish Heritage is known for providing compassionate care to all religious denominations. There are religious services for everyone and all religious traditions are respected and appreciated. As a result of this commitment, seniors regardless of their affiliation, make Regency their home.
I spent some time at Regency Heritage and loved to converse with the Jewish residents in their native Yiddish language. Yiddish is actually my first language and I speak it fluently in every dialect. Of course, the residents were equally thrilled to be able to ‘shmooze’ in their beloved Yiddish. Many of the Jewish residents at Regency Jewish Heritage are of European descent and grew up speaking only Yiddish in their home Country before moving to the United States.
During my time at Regency Heritage I was privileged to befriend a particular elderly Jewish man who was a scholar of high repute. The man was a brilliant Talmudist and a prolific writer and teacher.
We spent many hours discussing Talmudic topics and he would regale me with anecdotes, personal stories and his profound interpretation of the ancient Jewish texts.
When he passed away, I felt a deep sense of personal loss. The family asked me whether I’d be inclined to offer a eulogy at his funeral service and I immediately accepted.
In my eulogy I mentioned that our mandate at Regency Heritage is to offer companionship, inspiration and compassion to all of our residents regardless of faith or creed.
In this instance, instead of inspiring, I was inspired by this great man and his wisdom!
I further pointed out how part of the human condition is that we do not live in a vacuum of isolation. Rather, we are constantly interacting with people, be they family, friends, colleagues, etc. We often leave an indelible impression upon those who come in contact with. When that impression is positive, it stands as a testament to time well spent upon this earth. My friend at Regency left a profoundly positive impact with all people and he shall forever be missed.
At Regency Jewish Heritage, we care for all people. This isn’t an artificial or superficial caring. Rather, our care and compassion is deeply rooted and exceptionally meaningful to us and to our residents and their families.
