THRIVER The
Greetings!
2020. “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” Although the pandemic we have lived with for the past year was clearly among the worst of times, there were extraordinary personal and communal acts of kindness and self-sacrifice, along with social, recreational and educational opportunities. From the beginning of the Barb LaRue Judith Kovach quarantine, Cancer Thrivers Network shifted gears to virtual programming for our members, providing opportunities for education, skill-building, fun and companionship. To that end, we held Zoom meetings on the following: stress management, challah baking, chair yoga, gardening, art talk, a presentation about Leader Dogs for the Blind, and, just for the fun of it, a session of Trivial Pursuit and another of Family Feud. We also had virtual lunches and outings in parks for lunch, wearing masks and practicing social distancing. We all had fun and enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones.
And we’re not slowing down in 2021. Plans are in the making for Zoom meetings on the topics of healthy cooking and nutrition; sleep health; genetics and cancer; self-care; make-up and skin care; and a wonderful Museum Series including the Jewish Historical Museum, the Charles Wright Museum and the Holocaust Memorial Center. You may remember that we had a live luncheon program – Thriving: Physically, Emotionally, and Spiritually – scheduled in 2020, which we had to cancel. We are thrilled that we could reschedule that presentation for March 23, 2021 (albeit without lunch). Speaking of lunch, we will continue to arrange virtual lunches and outdoor meetings in safe places. We both look forward to seeing you at all of these upcoming events. If you have an idea for a topic for a meeting or a fun activity, just call Sarah at 248-592-2267 and let her know, and we will try to arrange it. Let’s keep on thriving together! Barb LaRue and Judith Kovach Co-Chairs, Cancer Thrivers Network
Cancer Thrivers Network for Jewish Women is a program of Jewish Family Service Sally & Graham and Suzanne & Joseph Orley Building 6555 W. Maple Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48322 248.592.2300 jfsdetroit.org
Spring 2021
From the Remote Desk of Jewish Family Service
By the time this reaches you, it will have been a full year since the COVID-19 pandemic made its impact at Jewish Family Service. On March 16, 2020, the agency’s staff collected their files, grabbed their plants and left their offices completely unaware that one year later they would all still be working from home. The building still remains closed to the public, but that hasn’t stopped community members from knocking on JFS’s virtual door. Despite this unprecedented time, JFS continued to meet the changing needs of the community: To ensure the most vulnerable had access to food, the JFS transportation department partnered with Yad Ezra to deliver food boxes to over 560 community members each month. In addition, the Kosher Meals on Wheels program had 211 new enrollments between March 2020 and January 2021. With anxiety rising throughout the community, the JFS Behavioral Health department offered free consultations with a therapist to 47 people. With many people struggling financially and unable to keep up with their bills, JFS was able to help by providing $930,380 in financial assistance to 921 people since March 2020. JFS, along with the Oakland County Health Department, was honored to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to over 170 Holocaust survivors at a clinic held at the agency’s office.
If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out to the Jewish Family Service Resource Center at (248) 592-2313.
The Joy of Knitting
Curious about the Cancer Thrivers Knitting & Crocheting Group? We meet every Friday at 1pm over Zoom to knit and crochet beautiful afghans, scarves and personal projects. The Cancer Thrivers Knitting and Crocheting Group welcomes knitters and crocheters of any skill level - we can even provide basic instruction to beginners! We are happy to provide all necessary supplies for afghans and scarves, even for those unable to join our Zoom meetings. *All finished afghans are donated to local chemotherapy infusion centers to provide comfort to individuals currently undergoing cancer treatment. *All scarves are donated to those in need through Jewish Family Service. Contact Sarah Strasberger for Zoom access to the weekly Knitting Group: sstrasberger@jfsdetroit.org or 248-592-2267 HELP WANTED We invite all community members to join us us in creating afghans (knitted or crocheted) for chemotherapy patients at Beaumont Royal Oak and Karmanos Cancer Institute infusion centers. We also happily accept donations of 100% acrylic yarn to use in our ongoing afghan project. Afghan Reminders: • All afghans and scarves should be made of 100% acrylic, washable yarn • Finished afghans should be approximately 35”x49” • We also accept strips size 12”x49” and one of our knitters will assemble the final blanket For any questions, to obtain yarn and needles or to arrange for pick-up/ delivery, contact one of our Knitting & Crocheting Group co-chairs: Susie Yesenko (248-320-3105) & Silvia Marcus (248-269-3250) Co-Chairs, Knitting and Crocheting Group
Monthly Book Club
Literature lovers, rejoice! Every second Wednesday of the month over Zoom from 1–2:30pm. Contact Sarah Strasberger for Zoom access to our monthly book club: sstrasberger@jfsdetroit.org or 248.592.2267 Mark Your Calendars: April 14th This Tender Land by William Kent Kruger May 12th The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes June 9th TBD
WE THRIVE!
Over a decade ago, three amazing women* created an innovative organization: CANCER THRIVERS NETWORK FOR JEWISH WOMEN. The mission is “to enrich and empower women who have or have had cancer any time in their lives.” In their wisdom, they coined the name THRIVERS, which is defined as “to grow or develop vigorously-to flourish.” At the time of its inception, dedicated to cancer patients only, no one could have foreseen the impending threat to the survival of our entire universe we now face. Despite and throughout this challenging year, the Thrivers have continued to make ‘lemonade out of lemons”! By adjusting programs utilizing all alternative methods available, we have managed to remain connected and relevant. We have sustained our long-standing book club, knitting group and bi-monthly lunches, while offering a variety of online opportunities. In addition, we have participated in several initiatives of Jewish Family Service, under whose auspices we now reside. Although this has been a truly overwhelming time, we have remained upbeat, supportive of one another, grateful for the blessing of life and for fulfilling our mission of THRIVING, rather than merely surviving. Janet Moses Past Co-Chair, Cancer Thrivers Network *Patti Nemer (z’l), Sandy Schwartz, Michelle Passon
It has been my honor and pleasure these last two
years to be co-chair of Cancer Thrivers Network with Barb LaRue. We have continued the wonderful work of our predecessors, Anita DeVine and Janet Moses, and of course, Sandy Schwartz who is always available to advise us. We continued our ongoing programs and events. We added more structure with our Programming Committee in order to involve more of our members so that we have more voices and ideas in the planning stages. Then came the pandemic and we had to pivot to a new way of connecting with our members. We have virtual lunch twice monthly, a variety of educational, spiritual and “fun” programs and are always looking for new ideas that will fit into “Zoom.” I now pass the baton to Judith Kovach who will be co-chair with Barb LaRue. I know that under their excellent leadership Cancer Thrivers Network with continue to go from strength to strength. Judie Blumeno Co-Chair, Cancer Thrivers Network, 2019-2020
We thank Judie Blumeno for her years of outstanding dedication and service to the Cancer Thrivers Network.
Thriver Recipes Rusty Rosman’s Brisket
The brisket is incredibly tender when cooked as described. Not adding liquid isn’t a problem for tenderness – rather, it’s letting the collagen in the brisket do its work and melt during the cooking process. Fabulous for dinner, terrific in sandwiches. Enjoy!!! Ingredients: • Small brisket (about 2lbs.) • 4 garlic cloves – each clove cut into 4 or 5 pieces • One large onion sliced into rings • Black pepper • Paprika Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 325°. 2. Rinse and dry the brisket. In your baking dish, place two rather large pieces of foil that overlap the pan – one in each direction. Sprinkle half of the onion slices on top of the foil. 3. Place the brisket on top of the onions and then slice 12 deep slits all around the brisket. Push a piece of garlic in each slit. 4. Grind black pepper over the brisket and sprinkle with paprika. Place the remaining onion rings on top of the seasoned brisket. 5. Tightly wrap the brisket with the foil in the pan. (For good measure, I pick up the wrapped foil brisket and wrap another piece of foil around it.) 6. Bake at 325° for 2 hours. Cool and refrigerate in the foil and pan overnight. (This makes slicing thin very easy the next day.) 7. The next day, open up the foil and discard the onions. (There might be some liquid at the bottom of the foil package.)
Francie Cook’s Apricot Farfel Kugel (Kosher for Pesach)
Francie Cook’s Chocolate Coconut Matzo Crack
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
• 3 eggs • ¼ cup sugar • 2 cups farfel or 4 matzah crackers, coarsely crushed • 2 cups cream-style cottage cheese • 1 cup dairy sour cream • ⅓ cup margarine, melted • ½ cup raisins • ½ cup apricot preserves • ½ cup finely chopped walnuts • 2 tablespoons sugar • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• • • • • • • • • •
Directions: 1. In mixing bowl, beat eggs till light; gradually beat in ¼ cup sugar till fluffy. 2. Soak farfel in cold water; squeeze out excess water. 3. Add farfel, cottage cheese, sour cream, margarine, raisins and preserves to egg mixture; blend well. 4. Turn into a 12 x 7-½ x 2” baking dish. 5. Mix nuts, sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of farfel mixture. 6. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Makes 10-12 servings.
4 to 6 sheets of matzo 1 cup unsalted butter or Passover margarine 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-½ cups semi or bittersweet chocolate chips ½ cup toasted chopped nuts of your choice 1 cup sweetened coconut 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt Red pepper flakes to taste
Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a large cookie sheet with foil, then cover with parchment paper. 2. Spread matzo evenly over the surface of the cookie sheet. In saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and stir it over medium heat until it begins to bubble and thicken. 3. Remove from heat, add salt, vanilla and cinnamon, and then quickly pour it over the matzo and spread evenly. Top with nuts. 4. Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes (careful not to burn). Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand until chips melt, then spread them evenly across the caramel. Top with coconut. Let cool, break toffee pieces apart and enjoy!
Virtual Lunches
Come and shoot the breeze with us twice a month over Zoom! We meet for lunch from 12-1 PM. Mark your calendars!
☐ Monday, April 12th
☐ Thursday, May 27th
☐ Wednesday, April 28th
☐ Friday, June 11th
9. Return to the foil and close it up tightly
☐ Tuesday, May 11th
☐ Tuesday, June 22nd
10. When ready to serve for dinner, reheat the foil package in the pan for 40 minutes at 325° oven.
Contact Sarah Strasberger for Zoom access to our virtual lunches: sstrasberger@jfsdetroit.org or 248.592.2267
8. Slice the brisket really thin (I reserve the liquid to heat up on the stove, not in the brisket pan.)