This year has simply flown —and what a year this has been!
The CJSA team have worked tirelessly to encourage our members to return to the various centres, and it feels as if they are butterflies emerging from the cocoon. We have also been working to encourage those who prior to Covid-19 were either not members, or had not yet taken the first steps to join our in-house functions.
Members are expressing their enjoyment at participating in our programme and joining our weekly outings, renewing old friendships and forming new ones. Outings and catered functions are usually well-supported and often fully booked.
I am currently planning for next year, and am considering initiating a series of workshops for retirement, and living your best life when you get to that stage. A few topics that I feel would be worthwhile include financial literacy, digital awareness, lifestyle redesign, realigning relation-ships, memory improvement, entrepreneur-ship, and mentorship.
To my delight, this morning I came across a podcast by Marilyn Snyman called Clear and Helpful: taking care of yourself and others. She interviewed Marilyn Hallet who has started an online platform called You’ve-earned-it.She provides a free weekly online newsletter to those over the age of 60, with articles and information on a variety of topics pertinent to those looking at retiring — or newly retired — and needing ideas or pointers to navigate ways of living well in this next phase of life. She showcases savings and discounts, provides insight into tax issues, unpacks life rights for those wishing to move or downsize.
There are also many articles of more general interest. She highlights the fact that 80% of South Africans have not saved enough for retirement as we are now living longer, and the stresses the importance of each one of us becoming creative entrepreneurs and diversifying as we age. It is essential for retirees to have a passion or purpose. Each one of us is a treasure to our family and we have so much to offer the youth. There is a possibility of excellent mentorship and a massive potential for those who are just beginning their life careers.
Before retiring, we should look at what brings us passion and joy. Retirement should be considered a utopia — a time to explore and fulfil dreams. However, if one doesn’t plan properly it can cause insecurity and boredom. Life coaches and retirement coaches can assist with the transition from being employed to life as a retiree. They can help you find a sense of purpose, to occupy your time and energy with something that fulfils you and results in a vastly rewarding retirement.
Other ways to live well as we move into the retirement phase of life would be to work as long as you can, engage in healthy sleep patterns and decrease stress.
Older persons are finding it very difficult to keep up with rapidly evolving technology. Many are tech-savvy to a point, and in many cases a younger family member assists with the basic needs. There is definitely a digital divide in the ability to access information on the internet for a wide variety of activities. On the plus side many 60+ have been forced to adapt to technology since COVID-19, by learning how to use apps for banking and shopping and it is important to keep up because fear and a lack of confidence will hold you back.
This past month’s highlights include the annual JCC* AGM which we recently hosted with the seven welfare organisations joining as one, to showcase the way in which we hold the vulnerable members of our community, to ensure that they are able to live a dignified life. Each year, organisations honour people who work tirelessly for them, whether as a professional or volunteer. This year’s CJSA award was presented to Marcia Raymond, who has served as Chairman and on the Executive since a year after CJSA was formed. CJSA Trustee Abe Sank was presented with the Chairman’s Award — so richly deserved as Abe serves on the Boards of many JCC organisations. We congratulate both our CJSA recipients as well as all other awardees who were honoured at the AGM.
As this is the last newsletter for 2022, we hope that the summer season brings each one of you joy, and that safety is maintained while you are out and about. As we reopen in Sea Point, we hope to be operating from our new home, which we will be sharing with the UJW at Stonehaven in Albany Road. This is exciting for all of us and expect that the sharing of the property will bring both organisations much happiness as we work closely serving the community.
Diana Sochen
Executive Director
* Jewish Care Cape is the umbrella body for the seven Cape Town based Jewish welfare organisations
Social and Personal
We congratulate our members who have had joyous occasions during the last month.
Births: Jos and Steven Horwitz — grandson
Special birthday wishes to: Abe Sank — 90
Welcome to new members: Jeanne Rudolph Zaidel, Jill Lewin, Allan and Freda Jacobs (returning members)
Well wishes to those who have been under the weather: Collette and Barry Levin, Hymie Becker
Our wishes of strength to members who have recently lost loved ones: Yvette Polovin — mother Ruth Bernstein; Zelda Rabkin —
son Trevor
Cape Jewish Seniors Association
Director: Diana Sochen, 021 434 9691, director@cjsa.org.za
Admin: Amanda, 021 434 9691, admin@cjsa.org.za
CJSA on Facebook
• Published in the December 2022/January 2023 Digital Edition – Click here to read it.
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