In 2007, Cedar Village became the third senior care facility
in the nation to undertake a ten-day mission to Israel. It was an extraordinary undertaking to take
seniors, with an average age of 85, traveling internationally and maintaining
the same intense schedule of missions done with younger participants. From the
top of Masada to floating in the Dead Sea and from a visit to Yad Vashem to a
private audience with the U.S. Ambassador, the team from Cedar Village was in
constant motion and had constant learning.
Just weeks from now, Cedar Village will become the first
anywhere to undertake an entirely new kind of mission—a B’nai Mitzvah Mission
to Israel. What does that mean? Cedar Village is currently in its thirteenth
year and as we thought about the significance of that year in Jewish tradition,
we recognized that is the time that young people have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah,
confirming their commitment to their faith. Why not, we thought, make the
ceremony of Bar of Bat Mitzvah, B’nai Mitzvah, available to our residents?
On October 12, nine residents, both from our Health Care
Center and apartments, will begin this unprecedented journey. And on October 15, at Robinson’s Arch in
Jerusalem, they will take part in the B’nai Mitzvah ceremony. Some of the participants did not have the
opportunity to do this when they were young people, others will be doing it for
the second time. All will have a chance
to say the blessings over the Torah, to read or chant a section and to deliver
their own words of commentary.
The B’nai Mitzvah ceremony will be broadcast live, via
U-Stream, to families here at home and will be recorded for future
viewing. It will be followed by a
special luncheon which will certainly celebrate this incredible achievement.
Of course, this is not all that will happen during the
Mission. There is a full schedule for the rest of the trip including visits to
the Knesset, Masada, the Dead Sea, Yad Vashem and more. Residents will be in
Jerusalem, Haifa and spend two nights on a kibbutz.
Throughout the mission, we will be sending photos and
blogging daily. Why? Because this
mission is not just about those who are a part of it, rather it is for everyone
at Cedar Village. Those who cannot travel are still engaged and involved in the
experience and they will have the opportunity to participate to whatever extent
is possible for them.
