There are a number of ways to provide support, friendship and a Jewish connection to senior members of our community:

Become a Friendly Visitor – Visit 2 -4 hours a month and develop a friendship with someone who is isolated and would welcome a friendly face.

Phone-a-Friend – Make phone calls weekly, on your own schedule, to check in with someone who may be homebound or isolated.

“Honor Our Parents” Retirement Community Connections - Bring Jewish flavors and traditions to those who may no longer be able to participate in Jewish life the way they once did. Share a challah on Shabbat, shake a Lulav on Sukkot, spin a dreidel on Chanukah, plan a Seder on Passover, or just provide a friendly connection to the Jewish community any day of the week at a retirement facility where a Jewish person lives. Through the Honor Our Parents program, Collat Jewish Family Services works with retirement communities, volunteers, and Jewish professionals, agencies and congregations, to reach out to and connect with Jewish seniors.

This program began with funding from donor Bernice Barstein who established the Honor Our Parents Fund as part of the CJFS Endowment at the Birmingham Jewish Foundation.  With a grant from the Birmingham Jewish Foundation in 2012, we were able to expand our Honor Our Parents to include a service at Greenbriar at the Altamont.  Programs include:

  • Monthly Shabbat services held at Greenbriar at the Altamont and at Brookdale Place Retirement Community.
  • Programming on and around Jewish holidays at retirement communities throughout Birmingham.
  • Outreach visits to individual Jewish seniors, to establish a relationship or to consider their current needs.

For more information or to schedule an outreach visit, contact Lynn Rathmell at 205.879-3438, ext. 7105.

Create Special Occasion Cards - For birthdays, holidays and special occasions, create cards to be sent to older adults in our community. This is a great afterschool project for children of all ages.

Lend a Helping Hand – Walk a dog, pick up some groceries, provide a ride to the cemetery, change a light bulb, program a TV or do an errand for older adults who need a little extra help from time-to-time.