Benazir Bhutto has been murdered. When will our government stop pretending that Musharraf is our ally? We should be supporting the pro-democracy people in Pakistan.

Van Cortlandt Senior Center December 2007, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
3)10:00 Painting 10:30 Aerobics with Doriana 1:00 Movie	4)10:00 Dance Movement 10:45 Conversational Yiddish - with Sarah 1:00 Health Talk w/Ray Happy Hanukkah!	5)10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Art 11:00 Knitting 1:00 Short Stories 2:00 Current Events	6)10:00 Gentle Yoga 1:00 Movie	7)10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Intergenerational Hanukah celebration 1:00 Bingo
10)10:00 Painting 10:30 Senior Fitness 1:00 Movie	11)10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 General Membership meeting 1:00 Health Talk w/Ray	12) 9:00 Bazaar 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Art 11:00 Knitting 1:00 Movie	13)9:00 Bazaar 10:00 Gentle Yoga 11:00 Sing Along 1:00 Movie	14)10:00 Exercise Video 11: 00 Indoor Gardening 11:00 Post Office 1:00 Line Dancing
17)10:00 Painting 11:30 Elections 1:00 Movie	18)9:00 Bay Plaza, lunch at Beth Abraham 10:00 Dance Movement 10:45 Conversational Yiddish - with Sarah 1:00 Health Talk w/Ray	19)10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 Creating Joy 11:00 Knitting w/ Marge 1:00 Short Stories 2:00 Current Events	20)10:00 Gentle Yoga 11:00 Sing-Along 11:00 Empire Casino 1:00 Movie	21)10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Medicaid Update w/David Cutner, Esq. 1:00 Bingo
24)10:00 Painting 10:30 Exercise Video 10:45 Nutrition 1:00 Movie	25) Closed Merry Christmas!	26)10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Knitting 1:00 Movie	27)10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Sing Along 1:00 Birthday/Holiday Party	28) 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Folk Tales w/Sharon 1:00 Line Dancing
31)10:00 Painting 10:00 Exercise Video	Happy New Year!

MAKE-UP SUNDAY December 16TH Jake Shulman, Violinist and Laura Berkson, Accordionist

Van Cortlandt Senior Center November 2007, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
			NOVEMBER 1 10:00 Gentle Yoga* 11:00 Sing Along* 1:00 Movie	NOVEMBER 2 10:30 Indoor Gardening w/Victor 11:00 Elder Law- Medicare & Prescriptions Drugs 1:00 Bingo
NOVEMBER 5 10:00 Painting * 10:30 Senior Fitness *	NOVEMBER 6 10:00 Movement* 1:00 Movie	NOVEMBER 7 9:00 Atlantic City 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Art 11:00 Knitting 1:00 Short Stories* 2:00 Current Events *	NOVEMBER 8 10:00 Gentle Yoga * 1:00 “A Musical Journey: A History of Sax Music in America”-Libby Richman	NOVEMBER 9 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Ask The Social Worker w/Raymond 1:00 Line Dancing
NOVEMBER 12 10:00 Painting* 10:30 Senior Fitness*	NOVEMBER 13 10:00 Movement* 10:45 Conversational Yiddish - with Sarah 1:00 Movie	NOVEMBER 14 10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 Art 11:00 Knitting w/ Marge 1:00 Short Stories* 2:00 Current Events *	NOVEMBER 15 10:00 Gentle Yoga * 11:00 Sing-Along 1:00 Movie	NOVEMBER 16 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Folk Tales w/Sharon 1:00 Bingo
NOVEMBER 19 10:00 Painting* 10:30 Senior Fitness *	NOVEMBER 20 10:00 Exercise video 11:00 SSDS School Visit 1:00 Movie	NOVEMBER 21 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Creating Joy* 11:00 Knitting w/Marge 12:00 Mexican Fiesta Luncheon 1:00 Acapulco 90- Mariachi Band They were terrific entertainers!	NOVEMBER 22 THANKSGIVING (Center Closed)	NOVEMBER 23 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Ask The Social Worker w/Raymond 1:00 Bingo
NOVEMBER 26 10:00 Painting 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Preview of “The Age of Rembrandt” w/ Lucy Digidon	NOVEMBER 27 10:00 Movement * 10:45 Conversational Yiddish - with Sarah 1:00 Movie	NOVEMBER 28 9:15 Metropolitan Museum Visit : The Age of Rembrandt 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Knitting w/Marge	NOVEMBER 29 10:30 Exercise Video 11:00 Empire City 1:00 Movie	NOVEMBER 30 9:00 Bazaar 9:30 Flu Shots-Pre-Register with Sugey 11:00 Post office 1:00 Line Dancing *

OPEN SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4TH 9:30 – 3:00 Alex Epelman – Popular American & Int’l Standards

Van Cortlandt Senior Center October 2007, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
1)10:00 Painting 10:00 Exercise Video 1:15  Sukkah Visit	2)10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 Intergenerational Sukkah Visit to:  Solomon Schecter Day School 11:00 I Remember When w/ Elsie Brody	3)10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Knitting 1:00 Short Stories 2:00 Current Events	4)Closed	5)Closed
8)10:00 Painting 10:30 Senior Fitness 1:00  Movie	9)10:00 Exercise Video 10:45  Conversational Yiddish - with Sarah 1:00 Movie	10)10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Art 11:00 Knitting 1:00 Short Stories 2:00 Current Events	11)10:00 Gentle Yoga   1:00 Movie	12)10:00 Exercise Video 11: 00 Blood Pressure 1:00   Line Dancing
15)10:00 Painting 10:30 Senior Fitness 1:00 Prog. Comm. Mtg.	16)10:00  Exercise Video 11:00 Wave Hill 1:00 Movie	17)10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 Art 11:00 Knitting w/ Marge 3:00 Lehman College-Yiddish Theater	18)10:00 Gentle Yoga 11:00 Sing-Along 11:00 Empire City 1:00  Movie	19)11:00 Folk Tales w/Sharon 11:00 Blood Pressure 1:00 Bingo
22)10:00 Painting 10:30 Senior Fitness 1:00 Sugar knowing the difference (Nutrition)	23)10:00 Movement 1:00   Movie	24)10:00 Exercise Video 10:30  Creating Joy 11:00 Knitting 1:00 Short Stories 2:00 Current Events 4:30 Light Supper 5:30 Oriental Wind Duo	25)10:00 Gentle Yoga 11:00 Sing Along 1:00 Movie	26)11:00  Blood Pressure 11:00 Oneg Shabbat -w/Rose & Meir Beer 1:00 Line Dancing
29)10:00 Painting 10:00  Exercise Video 1:00 Bingo	30) 10:00 Movement 10:45  Conversational Yiddish - with Sarah 1:00   Movie	31)10:00 Exercise Video 11:00  Creating Joy* 11:00 Knitting

MAKE-UP SUNDAY OCTOBER 14TH Afro-Caribbean Drumming & Dance Jerbean Gilkes & Songa

Fall Concerts at Van Cortlandt Village Senior Center

Sunday, November 4, 1-2 p.m. Alex Epelman, American and International Standards

Thursday, November 8, 1-2 p.m. Libby Richman, A History of Sax Music in America

Wednesday, November 21, 1-2 p.m. Acapulco 90 Mariachi Band

Van Cortlandt Senior Center September 2007, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
SEPTEMBER 3 LABOR DAY	SEPTEMBER 4 10:00 Movement 1:00 Movie	SEPTEMBER 5 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Art 11:00 Knitting w/ Marge 1:00 Short Stories 2:00 Current Events	SEPTEMBER 6 9:00 Bazaar 10:00 Exercise with Sylvia 11:00 Sing-Along 1:00 Movie	SEPTEMBER 7 10:00 Gentle Yoga 11:00 Indoor Gardening w/Victor 11:30 Blood Pressure 1:00 Line Dancing
SEPTEMBER 10 10:00 Painting 10:30 Senior Fitness 1:00 AdvisoryCouncil Meeting	SEPTEMBER 11 10:00 Movement 10:45 Conversational Yiddish - with Sarah 12:00 Holiday - Greetings & luncheon 1:00 Movie	SEPTEMBER 12 9:00 Met. Museum - Trip 10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 HEALTH ISSUES "Compassion and Choices" with David Levin 11:00 Knitting w/ Marge Early Closing	SEPTEMBER 13 Center Closed	SEPTEMBER 14 Center Closed
SEPTEMBER 17 10:00 Painting 10:30 Senior Fitness 1:00 Movie	SEPTEMBER 18 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 I Remember When w/ Elsie Brody 11:00 Farmers Market 1:00 Movie	SEPTEMBER 19 10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 Art 11:00 Knitting w/ Marge 1:00 Short Stories 2:00 Current Events 4:45 Holiday Dinner 5:30 MUSICAL SERIES Stephanie Kurtzman-Violinist & Keyboardist	SEPTEMBER 20 10:00 Exercise with Sylvia 11:00 Sing-Along 11:00 Empire City - Trip 1:00 Movie	SEPTEMBER 21 10:00 Gentle Yoga 10:45 Lecture :Medicare Made Clear 11:30 Blood Pressure 1:00 Bingo
SEPTEMBER 24 ] 0:00 Painting 10:30 Senior Fitness 1:00 Lecture: Cholesterol Management With Erica Vinas., R.D.	SEPTEMBER 25 10:00 Movement 10:45 Conversational Yiddish - with Sarah 1:00 Movie	SEPTEMBER 26 10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 Creating Joy 11:00 Knitting w/Marge Early Closing	SEPTEMBER 27 Center Closed	SEPTEMBER 28 Center Closed

Van Cortlandt Senior Center August 2007, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
		August 1	August 2	August 3 10:00 Yoga
August 6 10:30 Aerobics	August 7 10:00 Dance Movement		August 9	August 10 10:00 Yoga
August 13 10:30 Aerobics	August 14		August 16 11:00 Cross County Mall	August 17
August 20 10:30 Aerobics	August 21 10:00 Dance Movement		August 23 11:00 Hudson River Museum Trip postponed until afternoon, lying bus company claimed a misunderstanding about the time scheduled for the trip.
August 27	August 28 10:00 Dance Movement 11:00 City Island	August 29	August 30	August 31

July 2007 Highlights JASA Senior Center

Hannah Uzielly, international cabaret artist, will appear at JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center on Wed. July 18th at 1:00 PM. Ms. Uzielly entertains with humor and a mix of songs from Broadway and around the world. Recommended contribution is $2.00 for kosher lunch served at noon plus entertainment.

Tour Sunnyside, the enchanting river side home of beloved author Washington Irving, on Thursday, July 26th. Meet at 9:15 AM at the Van Cortlandt Senior Center. Fee for the day will be: $22 includes bus transportation, box lunch and tour.

Mark Levy, international guitarist/folksinger, will perform Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino and American folk music on Tues. Aug. 7th at 1:00 PM. Recommended contribution is $2.00 for kosher lunch served at noon plus entertainment.
Join our Atlantic City trip on Wed. Aug. 15th at 8:45 AM. We will be going to the Showboat Casino. Trip fee is $27.00 with a $20 cash return plus a $5.00 food coupon.
Rob Silverman, jazz pianist, will present a musical program of Broadway and original jazz selections on Tues. Aug. 21st at 1:00 PM. We will be hosting student volunteers from Columbia University. Suggested contribution for lunch and entertainment is $2.00.
Celebrate July and August birthdays with Don Anthony, banjo player and guitarist, on Thurs. Aug. 30th at 1:00 PM. Don will play a mix of standards, oldies and country music. Suggested contribution is $3.00 for lunch and entertainment.
A kosher delectable lunch is served daily at 12:15 PM. A voluntary contribution of $1.50 is recommended.
For further information about these cultural events, please call Sharon Wolfe at (718) 549-4700 or email swolfe@jasa.org.
All events are held at JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center located at 3880 Sedgwick Ave. JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center is funded by the NYC Dept. for the Aging.
All seniors who are age 60+ are welcome.

Mentor-Mentee

Years ago, I went to a job interview, the technical part lasted more than an hour. I thought I did very well, but I never got a call back. A month later, I called the person in charge of the project I had been interviewed for. I found out there was no project, just one that had been proposed. The reason I had been interviewed was that the guy I was talking to wanted to present not just a proposal, but a list of qualified applicants to demonstrate the viability of the project. The big shots turned down the proposal.

A few weeks ago I was at a senior citizens program and saw a notice that a teenage volunteer was looking for someone to play chess with. Great! I thought, this is the kind of thing I would want to do. Help someone, who is helping us seniors. Not quite. It turns out this agency wants to create a program in which seniors help teenagers play chess. I don't know how many bureaucrats are involved in this. I do know there is a social worker that has to interview me, to decide if I am a suitable volunteer. There is the person who will design the program. Yes, the same theme, no project, someone is working on a proposal. The two times I have been asked questions on the phone, I think no one associated with planning this knows anything about chess. Perhaps they've read about Renée M. Yarzig's program, Cross-Generation Chess, maybe they are familiar with the Chess in the Schools program. No telling. All I know is one old undistinguished chess player has the ability to help several people in a social service agency remain gainfully employed.

$12,187 for meals at the Van Cortlandt Village Senior Center. This is from Koppel, one of the City Council member allocations listed in NYC_Budget_FY08_ScheduleC.pdf That's what my local senior center gets money for. I was hoping for an allocation to restore some of the exercise programs that have been cut, such as Tai Chi.

A news story about the Rubashkins who pay terrible wages but charge their customers outrageous prices for kosher meat.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
MAKE-UP SUNDAY MAY 20TH Alan Sher, Cellist & Michele Cohen Pianist	MAY 1 10:00 Movement * 10:30 Ashkenazi Lecture (Gaucher Disease) 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MAY 2 9:45 Exercise w/Sylvia 11:00 Knitting 1:15 Current Events *	MAY 3 9:00 Bay Plaza/Beth Israel 10:00 Exercise Video 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MAY 4 10:00 Gentle Yoga * 10:30 Gardening 1:15 Bingo
MAY 7 10:00 Painting * 10:30 Senior Fitness * 1:15 Short Story *	MAY 8 10:45 Conversational Yiddish 10:15 Wave Hill 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MAY 9 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:30 Art 11:00 Knitting 1:15 Current Events *	MAY 10 9:45 Exercise Video 11:00 Sing Along 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MAY 11 10:00 Gentle Yoga * Noon: Mother's Day Special Lunch salmon A jazz presentation after lunch The lunch and the jazz were terrific
MAY 14 10:00 Painting * 10:30 Senior Fitness * 1:00 Adv. Council Mtg	MAY 15 10:00 Movement* 11:15 I Remember When Lunch-Chinese style beef with vegetables 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MAY 16 10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 Art 11:00 Knitting 1:00 Current Events*	MAY 17 10:00 Exercise 11:00 SSDS –Lag Ba’Omer 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MAY 18 10:00 Gentle Yoga * 11:00 Stamp Sale 1:00 Bingo
MAY 21 10:00 Painting * 10:30 Senior Fitness * 1:15 Short Story *	MAY 22 10:30 Exercise Video 1:00 Jokercize with Howard Newman 3:00 ESL Class	MAY 23 HOLIDAY- ”Shavuot”	MAY 24 HOLIDAY ”Shavuot”	MAY 25 11:00 St. Patricks 1:00 Line Dancing
MAY 28 HOLIDAY	MAY 29 10:00 Movement* 10:45 Conversational Yiddish 1:00 Movie/Nutrition Comm. 3:00 ESL Class	MAY 30 10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 Knitting 10:30 Creating Joy 1:00 Entertainment	MAY 31 10:00 Exercise 10:45 Sing Along 1:00 Bingo 3:00 ESL Class

JASA VAN CORTLANDT SENIOR CENTER 3880 SEDGWICK AVENUE BRONX, N.Y. 10463 – (718) 549-4700 INSTRUCTORS

Doriana Castro, Exercise * Larry Alboum, Painting * Peter Heller, Current Events/Life Stories * Caroline Grant , Movement * Marilyn Kaplan, Sing-A-Long * Alisha Diamond Saltzman, Art & Creating Joy * Neem Dewji, Yoga *Rose & Meir Beer, Line Dancing , Dove Pollack, E.S.L.

Van Cortlandt Senior Center April 2007, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
April 9 Closed	April 10 Closed			April 13 10:00 Yoga
April 16 1:00 Lecture on Tiffany glass by Lucy Digedon	April 17 9:45 Caroline Grant Dance Movement			April 20 10:00 Yoga
April 23 10:30 Aerobics	April 24 9:45 Caroline Grant Dance Movement Special Arroz con Pollo for lunch, followed by Latin music	April 25 Atlantic City Trip		April 27 11:00 Martin Spett, Holocaust survivor and artist will speak
April 30 10:30 Aerobics

Martin Spett spoke on April 27. He described his survival of the Holocaust and the irony of arriving in America in the segregated city of New Orleans in 1947. He handed out the book he wrote and illustrated about his experiences during the Holocaust. He requested that we in turn give the book to our children and grandchildren.

Wal-Mart says no to Manhattan

I read the online NY Times today, March 28 and they said that Wal-Mart usually has prices lower by 10 to 30 per cent compared to other retail stores. I have been to the White Plains Wal-Mart twice and didn't find this to be true.

Van Cortlandt Senior Center March 2007, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
			MARCH 1 10:00 Exercise Video 11:00 Ask the Social Worker 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MARCH 2 10:30 Indoor Gardening 11:00 Nutrition 1:15 Bingo
MARCH 5 10:00 Painting * 10:30 Senior Fitness * 1:30 Short Story *	MARCH 6 9:45 Movement* 10:45 Conv. Yiddish 1:00 Movie 2:00 “Purim In Khelm”- Lovinger Theater 3:00 ESL Class bitter cold	MARCH 7 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 10:30 Art 11:15 JPAC 1:15 Current Events *	MARCH 8 9:45 Exercise Video 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MARCH 9 10:00 Gentle Yoga * 1:00 Line Dancing
MARCH 12 10:00 Painting 10:30 Senior Fitness * 1:00 Dancing for Fun 1:15 Staff Meeting	MARCH 13 11:00 I Remember When 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MARCH 14 10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 Art 11:00 Empire City Trip 11:00 Knitting 1:00 Current Events*	MARCH 15 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 11:00 Ask the Social Worker 1:00 T Scoffield– Sing Along St. Patrick’s Day 3:00 ESL Class	MARCH 16 10:00 Gentle Yoga 1:00 Presentation by St. Patricks’ Home 1:00 Bingo
MARCH 19 10:00 Painting * 10:30 Senior Fitness * 1:30 Short Story *	MARCH 20 9:45 Movement * 10:45 Conv. Yiddish 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MARCH 21 9:45 Exercise Video 10:30 Creating Joy 11:00 Knitting 1:15 Current Events* 5:00 John Halsey & Elaine Rachlin-Big Band	MARCH 22 10:00 Exercise 10:45 Sing Along 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MARCH 23 9:30 Gentle Yoga 11:00 Stamp Sale 1:00 Line Dancing
MARCH 26 10:00 Painting 1:00 Dancing for Fun	MARCH 27 10:00 Exercise w/Sylvia 1:00 Movie- 3:00 ESL Class	MARCH 28 10:00 Exercise Video 10:45 Passover- Model Seder 11:00 Knitting	MARCH 29 10:00 Exercise Video 10:30 Knitting 1:00 Movie 3:00 ESL Class	MARCH 30 10:00 Exercise Video 1:00 Bingo

I found a blog that lists salaries of generously paid non-profit executives in the Bronx Bronx Non-Profit Executive Pay

Van Cortlandt Senior Center February 2007, 3880 Sedgwick Ave., Bronx NY
Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
				2) 10:00 a.m. Yoga
5)bitter cold	6) 9:45 Dance Movement bitter cold
12)10:30 Aerobics Lunch - turkey kielbasa, cabbage and beans			15)New Dancing for Fun with Dorianna bitter cold continues Salmon, a good lunch was served	16) 10 a.m. Yoga
19) Closed-President's Day	20) 9:45 Dance Movement	21) 4:30 New Light Supper Music by Manes College students
26)10:30 Aerobics

There are more activities than are listed, come visit!

February 21 - The concert at the senior center was terrific.  Vladimir Lapin, a baritone, was the singer.  Bénédicte Jourdois was the pianist.

The light supper included a wonderful barley soup. Hats off to Anna Maly the cook.

Dorot in Manhattan

I visited Dorot yesterday. This is a senior center with an emphasis on physical and mental health. It is not a place where you sit around all day waiting for your death. I took part in a session that was part yoga part qi gong. We moved to music. It was very enjoyable.