Making her way anew

Having returned to my native state after residing in Florida for more than 22 years, I have a clearer understanding of how Rip Van Winkle felt after his twenty-year nap. I am in awe of the remarkable nuances enhancing the Rhode Island scene – some I have already witnessed and others are still on my ever-growing bucket list.

For me, the most overwhelming change is the re-making of downtown Providence. The salient feature, of course, is WaterFire, the floating river bonfires amidst parks, walkways and arched bridges, accompanied by easy-listening music and attracting thousands of visitors.

I recently attended the season’s first meeting of the R.I. Jewish Historical Association, held at Camp JORI’s new, improved and expansive campus on Worden’s Pond in Wakefield, another place that came into being when I was in Florida. Besides enjoying an informative meeting, I reconnected with Hilton Weiss, the son of the late Leo and Sophie Weiss, camp directors at the former Point Judith location, where I was a teenage junior counselor. I enjoyed a grand tour of the new camp conducted by Ronnie Guttin, the present director, who happens to be my cousin.

My bucket list already includes a trip to see the new zoo exhibits at Roger Williams Park, including the park’s newly renovated botanical gardens and new greenhouse.

Tamarisk itself is relatively new, having just celebrated its tenth anniversary. Named for a Middle East desert shade tree, a symbol of welcoming, it is true to its namesake. I, a twice-widowed almost octogenarian with a few limiting disabilities, have been able to replace the responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and food shopping with more enriching activities. I have an attractive apartment overlooking a large, beautifully landscaped garden area, where Tootsie, my adorable miniature schnauzer, and I get plenty of exercise. During this autumn season, in particular, I inhale the wonderful fresh non-humid air, a plus for my compromised breathing – a condition not helped by the Florida humidity.

For me, Tamarisk is ideally located, within two miles of my daughter Sara, a supermarket, two malls, shopping plazas, Temple Sinai, my bank, dog grooming salon, vet and lawyer. My son, granddaughters and all my doctors are less than a half-hour’s drive. In-house instructional programs are all professionally led: basic exercise classes, tai-chi, yoga, Jewish studies, play reading, women’s biography, current events, painting class, jewelry making, horticulture and word games.

In addition, there are mahjong games, card games, musical programs, lectures, movies and Friday night services – conducted by Tamarisk’s own Fania Gross. There’s simply no way to be bored!

I would be remiss to omit mentioning Tamarisk’s Renaissance Memory Unit. What a gift it is to our community! I have become very familiar with this unit, as Tootsie and I walk through it several times a day to gain access to the garden. Tootsie serves as a non-credentialed therapy dog to many of the residents, who lavish her with affectionate attention.

The Renaissance unit is decorated with arts and crafts items created by the residents. It is bright, cheerful and welcoming. Success-enabling programs include quiz games, which tap well-developed long-term memories. Vegetable and flower gardening, bird watching, musical entertainment, exercises and a variety of games are on the daily agenda. I’m impressed with the atmosphere of calmness and contentment, a tribute to the kindness and compassion of the staff.

I am saddened to think that nothing comparable to the Renaissance was available to my late husband, who spent three years in a Florida facility. Although recommended by my Alzheimer’s Support group, his care, from 1995 to 1998, fell short of what I now know to be superior.

In the process of examining all that is new and different to me as a returned Rhode Islander, I have acquired an appreciation of my native state that I lacked when we pulled up stakes in 1990. I invite readers of “The Jewish Voice” to let me know about anything I have yet to discover, new or old, about Rhode Island, its Jewish community and its people.

Ruth Jaffa Alper may be reached at ruthandtootsie@gmail.com.