Performer: Concerts brought ‘joy and connection back to seniors’

Seniors clapped and sang along to hits such as “La Bamba,” “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” as well as traditional Jewish tunes during socially-distanced outdoor concerts from the comfort of their own apartment balconies in Boca Raton.

The concerts were hosted by Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services in Boca Raton and took place outside two senior, low income apartment buildings located on the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County’s campus. Many of the residents of the buildings – Gould Hose and Weinberg House – are clients of the agency.

During the concerts, the performers – Bree Gordon and Howard Stein – rotated around the buildings so that all residents quarantining in their homes could view and listen from their balconies.

Gordon, a board certified music therapist and coowner/director of Creative Arts Therapies of the Palm Beaches, said, “The outdoor concerts brought much needed joy and connection back to our seniors who have been in quarantine for so long.”

“The reaction when they opened their windows and doors to see where the music was coming from was priceless,” she continued. “They blew kisses, Facetimed their family, danced with their aides and sang at the top of their lungs.”

Gordon added, “Some even followed us around the building to soak up as much music as possible.”

“For a few moments, everything seemed normal again,” she said.

Danielle Hartman, Rales JFS’ president and chief executive officer, was impressed with the creativity involved with the concerts.

“This is another beautiful example of making lemonade out of lemons,” Hartman said. “After being safer at home for months, many of the residents of the Gould and Weinberg

Houses were longing for social interaction. The Rales JFS team got super creative and came up with the idea of the outdoor concert.”

Hartman continued, “It’s simple gestures like this that really show how dedicated the JFS staff is to ensuring that our most vulnerable clients are well cared for, especially during these unprecedented times.”

According to Rales JFS, one senior called her care manager 20 minutes after a concert was finished to tell her about it, while another one recorded it, shared videos to a daughter in Israel and called the agency the same day to say “Thank you.”

The concerts were funded with the help of the Claims Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany and the Jewish Federations of North America.

Call 561-852-3333 or visit ralesjfs.org for more information on the agency, which hopes to do this kind of event again in the future.