9/28/26

RBJH has a September to Remember

Mazel Moments and Grandparents Month: A September to Remember

By Maggie Conti, Director of Activities and Volunteer Services, Rose Blumkin Jewish Home

Every day the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home creates experiences where residents feel engaged, valued, and connected to the community around them. Our September events were no exception. It was a month filled with music and plenty of reasons to celebrate. We brought together two special traditions that allowed our residents to enjoy more social connection, a rekindling of cherished memories, and moments of joy, purpose, and belonging.

The first event was Mazel Moments: Broadway Magic. Throughout the month, residents enjoyed the magic of Broadway with classic performances, trivia, mask making, sing-alongs, and beloved show tunes that brought back wonderful memories. The grand finale was a fabulous concert featuring Camille Metoyer Moten, accompanied by pianist and entertainer Curtis Reynolds (from Broadway Bar). Their performance filled RBJH with incredible music and Broadway spirit. A heartfelt thank you goes to the Shirley and Leonard Goldstein Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation for their generous support. Their commitment helped make our Mazel Moments another unforgettable experience for our residents.

The second event we celebrated was Grandparents Month. At RBJH, we believe grandparents deserve much more than a single day of recognition. That is why we celebrate with an entire month of special experiences and outstanding entertainment. This year’s celebration was made possible through the generous support of the Sheldon and Lorrie Bernstein Endowment, Betty Studna and Seymour Lee Endowment, and the Chester and Phyllis Lustgarten Endowment Funds of the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. Thanks to these generous donors, our residents enjoyed a remarkable lineup of performers.

The Bel Canto Duo, featuring Darci Gamerl on oboe and David Downing on cello, presented Music We Remember, a beautiful performance filled with familiar melodies and cherished memories. Then Daybreak rocked the Home with feel-good music that had everyone smiling and enjoying the moment. We continued the celebration with the golden rock hits of Kyle Knapp, bringing even more energy to the room. And, of course, no celebration would be complete without the one and only Bill Chrastil, who delighted residents with tributes to some of the greats, including Elvis, Neil Diamond, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, and Willie Nelson. We also had a fun Casino Day with music by Barry Boyce. The Casino Party could not happen without the tremendous volunteers running the games.

We even managed to choose the perfect evening for an outdoor concert on the patio. After a summer filled with heat and plenty of rain, the weather cooperated beautifully. Milestones in Music, featuring Cathy Pacholski, Taylor Wyatt, and Fay Porter, provided the perfect soundtrack to a perfect evening under the stars.

September reminded us once again that music has a remarkable way of connecting people. A familiar song can bring back a memory, put a smile on someone’s face, or inspire everyone in the room to sing along. Most importantly, none of these special moments would be possible without the extraordinary generosity of our donors and the Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation. Their support does much more than fund entertainment. For that, we offer our deepest and most heartfelt thank you to each of our generous supporters. You helped make September a month of absolute fun!

The Rose Blumkin Jewish Home is an agency of the Jewish Federation of Omaha.