Sacred Aging Institute (SAI)

Our Mission

The Sacred Aging Institute (SAI) of Temple Beth Emeth is devoted to engagement and enrichment for those who identify as seniors in our congregation. We offer a variety of opportunities for learning and connection, including class series, group discussions, guest speakers, and more. We seek to foster growth and mutual support for older adults as we create a sacred community within our larger TBE family. Working together, we can uplift and appreciate the divine in each other.

Our vision is driven by the interests, wisdom, and skills of our seniors. Many SAI initiatives will be guided by lay leaders, as we rely on this community's wealth of life experiences and expertise to inform our programming and direction. All are encouraged to bring their passions, talents, thoughts, and questions to the fore.

Digital Brochure coming soon.

Mining Your Memories Through Writing

Rita Benn

There are many ways to connect more deeply to who we are and what we know. One way is through writing. By putting pen to paper, we discover new ways to understand our life's story. Using writing prompts, we will unfold memories of our lived experience and share newly created narratives with each other.

Journaling as a Legacy (Zoom only)

Marylen Oberman

Journaling as Legacy engages people in reflecting on their life, past and present. Writing memories of events past, both good and bad, and their outcomes, leave one with a sense of accomplishment, well-being and often become a legacy for their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Renaissance Group

The Renaissance Group, TBE's social group for those 55 and over, plans social events throughout the year. Leadership of the programs rotates. In the past the group has attended theater productions and sporting events, held game nights and volunteered at Food Gatherers, gone on a winery tour, visited the glass exhibit at the Toledo Museum of Art and also organized a trip to the Frederick Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids. New ideas and new people are always welcomed. Please check the weekly announcements for details prior to scheduled events.

Visit their web page for more information and events. Renaissance Group.

WISE Aging Services

Rebecca Nieubuurt, LLMSW has served the Temple Beth Emeth Community as the Congregation-based Social Worker since 2020. Rebecca brings with her 15 years of experience as a geriatric social worker in the Jewish community. As an employee of Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County in their WISE Aging Services program, Rebecca offers TBE members open access to all of JFS's many services. As a mental health professional, she specializes in anxiety/depression, grief support, isolation and loneliness, and cognitive changes. Her work as a community-based social worker is focused on caregiver support, end-of-life planning, care planning, and accessing community supports and programs. Within our temple community Rebecca offers social opportunities, small group work, and supporting clergy and office staff in engagement with individual congregants. Rebecca is here to help with a multitude of aging related issues, she connects congregants to resources for in-home care, grocery, meal and pharmacy delivery, financial assistance, one-on-one supportive counseling, and ensuring that members maintain access to Temple services. She can be reached at rebeccan@jfsannarbor.org or (734)219-5354