Clifton—One of the central concepts of Judaism—L’dor V’dor—“from generation to generation”—was celebrated at the Daughters of Miriam Center/The Gallen Institute recently when four generations of the Thaler/Varnai family gathered for the bar mitzvah of Joel Varnai. Varnai, whose great-grandmother Marion Bernstein has resided in Miriam Apartments II since 2010, made his first aliyah in the Garfinkle Chapel at Daughters of Miriam Center surrounded by family, friends and residents of the center, who joyously participated in this important religious milestone event.
With proud grandfather and Daughters of Miriam Center board member Leonard Thaler nearby, Joel flawlessly recited his haftorah in the glow of the stained glass windows of the Garfinkle Chapel. A reception afterwards in the Daughters of Miriam Center celebrated both the bar mitzvah young man as well as the spirit of intergenerational connections that bind families and communities together.
Multigenerational programming at the center regularly brings together nursing home residents, apartment tenants, and families for religious celebrations, life events, as well as for the simpler purposes of mingling and enjoying activities together. The center’s residents and staff were thrilled to share Joel’s special event with him, and join the board and administration of the center in wishing Joel and his family mazel tov!
Daughters of Miriam Center/The Gallen Institute is a state-of-the-art long-term care and subacute facility providing broad-based services to seniors. Emphasizing a continuum of care focus, center divisions include a skilled nursing facility, a subacute care wing, a dementia care pavilion, a rehabilitation program, a sheltered workshop, hospice care, a respite program, and senior housing with supportive services. The center’s mission is to provide quality health care services and housing for seniors in an environment that enhances and respects individualized traditions and lifestyles. We work to meet the emerging needs in our community and to advance geriatric care through research.
Founded in 1921, the center is a non-profit, non-sectarian organization licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health, accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and serves as a university-affiliated teaching center.
