Stephen Cohen, Special Events Coordinator at the Mirowitz Center

In a couple of sentences, can you explain your job?

I have the pleasure of identifying and securing programs and activities that are offered to the senior community through the Mirowitz Center in Covenant Place II Cahn Family Building.

What has been the hardest part of doing your job since the pandemic?

The growing awareness of how more isolated and lonely so many people feel because of the restrictions that flowed from the pandemic. At the same time, this has been a major motivator in the Mirowitz Center’s efforts to offer quality programs that are accessible through technology.

What are you looking most forward to when it’s safe to gather in larger groups again?

To welcoming program participants back into the Mirowitz Center’s beautiful physical space and to reengaging personally with them.  I also look forward very much to visiting with family, to attending services at synagogue without a mask and to being able to go to art museums and to Powell Hall.

How have you been getting your fix of arts and culture during the pandemic?

Some through the internet and the Nine Network, mostly through reading – most recently the focus has been women artists, Sofonisba Anguissola, Eliza Pratt Greatorex and Ruth Assawa, not really sure what is next.

Has there been a silver lining for you during this time?

Not really.  At the same time, I am constantly mindful of how much more devastating the impact of COVID might have been had we not had access to technology to stay connected and engaged with loved ones and with world.  And of course I am so relieved that there are now vaccines which will, hopefully, make it safe once more to engage fully with each other.

The Lighter Side is a weekly feature that highlights people who work and live in the St. Louis Jewish community. February’s selections are sponsored by the late Harris Frank, who was a champion of the Jewish Light and the St. Louis Jewish community. If you are interested in sponsoring future installments of this feature, please contact Betsy Schmidt at [email protected].