Legacy building one wet-wipe at a time

Rabbi+Elizabeth+Hersh+received+a+B.A.+from+Skidmore+College+and+was+ordained+as+a+Rabbi+from+Hebrew+Union+College-Jewish+Institute+of+Religion.+She+is+fortunate+to+be+involved+in+so+many+facets+of+the+community+including+serving+as+the+chaplain+for+JF%26amp%3BCS+and+an+instructor+for+CAJE.+This+will+be+her+fifth+year+serving+as+the+visiting+Rabbi+in+Decatur%2C+Ill.+She+has+also+served+congregations+in+both+Sydney+and+Perth%2C+Australia.+When+not+writing+her+weekly+BLOGS%2C+she+can+be+found+running+marathons.%0A
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Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh received a B.A. from Skidmore College and was ordained as a Rabbi from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She is fortunate to be involved in so many facets of the community including serving as the chaplain for JF&CS and an instructor for CAJE. This will be her fifth year serving as the visiting Rabbi in Decatur, Ill. She has also served congregations in both Sydney and Perth, Australia. When not writing her weekly BLOGS, she can be found running marathons.

By Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh
Published June 21, 2013

Several days after I officially left my position at JF&CS, I had an email exchange with my former supervisor who is in charge of senior adult programming. I asked her to share with me some information about relevant referrals. She happened to mention as a postscript that all that was left of my work area was several tubes of wet-wipes!

My lasting physical memory from my desk was four industrial sized containers of wet-wipes! (I always carried these with me as I went from resident to resident.) I felt like my clients! A tenure of work and what was present but hand sanitizers! How humbling.

As we joked about memories create from wet-ones I reminisced about my residents. We recalled the various times people asked me to perform all sorts of things that legally I could not. From changing someone’s socks to going for a ride in the car, a heard a bevy of pleas.

I have been thinking about my residents, hoping they are taking the opportunity to enjoy this gentle weather. I did recently have the opportunity to visit with a couple of individuals who are members of my congregation. I was able to say hello to another person who I saw when I walked into the facility. I hoped his rabbi would be by soon for that personal visit.

We all desire some sort of legacy. Perhaps that is why we have children, plant trees, find cures, write books and so much more. Right now, I am working my way beyond wet-wipes!