Cost may be difficult for some seniors to cover

As a resident of the greater Jewish community of Creve Coeur, my wife and I have been attending the classes at Covenant Place for the last three years with no out-of-pocket expense.

We have been informed that those of us attending these classes who do not reside at Covenant will have an expense of $5 per class each time we attend. If we each take two classes a week, our annual cost would be about $1,000.

When we first asked about these classes, we were told that they were for the community, not only residents. If this were not the case, we would not have participated.

This fee would not be affordable for seniors, and we’ll miss the classes at Covenant.

Joseph Sherman, Creve Coeur 

Editor’s note: The Mirowitz Center at Covenant Place offers a variety of classes, programs and events, some of which have a $5 fee (or other cost), but others remain free to the community. A Mirowitz Center program guide was included in the Aug. 14 edition of the Jewish Light.

Stop referring to ‘stigma’ of mental illness

Regarding the Light’s Aug. 14 commentary, “ ‘No Shanda’ group removes shame, stigma from mental health discussion.”

Tearing down “the stigma” of mental illnesses? So long as we yield to those who say there is one, we are contributing to building it. Ending the pretense of stigma is a two step process:

• End it in your minds, that you not pass it on to other minds.

• Decline to support those who direct it, that you not act as a conduit for their prejudice. 

Harold A. Maio, Fort Myers, Fla.