Jewish tradition is filled with stories of individuals who take transformative journeys late in their lives. Moses, Abraham, Sarah, Miriam, and Naomi are just a few who make invaluable contributions at mature ages. Instead of diminishing, their relevance to their…
16 Over 61 2021
The Latest
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Community 16 Over 61: Meet Sylvia Lustgarten
This profile appears as part of “16 Over 61,” a collaboration between the Forward and the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Wechsler Center for Modern Aging. Sylvia Lustgarten, 94, is something like the prototype of a macher. To cap a long record of avidly promoting Yiddish culture in Toronto, including as Director of the Committee for…
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Community 16 Over 61: Meet Muriel Mandell
This profile appears as part of “16 Over 61,” a collaboration between the Forward and the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Wechsler Center for Modern Aging. Muriel Mandell, 99, is a model of commitment to her community. A devoted volunteer with SeniorNet and SeniorTechNYC, two organizations that work to help older adults incorporate technology successfully into…
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Community 16 Over 61: Meet Noemi Masliah
This profile appears as part of “16 Over 61,” a collaboration between the Forward and the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Wechsler Center for Modern Aging. Noemi Masliah, 70, is a fighter for those often pushed to the side by society. An immigrant from Cuba, Masliah became an immigration lawyer committed to aiding those in need….
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Community 16 Over 61: Meet Ellen Ratner
This profile appears as part of “16 Over 61,” a collaboration between the Forward and the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Wechsler Center for Modern Aging. Ellen Ratner, 76, is guided by music. It’s a love passed down from her mother, Ethel. That relationship also shaped Ratner’s commitment to building compassion and community. As an only…
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Community 16 Over 61: Meet Stephen Rosen
This profile appears as part of “16 Over 61,” a collaboration between the Forward and the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Wechsler Center for Modern Aging. What hasn’t Stephen Rosen, 87, done? A scientist, educator and advocate for scientists, including the 400-odd emigres from the former Soviet Union for whom he helped find jobs in the…
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Community 16 Over 61: Meet Daniel Rothstein
This profile appears as part of “16 Over 61,” a collaboration between the Forward and the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Wechsler Center for Modern Aging. Daniel Rothstein, 66, has a mission in life: making sure people know how to ask the right questions. It’s a mission Rothstein, who goes by Dan, first developed while considering…
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Community 16 Over 61: Meet Zelda R. Stern
This profile appears as part of “16 Over 61,” a collaboration between the Forward and the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Wechsler Center for Modern Aging. Zelda R. Stern, 72, has a guiding belief: Orthodox women ought to be permitted to be rabbis. She had long been deeply invested in Jewish education and women’s rights. “I…
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Community 16 Over 61: Meet Bill Wurtzel
This profile appears as part of “16 Over 61,” a collaboration between the Forward and the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Wechsler Center for Modern Aging. Bill Wurtzel, 83, had a long and distinguished career as an advertising creative director. And in the skills he honed in that role, he found a unique gateway to making…
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