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Neveh Shalom hires education assistant director

Lani Raider joined the Congregation the world a better place. For 11 years, she
Neveh Shalom staff as Congregational Ed- was an associate professor at the Culinary
ucation Assistant Director on Feb. 7. Lani Institute of America in the Hudson Valley,
succeeds JoAnn Bezodis, who has become New York. She was also the co-chapter
the CNS clergy assistant. leader of Slow Food Hudson Valley for a
“We are all incredibly grateful to JoAnn decade, connecting students and commu-
Bezodis, who has been an amazing partner nity members with farmers, ranchers and
in our education program for the past 10 other local eco-heroes.
years,” says Director of Congregational After her move to Portland eight years
Learning Mel Berwin. “As our education ago, Lani became the founder and CEO of
programs for youth and adults continue NOBULL Specialty Foods, an award-win-
to grow and evolve with the needs of our ning company that produced locally
families, I believe Lani’s fresh perspec- sourced, minimally processed, plant-based
tive, enthusiasm for community and years scratch starters (boullion reimagined).
of education background will bring really Once her business closed, she wanted to
valuable new energy to our entire educa- find work that was meaningful, impactful
tion team and CNS staff.” and inspiring.
Her parents met in Habonim (Zionist La- “I see the world through a Jewish lens,”
bor Movement). So when Lani grew up in says Lani. “I want to work in the Jewish
Los Angeles, she was naturally active in community in this next chapter of my life.
Habonim. I haven’t given up on food. I’ve been doing
She has had a rich and varied background some private catering and running a little
in the Jewish world and the culinary arts. business … but I also want to have a bigger
She earned her BA in Modern Jewish His- impact.”
tory (with a focus on Jewish feminism) She volunteers at Cedar Sinai Park where
and her MA from Harvard University, Lani Raider and her dog Toki. she co-leads a healing service once a
researching food as a marker of identity, Community Federation in the Bay Area month. Her love for teaching, learning and
with a specific focus on Passover food- coordinating and staging both the Israel 49 community brought her to Neveh to co-
ways throughout the Diaspora. Harvard and Israel 50 Festivals. teach the seventh grade Tichon class this
then granted her a year of post graduate Having lived on an organic farm and fall.
research in Israel to further investigate worked in acclaimed restaurants in the Bay “When the assistant director position be-
how Jews in the Diaspora found ways to Area (Chez Panisse and Greens Restau- came available, I was immediately drawn
retain traditions while creatively adapting rant), Raider developed a deep passion for to it,” says Lani. “Mel Berwin has devel-
to their new environments. sustainability as a way to embrace tikkun oped a great educational program and I
While in college, Lani taught in a Hebrew olam. Her cooking, catering and teaching knew I could contribute to its ongoing de-
school and later worked for The Jewish have been based in this concept of making velopment.”

CSP now has in-house trainer for Positive Approach to Care

Cedar Sinai Park staff who have a question about caring for res- support those living with brain change in a more positive and
idents with dementia need look no further than Heather Hess. The respectful way.
Sinai In-Home Client Care Coordinator is one of the only Positive “To gain certification, I ended up training all of our caregivers
Approach to Care Certified Indepen- for In-Home Care so now all of our staff has advanced training in
dent Trainers in the Portland-area, dementia care, and they understand the expectations,” says Hess.
having recently completed the inten- “Our caregivers now have a level of education in dementia care
sive certification process. that sets us apart from everyone else in the local senior living
“The certification courses were re- industry.”
ally kind of impressive because I got “The knowledge and skills our staff have are challenging to learn,
a true understanding of the brain and but they said they now feel like they have a toolbox to work from
why dementia is happening,” says and can handle clients with Alzheimer’s and behavioral issues
Hess, 44, who joined Cedar Sinai much better. They get so excited and proud of themselves when
nearly eight years ago as a caregiver the techniques they’ve learned work.”
in the Harold Schnitzer Center for An estimated 6.2 million Americans aged 65 and older were
Living. “You have pre-coursework living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2021 and that number was
before the certification classes, then project to rise to almost 13 million by 2050. One in three seniors
the coursework, and finally lots of dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia — more than breast and
hands-on opportunities afterwards to Heather Hess prostate cancer combined.
put on a workshop for others about “Learning how the brain works and advancing your knowledge as
what you’ve learned. And I was working full-time on top of those the disease advances is so critical,” says Hess. “There is so much
responsibilities.” we still don’t know. There are more than 250 types of dementia!
PAC is an organization founded by nationally recognized de- We need to be prepared to manage the influx of people who will
mentia expert Teepa Snow, who has developed a widely respect- need care. I’m so excited that we now have a consistent tool for
ed patient-centered and evidence-based philosophy designed to us to use.”
Jewish Review Feb. 16, 2022 9