Program Themes

The best scholarship on Later Adulthood tells us that people of this age wish to continue growing, remaining active, giving back to the world, celebrating being alive, and staying connected. 

SAVYA programs: include Educational classes, creative workshops, and social activities to promote personal growth.

  • Walk with the Rabbi- a monthly opportunity to join one of our SAYVA Partner Rabbi’s  for a special morning of conversation, community and a nice stroll around Lake Balboa.
  • The Growing Older, Growing Wiser series at Temple Judea and the Aging and Saging series at Temple Ramat Zion explore Jewish teachings on finding meaning and purpose in later adulthood. Both series, though structured differently, are facilitated by a Rabbi and a Therapist, offering a supportive space for reflection, sharing, and community connection.
  • Partner and Community Events: Partner institutions share and collaborate on programs, increasing participation across the region.

Past Programs: Honoring Dr. Ruth’s Legacy with Allison Gilbert, Co-Author of “Joy of Connections,” in Conversation with Rabbi Ed Feinstein,  We Will Dance Again: Musical Response on Grief and Hope after October 7 in Israel with Professor Mark Kligman, Jewish Studio Project, Read Hebrew America

Check out our SAYVA Calendar

SAYVA is organized around these themes.

Learning

Lifelong learning is essential for a fulfilling later adulthood, offering opportunities to explore new ideas, develop new skills, and embrace enriching experiences.

Creativity

Everyone has the capacity to create art, and engaging in creative expression brings joy and fulfillment, particularly after the working years have ended.

Giving Back

Later adulthood offers a unique opportunity to contribute to future generations through volunteerism, second careers, and sharing accumulated wisdom and experience.

Play

Play is essential to the human spirit, and later adulthood provides a chance to rediscover the joy of playful activities without the pressure of performance or failure.

Intimacy & Relationships

Maintaining and forming meaningful relationships with family, peers, and younger generations is key to successful aging and combating loneliness.

Transition

Maintaining and forming meaningful relationships with family, peers, and younger generations is key to successful aging and combating loneliness.

Ritual

Organizing rites of passage for the significant milestones of later life helps elders recalibrate, renew, and embrace new capacities, interests, and values.

We are ready to recalibrate, re-route, renew, and reveal new capacities, new interests, new values. This is the goal of SAYVA.