September 10 was a milestone day at the Donald Berman Jewish Eldercare Centre in Montreal: the staff threw the organization's annual group birthday party for a record number of residents over 100 years old. This year’s 22 “super seniors” include a Second World War veteran, David Kucer, who worked forging metal miniature weapons as collectors items, and also Bella Bernstein, the oldest of the group. At 104, she is a renowned former soprano who performed opera and Jewish music across the community.

But it wasn't all smiles and birthday cake. Originally, there were supposed to be 23 seniors to celebrate—until, sadly, one passed away just a few days earlier.

To learn the secret of living a long life, we turned to the experts. On The CJN Daily, the 104-year-old Bernstein joins host Ellin Bessner, along with Bernstein's daughter Harriet Segal and the home's recreation coordinator, Josie di Benedetto.

What we talked about

Read how COVID-19 decimated the Jewish long-term care homes in Montreal in The CJN
Read about Cecile Klein, z”l, who was Canada’s oldest person at 114, until her death, in The CJN
Learn about Rabbi Erwin Schild, who marked his 103rd birthday recently in Toronto, in The CJN

Credits

The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer.Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here.

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