Do you remember Woodstock? How about the moon landing? Did you ever see a movie at something called a “drive-in?” If you answered yes, you just might be a Baby Boomer — and thus the right age for the Boomer Engagement Network (BEN) for Jewish singles. This year-old program from our Jewish Federation brings together Jewish singles born between 1946 and 1964 for community-building and social events. Members see plays and films, grab drinks, dine out, and altogether have such a blast that one participant called it “a youth group for grownups.”
BEN is fun, but it also meets a serious need. The same generation that witnessed the Summer of Love is now being called “the loneliest generation,” with a high number of people facing aging alone, thanks to higher divorce rates and natural life events like spousal loss. But creating a network of supportive relationships reduces loneliness and introduces joy — not to mention the potential for romance.
Interested in getting involved (and possibly hitting it off)? Here’s what’s in store for BEN this fall:
- Friday September 13th – Shabbat dinner at Adath Israel (250 N Highland Ave, Merion Station, PA 19066)
- Sunday, September 22nd – Dinner and a show: “The Land of Milk and Funny” (National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 South Independence Mall East, Philadelphia)
- Thursday September 26th– Dinner and a show: “The Roommate” (Plays & Players Theatre 1714 Delancey Place, Philadelphia, PA 19103)
- Friday October 24th– Shabbat dinner at Congregation Kol Emet (1360 Oxford Valley Rd, Morrisville, PA 19067)
- Sunday November 3rd– “Fiddler on the Roof” in Yiddish (Stage 42, 422 W 42nd St New York, NY 10036)
Sign up for one or all of BEN’s programs! For more information, visit the Boomer Engagement Network on MeetUp and Facebook; or contact Penina Hoffnung at BEN@jewishphilly.org or 215.832.0813.