Holiday BBQ at Parker Jewish

Patients at the Parker Jewish Institute were treated to a Memorial Day BBQ on Friday, May 23. The BBQ drew about 150 people many of whom were in their eighties and nineties, who enjoyed the entertainment, music, hotdogs and drinks.
“We want to normalize life as much as possible for the patients. The country is celebrating Memorial Day, so we are too,” said Edith Shapiro who is the Director of Therapeutic Recreation at the institute.
She added that the BBQ would have entertainment to give the patients a flavor of what the day was all about.
In that respect, veterans from American Legion Post 1282 in Merrick were on hand to lead the pledge of allegiance and to sing the national anthem.
Many of the patients are themselves veterans having served in World War II according to Shapiro.
The Parker Jewish institute is a multicultural center serving not just Jewish people but also Catholics, Muslims and Protestants along with people from a multitude of countries. “It’s a melting pot.
We call it our United Nations,” said Shapiro. She said that many people from all over the world are being treated there.
The center focuses on helping patients who have suffered some kind of physical trauma that makes them unable to move freely.
The center has about 300 patients that live in the facility and another 200 that are just there to receive
rehabilitation. Some common ailments that are treated include hip replacement, knee replacement and stroke.