Getting to Know You

Under the theme “Going from Professionally Aimless to Always Scoring a Bull’s Eye, Big Time,” Amelia Augustus will interview Gene DuBow about the many hats he’s worn in his life.

To those who are relatively new to Kendal, Gene may be known primarily as the host of the weekly Contemporary Issues Discussion Group (now on Zoom), but he has also committed himself to numerous past and present Kendal-related activities.

Gene is a 50-year veteran professional with the American Jewish Committee and was the founding director of the AJC’s Berlin office. In 1996, he was decorated by the German government with the Federal Order of Merit in recognition of his work in German-Jewish relations, and in 2004 Gene was awarded an honorary doctorate from Hebrew Union College.

Please meet Gene up close and personal on Tuesday, December 8, at 2 pm. The interview will be conducted on Zoom. All internet users with email will receive an invitation and instructions on how to join the meeting.

Amelia heartily recommends it!

Great Decisions: India and Pakistan

The Great Decisions Discussion program will hold its last session of the year on Monday, November 30, via Zoom.

The topic is India and Pakistan.

The program begins with a DVD at 10 am on Channel 970, followed by an update and discussion at 10:30 am on Zoom. Click here to watch it on YouTube.

Hank Berger is the facilitator and Jeff O’Donnell the Zoom host.

Phelps December Vitality Programs

Click here for the December schedule of support and informational meetings.

Thanksgiving Poetry

At this time when good feelings and thoughts are needed, what better way to celebrate the holiday than turning to Thanksgiving poetry.

The editorial staff of the Kendal on Hudson Residents Website wish you a wonderful and healthy Thanksgiving.

Fire Dreams (1918)

by Carl Sandburg

"Fire Dreams" was published in Carl Sandburg's volume of poetry Cornhuskers for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1919. He is known for his Walt Whitman-like style and use of free verse. Sandburg writes here in the language of the people, directly and with relatively little embellishment, except for a limited use of metaphor, giving this poem a modern feel. He reminds the reader of the first Thanksgiving, conjures up the season and gives his thanks to God. Here's the first stanza:

I remember here by the fire,
In the flickering reds and saffrons,
They came in a ramshackle tub,
Pilgrims in tall hats,
Pilgrims of iron jaws,
Drifting by weeks on beaten seas,
And the random chapters say
They were glad and sang to God.

Thanksgiving Time (1921)

by Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes, famous as a seminal and hugely important influence on the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, wrote poetry, plays, novels, and short stories that shed a light on Black people's experiences in America. This ode to Thanksgiving invokes traditional images of the time of year and the food that is often part of the story. The language is simple, and this would be a good poem to read at a Thanksgiving with children gathered around the table. Here's the first stanza:

When the night winds whistle through the trees and blow the crisp brown leaves a-crackling down,
When the autumn moon is big and yellow-orange and round,
When old Jack Frost is sparkling on the ground,
It's Thanksgiving Time!

Thanksgiving at Kendal

Nothing, not even the horrors of Covid-19 can wipe out the spirit of Thanksgiving at Kendal on Hudson.

Granted, the celebration of the holiday will be different this year, however, the joy and meaning of the holiday will carry on as usual.

Covid-19 has occasioned a set of regulations that are laid down by the New York State Department of Health. They are aimed at maintaining health standards for the resident community as well as those who will be visiting during the holiday. The number of visitors to each apartment is limited, and the dining room will be open only to residents.

The guidelines have been provided to all residents in printed form with the expectation that they will be fully adhered to.

2020 is a tough year for everybody but following the regulations under which we live has kept illness and death from the virus to an absolute minimum at Kendal.

We know all residents and their family members will understand the need to observe the rules and hopefully will enjoy Thanksgiving as much as possible under these trying circumstances.

The Quaker Connection Video Series

Kendal on Hudson’s mission is to provide innovative programs and services to foster the autonomy and well-being of older adults in our community based on a value-driven commitment. Those values come directly from Quaker principles.

Our residents come from many different backgrounds and religious persuasions, so questions are frequently raised about Quaker life and beliefs. A recent video series answers many of the questions and explains how a Quaker values-rooted organization is unique. 

The Quaker Connection Video Series offers perspectives on living and working in an organization rooted in Quaker values, as told through conversations with lifelong Friends Jane Mack, President/CEO of Friends Service Alliance, and David Jones, retired Vice President of Development for The Kendal Corporation. 

Designed for board members, residents, clients and staff of Quaker values-aligned senior care providers, these short videos and their accompanying reflection questions explore the history, beliefs and practices of the Religious Society of Friends.

Click on links to view.


1. Quaker History and Beliefs: An Overview

2. Quaker Principles | SPICES

3. Quakers as Change Agents

4. Collaborative Decision Making Part 1: An Overview

5. Collaborative Decision Making Part 2: Role of Participants

6. Collaborative Decision Making Part 3: Role of Facilitator/Chair/Clerk

7. Quaker Values in the Lives of Our Organizations

8. Frequently Asked Questions about Quakerism

Library News

The Kendal Library has a fascinating piece that you will enjoy reading.

It is about Twink Wood’s mother, and her determination to get her family through the Great Depression. It includes a picture of Twink as a lovely young girl. Twink Wood is on almost everyone’s list of great people here at Kendal. While she is no longer a “young girl”, in the eyes of all she is still “lovely”.

The article is from the publication of the Westchester County Historical Society, and it can be found in a bright purple plastic folder on the bottom shelf of the Large Print Collection.

Parkinson's Support Group Forming

A Parkinson’s Support Group is being formed at Kendal on Hudson.

Residents with Parkinson’s, or the spouse or partner of a resident with Parkinson’s, are encouraged to come and explore the creation of this important and vital group.

We will meet on Wednesday, December 2 at 11 am in the Riverview Conference Room.

If anyone has questions about this group, please contact Margaret Ann Roth, chair of the Health and Wellness Committee.

New Great Courses Series: Greece and Turkey

A new Great Courses Series will be available starting the weekend of November 28-29, on Channel 970.

It will feature 24 lectures “The Great Tours: Greece and Turkey, from Athens to Istanbul.” Two 30-minute lectures will be shown on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons, starting at 3 pm.

The great cities of Athens and Istanbul serve as bookends for this journey around the Aegean. Athens was the great intellectual center of ancient Greece, the center of a mighty military league, and the birthplace of democratic government.

Istanbul, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, has long been the place where cultures have met, in conflict and in harmony.

The tour will also cover some of the Aegean islands as well as the interior of the land once known as Anatolia. Each destination is part of the wonderful mosaic that makes the Aegean a must-see destination for any history lover.

The course will be led by Professor John R. Hale, Director of Liberal Studies, University of Louisville, an archaeologist with more than 30 years of fieldwork and research experience in Greece, Turkey, and numerous other countries. His undergraduate work was done at Yale, his Ph.D. is from the University of Cambridge.

KoH Fitness News #3

Click here to read the latest newsletter from Cathy.