Residents, their families and team members at The Legacy Willow Bend     (a life care retirement community in Plano) recently gathered together in observance of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. In addition, The Legacy at Home delivered traditional honey cakes to its Jewish home health care clients as a way to wish them a sweet new year. The Legacy Senior Communities is the not-for-profit parent company of both organizations. As one of the holiest days in Judaism, Rosh Hashanah begins the Days of Awe, a 10-day period when Jewish people reflect on the previous year by repenting for any sins they committed.

"Rosh Hashanah is a time for us to come together each year as a community to reflect on the previous year and anticipate the beginning of a new year ahead," said Laura Levy, executive director of The Legacy Willow Bend. "We are thankful for the opportunity to share this special occasion with our residents and their families as we celebrate the hope of new beginnings."

In observance of the holiday, The Legacy Willow Bend hosted morning services for residents and their families led by Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor in independent living and Eli Davidson in assisted living and memory care. During the service, they heard the sounding of the shofar the ram's horn as the call to repentance. Immediately following, those in attendance participated in Taslich. They tossed breadcrumbs into the outdoor water fountain, symbolizing a release from their sins of the past. Residents and their guests also enjoyed apples dipped in honey to symbolize a sweet year ahead.

"Whether it's with our residents at The Legacy Willow Bend or our clients at The Legacy at Home, I find it rewarding to come together and celebrate our Jewish holidays and traditions," said Elise Power, Jewish community liaison for The Legacy at Home. "By bringing the Greater Dallas Jewish community in to observe the holidays with us, we all experienced a sense of heartfelt fulfillment and joy."

"At The Legacy Senior Communities, we treasure our longstanding tradition of observing Jewish holidays together as a community," said Melissa Orth, CEO of The Legacy Senior Communities. "We are honored to come together alongside those we serve to commemorate Rosh Hashanah through religious services and home visits. Rosh Hashanah is a time best spent together with family and friends as we reflect on the past year, and we were thrilled to share this experience across our organization."