About this episode

Cynthia Goren shares her journey of learning, listening, and helping others at the age of 89 after the loss of her husband.

At 89, Cynthia Goren is navigating a profound new chapter. Since the death of her husband last October after 67 years of marriage, she has become more aware of her own mortality—and more determined to live meaningfully. For Cynthia, that means continuing to learn, staying engaged in the things she loves, and, above all, helping others. “People need favors,” she says. “Physical help, someone to listen to their stories.” Listening and helping have been threads throughout Cynthia’s life. A lifelong learner and teacher, Cynthia traces her love of learning to her parents. Teaching became a natural extension of her curiosity: she taught English in elementary school and literature at community college, delighting in explaining ideas and sharing what she was discovering. Even today, learning remains an essential part of who she is. Cynthia’s Jewish faith and traditions have also shaped her sense of responsibility to others. Wanting to pass those traditions on to her children and grandchildren, she wrote Tales from a Jewish Grandmother: A Book of “Bubbe Meises,” using stories, food, Jewish education, family life, and humor to preserve a heritage she treasures. Now she is turning to…

Topics covered

• aging
• learning
• helping others
• Jewish traditions
• family heritage

Keywords

• Cynthia Goren
• aging
• learning
• Jewish traditions
• family stories
• helping others
• literature

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