Jewelry Artists at the Cohen Home

Iva Lee Fowke, Rachelle Lipman and Marianne Martin attended a jewelry-making class at The Cohen Home in March as just an activity. Fowke, who moved into The Cohen Home just a year ago, led the class. Beads were bought and Fowke taught the ladies layout and design, and how to string and tie.

When the class grew from three to 13 ladies, Lipman said, “Let’s sell the jewelry.”

Visitors to The Cohen Home began to purchase the jewelry for their family, their friends, and the staff. The first sales were in May. The bracelets and necklaces were perfect gifts for Mother’s Day.

Currently, the creators are looking for avenues for wholesale purchases of cording and beads, and skilled jewelers willing to teach them additional jewelry-making skills.

Located in Johns Creek, The Cohen Home has been part of the Jewish HomeLife network since 2009 and provides assisted living and memory care support for older adults. The jewelry makers and sellers, who became friends after moving into the community, are delighted to present and sell bracelets and necklaces on tables in the lobby.

Originally founded in 1979 by the National Council of Jewish Women as The Louis Kahn Group Home, in the Morningside area of Atlanta, the community relocated to Johns Creek in 2005.

The current building was constructed and furnished through the generosity of the Philip, Kasper and Helen P. Cohen family and renamed The Cohen Home in their memory.

In 2009, Jewish HomeLife took over ownership and management at the request of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. At that time, the community was in danger of closing, with very few, very frail residents. With the support of Jewish HomeLife, The Cohen Home was renovated in 2017 and is now a vibrant place for older adults of all abilities to call home.

On The Cohen Home’s Facebook page, residents and their families are effusive with praise for their activities and the loving care they provide residents.

Congregation Gesher L’Torah, on Kimball Bridge Road in Alpharetta, hosted a Holiday Bazaar on Dec. 4, and invited the jewelry ladies at The Cohen Home. Bracelets and necklaces were available for purchase.

The Cohen Home has developed a relationship with nearby synagogue Gesher L’Torah, and LaKeisha Brown, The Cohen Home activity director, felt the Holiday Bazaar would be an opportunity for the residents to share their creations.

Lisa Winokur, the Holiday Bazaar chair, exclaimed, “We’ll put you in a special spot where there will be room for all of you.”

The Cohen Home’s executive director, Michelle Bradley, also shared her praise for the ladies and their jewelry-making wares.

“This opportunity to be recognized for their work is a great example of our transformational engagement program, based on the principles of the ‘I’m Still Here’ approach,” she said. “The jewelry-making gives these ladies purpose, and they’ve bonded as friends. We bring the joy and camaraderie while also supporting their care needs.”