Celebrate the month of April with us here at The Encore!
#RecreationRocks
Events are subject to change. Please contact our Therapeutic Recreation Department for more information on our monthly events!
April Fools’ Day – Painting Party
On Monday, April 1st, at 3:00 pm, the Residents, after studying how the joker card looked throughout history, will be painting our own version of the joker for our own deck of cards, this program is open to the Residents and families of the Encore there are no reservations required.
April Fools Day, April 1, 2024
The Residents of the Encore will be learning how April 1st became a day of pranks and jokes. This tradition has been around for hundreds of years. April Fools’ Day, observed on April 1st each year, has a rich history and is celebrated by playing hoaxes and practical jokes on others. While its exact origins remain a mystery, several theories shed light on its beginnings:
Switch to the Gregorian Calendar: In 1582, France transitioned from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar as mandated by the Council of Trent in 1563. Previously, the new year began around April 1st in the Julian Calendar (similar to the Hindu calendar). Those who didn’t realize the shift to January 1st as the new year became the targets of jokes and hoaxes, earning the moniker “April Fools.” Pranks included placing paper fish on their backs, calling them “poisson d’avril” (April fish), symbolizing gullibility.
Hilaria in Ancient Rome: Historians link April Fools’ Day to the Roman festival called Hilaria, celebrated by followers of the cult of Cybele. During Hilaria, people donned disguises and mocked fellow citizens and Magistrates. The festival may have been inspired by the Egyptian legend of Isis, Osiris, and Seth.
Vernal Equinox and Unpredictable Weather: Another theory ties April Fools’ Day to the vernal equinox (the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere). Mother Nature’s unpredictable weather during this time fooled people, adding to the spirit of pranks.
Spread Throughout Britain: In the 18th century, April Fools’ Day gained popularity in Britain.
In Scotland, it became a two-day affair: Hunting the Gowk and sending people on phony errands (gowk means cuckoo bird, symbolizing fools). Tailie Day: Pranks involving derrieres, like pinning fake tails or “kick me”
signs.
Modern-Day Elaborate Hoaxes: Newspapers, radio, TV stations, and websites participate in creating elaborate April Fools’ Day hoaxes. In 1957, the BBC famously reported that Swiss farmers were harvesting spaghetti from trees. The History of Joker in playing cards. Cards History & history.com Here at The Encore, we will study the Jokers in decks of cards and notice the changes. As you can tell from its immense and colorful history, the Joker card has played a gigantic role in card playing for centuries. The Joker has a great amount of power, and since the beginning days, it has held the highest ranking in many card games. The power of the Joker is not ironically held in a comic manner but a manner of helping card players win the game. We will be studying the various artworks of the Joker from different time frames in history. The residents will paint their version of what they feel the Joker should look like.
Encore Lunar Eclipse Party- On Monday, April 8th, at 2:30 pm, the Encore staff, residents, and families will be together to witness the Lunar Eclipse. Eclipse sunglasses will be provided with simple refreshments such as drinks, moon pies, and sun chips. The program is open to the Residents, Families, and staff. No reservations are required.
Pre-Passover Seder
On Monday, April 22nd, at 2:30 pm, Rabbi Wolvoulsky will perform a Pre- Passover Seder so he can spend his Passover with his family. All prayers and traditions will be observed. This program is for Residents and families of the Encore. Please see Sara Huther for reservations if you are a guest of a Resident. The special foods we eat on Passover are also food for thought. Every symbolic food on the Seder plate abounds in meaning and allusion. Here, you will learn the descriptions of each food, the reason why it is included, the method of preparing it, and its role in the Seder meal. Only the Rabbi will have a shank bone. The 6 Symbolic Foods- This is a meaningful and important time for our Jewish Residents. We are grateful to our amazing Rabbi Moshe Wolvoulsky for never letting us down. Matzah, Zeroa (Shankbone),Beitzah (Egg),Maror and Chazeret (Bitter THerbs) ,Charoset (Paste), Karpas (Vegetable)…Your Finished Seder Plate.
As we practice proper social distancing protocols in our community, we are proud to feature modified programming to continue providing vibrancy for our residents and employees. All events are subject to change. Please feel free to follow us on our Facebook page for continued updates as well as reach out to us via Messenger.