New initiative brings culturally and spiritually tailored end-of-life care directly to Jewish patients and their families.
Aviva Senior Living is proud to partner with Empath Tidewell Hospice, Sarasota’s leading provider of end-of-life care, to launch a new Jewish hospice program called Tikvah. Led by Sepi Ackerman, Director of Jewish Community Development at Tidewell Hospice, Tikvah is the first program of its kind in Sarasota. It offers specialized services to honor the wishes of Jewish patients and help keep them comfortable during their final days.
“As Sarasota’s only Jewish senior living community, it was a natural fit for us to help support this groundbreaking initiative,” said Jay Solomon, President & CEO of Aviva. “Making sure patients are treated with dignity at the end of life is essential. Meeting their spiritual and cultural needs through Tikvah can truly change someone’s experience.”
Tikvah is an extra service available through Tidewell Hospice, run by trained volunteers from the community. The program provides many services, such as service boxes that bring religious traditions like Shabbat to a patient’s bedside, on-call clergy through a coalition of local rabbis, Jewish vigils, Jewish music, and more. Patients and families can join Tikvah for free as part of their existing Tidewell care.
“Tikvah brings Jewish spiritual connection and tradition into the Hospice experience, allowing Jewish residents and their families to receive care that honors not just their medical needs but their heritage and faith. We are incredibly grateful to partner with a community like Aviva that understands cultural and spiritual care is an essential part of dignity at the end of life.” said Ackerman.
The Tikvah program officially launched on September 11, 2026, coinciding with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and one of Judaism’s High Holy Days. Volunteers helped patients observe Rosh Hashanah traditions, including the custom of dipping apples in honey to welcome a sweet new year.
Aviva residents will have further opportunities to support Tikvah through volunteer opportunities and an upcoming educational session on the program. Hospice patients who want Tikvah to visit with them simply need to speak with their assigned Tidewell social worker, who will coordinate the rest. Aviva Senior Living and Tidewell Hospice have worked together for many years to provide dignity and care for people at the end of life. Together, they have cared for hundreds of patients and supported families during difficult times. The Tikvah program is another positive step in their partnership, helping to improve end-of-life care in senior living.
