The role of grandparents and a book that defines them

Whether they’re called grandma and grandpa, bubbe and zayde or savta and saba, it’s never too early to teach children about v’hadarta p’nei zaken, the Jewish tenet of respecting and caring for the elderly. “A Grandma/Grandpa Like Yours,” written by Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum and illustrated by Barb Björnson, provides that learning opportunity.  The book is flipbook, designed to be read in one direction for the story on grandmas and the other for the story on grandpas.

The whimsical, colorful and cheery illustrations make this an ideal book for children ages 2-6. Readers will delight in a nana chimpanzee baking challah, a saba llama blowing the shofar, and a grandmother bunny preparing a Seder meal for 23 cousins. Filled with rhyming text, significant Jewish ritual and joyful ways for families to connect, the book depicts lovable animals setting an example of tradition to share with their grandchildren. In addition, children will learn about the various names for grandparents in English, Hebrew and Yiddish. What a perfect book for Jewish grandparents to share with their grandchildren!

“The role of grandparents has evolved,” says Minna Ellison, Senior Vice President for Community Planning & Programming and a grandmother to Sonja and Jonah Ellison, ages 4 years and 14 months respectively. “So many of my contemporaries are caring for their children’s children in order to alleviate the burden of childcare. However, 60 is the new 40, and more grandparents are doing lots of things with their grandkids.”

Some of the things might include the activities depicted in “A Grandma/Grandpa Like Yours” such as dancing the horah, visiting the sick or attending shul.  Another tradition of Jewish living one may choose to share with his or her grandchildren is social action. Sharon Morton is the founder and executive director of Grandparents for Social Action (GSA), a nonprofit whose mission is “to educate and engage seniors to do social action, to empower grandchildren to improve the world, and to create a legacy from one generation to another.” Morton says the motivation to create GSA was her questioning what legacy she would leave for her grandchildren. “I decided I wanted [my grandchildren] to know more about how they can live as philanthropists and social action activists.”

Any mitzvah that unites families and embraces l’dor v’dor, (from generation to generation) is a loving deed. The Rhode Island Jewish community and beyond are rich with opportunities for young and old to connect, share, relate, participate and enjoy. Find your own unique intergenerational Jewish activities and invite your bubbe along for the ride!

KARA MARZIALI is the Director of Communications at the Alliance.