Jewish Community News

News: April 2008

Grandpals Shabbat program unites seniors and preschoolers

The APJCC’s Grandpals Shabbat program has been a  hit with kids and seniors since it began on February 1. At each session, seniors sing with the children and then help them do a craft or other activity. At the end of the morning, seniors lead the children in blessing the Shabbat candles, grape juice and challah. Preschool parent Alan Josephson and APJCC Rabbi Joshua Fenton play guitar and lead the singing.
    “It’s wonderful to see the interaction between the seniors and the kids,” said Carrie McCarthy, who co-founded the program with fellow APJCC Preschool parent Rebecca Geshuri. “Some of the things we’ve seen are really heartwarming. Some of the kids will get up and dance during the singing part of the program, and some of the seniors dance with them.” At the first few sessions, the adults and children drew pictures of their families and then told each other about their families. Future activities will include making masks for Purim, planting flowers, making lemonade, and making pasta jewelry.
      “I’m impressed with how comfortable with us these children are,” commented program participant Rosalind Chase.     “They really adapt very quickly to us.”
    The children love the program too. “A couple of the parents have come to me and said their kids can’t stop talking about” the program, said McCarthy.
      Some of the APJCC Preschool teachers have begun to incorporate the program into their curriculum during the rest of the week.   
    One of the preschool classes has decided to make challah covers for the program, and another of the classes has issued an open invitation to the seniors to visit their classroom and read stories to the children.