Bonding across the generations

Filling the gap between generations, 80 seniors, members of the Jewish Community Center of the Greater Five Towns, and 20 seventh- and eighth-graders from the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns (HAFTR) Middle School joined together for an the Festival of Lights Hanukkah celebration on Dec. 11.
Half of the students are taking part in the school’s Names, Not Numbers project which focuses on telling the story of the Holocaust through the stories of the survivors who are interviewed and videotaped by the students. Lawrence Middle School eighth-graders also participate in the project. The seventh-graders represented the school’s choir. A portion of the seniors are part of the JCC’s survivor’s group.
“Together, they all became each others newly adopted relatives,” said Rochelle Brand, the HAFTR Middle School principal. “There was a real sense of cross-generational camaraderie.”
As part of the celebration, the chunukiah, a seven-branch menorah that symbolizes the burning bush supposedly seen by Moses on Mount Sinai that represents the seven days of the week, was lit. Latkes, or potato pancakes, and jelly doughnuts were served for lunch. In addition, tenor Rodrigo Garciarroyo and musical concert pianist David Rosenmeyer entertained the guests. The HAFTR choir sang Hanukkah and Yiddish songs.
“It was a beautiful morning for everyone,” Brand said. “We look forward to more bonding events to build relationships between the children and the seniors next year.”