PJ Grandparents: High Holiday Events and Resources

PJ Library and Federation Rosh Hashanah web bannerPJ Library Grandparents: Celebrating the Fall Holidays

As you look for ways to share Jewish holidays with your grandchildren, consider these creatively adapted ideas to help your family celebrate safely, meaningfully, and joyfully.

The Jewish High Holy Days begin with Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) on Wednesday, October 2nd at sundown. For the following week, Jewish families around the world will gather to celebrate these occasions with services, symbolic foods, hearing the shofar and gathering with family and friends. These “Days of Awe” culminate with Yom Kippur (the day of atonement), but then celebrations continue with Sukkot (the feast of booths), Shemini Atzeret (featuring prayers for rain in Israel) and Simchat Torah (“rejoicing in the Torah”).

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Multigenerational family at Pick with PJ

Pick with PJ

Sunday, September 22nd
Two locations: Stribling Orchard in Markham, VA | 1:00–3:00 PM
and
Waters Orchard in Germantown, MD | 3:30–5:30 PM

Head to the apple orchard to celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Grandparents Day! We’ll pick apples, have professional family photos taken, read stories, and do two mitzvah (good deed) projects (making cards for Jewish military service members and donating apples to a local food bank). This event is being held in two locations; choose the one that’s best for your family.

This program is a collaboration of The Jewish Federation, PJ Library, Pozez JCC of Northern Virginia, Bender JCC, Shaare Torah, Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County, Congregation Adat Reyim, and Congregation Beth Emeth.
girl with grandparents reading a Rosh Hashanah story

Tips for Connecting Around the High Holidays

  • Try Something New: There’s a Rosh Hashanah tradition of trying a new fruit as a way of underscoring the “newness” of the new year. Brainstorm with your grandchild(ren) on a new fruit, food, or food combo that you haven’t had before or in a very long time. Then try it together, either in the same kitchen or over a video chat. Don’t forget to say the Shehechiyanu blessing for first times when you do!
  • Try Something New (part 2): You could also each make a commitment to trying something new as an activity. It could be something neither of you have done, or you could make a suggestion to your grandchild and vice-versa, to try something new that the other suggests. It could be an outdoor activity, a game, a new show, or other experience. Your grandchild(ren) would love to be able to share something they love with you!
  • Create Something New: Is there a piece of Judaica that can be used at the holidays that you can make together? Consider painting a plate and bowl for apples and honey at pottery studio, or tie-dying or decorating a challah cover that’s used for the round challot served at the holiday. You could also decorate candle holders to light for the yontifs (holidays). There’s a Jewish value of hiddur mitzvah (beautifying a mitzvah) that applies to taking joy in adding something beautiful to celebrate a holiday. It can even apply to getting your grandchild’s help to polish candlesticks or other heirlooms!
  • Recipe Swap: Before the holiday, get together to make something for the holiday. You can teach how to make a family recipe, and then at another time, your grandchild can pick the recipe to teach you! This can be done in person or over a video chat.
  • Mail Some Love: Set up a card exchange to include extended family.  Each person or household would be assigned a different household (think: cousins, siblings, great-aunts/uncles) to mail a New Year’s greeting card. It can be purchased or homemade, electronic or paper. It’s just a great way to create connections and spread joy among the family.
  • Create a Growth Chart: Growth charts usually change how much taller a child has gotten, but you could also create a Family Growth Chart to show how each family member has grown as a person. Track the new skills learned or abilities gained over the past year.
  • Connect Via Video: Use a video chat option to share the holiday together–getting together before the holiday or during dinner using FaceTime, Zoom, House Party or the app of your choice. You can also use Caribu to share a favorite holiday book!
Three children with pumpkins

Tips for Connecting Around Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah 

Being welcoming is about more than just being polite. It’s creating a space in your home and your heart to invite someone in and let each of you be your best selves. Throughout the week of Sukkot (the festival of booths), which begins Sunday night, we can convey the Jewish values of Hachnassat Orchim (welcoming guests) and Shalom Bayit (peace in the home) to children. Here are a few ways to do that:

  • Celebrate the Harvest: Invite your family for a harvest-inspired meal using the fruits of the season.
  • Decorate for the Holiday: Create seasonal decorations to hang in a sukkah (the temporary hut built for Sukkot). If neither home has one, you can hang them in a community sukkah, from the ceiling (like we do at our home), or from a tree.
  • Welcome Your In-Laws: When welcoming in-laws to your home at any time, let them know you’re happy for them to be there by stocking a favorite drink or snack. By giving forethought for their comfort, it shows that you care.
  • Help Others Find Sukkat Shalom (Peaceful Shelter): Make a plan for helping refugees together, even if you’re in separate cities. Doing a collection of needed items or raising money to purchase them can go a long way to extending this value beyond the home. Learn more about the work of HIAS.

Following on the heels of Sukkot are Shemini Atzeret (7th day of assembly) and Simchat Torah (rejoicing in the Torah). Shemini Atzeret comes at the start of the rainy season and is about praying for the rain required for things to grow in Israel. A great book about Israel, grandparents, and rain is First Rain by Charlotte Herman.

Simchat Torah is a joyous holiday where we finish the annual reading of the Torah (the five books of the Hebrew Bible) and begin it anew. This happy holiday is a great opportunity to convey a joy in being Jewish. Here are some specific ideas:

  • Join a Simchat Torah Service: Take your grandchildren to a synagogue service in-person or online to watch the reading of the end of the Torah and beginning it anew.
  • Read About the Holiday: Read a book about the holiday, such as When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street.
  • Re-Read a Favorite Book: Read a book and then read it again—a great option is We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems, which (spoiler alert!) ends by asking you to read it again!
  • Share Special Objects: Simchat Torah is one time a year when the Torah scroll is unfurled, making it a special occasion. Are there items you have that you rarely bring out that you can show your grandchildren? Teach them how to be careful around them but do share these pieces of your history or objects you find beautiful with your grandchildren.

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