Family Focus

Blending Generations

FJA's annual event brings grandparents to sample a school day.

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Gail Tukel and Art Fiszbein share lunch with grandson Jacob Tukel, an FJA
freshman.

Mikhail Aronson and Raisa Strumba attend a science laboratory with granddaughter
Polina Fradkin, an FJA sophomore.

Dena Berlin, an FJA senior, and her grandmother Alice Berlin

Gail Offen is welcomed by her nephew, FJA senior Corey Rosen.

Debra Darvick
Special to the Jewish News

T

he Frankel Jewish Academy held
its fifth annual Grandparents
& VIP Visiting Day on Oct. 20,
and 168 guests gathered at the West
Bloomfield school to sample a day in
the life of an FJA student.
The event brings the generations
together to attend morning classes,

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October 29 • 2009

share lunch and have the opportunity to
blend the worlds of school and family.
"There is a blessing in Psalms: 'May
you live to see your children's children,"
said Rabbi Eric Grossman, FJA head of
school. "Visiting Day is the fulfillment
of that blessing. Grandparents see their
grandchildren in action; they see how
their Jewish heritage is being carried
forward into the next generation."
Fred Ferber, who came to spend the
day with grandson Brett Ferber, a junior,

attends Visiting Day each year. "Good
teaching;' he said, "is not just how high
teachers set expectations, but also how
they inspire their students to perform.
"The teachers here make the children
want to do well because the children
admire and care for them."
As much fun as the morning was for
grandparents, it was equally enjoyable
for the younger generation. Rena and
Dave Kersch attended granddaughter
Lizzie Belsky's 11th-grade Bible class.

"I loved watching my zaydie ask ques-
tions and engage my teacher in conversa-
tion:' Lizzie said. "When he was called on,
he even translated a passage in Hebrew."
At the other end of the spectrum,
senior Josh Schostak got a kick out of
"seeing the reactions of grandparents,
Arlene and Asher Tilchin, to the new
technology in the school." II

Debra Darvick is a member of the FJA

communications department.