BAR/BAT MITZVAH Create The Celebration Of Your Dreams Celebrate a guide to simchahs continued from page C18 After my son's Bar Mitzvah at Franklin Athletic Club, I knew where I wanted to celebrate my daughter 's Bat Mitzvah. Now, with my third daughter, there is no doubt, that this will be another incredible party at Franklin! Jodi CALL NOW! 248.352.8000 The Charfoos family gathers in Michigan. 29350 Northwestern Highway I Southfield, Ml 48034 I 248.352.8000 www.FranklinClub.com roti /'()9C // 3 /'///,12 %t.) 1 to fashion fiirward -S'fir/lb C4:7(////. IN/LABIA'S BRIDAL 6325 Orchard Lake Rd. • West Bloomfield, MI • 248.539.3090 • www.mariasbridal.com C2 0 celebrate! March 2010 the travel expense to Chicago and to New York to see our children and their fami- lies, although it can get exhausting. When there are long weekends, around Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur for example, Barry and Sharon often drive in with the children. Even so, we miss a lot of events with the grandchildren and often feel disconnected because we're not there with them. "Thank goodness for technology, however, because it has helped us maintain our connections with them either on their cell phones or using Skype on the Internet." Children's lives change quickly and long-distance grandparents may feel at a loss when trying to keep up with the day-to-day details. However, the rewards of sharing activities can last a lifetime. Passover is one of the Jewish holidays when Lyne Madorsky and her Glencoe, family are in Michigan with parents/grandparents Roberta and Irwin Madorsky of Bloomfield Hills. Each summer, the Madorskys start their preparation for "Camp Madorsky" in Michigan. Only grandchildren are allowed as Lyne's children join with their Connecticut cousins at the Madorsky's Bloomfield home. "We put on plays, bake creative desserts and take little side trips," says Roberta. "These activities are a wonderful way to bond the two families." Another favorite time is when the family gathers for a week in Saugatuck or in Florida. Two of the three children of Dr. Steve and Caryn Gross of West Bloomfield also live in Chicago. Eldest daughter Stacey and Aaron Masliansky live in Evanston and son Jeffrey is a first-year medical student at Northwestern. Jeffrey married Rachel, originally from New York, and they have a son, year-old Eli. "Steve attended Northwestern University Medical School and we kept up with many of the friends we made at that time, so traveling to Chicago is always a great time for us," says Caryn Gross. "When the kids and their families come to Detroit, we make it a point to include as many of their cousins in our celebrations to maintain the extended-family connection:' In today's fragmented society, it is obvious that grandparents are needed more than ever to maintain a sense of Jewish community and to provide support and stability. Ask your children to keep you involved with their family life. Sharing your own life experiences with your distant family will not only con- nect your child and your grandchildren to their roots and heritage, but also will enhance your own family's Jewish legacy. That desire is strong enough to shrink the distance between Detroit and Chicago. LI