MARCH 3 • 2022 | 15
she’s excited
to have more
options when it
comes to places
to take the kids.
“I’m looking
forward to hav-
ing things I can
take them both to with other
grandparents,” she says.
With this new program, she
can go with her friends and
connect this new generation.
Spending the time togeth-
er is more than meaningful,
notes Ken Korotkin, “Papa
Ken” to six grandkids ages
2-14. “It gives you a chance
to really have an impact on
the children’s lives,” he says.
“And you feel special, too.”
Korotkin, who raised three
daughters as a single dad,
notes that, as a grandparent,
he feels teaching his grand-
kids his ethics, morals and
values is key. The Bloomfield
Hills resident is enthusiastic
about Jewish programming
he can attend with his
grandkids and wants to see
JGrand evolve.
He’s made the rounds
of area classes for Jewish
children and says he’s a big
proponent of bubbie/zaydie
camp and other opportuni-
ties that bring him and his
grandchildren together in a
Jewish context.
“I’m proud to be Jewish,”
he says. “And I think it’s
important for me to teach
that to my grandchildren.”
Emily Korotkin of
Bloomfield Hills first got
involved with the JCC’s
JBaby when she was preg-
nant with her son, Davis,
now 3. She’s glad her dad
would want to take Davis
and little sister Cash, 2, to
the programs.
“My grandparents were
integral parts of my life, and
so was my Jewish upbring-
ing, so, to me, the two go
hand in hand,” she says. “I
just like being involved in
the community, supporting
the programs that help with
the community’s infra-
structure and that also help
expose our kids to aspects of
Jewish life.”
Family time is important
to her and her wife, Stacy,
she explains. “I think any-
thing you can do with your
family where you’re learning,
growing and getting special
time together is important
to us,” she says. “The quality
time is just something that’s
irreplaceable.”
NEAR AND FAR
Franci Silver, who oversees
the program on behalf of the
JCC board, believes this is
the first program of its kind
to offer events for grandpar-
ents with kids both in and
out of town.
Silver, with a 2-year-old
granddaughter in Tampa,
looks forward to having a
program that allows grand-
parents to stay connected
with their grandkids, no
matter where they live.
She says she hopes
grandparents embrace this
innovative opportunity to
connect with their grand-
kids. For younger children,
for example, having an
activity to do together could
also help them stay online
longer.
“It keeps them interested,
and it keeps them active
with their grandparents,”
Silver says.
She adds that the JCC is a
natural place for such a pro-
gram to be housed.
“I think the Jewish
community is so tight in
Michigan; it’s just warm,
friendly and communi-
ty-based,” she says. “It’s just
another thing to add to that
list of things the community
does for each other and with
each other.”
Patti
Phillips
South Florida
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