16 | JANUARY 12 • 2023 

OUR COMMUNITY

A

s has often been said, 
the only constant is 
change. JGrand, part of 
JFamily Detroit, first launched its 
programming in February 2022. 
And before 2022 was through, 
the Jewish grandparenting- 
focused organization was ready 
to expand access to its program-
ing to “grand-friends.
” 
There is truly no 
greater blessing than 
grandparents. Lori 
Fidler, coordinator 
of Grandparent 
Engagement at 
JGrand, explains 
JGrand’s two-prong service 
model: activities and events, and 
education. Past activities and 
events have included everything 
from riding tricycles around The 
J’s track to park play dates with 
parachute games. Educational 
resources include a Savvy 
Grandparent Toolbox filled with 
items to foster intergenerational 

bonding.
JGrand marketing focused 
on inviting children with their 
grandparents. Then, Tina Pinter 
and Tilly Katz came to a sum-
mer JGrand event at The J’s 
outdoor pool and laid the inspi-
ration for grand-friends, a eure-
ka moment for a necessary and 
positive expansion of JGrand 
service beneficiaries. Tilly’s own 
grandmother could not join Tilly 
for this event, so Tilly’s mom, 
Marni Katz, asked Pinter to step 
in and accompany her daughter. 
Pinter and Tilly’s close rela-
tionship formed at Willoway 
Day Camp where Pinter has 

worked for many years as head 
of the swim program. Pinter 
has kids of her own, but no 
grandchildren yet. Pinter loves 
working with kids. “I find joy 
and happiness with kids,
” Pinter 
shares. 
When Pinter is not at 
Willoway, she is the director of 
first impressions at Hillel Day 
School.
Seeing Pinter and Tilly togeth-
er for the JGrand pool event 
illuminated a need in the com-
munity to expand to allowing 
grand-friend accompaniment 
and not just grandparents. 
A multitude of reasons exist 
for why a child’s own grandpar-
ents may be unable to partici-
pate, Fidler says. Many children 
are not fortunate enough to have 
living grandparents. Often gen-
erations of a family do not live 
in the same state. Sometimes a 
grandparent’s ability to partici-
pate is limited by other factors, 

such as health.
At this time, no program is in 
place to facilitate creating child 
and grand-friend buddies. For 
now, Fidler looks to the child’s 
family to ask extended family 
and friends who already have 
a relationship with the child 
as well as the parent’s trust to 
accompany the child to JGrand 
programming. 
The important message that 
Fidler aims to share with the 
Metro Detroit Jewish communi-
ty is that grand-friends are wel-
come. She hopes the expansion 
of welcome will enable more 
children and adult commu-
nity members to benefit from 
JGrand’s programming. 

The JGrand program is supported by 

the Norman A and Susan L Pappas 

Family Support Foundation. For more 

information about JGrand programs and 

activities, visit https://jfamily.jccdet.org/

jgrand. Lori Fidler can be reached at 

lfidler@jccdet.org.

JGrand expands to include more people in its programming.
Grand-Friends Are Welcome

Lori Fidler

STORY AND PHOTOS BY YEVGENIYA GAZMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

LEFT TO RIGHT: 
 Grand-friend Tina 
Pinter and Tilly Katz. 
 
Tina and Tilly have fun 
at a JGrand event. 

“I FIND JOY 
AND HAPPINESS 

WITH KIDS.”

— TINA PINTER

