Column from Bubba Sharon
October 2024
VALUES - Our values unite us - inspire us - and guide us.
This is a time in our lives to take the time to think about and discuss important values that we have received, that sustain us. (and that we want to transmit to the next generation.)
What are the 5 most important values from this list: How do they influence your life decisions. What other values should be included in this list.
Where did these values come from if they are your main values? Why might you want to transmit them to the next generation? Find moments in your life that the particular values are most important to you. When were they evidenced in your life, in the life of your family, friends, associates, grandchildren?
Write the stories, or the reminder sentences that will recall the stories for you. Discuss them with your grandchildren. What are their values? How do they live them out?
Partial LIST OF VALUES COMPILED BY 21/64 - ASSOCIATION OF SMALL FOUNDATIONS.
This is a time in our lives to take the time to think about and discuss important values that we have received, that sustain us. (and that we want to transmit to the next generation.)
What are the 5 most important values from this list: How do they influence your life decisions. What other values should be included in this list.
Where did these values come from if they are your main values? Why might you want to transmit them to the next generation? Find moments in your life that the particular values are most important to you. When were they evidenced in your life, in the life of your family, friends, associates, grandchildren?
Write the stories, or the reminder sentences that will recall the stories for you. Discuss them with your grandchildren. What are their values? How do they live them out?
Partial LIST OF VALUES COMPILED BY 21/64 - ASSOCIATION OF SMALL FOUNDATIONS.
- Tolerance - Respecting the beliefs, practices or innate differences of others.
- Courage - Standing up in the face of adversity.
- Leadership - Motivating others to work towards achieving a common purpose.
- Community - feeling a meaningful connection to a group of people.
- Personal growth and education - pursuing new skills and self-awareness.
- Tradition - valuing a practice, custom, or story passed down from generation to generation.
- Freedom - Having the ability to exercise choice and free will.
- Helping - Taking care of others and meeting their needs.
- Friendship - experience close, ongoing relationships
- Responsibility - Voluntarily doing what is expected.
- Justice - pursuing what is fair and morally right.
- Integrity - Acting in alignment with your deeply held values.
- Family - Caring for and spending time with loved ones.
- Loyalty - Being devoted to a person, ideal, duty or cause
- Obligation - Committing to fulfill a duty or promise.
- Thanks to 2164.net, grandparentsforsocialaction.org, for assisting in this project.
January 2016
Today I googled “days to celebrate in January, and got a website called “wizzley.com” These are only a few of the holidays they listed.
Celebrating January Holidays If you’re looking for an excuse to celebrate this January then you’ve come to the right place as I’ve compiled a great list of cool holidays for you to pay homage to – some you may be familiar with, but many you have probably not heard of before. 1st January - New Years Day Make New Years Resolutions. 3rd January - Festival of Sleep Day 5th January- National Bird Day is a great excuse to teach your children about the birds in your own backyard or even to make a bird feeder to see what birdlife you can attract. 9th January - National Clean Off Your Desk Day 11th January - International Thank You Day 16th January - Religious Freedom Day- there are so many different countries around the world where people do not have the right to follow their own religious beliefs. This is something many of us take for granted without really thinking about it. Do Something to honor your religious beliefs. 24th January - National Compliment Day - Don’t forget the opportunities you have this day. The website also lists other holidays for the other days of Jan, but they did not list two of my favorites, both of which are very important. Martin Luther King Day- (A National day of service)Look it up on the web. There are so many things to do. 1. Look on the web for Martin Luther King Day. Learn about the history of the day, and why it is now a National Day of Service. Do something with your grandchildren, even if you dont live close to one another. Take pictures and start a MLK or TuB’shevat photo album. TuB’shevat - the Jewish Arbor day. 1. Plant a tree in Israel in honor of your grandchildren, 2. plant parsley in your house to be used at your Passover Seder.3. Make a pledge to plant a tree in the early spring with your grandchildren.4. Take a nature walk (if it isnt too cold where you live.) LAST SUGGESTION on this issue. Sit down with your grandchildren, or skype with them. Choose a holiday of your liking, one for every month of the year. Decide what you can do together on that day to make your house, your community, your world, just a bit better. Put the dates in your calendar and do what you discussed on the phone when the holiday approaches. And do it each year! |
February 2016
I will be 75 years old this month, and I have a request.
I want to share my joy of being 75 years old, and having my health and the health of my family at this time. I want to share the possibility of helping the world to become a bit better place because we are all here. I want to share this significant moment in time with those I admire. I want to make a large collage of people helping people, animals, the environment, etc. THEREFORE, I ask each of you to do an act of kindness, a project, something- during the next few weeks. Send three things to me, 1. A picture or a 1-2 minute video of what you, you and your children, grandchildren or your friends are doing to make the world just a bit better. 2. Write a very short note explaining what you are doing, and why.Write a couple of sentences that will make other people want to help your organization. 3. VERY IMPORTANT: Write the name and address URL ADDRESS and phone no. of the organization you are helping. (if the project is for an organization) I will then put together a collage of the pictures, for a couple of programs where I am teaching, and for advertising grandparentsforsocialaction.org and I will advertise the organizations so that others can help them too. (I will make some donations too) 4. SEND IT TO [email protected] THANK YOU If I can get 75 pictures and projects, one representing each year of my life, that would be so so wonderful. |
March 2016
This year I celebrated my birthday at Bernie’s Book Bank. We had lunch there, and then everyone volunteered. Every birthday that we celebrate as we age can be an opportunity to help in a small way to do something to make the world a bit better. During this next year, I hope to feature places where you can go yourselves, and or take your family and/or friends to volunteer for a day. This place is a treasure!!!
Bernie's Book Bank facilitates the collection, processing and redistribution of new and gently used children's books to significantly increase BOOK OWNERSHIP among at-risk infants, toddlers and school-age children throughout Chicagoland. Thus far, they have distributed over 5 million books. They need volunteers to help to sort, pack, sticker, and send all the books out. |
April 2016
On April 10, I went to GOOD DEEDS DAY. What a fabulous event. Over 1100 people participated and did good deeds at 20 projects in the community.Projects included pet visits with the elderly, cooking and serving meals to those in need, playing games with special needs children and adults, and so much more.
In the morning, I accompanied a small group to the Chesed Fund. Chicago Chesed Fund helps those in the community through financial assistance and a warehouse of free groceries, household staples, used clothing, and furniture. They always need volunteers. If you would like to donate or to help out with your family, call at 847-679-7799. In the afternoon, I went to Bernard Weinger to help out with the projects. I could not begin to count the no. of people and the joy they all felt, and the help they all gave. I spoke to a 5 year old who was coloring a picture. “What is the for?” I asked. He said without hesitation that it was for children in the hospital. I asked some young children what they were doing with the plastic bags they were tying together. They knew they were going to be made into mats for the homeless or for people in shelters so that hopefully, no one would have to sleep on the ground. The workers were busy, and the staff was amazing. They made sure that each participant understood the importance of whatever project was on their agenda. There were collections, a blood drive, sessions for young people as well as for teens. Good Deeds Day was sponsored Through a breakthrough Grant to the Federation with the support and work of many different agencies, and coordinated through the dedicated work of Tov. About TOV: The Tikkun Olam Volunteer (TOV) Network is JUF's connection point for people who want to donate their time to help others in need. TOV places members of the Jewish community with Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation affiliated agencies and with community service projects that need volunteers. Look on the website JUF.org/Tov to find places where your family might volunteer. And a massive thanks to all the Tov Staff and Volunteers for making this day possible in order to help thousands of people in the Chicago area. REMEMBER, IN REALITY EVERY DAY IS GOOD DEEDS DAY. TRY TO SHARE ONE GOOD DEED WITH YOUR GRANDCHILDREN EVERY DAY AND ASK THEM TO DO THE SAME. |
May 2016
Dear friends,
For the last two years, I have been lucky enough to work as the Director of the “Gifts” Program, a program designed to teach grandparents to inspire their grandchildren to be philanthropists and social action activists. We have developed a 5 week curriculum, have piloted it in approx 20 congregations, and have met with great success. Grandparents have told me their grandchildren are now philanthropists. They have said they have new-found relationships with their grandchildren. I have heard that people are engaging in more social action projects. They are thrilled that they participated in this program and have asked if we are going to do anything else next year. YES, we are sponsoring a symposium to be held at Beth Emet in Evanston. Note the breakout sessions for this symposium. They are designed to teach grandchildren and grandfriends of any age to put the “action” into social action. And the breakout sessions are being taught by amazing people. We hope you will attend and bring friends as well. This promises to be an enriching program. * The Symposium was on June 26, 2016. I look forward to seeing you next year! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call Sharon Morton- 847-477-2955, or email [email protected] |
June 2016
I just returned from the the trip of a lifetime. My family and I went to Normandy to see my grandson play the sousaphone with the Iowa State Band on June 6, in Normandy, commemorating D Day. The enormity of thinking about what our ancestors did to make this world a better place is so huge- that the allied forces could coordinate an effort to end Nazism- Canadians, Americans, British- all working together. Thousands of people descended on Normandy in this huge effort.
There are not words to describe my feelings as I remember the days and the people that made our world safe (at least for awhile) We met veterans who were there- who saw the horror of people being killed around them, who persevered for the freedom of this world. I share this personal moment with all of you because it is important to remember. George Santayana said “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” I share this moment of my life because it was shared with a grandchild. Sharing experiences with grandchildren last a lifetime- for sure!!!! And finally, I share this story to remind us all to think about sharing moments of courage, commitment and love as to instill these values in the hearts and minds of our grandchildren. |
July 2016
People ask me- How do I let my grandchildren know how important they are to me, how much I love them. There are many ways. I share just a few.
You can have these conversations in person, on the phone, by texting or email. Try to set a once a week conversation time with them so that they stay connected. Quick ideas to show your grandkids your love!
September 2016
We often wonder what we can do to help our grandchildren become philanthropists and social action activists. (one who gives money, time, and voice to a project that is important to him.) Depending on your time, your interests your family’s willingness, these are a few ideas about the KIND of social action you can do with your grandchildren.
WHAT KINDS OF SOCIAL ACTION PROGRAMS MIGHT WE UNDERTAKE TO DO? 1. It is the Bold program that captures the imagination- like buying an ambulance for Israel, starting recycling in your business neighborhood, building a house for Habitat. 2. It is the simple program that doesn’t take a lot of time - like packing sandwiches or bringing in clothes for the poor. 3. It is the program that begins because of a commitment and then grows and takes on a like of its own, like a visit to a nursing home to hear immigrant stories and then continues because of a friendship. 4. it is the program that comes about because of a sense of outrage. It is the story of a 12-year-old who saw pictures of children working for a dollar a day and was reminded of the sweatshops in America and set a very large program in action to end child labor. 5. it is the program developed by a group of people who see the ‘big picture’. 6. It is a program that is fun, challenging, and very significant and spearheaded by one visionary. It is like the story of Ariana Handelman building a playground with an organization called Kaboom, in honor of her bat mitzvah. 7. It is a program that is incidental to other programs. As people assemble for birthday party, dinner, etc. they can easily sign a postcard or donate five dollars for a cause that is important to you and your family. 8. It is the program that we do with our friends, our family and /or with our grandchildren. Like trips to Washington to Congress, social action newsletters, hearing speakers, filling out surveys, participating in social action programs, participating in family discussions in regard to social action. ……. How do we know when we’re successful? Take pictures of the projects, write stories about your feelings about your work. Then discuss the question with your grandchildren. and do it again or find a new project to do. Good luck to you all, on whatever you do, and let me know what you have done. We would love to feature your family. 
November 2016
Earlier this month, I read an article on happiness. It spoke about happiness as an attitude of life. I asked why some people always complain about the "small stuff” in their lives, while others seem to have serious problems and still see beauty in the world. My mother died of cancer slowly and painfully, yet every day of her life she would look out the window and say, "Isn't this the most beautiful day that God ever made?" I then began looking for quotes on happiness and found many. These are just a few of them on which to reflect.
“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.” - Eleanor Roosevelt “Joy can be real only if people look upon their life as a service, and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness.” - Leo Tolstoy “The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. -Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama “Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.”- Groucho Marx “Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness.”- George Santayana I’ve discovered the secret of happiness is Learning how to glide I’ve discovered the secret of happiness is Just enjoy the ride Don’t let the journey be tainted by pride... I’ve discovered the secret of happiness is Not to mourn the past I’ve discovered the secret of happiness is Not to run too fast You can still beat them by coming in last ‘cause the secret The secret of happiness is… I’ve discovered the secret of happiness is Not to be afraid I’ve discovered the secret of happiness is All illusions fade Don’t fear the future you’ll just be delayed ‘cause The secret The secret of happiness is… Living in the now Livening in the times it takes to blink I think is how!!!! “Secret of Happiness” from the musical Daddy Long Legs. Music and lyrics by Paul Gordon, book by John Caird. Based on the novel by Jean Webster We are living in a stressful time now—but we must always remember to be happy with SOMETHING— and to be GOOD. And shortly, Thanksgiving will be here, so let’s remember on that day to be sure to express our gratitude for SOMETHING in our lives. |
August 2016
I take each grandchild on a trip to commemorate their tenth birthday. During the time we are away, we spend one day doing something good for the country or place where we are. In Mexico, we (along with several others,) saved 6 tiny baby sea turtles who were not strong enough to get out of their nest and get to the sea.
This was the last 10 year old trip of my life, as the last of my grandchildren is now ten. There is a saying in our tradition, “the last is the most precious” because it marks a moment that can Never be repeated again in any way. I have learned so much from each of my grandchildren as they were approaching their teen years, and we were in a week long setting- just the two of us. SO—I want to suggest a significant thought that I learned from my granddaughter. Journaling!!!!!!! My granddaughter journals every night-just briefly. She does it in 3 sections. 1. The GLOW- (the nice thing that happened during the day- the thing that happened for which she feels gratitude, the thing that she did that was helpful to another person..) 2. The hero- the person she will remember from the day, and why). The downside- (The thing about the day that was sad, or difficult for her). Every night, she would write in her journal and then read it to me. I hope I will now start to keep a journal of my own. I hope that periodically, she and I can get together to read our journals to one another. I hope that each of you and your grandchildren will start writing a journal- short, sweet, regularly, and I hope we find ways together to review parts of them. Then there was the story I heard on the trip of when my granddaughter found God, and prayer in her life—but that, as they say in stories, is another story for another day! 
October 2016
During September, I went to dinner in a gym at a church with Jews, Christians and Muslims. Each of us brought a dinner dish from our own tradition, and the food was truly a feast of cultures. We all sat at table with people of the three faiths, all people who are willing to help one another to make this world a better place. It wasn't fancy. When the 150 or more people all got up to get dinner, everyone stood in line talking to one another, and it WAS beautiful, and it was warm. And there was laughter, and there was concern for the world that was palpable. The people who spoke after dinner included a Rabbi, a Priest, an Imam, a Holocaust survivor. The speakers included young teens, and elders of all three communities. And when we left, everyone embraced and felt that perhaps there is HOPE for the world. There was certainly love.
The group is called "Children of Abraham Coalition". Consider learning about them and perhaps joining. Included is just a small clip of two young men talking about why they joined. Check it Out HERE 
December 2016
This week, my daughter and I went to “Newlifeforoldbags” an organization made up completely of volunteers. They are located in the city of Chicago, and would love to locate in the northern suburbs, as well. They have made over 3200 sleeping mats for the homeless. As we spoke to people there, they told us that some people come to crochet the sleepng mats. Some come to eat the snacks (all supplied by the volunteers) and drink the coffee and chat, others make the plastic yarn from which the mats are made (plarn) Still others make other things using this plastic yarn which is made from used plastic grocery bags. The bags are given to shelters, and they give them out to the homeless. The woman I spoke to said she has been volunteering there once a month for 6 years. It is awesome and inspiring to see what is happening there. In the next week, I am working with a couple of congregations to teach them how to make the plarn and perhaps how to make the sleeping bags. What an awesome project this is, and how wonderfully it can help the homeless.
Click HERE to learn more. |
January 2017
I just found this newsletter from 7 years ago— It still holds so true- the forest fires in Israel, and the need to REDUCE-REUSE- AND RECYLE. So do this and teach it to the next generation as well.
A Note from Bubbe Sharon Dear friends, For those of us living with snow piling up on the driveway, it is difficult to think of Spring and planting, but in Israel every January, people are celebrating TuB'shvat—the “New Year’s Day of the trees”. Particularly this year after the worst forest fires in Israel history, they are busy planting new trees in the Carmel Forest for shade, for fruit, for conservation of the soil, for beauty, and for so many other reasons. Many years ago, when John Glenn orbited Earth for the first time, he announced to the world, "I see all yellow down below, I must be flying over the Middle East. Oh, I see a patch of green. That must be Israel." If you chose to help in that endeavor, you can donate to the Jewish National Fund towards the planting of new trees. There are also things you can do at home. You can create a tour, almost like a scavenger hunt, with your grandchildren around your house and demonstrate how you can learn to reduce, reuse, and recycle items. Show things like washing out plastic baggies or replacing them with cloth ones, not using paper napkins or paper towels, and buying larger containers of food because they cost less and used less waste. Remember the three words. Put them on a poster in your house. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!!! Then, as you take your tour, write the things you can do on the poster. Take a picture of the poster, send it to Grandparents for Social Action, and we will send a thank you gift to you! Lastly, have all the ingredients ready at the end of the tour to make recycled paper with the children. I have provided a link with the instructions here. Also look at the Holiday Guides offered by the Religious Action Center for more TuB’shvat ideas. |
February 2017
During the month of January, I did something that I wish all of us had the time and the privilege to do. I RECONNECTED with dear friends and relatives that I haven’t seen for a long time.
I spent 3 weeks traveling around Florida, visiting with each person for 2-3 days, and had a fabulous time. I had made arrangements ahead of time to stay with people for just one or two nights each. When I arrived at each house, they asked what I would like to do while I was with them. I said, “Nothing- I just want to sit and listen to you and talk with you. Then we started talking about the past, the present and the future. I asked each person what gave them a sense of self esteem and a feeling of being valued when they were younger and what gave them those feelings now. The discussions went on into the nights. All my friends and relatives were comparatively well and happy, but we are entering a stage of life when we cannot necessarily count on tomorrow. We only have today. I plan to go back again next year, but I also plan to “keep up” with those dear ones until I return. So my suggestion to all of you,my dear readers is to do the following: 1. Keep up, or reconnect with friends and relatives of the past, and stay reconnected. 2. Write notes or short letters to your children and/or grandchildren to stay connected to them. 3. Think about where you receive you value and self esteem now and do those things. 4. Remember to do all the things you want to do to keep you healthy, satisfied and young feeling. 5. Have a wonderful February and know that spring will be coming soon. |
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March 2017
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April 2017
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Quick ideas as Spring is coming. Sometimes I decide I am going to write to my college age grandchildren once a week, or at least once a month. But then somehow I get derailed, the answer I think is to put a note in your calendar once a month. That is the day you write a letter, tell a story, send a social action thought, or do something for or with your grandchildren. Whether your grandchildren live out of town, what can you do to build the social action relationship?. .
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HELP YOUR GRANDCHILD/GRANDFRIEND
TO BECOME A LIFELONG PHILANTHROPIST Money, Time and Voice to Help the World GOAL To teach the next generation that they have a responsibility to repair the world with some money, time and voice. To help grandparents teach these important lessons in a way that will be a wonderfully important step in relationship building between the generations. STEPS: 1. At the time of your grandchild 5th, 6th or 7th birthday (approximately) you can open a special philanthropy fund bank account. (I have a fund with $100 a year for each grandchild.) 2. Take the child out for the day or perhaps for the weekend. Discuss words like Philanthropist, Philanthropy, Philanthropic and Mentch. Explain that there is a small fund set aside for their philanthropic causes. Whenever they want to spend some of the money, they need to tell you what they want to do, why they chose that project, and how do they feel it will help. You can also discuss what service they might do with the money. 3.Create a ceremony where the child will announce that he/she is now a Lifelong Philanthropist because he/she is a Mentch. 4. The child will then receive a certificate that he/she is now a lifetime philanthropist. (if you let me know you are doing this, I will send a certificate to you.) 5. Periodically, hold club meetings to decide how the child will spend his/her philanthropy money. 6. Also teach words like Matching Grant, Gemilut Chasadim, (acts of loving kindness) Tzedakah,(justice) Tikun Olam (Repairing the world and know that service might accompany the sending of money to various causes. 7. Decide on tzedakah gifts to be given to the child a couple of times a year, ie, a tzedakah box, a photo album for service projects, a journal to keep track of the projects you work on. 8. Buy books, films, videos that you can share with your grandchild. Participate in social action activities or trips for you and your grandchildren. 9. At the end of each activity and/or charitable donation, write a short note, and keep a journal of these special moments. Try to accompany them with pictures. 1. Why did you choose that philanthropic cause? 2. How did it feel to donate to them? 3. What difference will your contribution and your actions make? 4. Keep a photo album that will show his/her acts of kindness from a very early age. Grandparents for Social Action Sharon Morton, 847-477-2955 [email protected] 56 Ellendale Rd. Deerfield, Ill.60015 www.grandparentsforsocialaction.org |
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May 2017
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June 2017
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(adapted from a longer article written by Andy Amend)
I recently returned from Washington, the Consultation on Conscience convened by the Religious Action Center of the Reform Jewish movement. It was relevant and motivating for all. The key is to do what we can to make the world a better place- choose one action- and DO IT. Teach your grandchildren too, to choose only one action designed to make the community, the country, or the world a better place and perhaps help them to DO IT. The entire Consultation fell under the core teaching of the Hebrew Scripture, “Justice, Justice shall you pursue,” as every topic, from LGBT rights, and racial equality, to immigration reform and over-hauling the criminal justice system in this country, called each of us to action. First session was called: “The Urgency of Now: Acting Together to Build the World We Want,” with Rabbi Jonah Pesner. We honored Rabbi Michael Namath’s 100th L’Taken Social Justice Seminar, a seminar for teens in Washington where they discuss major issues and go to Congress to meet with Congresspeople. For info: www.rac.org/ltaken-social-justice-seminars Anat Hoffman, the leader of the Israel Religious Action Center spoke. She was humorous, humane and herculean in her accomplishments and vision for Israel as a pluralistic democracy and can not be matched. Rabbi Joshua Weinberg, President of ARZA discussed the possibility of bringing a grandparents group to Israel, meeting with Israeli grandparents and sharing ideas for doing social action work there. We also went to the hill, met with several congress people and Senators, discussing “Meaningful Change in our Congregations, Communities and States: This Consultation on Conscience - 2017 was most compelling because the times are so compelling and demand that we ACT. But, we must act from “a moral vs. political center,” and “act out of mercy not malice.” Actions must come from a balance of heart and head. We must learn to walk in the other’s shoes, and to understand that if one of us is vulnerable, all of us are vulnerable. No one can forget Anat Hoffman telling us all that we must be Accountable. I hope that one year, we can go together with our teen grandchildren to this consultation. I will keep you informed of the date in two years. |
Who mentored you when you were young? Who are the people you remember with fondness? Who do you know who devoted minutes or hours or their whole lives to try to help someone less fortunate? I believe we have an obligation to keep their stories and their names alive.
And if we fast forward, who are the people who will have a better life because you lived, We don’t always know the answer to that question. Perhaps it was the person who stopped you frantically because he were lost and on way to an interview. Perhaps that person got a job because you gave him directions. We will never know what happened after that small kindness. It certainly was the boy who lived in Germany during the second World War. He was running away when a Gestapo guard caught him and said, “WHERE ARE YOUR PAPERS?’ A man saw this happening. He ran over to the two of them. He grabbed the child and said to him. “Did you leave your house again without your papers? Go home right now. I will tell your mother what you did, and you will get beaten to a pulp.” The guard let the boy go. the boy continued to run. He survived the holocaust. He never saw that man again, but that man was responsible for 18 people being able to live wonderful lives if you count children and grandchildren and cousins that would never have been born. And what about your children and grandchildren. What about your friends and acquaintances. How have you affected them? Aging is a bit about reflection. Aging is a bit about action. This is the time to try to help to make one life just a bit better. Have a great summer, Bubba |
July 2017"We, the new generation, believe that the purpose of education is to help students to become more fully developed human beings, to help students discover meaning and passion in life, to develop critical minds and sensitive hearts, and to become knowledgeable about the peoples, inherited wisdom, and subject matters that will help them find their path in the creation of a more peaceful, just, sustainable, and diverse World.” by Pancho.
This is a quote from a controversial article in the DailyGood.org see: http://wc4.net/t?ctl=AC51:491014A54C47950EE5E4C1A3570265C2& No matter what you think of the article, the sentence above tells me all the things I wish I had thought about with my students, my children and my grandchildren. How do we help them to discover passion in life? How do we help to develop critical minds and sensitive hearts? What do we do to STAND on our principles? What are WE doing to create a more diverse and sustainable world, and what are we sharing with those that we love, so that the openness to a just, sustainable world becomes a definite possibility? I would love to have you write your ideas to me. Maybe you and your grandchild can write a letter to me. Maybe we will even publish some of the letters. (They can use the letters in their college applications.It has been done before.) Good luck, and enjoy the rest of the summer. Bubba sharon. 
September 2017from Bubba Sharon This is the hi-holiday season of the Jewish people. Also it is the fall season for all of us, a time of harvest, a time of helping others. The holiday of Sukkot is a time when our tradition encourages us to welcome seven holy guests into our sukkah or our homes, or our hearts, one for each night of the week. In a modern variation to this custom, each night can be connected to a related social action theme. the following are possible thoughts. But your family can sit together and decide for yourselves what you would all like to do to help to make the world a bit better at this time. If your grandchildren live far away, this is a great time to text, email or call them and decide together what can you do together (even though you can’t do it together) to welcome a new idea into your homes and your lives. 1. Invite someone to dinner who you have not seen for a long time. 2. Send a donation to an organization who is trying to help a state that has suffered from a hurricane. 3. Clean out a closet and donate clothes to people who need them. 4. Write a letter to someone to whom you want to say I am sorry, or I forgive you. 5. Go to a shelter and bring toiletries or other objects they might need. 6. Clean out your kitchen cabinets and find some food to donate (Be sure to check expiration dates.) 7. Choose another activity that you can do yourself, with friends, with your grandchildren. If you don't live in the same area. Take pictures as you each do something kind and send it to the out of town relative. Good luck and let me know what it is that you do. [email protected] 
November 2017I recently read an article on happiness. It spoke about happiness as an attitude of life. It certainly fits as we approach Thanksgiving. I asked why some people always complain about the "small stuff” in their lives, while others seem to have serious problems and still see beauty in the world. My mother died of cancer slowly and painfully, yet every day of her life she would look out the window and say, "Isn't this the most beautiful day that God ever made?" I then began looking for quotes on happiness and found many. These are just a few of them on which to reflect.
“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.” - Eleanor Roosevelt “Joy can be real only if people look upon their life as a service, and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness.” - Leo Tolstoy “The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. -Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama “Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.” - Groucho Marx “Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness.” - George Santayana A thanksgiving assignment: As you get ready for Thanksgiving this year, write a note of gratitude to those who will be at your table. Write a note of thanks to those who have already died who made us be the beautiful people we are— Read the notes at your thanksgiving table. Write a note to a young child telling him/her about the beautiful things that await that person in life. Write a note to yourself- a note of gratitude- or a note of thanks- or perhaps a note of forgiveness at this time of year. And last, write a blessing for all the people in this wonderful home- or city, or country, a blessing of love, of hope and of peace. Bubba Sharon. 
January 2018
As many of you know, I started a small philanthropy fund for my three oldest grandchildren a couple of years ago. I put $125 in the bank for each of them and they get to spend that amount of money on philanthropy very year. Over the last couple of years, they have “adopted” zoo animals, purchased mittens and scarves to donate to a shelter, volunteered at a soup kitchen, and donated money to the Juvenile Diabetes Association, Katrina relief, holiday toy drives, and more.
A couple of weeks ago, we had our last MiMaSt Philanthropy Club Meeting of the year. (The club is named after Michael, Matthew, and Steven). Each one of the boys had about $50 left for the year. They each decided to spend most of the money on a special cause. Steven chose "Saving Tiny Hearts", Matthew chose the "Scott Conlon Fund", and Michael chose "St. Jude Hospital" I suggested that each one write the name of the fund to which they were donating, what the fund is about, and why they chose that fund. I also told them about the projects that were done and written up by Danny Siegel. One of the boys suggested that he could make a web site so that they will be able to keep track of their donations, and so that other grandparents and grandchildren with philanthropy funds could write in and tell us about their projects. Be looking for a new little link to the philanthropy web site in a couple of months. At the beginning of our club meeting, they stood, raised their right hands and said, "I am a lifelong philanthropist, and will do philanthropic things because I am a mensch (a good soul). Then we discussed their projects. After that, we picked up their two young cousins who will be ready to be philanthropists in a couple of years. We went to lunch, bought pet food and took it over to Orphans of the Storm, a nearby animal shelter. (Thanks to Barbara Unikel and her grandchildren for the idea!) The day ended beautifully, as always when one is with grandchildren. We hope that you all had a good New Year- and that coming year brings all of us and our families, health, love, productivity, fulfillment and all the blessings we wish for others. Sharon 
March 2018
We are so different from our grandchildren.and yet maybe the same— different in the life experiences that formed us— in some ways, different in the values that are significant to us-
Most of us remember immigrant stories of our parents or grandparents. My father’s parents had a boarder who lived with them. She needed a place to live. They needed the extra money that she paid. I had a friend who had a “murphy” bed in his living room. I thought that was great! (Do you all remember “murphy" beds)? We remember World War 2 and the Holocaust, and anti semetism. We remember the “60s, and the Korean War, and hiding under our desks at school in case of a nuclear attack, and felt skirts, and we played outside until dark and we were not afraid. and what were our values?------ Our grandchildren, even if they weren’t born yet, live in the world of 9/11 and the safety rules because of it. They live in the world of school shootings, and they live in the world of Parkland High School, and children speaking out for justice- perhaps the tipping point to make our community a safe place to live and work again. (I Hope) What are your grandchildren’s joys, sorrows, fears, surprises? What are they thinking they can do to make their communities happier, safer? Listen to the children. They still have hopes and dreams. Help them to make their dreams come true. And what are their values. Discuss the day they have had, but also discuss their values. What are they? Who are they? The children today in Florida, I think, have created a “tipping point” They are changing the world. Discuss it with your friends, your grandchildren. Whatever is your position, learn about it, work on it, live it. It is our job and the job of our grandchildren to live the dream. An elderly man died recently. I asked his children what was his legacy, they told me that he loved the quote, “What does God demand from you, do what is good, to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk in integrity with your God.” They said he didn’t just like it, HE LIVED THAT QUOTE every day. So may we all do the same!! Bubba Sharon 
May 2018
I am lucky enough to be tutoring my granddaughter as she prepares for her Bat Mitzvah. Yesterday we began a discussion about holiness. It went like this. I said, "A person who does ordinary things walks down the street.”
She said, “A person who does holy things stops to appreciate the flowers and the buds on the trees.” I said, “A person who does ordinary things asks a waitstaff person to bring her water.” She said, A person who does holy things first says hello and then asks the waitstaff person how she is today.” Then we switched places and my granddaughter said the part of what a person does if they do ordinary things, and I said what they person would do if they do holy things. Our activity reminded me of this reading that I have adapted by Jack Reimer and Harold Kushner. The person who attends a concert with a mind on business, The person who walks amid the songs of the birds And thinks only of what will be served for dinner, The one who listens to the words of a friend, or spouse, or child, and does not catch the note of urgency: The person who stifles the sound of conscience and thinks "I have done enough already," (These people hear-but do not really hear…. They are not realizing the holiness that is within them). We pray that we hear the music of the world, and the infant's cry, and those who need us, that we always find the courage, understanding and intuition to practice holiness each and every day of our lives. AND may we be so fortunate as to help our grandchildren to do the same. Hear the prayer we offer to You this day, O God of holiness, And may we hear them too. 
July 2018
I recently taught a 5 week inter-generational class on the subjects of philanthropy, empathy, activism,values at a nearby congregation. During the week we focused on values, I asked both the grandchildren and the grandparents to write a short journal entry.
After circling values that were important to each person, they discussed those values with their grandparent or grandchild, then I asked them to write answers to the following questions: Identify an significant, transformational or memorable event in your life? Describe when and where it happened. Why was it important? How did it affect your values and your actions? And finally I asked them to clarify what I wanted their children and grandchildren to take away from that story. One of the students wrote about the importance of the day that he walked out of school following the example of the Parkland Florida students. He said it was the first time that he was ever involved in a political situation that helped him to feel empathy for the people who attempted to push the civil rights movement forward. Then he wrote that he wants his children and his grandchildren one day to know that they have the power to commit civil disobedience and that they must always try to have their voices heard. He and his grandmother had a very important conversation that day. So what can you do? Have important conversations with your grandchildren. Listen carefully to what they have to say. Help them to realize their goals, their dreams. Help them to live out their values in our world. Share these stories with your friends. Go to Grandparentsforsocialaction.org and sign up to receive our once a month newsletter regularly. Send it ideas of how we can help you to help your children and grandchildren to become social action activists, philanthropists, and people willing to make this world better. Send me notes about what they are doing, so I can feature them in a future newsletter. 
September 2018
I looked up a few names of people who gave messages to college graduating classes, messages they hoped would have meaning as people started on their life's journey.
The themes included ideas like. Change the world-Dream = Embrace failure, - Work hard - Don't give up - Fight for equality - Be kind - WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE? Peter Salovy(Pres of Yale Univ. 2015. your purpose in life as a graduate from Yale is simply this: to improve the world. In the Jewish tradition this is called Tikkun Olam, - repair the world. Bill Gates: Harvard 2007—Don’t let complexity stop you. Be activists. Take on the big inequities. It will be one of the great experiences of your lives. ADMIRAL MCRAVEN Univ. of Texas "What starts here changes the world.”If you want to change the world, be your very best in the darkest moment. Start each day with a task completed. Respect everyone. Ruth Bader Ginsburg- Real change- enduring change- happens one small step at a time. Denzel Washington- Dillard University- 2015 - I congratulate all the parents, grandparents-None of you students have succeeded by yourself. And. Fail big don’t worry Do what you feel passionate about. Madeline Albright Wesley College - 2007 - We might have the right intentions, but instead of acting, we decide to wait.. We keep waiting until we run out of “untils.” Then it is too late.Aaron Sorkin - Syracuse university 2012 -The world doesn’t care how many times you fall down, as long as it’s one fewer than the number of times you get back up. Barak Obama-michigan Univ. 2010 - Democracy in a nation of more than three hundred million people is inherently difficult. Whoopi Goldberg- Savannah college of Art and Design - 2011 - You all have a lot of things you want to do and you’ll get some of them done. At this time in this world, you are able to do anything, strive to be kind. TO YOU - what is A 2-3 sentence message that You would give to the a college graduate - or even to a Kg. graduate. (Or to yourself for the coming year.) Write down your message and keep it until next year. 
November 2018
Gratitude is a great theme for Thanks giving. When you sit around the Thanksgiving table, think of questions to discuss with your company.
What was the first thing you did to help someone. What was the first thing that you remember someone did to make you feel good? Who is one of the great “givers” in your life.? Who is one of your heroes? What cause is important to you? What is happening with that cause that you can join? I am grateful for……… I appreciate that……. I hope that….. This is a poem that a friend wrote that helps to frame the conversation. TURNING POINT by a poet named Bill Can you identify a turning point in your life? Was it a celebration or time of great strife? Was there a loss that still resides in your heart? Was there a birth that puts joy in that same heart? Were there words heard from years past, With Solomon advice that will always last. Were there life decisions that we or others made, That paint pictures in your mind that will never fade. Perhaps it was a special life discovery that you didn’t expect It will create building blocks for a life to lead with great respect. Are we ever aware of where that turning point may be? That shapes our lives and determines our destiny. Bill McNulty 11/2/2013 
January 2019
(This column is adapted from my dear friend, Alissa, the founder of AZspire, an organization that inspires and nourishes creativity)
At the start of the new year, many of us had lists of resolutions that we put together so we can start out fresh for 2019. Many lists look something like this: ✔️Work out ✔️Practice mindfulness ✔️Eat healthy ✔️Reduce Screen Time (still working on detoxing from my iPhone and iPad) It is a list of things we are going to do to be healthy and wiser from the year prior. This year I decided to set an intention, come up with a mantra or better yet I am putting out into the world my Wish for 2019. It is as simple as LOVE! 2019 is going to be about Love. Loving the people I’m with, loving myself, loving my children and grandchildren, loving what I’m doing, finding out what they are doing and loving that too, and letting them know. We know how very fortunate that we have grandchildren- Let’s be sure this year that we are there for them. Because they mean so much to me we can try to go out of my way to be there for them. We know we love them with all your heart. This year, remember to show them by saying it, by writing notes about it, by accepting that they can’t always answer us because their lives are busy, and always try to share the important values that we all hold dear. I wish for all of you a happy, healthy, productive and inspiring year of 2019. Bubba Sharon. 
March 2019
Bubba Sharon’s column,
Purim is a Jewish holiday that comes in the spring. It reminds us of the importance of women in our lives. Perhaps it is a time to thank the women in our lives- parents-children-neighbors- friends. Perhaps it is time to study famous women. Perhaps it is time to write stories of the women in our family that left a legacy to us, or to write our own story as a legacy to the next generation. — that we are to give gifts to the poor— that we are to exchange gifts with friends and neighbors, and to have fun with friends. See https://rac.org/holiday-guides-purim to see the many traditions that take place on this holiday. My own mother was one of the people I always remember at this time of year. She taught her family how to live and she taught them how to die. What a blessing she was, and still is, every single day. She died of cancer, slowly and gave me messages every day that I still carry with me - 38 years after her death. Each day, she said, “I am so lucky". One day, she said, "I have a wonderful husband and fabulous children.” How lucky is that?!!! Another day, she said, “You know, because I am dying young, I will never have to go to a friend’s funeral.”Still another day, she looked out her hospital window at the pouring rain, and said, “This is one of the most beautiful days that God ever made". and one other day, she said, “You know, I dont mind dying, the hard part is watching you watch me die. You have the hard job, the job of losing someone you love. Just know how much you are loved!!" And for the rest of the months she was in the hospital, she always shared another blessing, and another, and another. I pray that on this month of Purim, you will tell stories about the women in your life that you loved, and give small gifts to those who are still alive. 
May 2019
Barry Kahan, a dear friend died from ALS this week. He was amazing during his illness. There were so many simple, but profound messages he gave to all during his illness and during his whole lifetime. I share only one. One day, I walked into his house, and said, “So, how are you today?” He answered, “Today, I am living. When I am dying, I will let you know, but today, I am living.” (He was in a wheel chair, with little mobility, but he was happy for the day, for each day.)
He left an amazing legacy for his family, his friends, his children and grandchildren, and I pray that it will sustain them now, at this very sad time, and continue to be an inspiration to them for the rest of their lives. I share this with you, all my readers, because it reminds all of us that every day, every conversation, we are leaving a legacy to our families, to our grandchildren. What is the message you want to leave? Will they remember how you listened attentively to their questions and their conversations? Will they remember, when you easily forgave them when they were not their very best? Will they remember when you gave them the wisdom of your advice, but also allowed them to choose their own path? Will they remember the stories you tell them about your family and about yourself and your challenges. And I believe they will remember when you sat and laughed with them, and sometimes cried with them. And they will remember notes you wrote to them when they were away at school. More than just remembering, they will probably help to leave the message that you knew was so important to the next generation. So I pray that we all remember that every day we are here is a possibility of a treasure. One last story— One mom wrote little notes on post it notes and periodically put them on their child’s mirror in the washroom. They said things like, “have a good day” or “I hope your test goes well”, or "remember to do a kind thing today.” Unbeknownst to her, her son saved all the notes, and when she was very sick, he put all of them together in a binder, and shared with her that it helped him to grow to be a kind, thoughtful man. He then made copies of his binder of notes and gave a copy to all the people who came to his mom’s funeral. Good luck to all of us, as we endeavor to make a difference in the lives of our children and grandchildren. 
July 2019
You can see opportunities for acts of kindness all around you. Acknowledge them when you see them. Don’t miss a chance to do one of them. Be sure to share acts of kindness with your grandchildren, and discuss them. Read the following stories. They are great- not so big- but great!!!
This woman has been on a three-year road trip documenting acts of kindness Mary Latham with Old Blue, the Subaru once owned by her mother that she's driving across the country while looking for acts of kindness.(Sarah Henry) By Cathy Free June 24After Mary Latham’s mother died in 2013, the New York wedding photographer spent several years feeling adrift, wondering how long her emotions would be so raw. Her mind would routinely go back to something her mom, Patricia Latham, had told her after the Sandy Hook mass school shooting in Newtown, Conn., in 2012. “I’d been feeling terribly sad about it, and she said, ‘Mary, there are always going to be tragedies in the world, but there will always be more good — you just have to look for it,' " Latham, 32, recalled. It took almost three years for Latham to truly understand what her mother meant. To honor her mom’s legacy of looking for goodness, she came up with a plan: She would pack a suitcase with several changes of clothes and hit the road in her mom’s blue Subaru Outback to drive cross-country in search of simple acts of kindness. Latham decided to call her road trip project More Good and document all of her stops on a website, with the goal of publishing a book to donate to hospital waiting rooms coast-to-coast. On Oct. 29, 2016, she set out in Old Blue from her family’s home on Long Island, taking along dozens of “More Good” T-shirts to hand out to people who followed her journey online and agreed to host her for two or three nights. She also packed the back of the car with a camera and several... Read More Here 
September 2019
I just found this on the website of the “daily Good” On the last day of the world I would want to plant a tree. -- W.S. Merwin
It is a wonderful quote. It reminded me that many years ago, I had an “end of the world” party— The invitation suggested that people come dressed as the person they would most like to be -and bring their most favorite food which can be served to the group- and write what they would like to do for the world- if it was getting close to the end of the world. When they all came together, we all commented on the costumes, we ate all the delicious, (mostly sweet) foods, and then had a conversation about what we would like to do to make the world better and how would we do it - and why. It was a great party idea, but more than that, maybe it is a good idea for a discussion with your grandchildren. Perhaps you can send a note, saying—'' This week, I am am going to call 3 people that I haven’t seen in a long time, and I miss them." Next week, send a text saying, “This week I am going to clean out a closet and donate some really nice clothes that I don't wear anymore to a shelter. “ Can you send a text once a week? Can you ask your grandchildren to send you a text once a week or once a month about what they are doing that will be helpful to you, to your friends, to your community? Let me know if you do it, and how it works. 
November 2019
I recently read an article on happiness. It spoke about happiness as an attitude of life. It certainly fits as we approach Thanksgiving. I asked why some people always complain about the "small stuff” in their lives, while others seem to have serious problems and still see beauty in the world. My mother died of cancer slowly and painfully, yet every day of her life she would look out the window and say, "Isn't this the most beautiful day that God ever made?" I then began looking for quotes on happiness and found many. These are just a few of them on which to reflect.
“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.” - Eleanor Roosevelt “Joy can be real only if people look upon their life as a service, and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness.” - Leo Tolstoy “The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. -Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama “Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.” - Groucho Marx “Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness.” - George Santayana A thanksgiving assignment: As you get ready for Thanksgiving this year, write a note of gratitude to those who will be at your table and those you wish could be there. . Write a note of thanks to those who have already died, but who made us be the beautiful people we are— Read the notes at your thanksgiving table. Write a note to a young child telling him/her about the beautiful things that await that person in life. Write a note to yourself- a note of gratitude- or a note of thanks- or perhaps a note of forgiveness at this time of year. And last, write a blessing for all the people in this wonderful home- or city, or country, a blessing of love, of hope and of peace. Bubba Sharon 
January 2020
It is Jan— time to recount your blessings of the last year, time to sit with friends, children and grandchildren and remember their blessings of the last year.
There are a few categories of blessings we receive.
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August 2017Recently I took a trip to Colorado to be present as my granddaughter became a bat mitzvah. It was glorious-
1. there we were - up in the mountains with views of the world that were constantly changing, God’s world. 2. Participating as Jordyn read directly from the Torah - no vowels, no punctuation, and she read perfectly. 3. Her speech/prayer indicated that she understood her portion, Kedoshim- the holiness code. No stealing- no gossip - no holding a grudge-don’t take vengeance- don’t insult the deaf- don’t put a stumbling block before the blind, and more. 4. Jordyn’s father and sister had practiced the guitar for months to play some songs during the service. They even played “Lean on Me” (what a meaningful song for a thirteen year old) 5. As part of her preparation, Jordyn raised money for camp Kesem, a camp for children whose parents have, had, or died from cancer. It is an amazing place. If you look on the web site, grandparentsforsocialaction.org, you will find some information about the camp. 6. Jordyn’s mom worked tirelessly to put in all the details in order and to make everyone so comfortable. So why do I tell you all of this. First, obviously I was very proud of her whole family, but second, as you reflect on your grandchildren’s coming of age, think about: 1. a skill you can help to teach your grandchild- something important 2. a message they can write about the importance of the moment - the moment in eternity 3. A social action project that can accompany the skill. 4. Find a way that the entire family can be involved. AND it does not matter if you are Jewish or Christian or any particular Religion - It can be done once a year around birthday times, or a particular holiday that is meaningful to your family. It can be done on a small family scale - or at a larger family or friend reunion once a year. And if you live far away from your grandchildren, it will be a wonderful opportunity for a meaningful time together. My suggestion is to think about it - bring it up with your children and grandchildren - and do it. It is a great bonding activity. 
October 2017
VALUES - Our values unite us - inspire us - and guide us. This is a time in our lives to take the time to think about and discuss important values that we have received, that sustain us. (and that we want to transmit to the next generation.) What are the 5 most important values from this list; How do they influence your life decisions. What other values should be included in this list. Where did these values come from if they are your main values? Why might you want to transmit them to the next generation. Find moments in your life that the particular values are most important to you. When were they evidenced in your life, in the life of your family, friends, associates, grandchildren. Write the stories, or the reminder sentences that will recall the stories for you. Discuss them with your grandchildren. What are their values? How do they live them out? Partial LIST OF VALUES COMPILED BY 21/64- ASSOCIATION OF SMALL FOUNDATIONS. Tolerance - Respecting the beliefs, practices or innate differences of others. Courage - Standing up in the face of adversity. Leadership - Motivating others to work towards achieving a common purpose. Community - feeling a meaningful connection to a group of people. Personal growth and education - pursuing new skills and self-awareness. Tradition - valuing a practice, custom, or story passed down from generation to generation. Freedom - Having the ability to exercise choice and free will. Helping - Taking care of others and meeting their needs. Friendship - experience close, ongoing relationships Responsibility - Voluntarily doing what is expected. Justice - pursuing what is fair and morally right. Integrity - Acting in alignment with your deeply held values. Family - Caring for and spending time with loved ones. Loyalty - Being devoted to a person, ideal, duty or cause Obligation - Committing to fulfill a duty or promise. Thanks to 2164.net, grandparentsforsocialaction.org, for assisting in this project. 
December 2017Dear Friends---Look up the following website - Religious action center/a social justice guide for Chanukah.
The ideas there will certainly apply to a family or a group whether you observe Chanukah or Christmas. They are great ideas!! A note from Bubba Sharon related to Gratitude: An Indiana University study in 2015 suggests that expressing gratitude can have a profound effect on the brain. Test subjects were asked to take 20 minutes to write a letter thanking a benefactor. The researchers found the gratitude related brain activity persisted even months after the exercise possibly explaining a gratitude is self reinforcing and some people describe gratitude journaling as addictive. A suggestion for a holiday gift: give each one of your grandchildren a box of lovely notecards. Give them 12 stamps and give them envelopes with their return addressses on them. Ask them too late 12 notes thanking people for something during this holiday season. Tell them you are going to do the same thing and you can discuaa later to whom you wrote those notes and for what you were grateful. I would love to know what the results would be. If you are looking for great cards to buy, go to voices-visions.org/shop. They have card with wonderful quotations on them reflecting social action ideas, AND they are very inexpensive to buy. they also have sets of posters. As a matter of fact, take a few minutes to look at the whole voices-visions.org website, you will find ideas for yourselves, and for you children’s schools. 
February 2018
Valentine’s Day just passed, but in some ways Valentine’s Day and the whole month of February should be considered as a month of love, of friendship and kindness. So this is the month to do Random Acts of kindness Surprise your friend or a complete stranger by nice actions. Acts are not intended to be huge spectacles–the only goal is to cheer up another person somehow!
Examples: you can open a door to someone, help your friend with homework, praise your school’s janitor or compliment the jacket of a total stranger. Pick one of their loved ones: it can be friend, family member. Decide, ”Why is that person important to you? How would you thank the person?” and then write a gratitude letter to the chosen person. Bring a box of cookies to the police or fire station in your neighborhood. Collect candy to donate to a shelter. Look for ways you can help people in your neighborhood. Perhaps ask if you can shovel the walk of an older person in your neighborhood. AND write a letter to me, [email protected], and tell me what you did. I will publish it in the next newsletter. Sharon 
April 2018
I met Bryan Stevenson at a conference of the Religious Action Center. I have told stories that he told many times. I have internalized material from the books that I read, that he wrote.
When I saw this article (which includes a TED talk that he gave,) I wanted to share it with you. He speaks about the power of identity— the power of words— the power of love. and so much more. This comes from the newsletter I love called “The Daily Good” It is surely worth your time to read it regularly. So what do we have to do after reading this article? What is going “right” in this country? Write a thank you note to anyone who is responsible. I heard that when you write a thank you note, it actually changes your brain waves. Tell you friends, colleagues, and surely your grandchildren what is “right” in the family, the community, the country. Be like Bryan Stevenson’s grandma. Use your power for good. What is going “wrong” in this country. Write letters— protest— speak out!!!! The power of words, the power of identity, the power of love and caring MUST eventually win out. Bubba Sharon 
June 2018
The words for the month is connect and reconnect. Last week, I had lunch with two men who had been in a 6th grade Sunday School class that I taught about 50 years ago. I had not seen them in all that time, and then Billy saw my name at Am Shalom and called me. Then Billy and Howie and I had lunch together. It was SO SWEET. I smile every time I think about it. SO, this is my message for the month. Find someone you haven’t seen for a long time and reconnect with them. Check in with a friend who has not been well. Reconnect with people who you care about deeply, but have not seen for awhile. Stay in connection with those you love.
AND, check in again with grandchildren whether they are close or far. If they are away at camp, try to write a short note each week. If they are grown and live away, send them a picture of themselves when they were young. If they are very young, be sure to call them even if the whole conversation is “What does a cow say? What does a dog say? etc” Just so you hear their voice and they hear yours. If they live close by, take them to volunteer somewhere no matter what their ages. If you have a friend who has no grandchildren, might he or she like to be included in a family volunteer day? And take an opportunity to take a walk with your grandchildren if they are close by, and appreciate the flowers, the trees, the birds, even the bugs. Enjoy the summer months!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
August 2018
I will be speaking to college students during the high holidays and giving them suggestions. These thoughts apply to them, and to each of us, no matter how young or how old we are. Share these ideas with your grandchildren. Add some ideas and send them back to me.
1. If you are old enough, BE SURE to vote in the midterm elections. and be sure to ask your friends to be sure to vote. Choose who YOU want to vote for, but BE SURE TO VOTE. 2. Say you are sorry and make amends to people. and Dont make those same mistakes again. 3. Forgive those people who have wronged you, Let them know you forgive them. 4. It is up to all of us to make a healthy world.) Our world view-- our capacity to be kind - to practice random acts of kindness - (mitzvot) , to be mindful of the world around us to make a dfference for a day in the life of another person or animal. 5. Take time to be still, to breathe, to relax. 6. Count your blessings every day - even keep a gratitude journal. Write in it each night. 7. Mindfulness is the state of being fully aware Living in the momentl. See the sunrise sunset. Think of what you derive from only this moment. Why are you HERE today? Why are YOU here today. 8. QUIT THE WOULDA SHOULDA CLUB. DONT SPEND TIME IN REGRET. 9. make memories for yourself, with your family, with your friends. 10. Practice the art of Valuing; recognizing the best in people and the world around us. 
October 2018
As part of GSA, I have told people people to start a philanthropy fund for their grandchildren. I tell them that I put $100 a year into the bank. My grandchildren can come to me anytime during the year and ask for money.
They need to tell me what they want to do with it and why they chose that fund. I ask if they are contributing any matching funds of their own, if they are asking any family members to match it and then I make the distribution, and write in a journal what they did with the money. Sometimes I take a picture of the service to the organization that they take on, and put it in their journal, or I take a picture of the letter they write to the organization telling them why they are a recipient of their philanthropy monies. We occasionally have a club meeting of my five grandchildren together. They can each share what they are doing and then they make decisions for the future. THAT IS THE IDEAL THAT I SET UP FOR ME AND FOR THEM AND IN MY MIND. But it doesn't always work. Sometimes I am too busy. Sometimes the children are too busy to even think about their fund. But it is in the back of our minds and we finally come back to it, because the goal is to KEEP TRYING!! I recently met Suzanne, a woman who heard me speak about the philanthropy fund. She thought it was a great idea. She gave her grandchildren some money. She explained to them the idea that philanthropy is giving money, service and "voice" to a project. They did a great project together. And when I saw her, she said to me, "I am a failure. I haven't spoken about it again." I told her that there are lots of things I want to do in my vision of being a wonderful grandmother and teacher of philanthropy, but sometimes, I just get too busy. I suggested that when she thinks about it, then she might do something then. I suggested rather than feeling bad for what she did not do, she feel good for whatever she did do!! As a matter of fact, I am going to write to my grandchildren now, and let them know there are only two and one half months left to spend this year's philanthropy money, and what do they want to do? Thank you Suzanne for reminding me that this is a process, and we just need to "keep trying. 
December 2018
I just read this article from the blog: Jewish Sacred Aging. Look it up. There are always wonderful bits of wisdom.This months guest writer was Sandra Taradash. I exerpt just one short paragraph from her story. Try it— your family will always appreciate it.
"I am a believer in our personal stories and their value and how they can add a new/fresh/inspiring viewpoint to those whose minds are open to life’s experiences. Tell your stories, the good ones and the bad ones. Share your thoughts in the moment and from “back then” so the listener hears the changes in your mindset and values that evolved, grew and matured. And those diverse elements are OK. Let those know you have developed with new and broader thoughts and ideas and that making mistakes are steps in the ladder we all climb to get to new heights. Expressing our regrets, mistakes and blessings show we are human. Suggestions for sharing: Talk to your children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, friends. Gather a group who want to chronicle their experiences…. Write a journal to leave as a legacy, sit at your computer and jot it all down, print it and put it in a folder (or send it to your family) so it can be read…." 
February 2019
My favorite expression in life is, “There is a piece of the story that is missing.” By that, I mean to say that if someone is unkind to you, think about what is happening in that person’s life that caused him/her to be that way. Instead of attacking back, try asking if everything is okay with them. An example, a waitstaff person isn’t as kind as you would like. But we don’t know if she has a sick child at home, if she had to work a double shift, if she is going through a divorce, if the people before you were unkind to her. A wonderful Rabbi, (Rabbi Shanowitz of Highland Park, Ill.) told a large group of teachers that if that were to happen, we, as the customers have two jobs. The first is to try to make her smile while you are at her table. The second is to leave her a larger tip at the end of the meal with a little note, saying “I wonder if today was not a good day for you. I hope tomorrow will be a better day.”
Likewise, if your grandchild is having a bad day, how can you commiserate? How can you be gentle with the child? How can you share and empathize what is the problem and what is the hope for tomorrow. I thought of this column after reading an article about Patton Oswalt and a man who attacked him on twitter. He looked up the man, and found that the man had terrible health problems, and then Patten donated money to the man’s (Michael Beatty) Go fund me page. Look up the story. It has a lovely ending. I wish all of you kindness and joy and understanding in all of your relationships. Bubba Sharon. 
April 2019
My brother recently had a stroke. Mobility was okay, but memory was his main issue. His daughter, an artistic, caring art teacher made a family tree for him.
She put my brother at the base and then pictures of all his children and grandchildren on the branches. She put Velcro on the back of each picture. She also put a piece of Velcro under the pictures. Then she wrote words like ‘daughter” “son” “granddaughter” on pieces of paper. She also wrote each child’s name on a piece of paper also with Velcro. Then she put it together, and she and her dad played games to find who were the children and how were they related. Later, when his grandchildren walked into his hospital room, he would look at the chart and then say “hi Caroline” etc. It REALLY helped him to be able to remember who each person was. This would be great for a senior with dementia as well as stroke, and it can equally be wonderful for children who want to find an activity to keep a grandparent busy. My brother is doing very well now, and I think that a large part of this are the charts and games that the family made and played with him. 
June 2019
Gabe, 5th Grader from St. Louis
Here is Gabe's response when asked what advice he had on how grandparents can teach their grandchildren on how to be Philanthropists and Social Action Activists: Soon, the time will come for our parents and grandparents to "pass the torch" to the next generation of social action leaders in America, and we better be prepared. I'm talking about kids. When we arrive at the time when those who are now children become our nation's leaders, we must be sure that they have been prepared to get involved in social justice and politics. And getting kids prepared is very easy. When you attend a rally or a meeting of local leaders, take your grandchild along. When you go to a protest, or go out to vote at your polling place, or in a caucus, take your grandchild along. If you are knocking on doors for a candidate or issue, it is just as simple as letting them come with you. If your grandchildren come for dinner or a visit, talk to them about different issues they can relate to. They will be much more interested than you think. If we don't do this now, the next generation will be empty of something that we so sorely need: social justice, and those who are willing to step up and bring it upon us. The next decades will be very exciting ones in politics, and we will need leaders on both sides to make sure that the right things are happening. But this won't happen unless you do a very, very simple thing: just bring your grandchild along when you vote or campaign. Talk to them about issues. And soon, we will be sure that when the time comes, the next generation is willing and able to accept the torch with open arms and continue the work that everyone in the generations before us have started. 
August 2019
I have been trying to diet for most of my life. I just found a tool that would help and would be easy and I feel so much better. Each day I try to write only 6 lines. I hope I keep doing this. Especially letting my grandkids know at least once a week that I am thinking about them. I feel calmer since I have been doing this
These thoughts help me to finish phone calls, to do any work I need to do, to spend some time reading, to de-clutter one shelf or drawer, or closet each day, to write a note to my grandchildren or to call them, or send a text to them or consider them in some way. I heard of a grandmother who wrote a quote to her grandchild each day. Sometimes the quote came from Jewish tradition, sometimes from movie stars, sometimes just a thought from her personally. He never forgot those notes and reminded her of them when she was very old. By having one thought each day about your grandchildren, your life will be richer. And if sometimes they don’t seem to recognize the goodness that you do, remember this short story that I heard long ago from Rabbi Mark Shapiro, a great Rabbi a great teacher. “When we plant flower seeds and cover them up, we only see the dirt. Then you water it and give it plant nourishment until the flowers blossom and grow. It is like that with children too. Sometimes they might say something that hurts our feelings, or that is not considerate. Then it seems like we only see the dirt in the potted plant. Finally though, if we keep them nourished emotionally, and feed them hope and love, eventually we will see the blossoms sprout and be beautiful”. 
October 2019
Leaving a legacy is so important - It can be in writing, in living, in loving— It can come from your talent, your time, or your treasure (not just money)
LEAVING A LEGACY Cus D’Amato was a famous boxing manager and trainer. He once said that a “hero and a coward both feel the same thing. It’s what they do that makes the difference. It’s what the hero does that makes him a hero and what a coward doesn’t do that makes him a coward.” What we feel is not going to leave a legacy, what we do or don’t do will. What do you want people to say about you when you’re gone? What story is your life writing that will be left for generations to come? These are deep questions to ponder about what kind of legacy your life will leave. Here are 10 ways on how to leave a legacy. 1. Live your legacy. Our children listen to us most intently by watching us live. So live with character, conviction, and passion. The most indelible legacy is the way that we live. 2. Live like you mean it. Engage this life with passion and gratitude. None of us know how long our lives may be. But we can leave the legacy of living like we care, and living in a way that honors our creation. People will remember how you live more than the details of your achievements. “Loving our spouse and our children with commitment and enthusiasm is a legacy like no other.” 3. Love like your life depended on it (it does). Even when we have nothing else to give, we still have love. Loving our spouse and our children with commitment and enthusiasm is a legacy like no other. 4. Keep a journal. Not a writer? No problem. Just develop the habit of keeping a regular record of what’s important in your life. One All Pro Dad we know simply kept notes in the front of his Bible. Jot down key events like births, weddings, and signal achievements, along with a comment or two. When he passed away, it turned out to be priceless. 5. Share the family stories with your children. Be an open book. Share your stories. Believe us when we say the kids prefer these even to Harry Potter, and the telling can become a conversation they value well into adulthood. 6. Be honest. Nothing communicates like authenticity. Share your failings as well as your triumphs. A legacy that speaks of transparency and an open spirit is a legacy that will benefit many generations. 7. Ground your purpose in a greater purpose. We each live a story. The best stories are grounded in principles and purposes that are timeless, and certainly bigger than we are. Live a story that lasts an eternity. 8. Give your family the gift of time. Most children and grandchildren remember presence more than they remember presents. Commit enough of yourself that your legacy is the fact that you loved enough to be there. 9. Live for others. The great legacies of history are people who dedicated their lives to the service to humanity. On a smaller scale (but no less important) is our service to those we love, to our family, friends, and community. 10. Talk about your vision after you have departed from this life. Share with your kids what kind of lives you would like them to live, even after you have died. Having those thoughts constantly play through your children’s heads can help navigate them as they face crucial choices. “What would Dad do?” is the most powerful legacy of all. 
December 2019
As we prepare for Chanukah, think of joy, of celebration, and learn about what we can do to make the world better.
Go to the website RAC.ORG/CHANUKAH. The site will suggest that you go to a different social action site each nite, and will list possibilities for you. Also, if you are in the habit of buying Chanukah gifts for your grandchildren - think about taking your grandchildren shopping for a gift for them AND a gift that they can donate to a shelter. OR buy them books that are classics that they will save for many years. Nursery Rhymes for younger children- Oh the places you will go for the older children. Get them started on a book series that they will love. Check with a librarian to know which series are great for young readers. Remember the wonderful books of our childhood- “The Bobsey Twins, or Nancy Drew, or the Hardy Boys. Not only will they enjoy the books, but they might become really good readers. You can also find the site "personalitzed story books” They have lots of interesting books, and iseeme.com has a book that is about changing the world with your grandchild’s name in the book. Parents have told me that they wish that grandparents did not always buy the products that need lots of batteries that have to be replaced, so think about the things you loved as a child or as a parent. Perhaps stacking blocks for the young children-perhaps an adventure with you for the older children-perhaps a journal or diary, so they will write their own stories, or dreams. And last, think about sending notes in the mail- (not just email) for each nite of Chanukah - They can be short stories about you, about your wishes for them, about anything you enjoy about them. They will love getting the mail. And if you light candles, then choose a theme for each night-Hope-Joy-Memories-Values-Friendships-Peace-Responsibiltiy-or anything you would like to discuss around your table. And I pray that you all have a happy Chanukah or Christmas, and that you have a fulfilling year ahead. Bubba Sharon 
February 2020
Grandparenting grandchildren who are being raised as Christians -- or Jewish -- or with no religion at all -- from a Bubbe who has been a Jewish Professional for the last 50 years.
I must start with a quote from Michael J. Fox: “My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations.” We learn from this that we must always see the awe and the wonder and the magnificence of our grandchildren -- and not try to change them. We want to leave a goodly legacy that will sustain them in difficult times, that will help them to learn face the good and the difficult times in their own lives, to appreciate themselves and to respect all peoples, and, finally, to know that their place in this world is VERY important, that each and every person can have a share in making the world better. What are the values we want to impart to them? What are the stories we want to share? What do we want them to grow up to do--to be? and how do we do it?
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March 2020
We just celebrated Purim - a Jewish holiday that is very important to so many people. And we are told that when the world is finally at peace, we will only celebrate the holiday of Purim because it reminds us that we must always guard our freedoms because the world can turn upside down at any moment. 1. We are commanded to read the story 2. We are commanded to give tzedakah and to give gifts to the poor. 3. We are commanded to be happy - to eat and drink and enjoy our freedoms 4. We are commanded to give gifts of food to friends. I lived in Israel in 1989-90. I studied at Hebrew University. I lived a wonderful life - going to lectures, studying with new and old friends, celebrating Shabbat with friends every single week, being aware of the people, places, and times because I always knew that the year I spent in Israel was precious and it would end in a short time. And every Friday before Shabbat, I would write a letter home to my family telling them of my adventures. I missed them terribly during that year. (I guess it is like a snapshot of our lives - Each day is precious and we know that we are here on earth for a relatively short time, so we must cherish the people, the places, and the times in our lives.And we need to try to reach out to those we love, but don't see often because our lives are so busy). On Purim in Israel, I opened the door to my apt, and the hall in front of the door was filled with little gifts from my Israeli friends- of food, and a bit of tzedakah that I was supposed to pass on to the poor. It was just beautiful. When I came home, I shared the joy of that morning with my dear friend, Nancy. She told me she thought it was a beautiful tradition. Ever since 1990, that dear friend leaves some hamantaschen for me, and every year, I am near tears thinking of the joy I feel from her treat, of the wonderful times I had living in Israel, and every year, it is a reminder to me to reach out to those whom I love, and to those who need sustenance. Nancy has been doing this now for 29 years, and I am awed and amazed and astounded by her every single year by the continuation of a tradition that brings me such joy and such times of contemplation. Thank you my dear dear friend, and happy Purim to all of you!!! 
May 2020
IDEAS FOR LONG DISTANCE GRANDPARENTS
GRANDPARENTSFORSOCIALACTION.ORG (AND ALL GRANDPARENTS) Copyright grandparentsforsocialaction.org. Sharon Morton [email protected] These ideas are especially important at this time of Covid 19 because we can’t be with our grandchildren. 1. Tell them the story of the Rock in the Road. One day there was a avalanche of rocks that fell in the valley below. One of the big rocks fell in the road. One mad was walking by, and tripped on the rock and bumped his elbow. He got so mad, he kicked the rock and said some bad words and then walked away. Next, a woman came along the road, and she tripped on the rock on hurt her knee. She started to cry about how terrible in was that the rock was in the road and then she hobbled away. About an hour later, a little girl tripped on the rock. She turned around and said to herself. that rock is in a place that is dangerous for people. And she went back to to the rock, and she pushed and pushed and pushed until the rock wasn’t there to hurt anyone any more. 2. Discuss with them that there are many rocks (problems) in our lives. Which ones do we want to learn about and help others to make a difference in this world especially now at this time in our lives. Share your stories about making the world better, about what you learned from your own grandparents. Listen deeply to your grandchildren’s stories and write them down. Share a gratitude journal on the web to which you can each contribute. Establish a time each week to call your grandchildren. When you call, ask to speak with each grandchild, or one for each call. • Talk less, and be a non-judgmental friend. Listen, listen, listen, and ask lots of questions about what you hear. • And be sure to Support your adult children in honoring their values and choices. And one other idea at this time Here is an idea that take advantage of the story cited above, for long-distance grandparents to use to keep a strong attachment over distance: 1.Convene a family conference with children and grandchildren on the phone or in “zoom”. 2. Suggest that you would like to donate some money to a cause that would help people at this time.( If you have established a philanthropy fund for them, they can use that money too.) 3. Discuss what are the most important things to do NOW to help people in need. 4. Have them vote on which organization or group or individual they want to help. 5. After the money is donated, send them a note thanking them for caring, or think about sending each grandchild a book showing a child doing an act of kindness. OR buy them some chalk so they can write thank you on their sidewalk to mail people OR think of another thing you can do to help them continue to think of ways to help. OR perhaps the children can make a video like the one below and send it to you. AND perhaps schedule another phone call to continue the conversation. 
July 2020
As most of you know, I have 6 grandchildren, now ranging in age from 14-25. They all lived close to me when they were younger. Now I have one in Wisconsin, 2 in Boise, and the rest still in Chicago. In days gone by, they very often came to my house for Shabbat dinner which included lighting candles, saying blessings, and eating a meal together. I have missed that since the older children went away to college. However, after listening to the Grinspoon webinar last week, I decided I hope I don’t need to abandon the idea of Shabbat with my grandchildren.
As soon as I finish writing this newsletter, I will email my grandchildren and hopefully set up a weekly call for 20-30 minutes on Friday so we can discuss our favorite part of the week and/or a problem of the week, and then we can light candles together and say the blessing over the wine and the challah. When I was a little girl, Friday nite was my favorite time. It was the only nite my father was sure to be home because he worked so hard and so long. And we had wonderful discussions and he always gave us a “Friday Nite Surprise.” One week, he brought a beautiful stone for my brother and me, and he said he was thinking about us on his way home, and he found these beautiful stones for us. (As an adult, I had a stone collection for many years, and as my grandchildren were younger, they could bring me a stone, and then take one they loved for their collection. I wonder if any of them have a stone collection today. I will let you know if it works and if I will be able to celebrate Shabbat with my grandchildren again. 
September 2020
Connecting to Your Grandchildren During the Corona Virus and Afterwards
I couldn’t see my grandchildren these last months - so I decided I would try to connect with them by lighting Shabbat Candles together with them. My grandchildren range in age from 14-25, and one of them lives in Idaho with his wife. The others are all in the Chicago area. I sent out a note suggesting that everyone have a challah, 2 candles, a kiddish cup and wine or juice. Then one of my grandchildren said he would set up a zoom call at 6 p.m. for each Friday for a 45 minute meeting. Each week, one of us asks a question to the others. Where would we all like to travel together when this is all over? What are you doing to help your community during this time? What gives you comfort at this time? What has given you satisfaction at this time? Then we light the candles together, and say the blessings over the wine and the challah, and sometimes I tell a little story about my childhood. I have been so gratified that my grandchildren all want to continue to be a part of this every week. One other different story about connecting. A friend of mine lives in Chicago. Her very young grandchild lived in California. Every nite, my friend read a story to her grandchild at bedtime through Zoom. They did not actually see one another for many months, but when they did, the grandchild knew and loved her grandma immediately. The connection was invaluable. 
November 2020
I went to vote late in October. When I walked into my polling place, the local township office, I was so moved that there were people who were helping at the polls, that one trustee of the community was outside the polling place giving all of us coffee while we waited for our turn, and that all of us were willing to wait to cast our vote. And I loved seeing a few people who came with their young children (wearing masks of course) to accompany them while voting.
I was so happy to take the sticker that said, “I voted today.” I will discuss the importance of our votes to all my grandchildren. While there, I took a flyer that said "the need is local." And I thought, I can help my local community too. I called my grandchildren, and asked what can we each collect in our homes to give to people in need. They promised to collect something and I will pick it up to donate it to a local shelter. I also decided I would check out my house. I had ten coats from many years of wearing coats, and will give a few of them (all in perfect condition) to the shelter. I also had sweaters, scarves, hats, and slacks and shirts. I actually had 8 pairs of black slacks. I cant imagine why. And I had many toothbrushes and tooth paste still in their wrappers. (I dont know why) that I can give away. And as long as I am doing that, I will order extra food this week to include with the donation. It is so easy to do this - and I love that my grandchildren will be doing it too. 
January 2021
When I first started this organization, I said that a grandparent has the responsibility to help grandchildren to become aware of social action and social justice issues in the community and to help them to be educated about them and then to activate them to be involved so they can be part of the solution. That holds true more today than ever before.
I have spoken to many people about their relationship with their children and grandchildren and what they share with one another. One couple whose child is now an adult, said they always shared the community and even the world events with their son at a very early age, and they had discussions about what to do about them. That child is now an adult and is a philanthropist, and an activist. The Jan issue of Grandparentsforsocialaction.org newsletter has a resource from the Reform Jewish movement suggesting what are the issues, and what are the resources as we speak to our children and grandchildren. I only have one important suggestion before you speak to the grandchildren about these national issues. Speak to your adult children, the parents of your grandchildren and ask if you can do this. I also suggest that you send this January newsletter to your adult children so you can discuss these issues together too, and they can know what you will be sharing with your grandchildren. I hope that you all have a good New Year, the is healthy, fulfilling and safe. 
March 2021
A light column for the month of March, a month when weather is changing, when vaccines are becoming more available, when hopefully the world will begin to open up.
I just saw this sweet note from a story about a vice principal. My suggestion is that you read the story to your grandchildren, and ask a few questions depending on the age of the grandchildren. I include this because we can find stories, quotes, thoughts, activities that we can then use to elicit conversations with our grandchildren that are really awesome. IE: Last nite I was on my weekly Shabbat call with my grandchildren. I told them I was debating with myself whether I should leave them some money when I die, or whether I should give them some money now so I can see how they choose to spend it. The conversation was light hearted and sweet. Write to me and I’ll tell you more of the conversation. (And you must know that because my mother was very ill for a long time before she died, and because my mom had a great sense of humor, talking about death in our family has never been sad or difficult. So, back to the article I just found. 1. What letter would you like someone to send on your behalf? 2. (If the children no longer believe in the tooth fairy) Do you believe that people should write to imaginary helpers, or suggest continued belief in them? 3. What do you like about this story? (if you like it?) HART HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL JAN 12 2021 Today one of Gavins teeth fell out while he was getting ready to eat lunch. Unfortunately it was lost in the classroom, and despite the heroic efforts of a fearless search team we were unable to recover it. As a trained vice principal and a AND A hobby dentist, , I CAN VERIFY THAT THERE IS DEFINITELY A GAP IN GAVINS TEETH THAT WAS NOT THERE THIS MORNING WHEN HE CAME IN. PLEASE ACCEPT THIS LETTER AS OFFICIAL VERIFICATION OF A LOST TOOTH AND PROVIDE THE STANDARD MONETARY EXCHANGE THAT YOU ORDINARILY USE FOR A REAL TOOTH. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at the address above Sincerely, Skandee M. Whitehead. 
May 2021
I have told you before that I have a zoom meeting with my grandchildren every Friday evening. We have been doing in now for about 5 months for 45 minutes or an hour. This is the order of the hour.
1. How was your week? 2. Say the Shabbat blessings. 3. The question of the week. My grandchildren range in age from 14 - 26 and they all seem to be really interested in all of it. They love to share their week with their cousins, and they share in the blessings. I have one Christian granddaughter in law and she baked a challah last week for the blessing time. But my favorite part is the question. This week, because it is Shavuot, I am going to remind them of the 10 commandments, and then ask- “What is the commandment that you choose to live by?” And I am not talking about the Big 10 - but rather, what is so important to you that you always want to do that? Next week, I will surprise them and have six extra candles, and I will light one for each grandchild as they tell me who died that they want to remember, and emulate in their own lives. Sometimes one of the grandchildren ask the question, but the wonder of that part of the zoom call is how they all listen to one another, and sometimes make kind comments about another one’s answer. Maybe one of the important parts of the call is to teach them to listen, and I LOVE to listen to each of their responses to any question that is on the table. It is memorable to me and I think to them as well. Maybe one day soon , I will ask the question, “What will you remember about these zoom calls 10 years from today?" I hope the answers will all be interesting. 
July 2021
There was a great movie long ago called awakenings with Robin Williams. I hope you can see it.
I feel like that is where we are right now. For a year, I shut down and I did not even mind it. I napped, read, watched TV, exercised, ordered food delivered to my house or my kids brought food over. I even lost weight , and saved a lot of money, and I talked to my grandchildren, but did not see them. And of course, if I did have to leave my house, I always wore a mask. I felt guilty much of the time because I wasn't doing anything to help other people, except sending donations sometimes. I relearned how to cook and I really enjoyed that. Now, suddenly, I can go out. I have been vaccinated, I don't need to wear my mask, and I love the FREEDOM that I feel. But I don't know how to adjust to the new normal. I am worried when I spend money to eat out, I don’t exercise anymore.I am not cooking anymore. I still watch too much TV, but now I feel guilty when I do that. I still haven’t started to volunteer in any meaningful way. I cant keep my house clean enough for me. I still don’t see friends and family like I did before covid. It is a very strange time, this coming back. And I would like to sit down with family, friends and for sure with my grandchildren and ask… What did you enjoy during covid? What worried or angered you the most during covid? What were you looking forward to during those days? What else do you want to share about the pandemic? Have you returned to your old life completely? What is even better now? What isn’t as good now? What will you always remember about the past year? How have you changed? What else do you want to share about this new/old time of your life? Share your life with your family before, during, and after covid with your family— the good news, the hardships, the sadnesses and perhaps the grief, and listen , listen carefully to one another, not to give advice necessarily, but to LISTEN, to SHARE, and to ACKNOWLEDGE once another. This will be a gift to everyone. Perhaps you and your grandchildren can write a children’s book together about living before, during and after covid. You can save it for when they will be adults and have children of their own and share an important part of their lives and yours. With great admiration, and appreciation and respect to all of you, Bubba Sharon. 
September 2021
As we begin to be able to be together again, can we meet for part of the afternoon or evening with a purpose? I had worked with a group of people last year to urge people to vote in the national election. On Sunday, Sept 12, we had a meeting to celebrate our work, our challenges, our successes. It was wonderful. As each person spoke, they thanked other people in the group. They discussed who inspired them to be social action activists. They applauded family or friends, and recognized that the journey to make this world better is both a privilege and a responsibility.
I share this story that was powerful to me because I wonder what and how we can do something like this with our grandchildren. We can help the little ones to just pick up paper that they find to throw it away. We can applaud their success at making the world cleaner. We can take them to vote with us and explain the importance of making wise decisions, With older children, we can encourage them to decide what is important to them, and to work on it with them. Awhile ago, one grandmother told me her grandchildren lived far away, so it would be impossible to do social action with them. Long story short, she went to visit. She started a philanthropy club for them, and they chose a project, did it together, and she encouraged them to continue the project, AND THEY DID. (Think about charting the things you do with them, or the things they do independently so they can be reminded of their successes, their experiences, their helpfulness.) And please, have celebrations sometimes to applaud and thank one another for inspiration to keep doing good work for themselves, their family, their community and for the world. Bubba Sharon 
November 2021
VALUES - Our values unite us - inspire us - and guide us.
This is a time in our lives to take the time to think about and discuss important values that we have received, that sustain us. (and that we want to transmit to the next generation.) What are the 5 most important values from this list; How do they influence your life decisions. What other values should be included in this list. Where did these values come from if they are your main values? Why might you want to transmit them to the next generation. Find moments in your life that the particular values are most important to you. When were they evidenced in your life, in the life of your family, friends, associates, grandchildren. Write the stories, or the reminder sentences that will recall the stories for you. Discuss them with your grandchildren. What are their values? How do they live them out? Partial LIST OF VALUES COMPILED BY 21/64 - ASSOCIATION OF SMALL FOUNDATIONS.
Thanks to 2164.net, grandparentsforsocialaction.org, for assisting in this project. 
January 2022
Dear friends,
Usually, I write several articles for you to read, to contemplate and/or to share with your grandchildren. This month, I decided to share several of the web sites that I visit in order to help to share ideas with you. I hope you enjoy them, and that they are helpful. I hope you sign on to a few of these web sites so that you can enjoy them monthly, and I hope that if you find a web site that is particularly helpful to you and your grandchildren, that you send it to me, so I can forward them to all of you. I wish all of you a happy healthy, safe and fulfilling New Year. KINDSPRING.ORG - a great weekly column of things that happen, that we can do to create kindness. HANDSON SUBURBAN CHICAGO - Another website that is interesting and important for Chicago area people. If you don't live the the Chicago area, I hope you can find an organization like Hands On to give you volunteer ideas, or else I hope this newsletter can spark an idea for you. INSPIRING QUOTES - CHECK IT OUT. Perhaps you can have a weekly meeting on the phone with your grandchildren where you discuss one of these quotes each week, or just talk about them with friends. 
March 2022
I am reflecting on the 14 years that Grandparents for social action has been in existence. Many things have happened.
One grandma and her granddaughter attended a session that I did at the "Chesed Fund” She said to her granddaughter, “This is the lady that made you a philanthropist” I asked the 10 year old what that meant, and she told me that her grandma comes for dinner every Friday nite and brings $5.00 each time. When they think they have enough, they decide how they want to donate it, by giving money to a shelter, or making gifts for the poor, or baking cookies and giving them out to shelters. She said, she and her grandma have a great time planning and doing the projects. One grandma said that she and her grandchildren started a philanthropy club. They meet 4 times a year to discuss how to spend the money they have, where to volunteer, and to whom do they want to write letters, or call to promote the ideas they have to make their community a better place to live. I could go on and on telling you the impact of grandparents, or aunts, uncles, or parents deciding to help their children to become philanthropists. This can apply to 3 year olds or to adult children. Just remember this quote that is on our business card "IT IS OUR PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY TO TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION TO BE LIFELONG PHILANTHROPISTS AND SOCIAL ACTION ACTIVISTS AND TO EMPOWER THEM TO USE THEIR VOICES FOR ADVOCACY, THEIR TIME FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THEIR BANKS FOR HELPING OTHERS." 
May 2022
IDEAS FOR LONG DISTANCE GRANDPARENTS
GRANDPARENTSFORSOCIALACTION.ORG (AND ALL GRANDPARENTS AND PARENTS AND AUNTS AND UNCLES)) copyright - grandparentsforsocialaction.org. Sharon Morton - 847-477-2955 email - [email protected] Grandparents may be one of our country's greatest untapped resources. Grandparents are in a unique position in the family circle to provide a great service. Grandparents can bless the lives of their own or something else's children or grandchildren, as can aunts, uncles and cousins and grandfriends. Grandparents can be the anchor is a world of shifting values, and they bridge the generations. Grandparents are highly motivated to nurture, support and share their expertise and life experiences with their grandchildren. Baby boomers are retiring at a rate of 10,000 a day. Many are grandparents. They often have the education, the resources, and the desire to leave a legacy, to instill values in the hearts and minds of their grandchildren. Long distance grandparents need to plan to be sure their relationship is always strengthened.
JUST A FEW IDEAS: Here are some basic principles and practical ideas that take advantage of the factors cited above, for long-distance grandparents to use to keep a strong attachment over distance:
Gifts: Some ideas on this gift list come from grandparents.com. Check out the site for more long distance ideas. Check out http://multigen.roadscholaradventures.org for intergenerational travel ideas.
July 2022
We all hope our children and grandchildren will do mitzvot. A Jewish child is required to do mitzvot as he/she prepares for Bar/bat Mitzvah. Charlie and his family did a monthly project. They kept track of what he did and on the day of his Bar mitzvah, he passed out these pages to the entire congregation and suggested that these were all worthy projects, and people could sign on to do something similar if it interested them. I believe his family will keep this list forever, and perhaps go back to it at different times.
My suggestion is that you look at this list carefully. Show it to your grandchildren. Let them choose one of these projects, or discuss what other project they would like to do, and then write down all the information that will connect them to the important organization in the future. AND have them share it with their friends, their family. It doesn't have to be for a Bar Mitzvah. It can just be the projects of 2022, etc. Finally, Congratulations to you Charlie, on an amazing job. Well done!! You are inspirational to lots of people. Bubba Sharon 
September 2022
My first assignment as a teacher in 1961 was at a school in the inner city of Chicago. We collected every year for school children’s aid. (These children were needy recipients of this Chicago program, but nonetheless, I had to explain to my 1st grade class that if anyone had extra money to help children who needed help, they should bring it into school.
The very next morning, Tommy walked up to my desk and said he had money for the poor children, and he handed me a penny that was very hot because he had been carrying in around for a few hours already in his little tiny fist. I looked at him and he said, “It is important to help the poor children. I know how they feel.” And after I shed a few tears, I told him that he was a philanthropist, one who loves to be kind, and someone would REALLY appreciate his donation. It is now 60 years later, and I can still see Tommy’s beautiful, shining, happy face as I took the penny from him like it was just yesterday. I wish I knew what happened to Tommy and I pray that he, too, was helped along the way so that he could continue his acts of generosity and kindness throughout his life. That is my prayer for him! Bubba Sharon 
November 2022
Thanksgiving is a good time to think about the fact that a philanthropist is one who gives money, time and voice to a project that will make the world a tiny bit better. (the word philanthropy means love of humanity.) Thanksgiving is a time to express our gratitude for what we have. It is also a time to think about immigrants and try to make their lives a bit easier.
Perhaps it is a time to help someone who is have trouble reading, or to donate food to those who are in need, or to find those items that you don't use too much and donate them to a shelter. Ask your family: "What else is important as we get ready to celebrate thanksgiving." Very happy healthy and blessed thanksgiving to all of you. Bubba Sharon 
January 2023
THEATER HELPS CHILDREN TO DEVELOP SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, GOOD RELATIONSHIPS, AND BEING EMPATHETIC
It’s after school, and the tweens are rowdy with angst. Then two of them, Charlotte Williams, 13, and Tally Vogel, 11, face each other. Williams raises an arm, and Vogel raises her arm to follow. They’re practicing “the mirror,” an improv exercise in a theater classroom, and the room suddenly hushes. It’s indistinguishable which girl is leading, and which is following. When the exercise stops, and the teacher asks how they were able to sync up so completely without speaking, Vogel says, “I used my eyes.” In other words, she used “active listening,” a type of verbal and nonverbal communication skill that promotes mutual understanding. Several studies show communication skills are most essential skills. Better communicators are hired more often, enjoy happier relationships and marriages, ascend to leadership positions, and possess higher self-esteem. The ability to manage personal emotions and to recognize them in others — also known as emotional intelligence — is a predictor of academic and professional success. These skills are often taught through Social Emotional Learning programs, offered in K-12 schools in 27 states. But they are also a by-product of theater class,“The longer the kids spent in the theater classes, the more they gained in 21st century skills, like communication, creativity, imagination, problem solving, and collaboration,” says Thalia Goldstein, the study’s co-author and an associate professor of applied developmental psychology at George Mason University. Theater involves “active learning” — getting up on your feet to take in information, rather than merely sitting at a desk. “When you put something in your body, it’s more durable, it lasts longer, and you remember it longer,” says Kathryn Dawson, associate professor of theater at the University of Texas at Austin. And theater involves more than one “mode”: verbalizing, while making a gesture or expression, which research shows boosts brain activity.It’s something parents, whether they realize it or not, are surrounded by. Parents of young children are familiar with pretend play — the couch is suddenly a frog castle, the floor a lake, and unbeknown to you, sharks are circling your ankles. It may seem like pure fantasy, but in fact, pretend play is the foundation for developing empathy, Goldstein says. It helps young children build emotional understanding, regulation and executive function, the foundational skills that later predict empathy levels. Parents can help foster empathy in children by introducing fiction books throughout childhood, with varied characters, settings and authors, which correlates directly to empathy scores in adulthood. They can let them be the drivers of pretend play, authors of their own stories. And theater class is yet another way. Parents can teach kids to be empathetic. Here's how. It’s the social dynamic of theater, the give and take, the volley of listening and responding, that expands kids’ capacity to read cues, think quickly and creatively, work as an ensemble and see things from another perspective. Theater provides an awareness of space, pausing, waiting for somebody else to talk. Connecting is ultimately the goal of communication, Sara Williams, mother to Charlotte, cites theater as the foundation for her daughter’s self-awareness. Charlotte began drama classes at age 5. At 13, she is not afraid to speak publicly or join the student council; she listens and has confidence. “They go to these classes and come home feeling energized, like they accomplished something,” Williams says. And not just the outgoing kids — for the shy, theater opens them up. For children with anxiety, like so many children coming out of the pandemic, “the least judgmental place you can be is in a theater class.” You can keep your personality, and unlike in sports, you’re not competing with anyone. In the end, theater is about telling stories. It is one of the best ways to help young people get to know themselves, Dawson says. Stories help us make sense of the world and understand another’s experiences. Alexandra Moe is a writer in Washington. Find her at www.alexmoewrites.com and on Twitter at: @alexandra_moe. Bubba Sharon 
March 2023
This is a reprint of a newsletter from 2010 What has changed in the last 13 years?
My Grandmother's Logic an excerpt of a piece by Aaron Cohen I was raised by parents who vividly recall the Great Depression, and by grandparents whose immigrant experience was shaped by it. One of my career mentors, Harry, used to regale me with stories of riding the rails when he was my kids' age. One of the things I learned from all those folks, and which I tried to relate to my son, were that all things are relative. People of conviction, with luck, ultimately prevail; tough times, with leadership, ultimately pass. My mother told me the story of her mother's commitment to tzedakahduring the height of the Depression. Every week, rain or shine, she would make the rounds of the neighborhood with a little pushke (tzedakah box) collecting pennies, dimes, nickels—and if she was really persistent, quarters—for Jews in need in Eretz Yisrael (the pre-state Land of Israel) and in Pittsburgh. My unemployed grandfather scraped together a few dollars as a book peddler; the extended family lived jammed together in a small apartment; and a wealthier uncle sent some help their way. My grandmother’s philosophy was that having something, anything, meant you had something to give those who had nothing. Having lived by dint of her wits through World War I and the Russian Revolution, having made it through the Great Depression, she faced life with eternal hope. What sustained that hope was that she herself never stopped giving. I tried to tell all that to my son, who is a savvy guy. Adversity—God-willing in small doses—can be the engine of progress, I said; problems yield to solutions. 
May 2023My message is listen to your children, to your grandchildren. Follow their lead.
A young man was very sick with Crohn’s disease. When he was only six, he was in a hospital waiting room. He loved to read. He asked the nurse if he could have a book while he was waiting. The nurse said they didn’t have any. They could not give sick children books because they might have germs that would pass on to the next patient. That child knew that children needed books to read. He contacted his grandma and asked her if there was a way to get books into hospitals and GIVE them to patients. That grandma said, Let’s see!!! The went to book stores and got new books that were going out of print. They called authors, publishers, book stores. Long story- shosrt. He collected 60,000 books. Now the hospitals in his town each had bookshelves of new books for children patients. A young child was obsessed with the environment, not just on earth day, but every day. His family appreciated that he was doing something for the environment. He picked up every piece of trash. He planted a garden and gave fruit and flowers to his neighbors. He grew up, became a Cantor, and often preached the fact that we are the caretakers of this earth, and we have to guard it. A young boy saw a tv news article about homelessness. He begged his parents to go into the inner city and bring blankets to people who would be outside in the cold. they did. Then he wanted to bring cookies to them. Long story-short. There were 30 homes for the homeless around the world that were set up because of his fortitude, his ideas, his family’s support. I read books by Danny Seigel, a major speaker and philanthropist. I appreciated all his work. I started teaching my grandchildren they could be philanthropists when they were only seven years old. Long story-short. They are adults now. They tell me stories about giving money to all musicians who are playing music on the street, for leaving large tips for door dash drivers, for being aware of how they can help make the world a better place, and because of their receptivity to these ideas, suggestions and action, I am still writing monthly columns in my newsletter “Grandparentsforsocialaction.org” almost 20 years later. Tell your friends to sign up to the newsletter. THE MESSAGE: Listen to your grandchildren’s dreams of making the world just a bit better. Help them to realize their dreams. Share yours too. LEAVE THE WORLD JUST A BIT BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT! 
July 2023
Each week I meet with my grandchildren on zoom, and we do the following:
1. How was your week?— what was the best part? what were the problems? (sometimes the cousins give advice to others, sometimes they applaud what their cousins have done. 2. We say blessings together. 3. I ask a values based question and each grandchild answers. Some of the questions I have asked are the following:
September 2023
I attended the Bat Mitzvah of a 13 year old in our congregation this past weekend. It was one of the most extraordinary services I have ever attended. Not only was her Hebrew perfect, but her interpretation of her Torah portion was beautiful. The Torah portion was Ki Tavo. She said: “We can try searching for blessings all around us. We might have to open our eye wider to see them. But if we can’t find them, we could try to be the blessing. What I mean is that we can be the ones who bring good things into the world.”
From Bubba Sharon: Let’s all think about this quote, discuss it with our friends, children and grandchildren. At this time of the year, how can we all look forward to recognizing the blessings in our lives and being a blessing to others. One thing that was in her program book was a summary of some of her mitzvah work. She organized a Chanukah party for adults from Lambs farm. She went on field trips with Keshet and helped at their Special Olympics event, and after school programs She volunteered at a weekly dinner for the participants of Snap, the special-needs adult program in glencoe. She did a program called "bowling into mitzvot" and raised a lot of money with her friends. Along with her friends, they made blessing bags for the homeless bracelets for a special Olympic participants and signs for Parasport athletes, From Bubba Sharon: There were so many other things that she did as well. If you have grandchildren approaching 13, the time of becoming an adult, ( or even much younger) discuss what they can do to make the world just a bit better, to help to ease the lives of others and help your grandchildren to develop a passion to do something important and good. 
November 2023
Gratitude is a great theme for Thanks giving. When you sit around the Thanksgiving table, think of questions to discuss with your company.
What was the first thing you did to help someone. What was the first thing that you remember someone did to make you feel good? Who is one of the great “givers” in your life.? Who is one of your heroes? What cause is important to you? What is happening with that cause that you can join? I am grateful for……… I appreciate that……. I hope that….. This is a poem that a friend wrote that helps to frame the conversation. TURNING POINT by a poet named Bill Can you identify a turning point in your life? Was it a celebration or time of great strife? Was there a loss that still resides in your heart? Was there a birth that puts joy in that same heart? Were there words heard from years past, With Solomon advice that will always last. Were there life decisions that we or others made, That paint pictures in your mind that will never fade. Perhaps it was a special life discovery that you didn’t expect It will create building blocks for a life to lead with great respect. Are we ever aware of where that turning point may be? That shapes our lives and determines our destiny. Bill McNulty 
January 2024
As many of you know, I started a small philanthropy fund for my three oldest grandchildren a couple of years ago. I put $100 in the bank for each of them and they get to spend that amount of money on philanthropy very year. Over the last couple of years, they have “adopted” zoo animals, purchased mittens and scarves to donate to a shelter, volunteered at a soup kitchen, and donated money to the Juvenile Diabetes Association, Katrina relief, holiday toy drives, and more.
A couple of weeks ago, we had our last MiMaSt Philanthropy Club Meeting of the year. (The club is named after Michael, Matthew, and Steven). Each one of the boys had about $50 left for the year. They each decided to spend most of the money on a special cause. Steven chose "Saving Tiny Hearts", Matthew chose the "Scott Conlon Fund", and Michael chose "St. Jude Hospital" I suggested that each one write the name of the fund to which they were donating, what the fund is about, and why they chose that fund. I also told them about the projects that were done and written up by Danny Siegel. One of the boys suggested that he could make a web site so that they will be able to keep track of their donations. At the beginning of our club meeting, they stood, raised their right hands and said, "I am a lifelong philanthropist, and will do philanthropic things because I am a mensch (a good soul). Then we discussed their projects. After that, we picked up their two young cousins who will be ready to be philanthropists in a couple of years. We went to lunch, bought pet food and took it over to Orphans of the Storm, a nearby animal shelter. (Thanks to Barbara Unikel and her grandchildren for the idea!) The day ended beautifully, as always when one is with grandchildren. We hope that you all had a good New Year - and that coming year brings all of us and our families, health, love, productivity, fulfillment and all the blessings we wish for others. Sharon 
March 2024
The Gregorian calendar moves according to the sun. It has 12 months. Each month has 30 or 31 days. In order to keep the calendar in sync with the seasons, we add one day every four years (Feb. 29th.)
The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar corrected by the sun. Each month has 29 or 30 days. In order to keep it corrected to sync to the seasons, we add a whole month seven times every 19th years. (therefore we have Adar the first and then Adar the second. seven times every nineteen years. We are commanded to be happy on the second Adar because it is an extra month in our lives. Also remember that Adar has both Purim and Pesach. Both holidays are joyous. In the story of Purim, Queen Esther learns that Haman wants to kill the Jews. Mordecai tells her she must tell the king that she is Jewish and if Haman kills the Jews, he will kill her too. The Jews of the kingdom are saved because of her bravery. In the Passover story, Moses leads the Jews out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery and they go to the promised land as they march thru the desert in 40 years. So we are commanded to be happy. Each day during Adar, ask your children and or grandchildren, “What makes you happy today. It can be a big or a small thing, but be happy.” 
May 2024
Right now, I am on a 4-month cruise around the world functioning as a rabbi on the trip. It is a most amazing time. I am meeting people from many countries, I am seeing places and things I have never seen, I am in awe of stories I have never heard.
On the other hand, during my time on this ship, I have learned more about the war in Gaza. I have seen newsreels about antisemitism and encampments on college campuses, and have participated in important, challenging, and significant conversations. My prayer for all of us, regardless of our age, our position in life or the ages of our children and grandchildren, is to listen carefully to others’ viewpoints, to think thoughtfully about any validity of those viewpoints, and to know that our tradition teaches us to listen, to clarify, to evaluate, and to hope for better times in our lives and the lives of all those who come after us. I enclose two articles that I think express the clarity of some Jewish students at Columbia, and the message of HOPE expressed by a Rabbi. Both articles are ones that I hope you can share with your children, grandchildren and friends. I pray for all of us to meet our challenges with comfort, hope, integrity and strength. Amen. 
July 2024
The entire newsletter is month is devoted to Grandparents Day in September, a time that we can relate to our grandchildren, think about our own relevance, and purpose in our lives as we get older, and thing about the legacy we want to leave to the next generation.
Grandparents day is Sept 24, 2024. Do something grand with your grandchildren, for your grandchildren. #DoSomethingGrand Activities for All Ages #DoSomethingGrand is a social interactive campaign that gives loved ones the opportunity to honor the impact of intergenerational connections and older adults in their lives and families. We invite you to submit videos or photos to share across social media using the hashtag #DoSomethingGrand Spread the Word in Your Community
September 2024
During September, I went to dinner in a gym at a church with Jews, Christians and Moslems. Each of us brought a dinner dish from our own tradition, and the food was truly a feast of cultures. We all sat at table with people of the three faiths, all people who are willing to help one another to make this world a better place. It wasn't fancy. When the 150 or more people all got up to get dinner, everyone stood in line talking to one another, and it WAS beautiful, and it was warm. And there was laughter, and there was concern for the world that was palpable. The people who spoke after dinner included a Rabbi, a Priest, an Imam, a Holocaust survivor. The speakers included young teens, and elders of all three communities. And when we left, everyone embraced and felt that perhaps there is HOPE for the world. There was certainly love.
The group is called "Children of Abraham Coalition". Consider learning about them and perhaps joining. Included is just a small clip of two young men talking about why they joined. Check it Out HERE |
April 2020
As grandparents, parents and children, residents of the US and the world, we know that letter writing is getting to be a lost art, and yet, it represents an a form of connection that is so important at this time. I wonder what you and/or your grandchildren would write to the Corona Virus? I would suggest that you ask them.
For younger children, they could dictate to you on the phone, and you can write down their messages. And you both might write to health care workers, to teachers, to Drs., to first responders, to people who are in nursing homes, to elderly people living alone in your neighborhood, to the people who work in your local stores, to your mailperson, to a friend that you haven’t seen for awhile, You would be doing a good deed, an act of kindness, and we need to find ways at this time of the Corona Virus, to let people know we appreciate them. that we care, and it would add some purpose to these days of isolation. This is part of a letter written by Dawn Foreman who was taking a three day long distance class at Harvard. The assignment was to write a letter to someone. I have both shortened her letter, and adapted it for purposes of this newsletter. What I like about it so much, is that she points out positive things that are happening even at this MOST difficult time in our history. Dear Corona Virus: You have disrupted schools, caused mass unemployment, put millions of health care workers in harm’s way, Because of you, grandparents cannot hold newborns. Weddings cannot take place. Students cannot wear a cap and gown and graduate. There are no first kisses at the prom, no handshakes to mark a new job, and no one praying together at temples, synagogues or churches. No one can eat a hot dog on the opening day at Yankee stadium.But for all that you have done, look what has happened as a result of this sad time in our world. Children are actually spending time with their families now. Healthcare workers--our heroes--are revered and praised. Teachers, traditionally at the bottom of the professional food chain in regard to paycheck and respect, are honored much more, as parents realize the Herculean job educating children can be. Innovative American companies are repurposing their factories to now make ventilators and n95 masks. Pet adoptions across the United States are up as much as ten-fold in the past few weeks and some animal shelters are now completely empty. Tens of thousands in New York cheer out their windows for essential workers nightly. A chorus line of teachers wave enthusiastically to a parade of cars filled with their eager students riding by. Grandchildren are serenading grandparents while standing outside nursing home windows, holding handmade I Love You posters. A 7-year old in Maryland used $600 of his own savings to make care packages for seniors and feed 90 students. When bad things happen, we can get strong, get smart, and unite. We can do something, a little something to brighten another person’s day, to donate to a cause that is important to us, to shop for someone, to write a note, to tell a story to do something to alleviate the loneliness, or to answer the needs of a neighbor or a friend or a stranger. Dawn Foreman finished her letter by saying, This crisis will be marked as a defining moment in world history--where we took a ‘time out’ to protect, heal and save our neighbors. As Malcolm X once said, “When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we, even illness becomes wellness.” I pray that you all stay well, find new ways to communicate at this time, and find ways to feel fulfilled at this time. 
June 2020
I first met Gabe at a consulation on Conscience in Washington D.C. (from the Religious Action Center) when he was only ten years old. He was taking notes, talking to congresspeople, and I asked him where he learned to be such a social action activist. And what advice he had for grandparents to teach their grandchildren to be like him. This is what he told me then: Soon, the time will come for our parents and grandparents to "pass the torch" to the next generation of social action leaders in America, and we better be prepared. I'm talking about kids. When we arrive at the time when those who are now children become our nation's leaders, we must be sure that they have been prepared to get involved in social justice and politics. And getting kids prepared is very easy. When you attend a rally or a meeting of local leaders, take your grandchild along. When you go to a protest or go out to vote at your polling place, or in a caucus, take your grandchild along. If you are knocking on doors for a candidate or issue, it is just as simple as letting them come with you. If your grandchildren come for dinner or a visit, talk to them about different issues they can relate to. They will be much more interested than you think. If we don't do this now, the next generation will be empty of something that we so sorely need: social justice and those who are willing to step up and bring it upon us. The next decades will be very exciting ones in politics, and we will need leaders on both sides to make sure that the right things are happening. But this won't happen unless you do a very, very simple thing: just bring your grandchild along when you vote or campaign. Talk to them about issues. And soon, we will be sure that when the time comes, the next generation is willing and able to accept the torch with open arms and continue the work that everyone in the generations before us have started. Look at what he does now: Pretty amazing young man. What are we teaching our grandchildren about being socialaction advocates, and philanthropists today to be ready for when the torch is passed. Local High School Senior Gabe Fleisher Launches ‘Wake Up To Politics’ Podcast Gabe Fleisher is the host of "Wake Up To Politics," a new podcast from St. Louis Public Radio. DAVID KOVALUK | ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIOSince 2011, Gabe Fleisher has written a newsletter called “Wake Up To Politics.” Though newsletters are aplenty, what makes this one unique is that Fleisher — now a high school senior — started the newsletter when he was in third grade. Fleisher first came to St. Louis Public Radio’s attention in 2013, when his newsletter had nearly 600 subscribers. Today, “Wake Up To Politics” boasts more than 48,000 subscribers. And in partnership with St. Louis Public Radio, Fleisher has now launched a political podcast of the same name. 
August 2020
A good friend of mine recently had a first grandchild who lives out of town. I wanted to get a gift that was special so that she could help her grandchild to grow up to value herself, to share with others, and to have a great relationship with her out of town grandma. So these are the gifts I bought for them.
First, I bought 2 copies of the book “PAT the BUNNY, one copy for grandma to read to her out of town baby from the time the baby is perhaps 6 months old. Each page has a task for the baby to do. When the baby pats the bunny, the grandma says. "What a gentle child!”. When the baby plays peek-a-boo, grandma says, “What a playful baby” When the baby smells the flowers, Grandma can say. “Oh, you love nature.” When the baby looks in the mirror, grandma can say, “Oh, see the kind child.” When the baby feels daddy’s face, grandma can say, “You are such a loving child.” and both grandma and the baby on zoom will have the book in front of them. I once saw a 2 1/2 year old who was then reading the book to herself as she had been taught. The toddler turned each page, did the action and she said out loud, “I gentle—I playful—I love flowers —I kind—I loving— etc. I wish all parents and grandparents would read this book to the very very young children very often. It has lasting value results. I also bought the book," The little Engine that could” a great book to teach the child the theme, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. And the last thing I bought was a bank from the company MOONJAR, It has 3 sections, save, spend, share. I believe the child can ge the bank at the age of 3 or 4. Once a child begins to have an allowance it can be put into this bank and the child hopefully will begin to understand that we have the privilege and the necessity, with our own money, to spend and to save. The child can also learn that he has the privilege and the responsibility to share with others. I hope all new grandparents think carefully about gifts they give to their grandchildren, not the electric expensive things, but things that will stimulate their imagination, that will help them in a gentle way to grow to be a responsible adult who cares about others and understands himself or herself. It is a wonderful blessing we have when we finally have a grandchild and we can, play, read and teach values gently to that child. Perhaps next month, we will discuss more of the excitement of being a new grandmother, or grandfather. 
October 2020
Ideas for conversations and actions with grandchildren around theme of Halloween
This Halloween is going to be different from others because of social distancing. What can we do this year that will be fun and meaningful to ourselves and others. What can we collect and to whom will we give them? perhaps all the pennies in the whole house for the next two weeks. our outgrown winter clothes, Now is the time when people might have to have gloves and warm coats}, books we dont read anymore, toys we don’t play with anymore, stuffed animals we no longer want there are children in shelters at this time who would love them. What can we read? Books that teach how you can make the world a happier place- BE KIND - can you name one? What can we write and to whom?— perhaps to a newspaper to suggest something important, to a relative, to a neighbor, to a friend or who else. Compliment everyone you see today. Buy some Halloween candy for a neighbor or friend who can’t go trick or treating this year. Buy some rocks, paint a kind message on them or just write messages on note paper and drop them off at friends or neighbors or send to a teacher or a grandparent. 
December 2020
Dear friends, I hope you had a wonderful Chanukah, and that you have a great New Year, and I hope next year we will all be able to celebrate with our families.
This year, I sent each of my children and my grandchildren a monetary gift for Chanukah. If you like this idea, you can use it for birthdays or any holiday, or special time. I want to remind them that even if I dont see them, I still want them to remember to be philanthropists, and to be aware of others in this world. This is a copy of the letter that each one received in the mail with a check. Dear ……….., Dec. 2020 Happy Chanukah to you. I hope that you will be having lots of fun during the holidays, and that life is good to you. I am enclosing a Chanukah gift for you, but because I know you are a philanthropist, I ask the following of you. As a reminder, a philanthropist donates time, money and voice.
I love you and hope your holidays are REALLY good. Bubba. 
February 2021
When I was a child, my family celebrated Shabbat. We said the blessings on Friday evening, and my father would give us a Friday nite surprise. That was VERY significant to my brother and me because my father was working and going to school at the same time and was so busy. We REALLY appreciated that he did that. And he gave us great presents. One time he gave me a diamond ring. (That is a dime and a ring).
One time he gave me a stone that he found on his way home from work. That gift encouraged me to start a stone collection as an adult. Then whenever my grandchildren came over, they could take one of the stones and put the pebble or stone they found in my collection. It was a great fun activity for me to do with my grandchildren. Fast forward, my grandchildren are now ages 14-26 and live in Toronto, Boise and Chicago. Three months ago, I called all five of them, and asked if we could celebrate Shabbat together for an hour each Friday evening. Every week, we have an hour long zoom call. (A GREAT CORONA VIRUS ACTIVITY WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS)First, everyone just shares what their week was like. Then we say the blessings, and then either I or one of the grandchildren ask a question that each person answers. Questions have been: “What do you value most in life?” “What is a very important value you learned from your family?” “What was a moment you will never forget?” “What would you do if you won a billion dollars?” If you cant think of questions, there is a company www.shluffytime.com. They have a product called THE SHABBAT BOX OF QUESTIONS. You can use is for Shabbat or any other time too. 
April 2021
Becoming a grandparent is perhaps one of the greatest times in our lives. We might have more time than we did when we were younger, we might have a bit more money. We might have more energy than our own grandparents had. Ours is perhaps only the first or second generation of grandparents where travel, reading, boundless energy, are so evident, and it is the 100th generation or more of our loving grandchildren as an extension of the love we have for our own children. I hope you can take the time to spend time and appreciate every second of every moment you spend with them. So when they are young, read picture books, join PJ library for grandparents. (They will send books to you that you can read to them, as well as give you ideas of ways to connect with your grandchildren. Other websies to check out include: RAGING GRANNIES, GRANDPARENTS’ LINK. GRAND MAGAZINE. JEWISH GRANDPARENTS’ NETWORK. GRANDKIDS MATTER. GRANDPARENTS UNLEASHED. and many more. Check them out. But know that this site, Grandparentsforsocialaction.org, is one of the only sites that is directed primarily to help grandparents to help their grandchildren become philanthropists, social action activists, and pursuers of gemilut chasadim, (acts of lovingkindness.) and value laden young people starting at a very young age, and for the whole lives. . Next month we will discuss questions that grandparents can help your young and even your adult grandchildren reflect on how they can help others, and yet care about themselves, how they can notice and respond to issues they see where they can help, and so much more. Until next month, I wish you health, safety and AN END to this corona virus. 
June 2021
As the country and the world begins to open up after corona virus, it is important to connect with relatives, friends and particularly, our grandchildren. It is time to reconnect with friends by phone or perhaps for a cup of coffee, or maybe just a note. One friend of mine sent me a monthly note- “ I am thinking about you.” She is one of the first people I want to see in person.. Personally, I haven’t seen most people in person for over a year, and I look forward to reconnecting. But I need to remember how to budget my time.. Reconnect with people who you care about deeply, but have not seen for awhile. Stay in connection with those you love.
AND, check in again with grandchildren whether they are close or far. try to write a short note each week. If they are grown and live away, send them a picture of themselves when they were young. If they are very young, be sure to call them even if the whole conversation is “What does a cow say? What does a dog say? etc” Just so you hear their voice and they hear yours. Remember, that the people who are suffering financially are still needing help. Can your grandchildren help you to decide where you might give a donation this month, or where you might volunteer to make a day a bit easier for someone else. If you have a friend who has no grandchildren, might he or she like to be included in a family volunteer day? And take an opportunity to take a walk with your grandchildren if they are close by, and appreciate the flowers, the trees, the birds, even the bugs. Enjoy the summer months and STAY CONNECTED OR RECONNECT. This is a unique and special moment. Enjoy the summer! Let me know how you are reconnecting with family, friends, Just write to [email protected]. 
August 2021
1. If I see your young child, and he/she doesn’t respond to my hello, please don’t tell me the child is shy. You might say, “My child is very good.” Or you might just say “thanks for the comment.” or you might even just wave me off.” I believe that if we say something often to our children and/or grandchildren, they begin to believe it, or be that quality, so let’s think carefully before we label them. 2. When I have spoken to grandparents in a group, I used to ask the question, “What do you want your grandchild to be when they grow up?” and often I got the answer, “HAPPY.” I would say “Think again. Happiness is fleeting, and all of us are sometimes happy and sometimes, not. Rather, I would choose the answer to be GOOD, because if we are good, the hope is that we wll always be good! 3. I have learned (I hope) never to ask a question if I wont accept a particular answer in response. (See no 2 above) Questions could be open and you can appreciate the answers. If someone disagrees with you, you can say, "Oh, I see it this way” or whatever you can say to suggest that there can be another answer, but not to be in a position to just say “WRONG.” Now when I speak to groups, I sometimes tell them about no 2. above and say I won’t ask the question because I just want to tell you what I think about this one issue, and then I go on with my topic. 4. Take the time to tell your children and grandchildren you love them at the end of each conversation, and sometimes in the middle of a conversation. Take time to applaud their successes, and tell them to try again when they fail. When a baby is just learning to walk, every time they fail and fall down, we say ‘Good job!” and then we help them to stand up and try again. Somehow, at some age, when they fail, we might say things that are deprecating. I suggest that whatever you see or hear, that suggests they failed, you can say, “OK try again, let’s discuss how to do this a different way this time.” 5. Good luck with these thoughts. Let me know what you think of the suggestions, or send in your advice and I will think to respond to you and/or to post it for others to read. Bubba Sharon. 
October 2021
VALUES - Our values unite us - inspire us - and guide us.
This is a time in our lives to take the time to think about and discuss important values that we have received, that sustain us. (and that we want to transmit to the next generation.) What are the 5 most important values from this list; How do they influence your life decisions. What other values should be included in this list. Where did these values come from if they are your main values? Why might you want to transmit them to the next generation. Find moments in your life that the particular values are most important to you. When were they evidenced in your life, in the life of your family, friends, associates, grandchildren. Write the stories, or the reminder sentences that will recall the stories for you. Discuss them with your grandchildren. What are their values? How do they live them out? Partial LIST OF VALUES COMPILED BY 21/64 - ASSOCIATION OF SMALL FOUNDATIONS. Tolerance - Respecting the beliefs, practices or innate differences of others. Courage - Standing up in the face of adversity. Leadership - Motivating others to work towards achieving a common purpose. Community - feeling a meaningful connection to a group of people. Personal growth and education - pursuing new skills and self-awareness. Tradition - valuing a practice, custom, or story passed down from generation to generation. Freedom - Having the ability to exercise choice and free will. Helping - Taking care of others and meeting their needs. Friendship - experience close, ongoing relationships Responsibility - Voluntarily doing what is expected. Justice - pursuing what is fair and morally right. Integrity - Acting in alignment with your deeply held values. Family - Caring for and spending time with loved ones. Loyalty - Being devoted to a person, ideal, duty or cause Obligation - Committing to fulfill a duty or promise. Thanks to 2164.net, grandparentsforsocialaction.org, for assisting in this project. 
December 2021
Every month is a great time to help someone, but December is especially wonderful month for celebration, and therefore, it is also a wonderful month to remind our grandchildren that we all have a privilege and a responsibility to help others. 1. Have a conversation about the following:
3. To get ideas, go to Volunteermatch.com. No matter where you live in the U.S., no matter what is your interest, they will list activities in your zip code, on your areas of skill or interest. 4. Then contact the agency or the person and ask if you can help. 5. AND PLEASE, TAKE PICTURES AND WRITE UP THE STORY OF WHAT YOU DO. SEND THEM TO ME [email protected] SO WE CAN PUT IT ALL IN THE NEWSLETTER . 
February 2022
A Note from Bubba Sharon
February is a time when we think about love. I looked up many quotes on love, on loving your neighbor as yourself. I also looked up quotes on kindness and even on bullying. One that I like was by a man name Allan K. Chalmers. He wrote that the grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. Can we instill these three things into the hearts and minds of our grandchildren? Can we help them to know that when they help others, they feel better themselves? Can we read a book or see a movie and discuss what it means to our grandchildren? Be sure to call your grandchildren and tell them how much you love them. Tell them how proud you are of them. Tell them that who they are makes a difference to you and to so many people in this world, and that they make a difference to you and your life. A couple of short-but-true stories:
April 2022
Dear friends, I sometimes need to send a birthday or Bar Mitzvah or wedding gift to people when I cannot attend the special event for one reason or another. I often send a check and suggest the following: Congratulations on this wonderful occasion. I am sending you this check hoping you will spend some of the money on yourself because you deserve a special gift, and I also hope that you will send a small portion of the money to a charity that is important to you, so that others may also benefit from this special time in your lives. Please send a note to me in which you indicate the organization to which you chose to donate, and I will make an additional donation to them in your honor. I recently received this note from a young woman on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah. I share it will all of you and I hope it will encourage you to do something similar knowing that not only is it our privilege and responsibility to help our own grandchildren, nieces, nephews, to be philanthropists and social action activists, but that we can also reach out to friends’ children and let them know that we care about what they do. She wrote, “Thank you for your thoughtful gift. The charity that I decided to donate is the Ronald McDonald house in Long Island. For my mitzah project, I'm donating items from a wish list that they provided. Guests coming to my event can also donate. Thank you for thinking of me.” (And to top it all off, the thank you note she sent to me represented a donation to the MD Anderson Cancer Center). 
June 2022
So how and why did I start to write the grandparents newsletter and speak around the country with accolades, and why do I continue to do it?
I started grandparents for social action when my daughter married an amazingly wonderful Christian man who I love dearly. They chose to raise their children Christian. They seemed happy when I invited them and their two young sons to my home for Shabbat dinner regularly. I babysat every Friday when my three oldest grandsons were very young. They either stayed for Friday night dinner with their family or if they left early we said the blessings before they left I bought them beautiful silver kiddush cups and we had grape juice and sometimes Challah and sometimes little goldfish crackers. I decided that it was important for me and for them to be a part of each others lives in a meaningful way and that's when I started grandparentsforsocialaction.org. I realize that almost all of the things that people call Jewish values are really universal. Therefore it became quite easy to teach them the values of kindness, generosity, empathy, caring, loving, generous, and so much more. And as they grew up I suggested to them that I would teach them how to be philanthropist, ones who give money time and voice to the projects that are important to them. I wrote a letter for a national magazine of how it was, being a Jewish educator, and the grandparent of five grandchildren two of whom were being raised Christian, and how did I feel about that. I wrote back that my hope for my grandchildren was that they grew up to be moral, ethical, philanthropic, and kind, that was my hope. And I hoped that I would be able to be involved in each of them becoming the kind of person that I would cherish every single day of my life, and that has happened. I am grateful to GSA and to all thoe who have written in with their stories showing their relationships with grandchildren or nieces or nephews. And I am gratified each day that I continue to write my stories and yours. 
August 2022
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist who lived through the Holocaust. He theorized in a famous book he wrote that the primary motivation of a person is the search for meaning in life. His book, "MAN’S SEARCH FOR MEANING” is profound. One quote of his that I found recently was something that would be wonderful to discuss in a book group, with friends and certainly with your older grandchildren or nieces or nephews. If we pay attention to this quote, it can alleviate some anger, some worry, and it can lead to our growth and happiness.
"Between stimulus and response lies a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose a response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness." Viktor Frankl 
October 2022
Another story from my first year of teaching 60 years ago!! I began teaching 2 years after the Lady of Angel Catholic School fire in Chicago that killed so many children. The school where I was assigned as a new 20 year old teacher was one of the biggest schools in the city with not too many exits. I was terrified to be responsible for 37 first graders (no aid, no helper) in a hallway that had a rather steep stairway to get out of the building. I spoke several times to my class about fire drills, and the importance of getting out of the school quickly if we ever had a fire drill. I did say that it would most likely not be a real fire, but we had to practice to make sure that we would always be safe if ever there was a real fire. I also explained that once we heard the fire drill alert, we had to line up quickly without a word being spoken unless it was an emergency and someone couldn’t walk. (The children always listened to me).
It was a wonderful place to teach in spite of the hardships of the community.) Anyway, an alarm rang. the children lined up quickly and silently and we were the first ones to be out of the building. Then I looked over my class. They were very proud that they had followed directions, and that they felt they would likely be safe if ever there was a real fire. Then I looked at Danny. He had a nose bleed and the blood was dripping down the front of his shirt and he was just standing still. After I was able to quickly stop the nose bleed, I asked him why he didn’t tell me as we were lining up. He said, “Mrs Morton, I knew it was important that we get out of the building fast. And I knew I was okay because I have had nose bleeds before. And I knew you would take care of me as soon as you were able to stop and look at all of us, so I did the right thing.” I was grateful that Danny knew I would take care of him as soon as possible. I had explained carefully the importance of a fire drill and didn’t scare the children at the same time. So the lesson of this story is the reminder that in this world today, we need to be careful to give our grandchildren as full an explanation as possible for their ages, try NOT to frighten them, and also be as reassuring as possible. Bubba Sharon 
December 2022
I was in Seattle recently, taking my grandson on his belated 21 year old weekend trip. We went to a the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation Discovery center. It is a fabulous place to help to remind our grandchildren about possibilities in life to help others. There was a section of the museum that suggested ways to volunteer, to learn to show kindness, to use of voice, to raise money or start action, to use our voice to make the world just a bit better. These were a few of the ideas we discussed there.
Create your own! Create a project idea by combining a problem you are interested in and something you'd like to do. Step one: think about what you like to do. Examples: I like to teach I like to share I like to draw. I like to ... Step two: what is a problem you would like to help to solve? Example: I want to help to protect animals. I want to help ... Step three: combine step one and two to create a project. Example: I am going to create messages using social media that share information and how to help local animal shelters. What I can do: ... Bubba Sharon 
February 2023
This has been a huge month of changes for me.
I just moved from a fairly large house to a small two bedroom + den apartment (and I have so much precious STUFF that I am culling through) I am finding letters written long ago that are precious- furniture that belonged to my parents that I love- pictures and slides and movies (super 8 that I would like to see again}. Can I? My mother died 42 years ago, and I JUST found a letter from her (I don't know if it was original or not) that she typed and sent to me when my first daughter was born 57 years ago. I need to share it with you. I wonder what kind of letter we would each write to our children today when they have children. Some of it is dated, especially the line, “if you dont have television” and it brings back wonderful memories of an ancient time when we would sit around the radio and listen to stories, to times when we would set up a monopoly game on the floor and keep playing it day after day. We have so many great memories to share with our own grandchildren. Bubba Sharon 
April 2023
This article is from From Jen Nelson jknelson.com/2013/life/37-questions-grandparents-parents/ listing questions that young people can ask grandparents, but I, Bubba Sharon want to remind you that some of these would also be interesting to ask your adult children or grandchildren to see what are their memories.
Here is my list of 37 questions to ask your grandparents (and parents) to get to know them a bit better:
Hopefully these will give you a great insight into your grandparents, or parents, or children, or even older grandchildren.. There are some interesting questions about your family history that you could also ask:
June 2023
For this months newsletter, I would like to share a series of content from PJ Library. A big thank you to PJ Library for sharing such amazing content and resources!
What is Chesed? Standing up for those facing injustice is just one Jewish value to teach our kids. There are many other expressions of chesed, a Jewish concept of loving kindness that’s said to include elements of courage and imagination. In the Jewish tradition, kindness is expressed with the Hebrew word chesed (beginning with a “ch” sound, as heard in the name “Bach,” and rhyming with “bless-ed”). Like many Hebrew words, chesed does not translate precisely into English. The word means more than simply “kindness.” The contemporary Jewish scholar and teacher Avivah Zornberg has said chesed is “not just loving-kindness as it’s usually translated, but is also courage and imagination.” Here are a few Jewish values to get you started:
Jewish Stories of Victorious Voices Jewish tradition is filled with stories of people standing up for others. From Judah pleading with Joseph to spare brother Benjamin’s life, to Moses rebelling against his Egyptian upbringing to fight for the enslaved Israelites, to Queen Esther saving her people from destruction by Haman, the Bible shows time again what it means to be a mensch (Yiddish for “upstander”). Showing children examples of people speaking their minds and doing the right thing, even when it goes against popular opinion, is a great way to teach the Jewish value of ometz lev, or “strength of the heart.” For this book list, we’ve pulled together stories of real people and fictional characters who demonstrate this value and who aren’t afraid to speak up and speak out. Read More Here 
August 2023
Story from the past: When I was very young I taught in an inner city school in Chicago. The children were all very poor. Nonetheless, every Chicago School had a drive to collect money for “School Children’s Aid.” from every school in Chicago. (Some of the children in my class were actually recipients of the Chicago School Children’s aid fund.) I announced the drive to my little first graders, and expected that the money I would contribute would be the only money collected from my class.
However, the very next day, a little boy, Ephraim, came to class and said he wanted to donate to the fund. He opened his hand and handed me a nickel that he had carried with him for several hours. The nickel was hot. I said to him, Ephraim, that is so kind of you. Why do you want to do this?, He answered simply. “I know how the poor children feel and I just want to help.” I told him he was a philanthropist. He asked what was that? I told him that it was someone who gave money, time, or voice to make the world better. He then walked around the class, and told everyone that he was a philanthropist, and that he hoped everyone could be one. I wish I knew what happened to him as an adult. I had a feeling that his sweet little heart would always continue to want to help others. Story from yesterday: I just read an article that discussed the cost of school supplies and how they have multiplied in the last several years. My apt building has put a great big box in the lobby to collect school supplies for the inner city, I will be going to the dollar store this afternoon to buy lots of back packs, crayons, paper pens , etc. Can you put a school supply box in a local store? Can you collect school supplies with your grandchildren and deliver them to an inner city school? I hope you can find a way that you and your grandchildren can do something to make learning just a bit easier for children who are in need. 
October 2023
Dear friends, It is hard for me to think about anything other than what is happening in Israel. Therefore, I have pulled some of the important articles on the subject or how to talk to children about it. Please accept the newsletter with the understanding that some of you are more comfortable not talking to children about it, and some of you, like me, are hanging on every moment to decide what we can say or do at this tragic time.
Forgive me for devoting the whole newsletter to this subject if it is not on your list of things to talk about. Wishing all of you well, and hoping for good news in the future. Feel free to write to me with comments if you desire to do that. With respect and appreciation to all of you for reading these newsletters. Bubba Sharon. 
December 2023Every month is a great time to help someone, but December is especially wonderful month for celebration, and therefore, it is also a wonderful month to remind our grandchildren that we all have a privilege and a responsibility to help others.
1. Have a conversation about the following:
3. To get ideas, go to Volunteermatch.com. No matter where you live in the U.S., no matter what is your interest, they will list activities in your zip code, on your areas of skill or interest. 4. Then contact the agency or the person and ask if you can help. 5. AND PLEASE, TAKE PICTURES AND WRITE UP THE STORY OF WHAT YOU DO. SEND THEM TO ME [email protected] SO WE CAN PUT IT ALL IN THE NEWSLETTER . 
February 2024
I went to my dentist a wonderful man who grew up in my congregation and now is a father. The whole family is very connected to Israel as they have one daughter who has made aliyah and has dual citizenship. He was telling me that he kept his high school son home from school on October 8 because he was worried about antisemitism in school. But on October 9 he said to his son “ I will send you to school today but I would prefer that you wear your mezuzah and your chai necklace inside your shirt instead of on the outside." His son said, “No, I cant do that dad. I MUST wear on the out side of my clothes and I must wear it PROUDLY."
When I heard that story I said to myself “Why do I treat my Jewish star necklace as a piece of jewelry that I only wear once in awhile? It is a VERY important symbol of my identity. I started to wear my Jewish star outside of my clothes and then I received a wonderful gift of the tag that some people are wearing that says in English "-Bring them home now" and it says in Hebrew. “The prisoners in Gaza are in our heart." here is a saying, “and a child shall teach them”. So this young man taught me, and I hope all of us learn that whatever religion we are, we must be willing always to stand up for right and justice in this world. 
April 2024
Thinking about Passover, there are 4 children according to different Haggadot. One says the 4 children are the wise, the evil, the uninformed and the simple child.
Another Haggadh says the 4 children are the activist, the skeptical, the indifference and the simple. The very important part of these labels says a book for the Haggadah is DON'T LABEL CHILDREN - They change, they can be nurtured, they can be helped to grow. The activist child may be wise or educated, and He may be uninformed, but is eager to do the right thing. The child who is called evil may be uninformed, and needs to be brought into the reason that the Hagggadah is so important to the Jewish community, or we may be able to talk about one child who is in an oppressed situation, and must be protected. The answer, I believe is that we need to think about what is our child really saying. Is he scared, worried. Does the service seem to go over his head and he doesn’t feel connected right now, so he or she asks a question that may seem to see him as disconnected. If you have a child who seems to be too young to ask a question, then perhaps you need to find some comments that help him to feel connected. Books written on an easy level sometimes will reach that young child. But don't label your children. I will never forget the man I met in a coffee shop who hid behind his dad when I said hi to her. The father told me she was very shy. (I could certainly tell she was acting shy at the moment). But by saying she was so shy, he may have been labeling her which she would remember. I started to talk to the child, showed her some pictures, and then asked her is she had any good clothes that did not fit her anymore, that she could give to a poor child who had NO fancy clothes. She suddenly sparked and we had a lovely conversation, and she asked her dad if they could go home, and collect some clothes for poor children. It is probably one of the difficult parts of the Haggadah for me. Let’s ask the kids, “What questions do you have about the Haggadah? what things can you do that will affect what is happening in the haggadah. But involve the children. Another idea: When I hide the afikomen, the children find $5 or $10. Then together we decide how much they should keep, how much they want to give as charity and what can they do to help other children with the money they want to share. 
June 2024
A note from Bubba Sharon with ideas for long-distance grandparents or nearby grandparents too.
Part of the article is a special feature from Leslie & Kay, Founders of GrandparentsLink, a most interesting organization, the other parts are from bubba Sharon. So many of us do not live so close to our grandchildren and are always looking for ways to connect with them. Here are a few ideas that just might spark your grandchild’s interest and imagination and social action personality.
August 2024
As I think about what is new and what is important to teach our grandchildren, I looked at PJ Library for grandparents. It is a wonderful website and I suggest you all sign up for it. They have so much good information, so this month’s articles mostly just point you to that site.
I will only do one thing this month-that is, to offer some questions to you, that you can ask your grandchildren once a week on a phone call, or start a group text once a week. So if they are busy, they can be involved any time they are free during the week. These are just a few of the questions you can ask in person or by text.
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