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The merger of New Conservative Congregation and Sons of Jacob to become Beth Jacob came with an unexpected blessing. Until we came together, we had no idea how much we needed one another, nor how much we would come to treasure our generational diversity. But we did. From then on, despite differences in experience and perspective, Beth Jacob was our common ground!
Grandma Zelda modeled the value of intergenerational connections. Zelda Katz z”l loved all the Beth Jacob children, and they loved her. She started off as the personal Shabbat morning “candy lady” of the Ukes children, Philip, Adam and Betsy. As other children saw what was happening, she was soon surrounded by a circle of children waiting their turn to say “Shabbat Shalom, Grandma Zelda!” and to receive their candy and special greeting. Zelda embraced the role with zeal. Before long there was even a dedicated Zelda Katz candy fund, to ensure that she always had sufficient supplies as the congregation’s population of children grew.
Zelda didn’t start the tradition; our children Rafi and Miriam used to cross to the other side of the Sanctuary every week to see what Joanne Smith had for them in her bag. David Cobin z”l was the supplier for Section A. Adina Allen would get candy from him on behalf of all three Gorin Allen children. The tradition continues with others, including Rabbi Tamar’s offer of candy and bubbles from her tallis bag.
And Simchat Torah: Year after year, Betty Rosenberg z”l—wry, spry, young at heart—was ushered onto the bema at the end of the morning to lead everyone in the classic hit “Why Don’t We Do This More Often?” We were blessed to come together, young and old, to celebrate our joy in the Torah and the Jewish calendar.
I started out as a young mother, with great appreciation for the people of all ages who befriended and mentored my children and me. They diagnosed childhood illnesses, encouraged us, broadened our world and helped us feel needed and part of something larger than ourselves. Now, as a grandmother, I still treasure the opportunity for relationships with people of all ages—including the wonderful children who, not long ago, flipped the script and crossed to the other side of the Sanctuary to bring me candy. A perfect evolution of the candy lady tradition, reaching across generations to build new relationships!
Nina Samuels
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