Connecting Jewish Grandparents

How do grandparents build a lasting legacy? In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, Rabbanit Sharona Hassan explores Parashat Matot-Masei through the lens of inheritance, legacy, stewardship, and joyful, intentional connection. Discover how the Torah's teachings on vows, family inheritance, and the journeys through the wilderness offer timeless wisdom for Jewish grandparents seeking to...

What will your grandchildren inherit from you? In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, Rabbanit Sharona Hassan explores why Parashat Pinchas may be the Torah's most important portion for grandparents. Discover the many forms of legacy found in the parsha, from family values and traditions to leadership, faith, and belonging, and learn how to intentionally decide what you want to pass on...

How do you answer a grandchild's endless questions of "Why?" And what happens when there simply isn't an answer? In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, Rabbanit Sharona Hassan explores Parashat Chukat, the Torah's ultimate example of a chok - a commandment beyond human understanding. From the mystery of the Red Heifer to life's biggest questions about loss, illness, disappointment, and...

Are you an aunt, uncle, or grandparent who finds yourself stepping into a parenting role you weren't meant for? It is easy to offer advice that wasn't asked for or try to control outcomes, but often, the greatest gift we can provide is understanding the boundaries of our own role. In this episode, Rabbanit Sharona Hassan dives into the biblical story of Korach. While traditionally viewed as a stor...

In this week's Torah portion, Shelach, Caleb stands alone against the opinion of the crowd. How did he find the strength to resist fear, peer pressure, and popular opinion? The Torah hints that Caleb visited Hevron, reconnecting with the roots of his family and faith before making a difficult decision. His story offers a powerful lesson for grandparents today. In a world filled with social media,...

In this week's Torah portion, Beha'alotecha, Miriam and Aaron join together to discuss their brother, Moses. Their conversation may be one of the Torah's earliest examples of what family therapists call triangulation: when two family members unite around concerns about a third person rather than speaking directly with them. What can grandparents learn from this ancient family dynamic? How does tri...

There is less than one week to join Becoming the Grandparent You Want To Be. This is the sign to sign up now! https://grandplan.kit.com/profile/workshop In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, the Grand Plan Podcast, Rabbanit Sharona Hassan explores what happens when grandparents and grandchildren feel emotionally, culturally, religiously, or generationally “out of sync.” Inspired by th...

In Parashat Naso, the Torah repeats the exact same tribal donations to the Mishkan twelve separate times. A human editor probably would have written: “Each tribe brought the same offering.” But Torah repeats every gift individually. Why? In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents: the Grand Plan Podcast, Rabbanit Sharona Hassan explores how repeated acts of love, ritual, and connection shap...

In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, the Grand Plan podcast Rabbanit Sharona Hassan explores one of the deepest human needs revealed in Parashat Bamidbar: the need for identity, belonging, and a place to call home. In the Torah, every shevet (tribe) had: a place in the camp, a flag, a community, a shared identity No one wandered the desert alone or disconnected from family and purpos...

In this episode of the Grand Plan Podcast: Connecting Jewish Grandparents, Rabbanit Sharona Hassan explores a powerful question:  What happens when life doesn’t go according to plan? Drawing on Parshat Bechukotai, this episode dives into the Torah’s framework for disconnection, misalignment, and the path back to clarity and connection. Sharona unpacks: Why the Torah emphasizes awareness before cor...

Rabbanit Sharona explores Parashat Emor and the deeper meaning behind the Jewish holidays, the Ner Tamid (eternal flame), and the weekly gift of Shabbat. We often feel pressure to create perfect holiday moments, Pesach, Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot. But the Torah offers a different model. The light of a family is not built in one powerful experience. It is built through rhythm, consistency, and returning...

Rabbanit Sharona Hassan explores the Torah portions of Acharei Mot–Kedoshim through a powerful and practical lens: the changing garments of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) on Yom Kippur. Why did the High Priest change clothes five times? Why did he wear 8 layered garments when representing the people, and only 4 simple white garments when alone in the Holy of Holies? Drawing on the insights of Rashi...

Why does it sometimes feel harder after Pesach than during it? And how do we move from “bitter” back to “sweet”? In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, the Grand Plan Podcast Rabbanit Sharona explores the powerful moment of the world's first Rosh Chodesh Iyar, which immediately follows the spiritual high of Pesach. Drawing from the story of Marah, where Bnei Yisrael encountered bitter...

What comes after Pesach? How do you hold onto the meaning, the connection, and the inspiration once the holiday ends? Sign up now for Becoming the Grandparent You Want to Be: https://grandplan.kit.com/profile/workshop In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, the Grand Plan Podcast Sharona explores Parashat Shemini and why it is the perfect bridge from Pesach into everyday life. Shemini,...

Rabbanit Sharona Hassan offers five deep Torah insights and practical inspiration to help you approach Passover (Pesach) with greater meaning, intention, and connection. In this episode, you’ll discover: 1. The powerful connection between matzah and mitzvot and what it means for daily Jewish life. 2. How the Seder guides us through past (Maggid), present (Shulchan Orech), and future (Nirtza- Next...

What actually matters most at the Pesach Seder for grandparents? In this episode of the Grand Plan Podcast: Connecting Jewish Grandparents, Sharona shares 5 essential insights every grandparent needs to know before Passover to create a meaningful, memorable Seder for their family. Moving beyond stress about food, logistics, and perfection, this episode reframes the Seder around what truly matters:...

Can the Torah’s laws of animal sacrifices actually teach us how to be better grandparents? People told master educator Rabbanit Sharona Hassan that parts of the Torah would be impossible to connect to modern grandparenting. What about Vayikra? What could korbanot (sacrifices) possibly teach about family relationships? In this episode of the Grand Plan Podcast: Connecting Jewish Grandparents, Sharo...

In Vayakhel–Pekudei, the Torah describes the builders of the Mishkan as wise of heart and the donors as generous of heart. Why does the Torah keep emphasizing the heart? In this episode, Sharona explores what these phrases teach us about building meaningful relationships with our grandchildren and creating a Jewish legacy that lasts across generations. You’ll also hear about the upcoming Grand Pla...

How do you repair broken family relationships? What does the Torah teach about healing after the Golden Calf? In this episode of the Grand Plan Podcast: Connecting Jewish Grandparents, Sharona explores Parashat Ki Tisa, the sin of the Golden Calf, and the 13 Attributes of Divine Compassion (Yud-Gimel Middot) as a powerful, practical framework for relationship repair, emotional safety, and rebuildi...

What if Jewish legacy isn’t a chain… but a braid? In this episode on Parashat Tetzaveh, we explore the Torah’s surprising model for intergenerational connection through the sharsherot zahav, the golden “chains” that hold the Choshen on the heart of the Kohen Gadol, the High Preist. Unlike a standard chain of separate links, these were braided, interwoven strands, offering a powerful new vision for...

In Parashat Terumah, the Torah spends nearly half of its 96 verses describing the structure of the Mishkan, the beams, walls, sockets, and coverings, before detailing the holy vessels like the Aron and Menorah. Why? This episode explores a powerful insight: holiness requires structure. Before Divine Presence can dwell among us, we must build a framework strong enough to hold it. What does this tea...

In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, the Grand Plan Podcast, Sharona explores the Torah portion Mishpatim and shows how its practical laws transform anxiety-filled what if thinking into grounded, actionable if–then wisdom. Rather than abstract theology, Mishpatim offers a framework for daily life, emotional safety, and responsible planning. Sharona reflects on how structure, mitzvot,...

In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, Sharona explores Parashat Yitro and the Ten Commandments through a modern, family-centered lens, with a focus on the fifth commandment: honoring parents. What does honoring parents look like today, especially as adults and grandparents? This episode reframes the commandment as more than something we demand. It is something we model. Honor grows fr...

In this special Tu b’Shvat episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, Sharona is joined by Nina Woldin from Chai Mitzvah to share practical, joyful ideas for celebrating Tu b’Shevat with grandchildren. Many Jewish holidays require planning, preparation, and a lot of energy. Tu b’Shvat is different. It is light, flexible, and ideal for building intergenerational connection without pressure. This ep...

In Parashat Bo, the Jewish people receive their first commandment while they are still enslaved. Surprisingly, it is not about escape or survival. It is Rosh Chodesh, the sanctification of time. Freedom begins with the ability to claim ownership over one’s time. In this episode of Connecting Jewish Grandparents, we explore how this Torah insight speaks to modern grandparenthood. Many grandparents...