Parashat Emor, provides us with the structure of the Jewish calendar.
All the major moments are here:
Rosh Hashanah.
Yom Kippur.
Sukkot.
Pesach.
These are the moments we prepare for.
The moments we want to get right.
The moments that feel like they carry meaning.
For grandparents, it is easy to feel like everything depends on them.
The Seder.
The meal.
The visit.
But then, right alongside these holidays, the Torah introduces something very different.
The Ner Tamid.
A constant light.
And included in this same section is Shabbat, which comes not once a year, but every single week.
I don’t know if this is how the commentators explain it, but I found myself wondering:
What actually creates continuity?
Is it the big, powerful moments?
Or is it something else?
The holidays are meaningful, but they are occasional.
The Ner Tamid is constant.
Shabbat returns again and again.
Maybe the Torah is teaching us something subtle but essential:
The light of a family is not built in one moment.
It is built in the rhythm of returning to one another.
We don’t need to wait for Pesach next year to try again.
We have next week.
This is especially true in our relationships with our grandchildren.
We often feel pressure to create something unforgettable.
But what they experience, over time, is something else entirely:
Who shows up.
Who calls.
Who returns.
This is the work of Grand Plan.
Building joyful, intentional connections not in one perfect moment, but across many small, consistent ones.
How can I make these moments?:
1. Joyful. Notice one small moment of genuine warmth or delight with a grandchild (or even the thought of one). Let yourself pause and feel it, without needing it to be “big.”
2. Intentional. Choose one small, repeatable action this week, a call, a message, a story you share, and decide that this is something you will return to.
3. Connection. Reach out, even briefly. Not for a milestone, not for a holiday, but simply to stay connected.
Wishing you a week of moments of meaningful connections,
Rabbanit Sharona Hassan
Founder of Grand Plan
Enrollment is now open for the next round of Becoming the Grandparent You Want to Be. Participants describe it as 'life-changing.' Check it out here.
You can now sponsor a weekly connection email or podcast episode.
Use this learning in honor or memory of someone you love.
A parent.
A grandparent.
A child.
Whether celebrating a joyous life-cycle event or honoring the memory of those no longer with us, it is a meaningful way to connect the generations and mark a legacy.
If that speaks to you, I would be honored to include your dedication.https://grandplan.kit.com/profile/sponsorship
Did you listen to the Connecting Jewish Grandparents: The Grand Plan Podcast this week?
Spotify: bit.ly/JewishPodcast
Apple: bit.ly/JewishGrandApple
