Family Stories
The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.
Muriel Rukeyser
Our family stories have such power! The ways we share them can link us to the generations that came before us, the generations to come, and to our collective Jewish narrative. According to the research of Dr. Marshall Duke and Dr. Robyn Fivush, the more children know about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives and the higher their self-esteem. There are many ways to capture and share your family stories with grandchildren, children, and other family members. Begin your journey here.
Explore more about the importance of sharing family stories
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- All Activities
- B-Mitzvah
- Family Dynamics
- Family Stories
- For Grandparents
- Health and Wellbeing
- Jewish Values
- Parent
- Play and Humor
- Shabbat
This Family-Crafted B-Mitzvah guide can launch you into a grandparent-led experience or ritual marking the newest Jewish adult in your family — your teen grandchild.
3 strategies for having significant pre- and post- B-Mitzvah conversations with your grandchild
Steps you can take to develop and enhance your own relationship with the parents of your B-Mitzvah grandchild
How ordinary personal treasures in our closets can trigger memories and family stories to share with teen grandchildren.
Your grandchild’s becoming B-Mitzvah is the perfect time to share your love and appreciation in a Forever Letter.
Tips from a grandmother to joyfully participate as a grandchild prepares to become B-Mitzvah
Ways for teens to interview their grandparents and learn about their lives
These letters — written to connect us with another human being and to deepen, heal, or uplift our relationships — are Forever Letters.
Watch a dramatization of Dr. Ron Wolfson’s story about his Bubbie’s Shabbat dinner.
One of the greatest gifts we can give our grandchildren is to write — and tell — the stories that shaped our lives.
Do you have keepsakes that tell the stories of different family members throughout the generations; for example, a needlepoint or an old siddur, photos, home movies, or group texts with photos and videos?
From the wise men of Chelm to the marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the Jewish people have always been able to reflect on the Jewish experience with laughter.
Sharing your family stories links past generations with future ones. Here are four options to record and save your family stories.
We all have wonderful and meaningful family stories to tell. Susan Stone, a gifted professional storyteller, shares her secrets for bringing family stories to life.
In this brief video, Ron Wolfson, renowned author, Jewish educator, and member of the Jewish Grandparents Network Board of Directors, shares memories of his Zayde and Bubbie.
There is a compelling reason to share our family stories. In the 1990s, Marshall Duke and Robyn Fivush, psychologists at Emory University,
How can grandparents and parents help our children weather life’s inevitable setbacks? It turns out that the single most important thing you can do may be the simplest of all: share your family stories.
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