“The stereotype is that old people sit around and play bingo,” said a 6th grade participant at Temple Shir Tikvah’s intergenerational project in Winchester, MA. But hearing stories from real life experiences shed new light on those assumptions, and on current social issues.
Over the course of the school year, kids and seniors met monthly. At one session they learned together about food scarcity issues and the work of local organizations to combat hunger. The elders had wisdom from their lives to share.
“I was a teacher in the inner city and I had students who came to school hungry. It was hard for them to learn,” shared one resident at Atria Longmeadow Place in Burlington, MA.
“I am a physician and I have seen the impact of hunger on children,” offered another resident.
This discussion motivated all of the participants, as they stirred pasta, sauce, cheese and vegetables together to make meals that temple families would later serve at a soup kitchen.
“It was fun learning about each other by working together and talking about our lives,” said another 6th grader.
The group agreed. “We felt proud to contribute, and to make a difference in the world. It helped us feel like a part of the community.”