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The Bottom Line

"The goal of this book is to root your grandchildren in your family heritage and to express how they are the flowering of your family tree." This sentiment, taken from the preface, expresses the philosophy behind this gift journal. The authors have created a perfect vehicle for Jewish grandparents to pass on the gift of memories.



Pros

• Very detailed
• Spaces for documents and photos
• Includes a family tree and an ethical will

Cons

• Will require considerable effort to complete

Description

• Hardcover
• 250 pp.
• Authors Ronald H. Isaacs and Leora W. Isaacs
• Published by KTAV Publishing House
• ISBN-10: 0881259659, ISBN-13: 978-0881259650
• List price $59.00

Guide Review - Reflections: A Jewish Grandparent's Gift of Memories

Ron and Leora Isaacs are passionate about Judaism and family, and their passion is evident on every page of this gift journal. Designed to be filled out by a grandmother and grandfather, each section closes with a place for a signature to record which grandparent filled out that particular part. The book is organized into the following divisions:

• Tracing Our Roots
  The first section of the book contains a family tree. Pages are provided for the grandparents to enter information about their parents and grandparents. A section designed to hold photographs of all five generations invites grandchildren to trace family resemblances.
• All About Your Grandparents
  This section allows both grandparents to enter childhood memories and also to record details of their courtship and marriage.

• All About Your Parents
  The grandparents are invited to record memories of their child, the grandchild's parent, from babyhood until marriage.
• All About You
  The focus turns to the grandparents' memories of the grandchild, with pages for recording information about the grandchild's bar or bat mitzvah.
• How We Celebrate
  This section addresses both Jewish and American holidays, with spaces allotted for the grandchild to add his or her own memories.
• Records and Traditions
  This very personal part of the book has spaces to enter information about family heirlooms and favorite recipes. It also contains records of birthdays, wedding anniversaries and a family yahrzeit record, or record of deaths. The last page is reserved for a record of relatives who perished during the Holocaust.
• Final Thoughts
  A place for final reflections, the last section also includes a place for the grandparents to enter ethical wills, letters expressing their values and hopes for the future.

As should be obvious from the description and the size of this book, completing it will not be an easy task. The authors suggest taking it slowly and also enlisting input from the grandchild. Both the grandparents and the grandchild who is the recipient will be enriched by this examination of their shared heritage.

See full list of grandparent keepsake books.



Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.