The Jewish Grandparents Network (JGN) Learning Fest returns on Jan. 20, 2027, with virtual sessions and experts addressing family relationship challenges, long-distance grandparenting, passing down Jewish joy, the role of grandfathers and practical tools for active grandparenting. The event is expected to engage more than 1,000 grandparents. As children navigate a world with ever-present social media, rapid technological advances and rising antisemitism, grandparents are turning to JGN for programs and resources to help them remain a source of stability in their families.
“There’s an urgency for grandparents—who already carry so much—at this moment,” said Debra (“Debs”) Weinberg, executive director of JGN. “They want to model Jewish values and Jewish joy and maintain strong relationships with adult children and teen grandchildren. Sometimes these goals become pain points, especially when difficult family dynamics and long-distance relationships are part of the equation. It’s not easy and there’s a deep desire for grandparents to come together, ask honest questions, learn from experts and grow into the kind of grandparents they want to be.”
Since last year’s Learning Fest, JGN has expanded its offerings, gained new funders and developed a Facebook group with nearly 20,000 members. Learning Fest 2027 addresses topics that grandparents have identified as areas where they need support.
“We know that grandfathers navigate different challenges than grandmothers,” Weinberg added “and that grandparents of mixed-heritage families deal with their own dynamics. We’re not just opening the door to discuss these important issues—grandparents will leave Learning Fest with concrete tools.”
The keynote panel, “How Grandparents Can Inspire, Nurture and Model Jewish Belonging: The Delicate Dance Between the Generations,” features Rabbi Samuel Klein, director of Jewish engagement at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Wendy Mogel, a clinical psychologist and The New York Times bestselling author and moderator Julie Platt, immediate past chair of the board of trustees of the Jewish Federations of North America. They will explore how grandparents can navigate relationships with their children and grandchildren and discuss ways grandparents can confidently model a love of Judaism within the realities of today’s families, including many who are multifaith and mixed heritage.
Other sessions include:
- “New Rules for Grandparents: How to Stay Close During Changing Times” with Joshua Coleman, Ph.D., a psychologist and senior fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families.
- “Bridging the Gap: Navigating Differences in Values, Identity and Worldview with Your Teen Grandkids” with Drew Fidler, executive director of the BBYO Center for Adolescent Wellness and Ian Kandel, BBYO’s senior vice president for movement building.
- “Finding Your Own Way as a Long-Distance Grandparent” with Kerry Byrne, Ph.D., founder of The Long Distance Grandparent.
- “What’s Jewish About Playdough? Infusing Everyday Experiences with Jewish Values” with Ilene Cardin Vogelstein, early childhood educator and immediate past president of the Jewish Grandparents Network.
- “Making It Matter, Making It Yours: Simple Jewish Rituals for You and Your Grandchildren” with Eileen Levinson, founder and executive director of Recustom.
- “Nobody Wants This? Jewish Grandparents, Mixed-Heritage Families and Welcoming Without Letting Go” with Klein.
- “‘Hey, Grandpa, Do You Have a Minute?’ Grandfathers’ Legacy of Time” with Bruce Powell, Ph.D., author and Jewish day school leader and consultant and Rabbi Ron Wolfson, Fingerhut distinguished professor of education at American Jewish University and president of the Kripke Institute and the To Save One Life Foundation.
Throughout the year, JGN gives grandparents guidance and practical tools—webinars, Discovery Kits, holiday guides and other materials—to help them share Jewish life with their grandchildren. Learning Fest is JGN’s annual gathering and a showcase for its national and local organizational partners. Dozens of Jewish organizations (federations, synagogues, JCCs and other communities) from across North America join JGN to bring grandparents, educators and community leaders into one gathering to discuss the experiences and concerns of Jewish grandparents at the center of a national conversation.
National partners for Learning Fest 2027 include BBYO, Foundation for Jewish Camp, JCC Association of North America, Jewish Federations of North America, PJ Library and Women of Reform Judaism. All partners receive a Learning Fest Community Program, including session recordings and discussion prompts, so grandparents can gather locally or online, learn with peers and keep conversations going throughout the year.
Learning Fest will take place from 4 to 6:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2027.
For more information, visit: jewishgrandparentsnetwork.org/learningfest-2027.
