Founder of nursery where toddlers make ‘grandfriends’ receives honorary doctorate

For the older participants, Ish-Horowicz said that the programme spotlighted the "therapeutic value of cognitive stimulation and the emotional feeling of wellbeing, which comes from belonging”, as the elderly are "not shut away from society”. Instead, they remain central to their community. “They have so much time that the parents don’t have to spend with the children,” she said.

Judith Ish-Horowicz with her honorary doctorate from Greenwich University (Photo: Nightingale Hammerson)[Missing Credit]

For many of the children at AHN - who belong to all faiths and none - the “grandfriends” also fill in for their grandparents. Judith said that over time, “cross-generational extended family networks have been broken”, to the point that children nowadays often lack the close relationships that those in previous generations had with their grandparents.

However, Ish-Horowicz said the toddlers were generally not emotionally impacted in the event of one of the residents passing away, explaining that they were “very egocentric” at that age, and benefitting from “experiencing the ageing process as a very natural phenomenon”.

And the initiative even supported the operations of the care home, she said, as the children of the care staff are prioritised for nursery places, leading to "good staff retention, which develops the relationships between the staff and the children”, creating further cohesion between all.

This week, as part of their Mitzvah Day efforts, the children and the elderly made soup and then ate it together the next day, along with visitors, who were invited to join them. This was also to align with this week’s sedra, Toldot, which mentions the story of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup.

Ish-Horowicz, who supports Greenwich University’s early years and education students through placements, tours, workshops, and mentoring, is now in the process of developing qualifications in intergenerational education in tandem with the University of Greenwich, to make their training courses accessible to many more institutions. “We want intergenerational practice to be happening everywhere,” she said. “But we want it to be happening well everywhere.” The training arm of the nursery currently holds the only NCFE-accredited Level 3 qualification in intergenerational care and education.

In addition to her innovations in education, Ish-Horowicz, who is a member of Wimbledon Synagogue, was also commended for her contributions to Holocaust education. She has collaborated with the University of Greenwich, which has dedicated its exhibition space to International Holocaust Memorial Day for the past three years. Last year, they produced an “intergenerational ballet” in line with its theme “For a Better Future”, which saw one of the care home residents, a concert pianist in her 90s, play the piano as the children performed.

A spokesperson for the University of Greenwich said: “Drawing from Jewish values, while welcoming children of all faiths and none, Judith’s setting uses the rhythm of the Jewish year to deliver a rich early years’ education. The children who attend her nursery don’t just learn phonics and numbers - they learn empathy, continuity, and respect.

“Their ‘grandfriends’ become integral to their development and understanding of the world, while the residents, many of whom never had families of their own, experience renewed purpose, connection, and joy.”

Commenting on Ish-Horowicz’s involvement in Holocaust education, they said that she had made “indelible impression on our university community...Her dialogue brought to life the stories of survivors with profound care and urgency and reminded us that Holocaust education must start not in adulthood, but in early childhood - through stories, compassion, and community. Judith is not only an innovator; she is a quiet force for justice and humanity.”

Catherine Michie, the event and marketing director at Nightingale Hammerson, said: “Our community is extremely proud of Judith for her incredible work and all she does to inspire and promote the importance of intergenerational care, not only within Nightingale House but to so many around the world.”