When North West London Jewish Day School held its annual grandparents’ day last Friday, some even crossed the sea to be there.
In recent years, the Willesden primary school has welcomed a large number of children from French families who have settled in the UK.
René Ohana, 80, travelled from Paris to see his year-six granddaughter Karel perform at a special assembly to entertain the elders. “We are so proud to see the Judaism passed down from generation to generation,” he said.
“We are even prouder to see her translating the English to French for us. It is no distance to travel — for your grandchildren you would do anything.”
Great-grandmother Eva Morgan, from north-west London, said that the chance to be the eldest of four generations at the assembly was “unbelievable. It is so fantastic to see the lovely little Jewish children”.
People of her generation did not always have the chance to see their own grandchildren because of the Holocaust, she reflected. “To be able to be a great-grandmother and get down on the floor with them is a miracle. Getting up is slightly more complicated.”
Year-two pupil Tamara Starr said: “Grandparents are the best. I like to go over to their house and play with their toys. I even have my own room there.”
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