Gesher: A Successful Intergenerational Program – Seekers of Meaning 8/22/2025
Description
</figure>On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address speaks with Rabbi Ariel Milan-Polisar (upper right corner), assistant rabbi at Congregation Kol Ami, Cherry Hill, NJ, and Pam Austin (lower right) and Joey Lieberson (lower left), two participants in a program she organized called “Gesher.” The intergenerational initiative at Congregation Kol Ami aimed at fostering relationships between younger and older members of the community.
Rabbi Milan-Polisar discusses the program’s origins, its impact on Joey and Pamela, and the lessons learned about the importance of personal relationships and community building.
The discussion highlights the positive experiences of both elders and students, emphasizing the hope and connection that emerged from their interactions. Future plans for the program include expanding its reach and continuing to foster intergenerational connections within the Jewish community.
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Amazon MusicAbout the Guests
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</figure>Rabbi Ariel Milan-Polisar
Rabbi Milan-Polisar is the Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Kol Ami in Cherry Hill, NJ. Originally from Irvington, NY, Rabbi Milan-Polisar attended Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, where she studied Sociology and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. She was ordained as a rabbi in May 2021 from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, NY. Before joining the Kol Ami community in 2023, Rabbi Milan-Polisar served as a Campus Rabbi and Rabbinic Innovation Fellow at Penn Hillel in Philadelphia, PA. In her free time, you can find her reading contemporary fiction, trying homemade pasta recipes, or fostering dogs. Rabbi Ariel Milan-Polisar lives in Cherry Hill, NJ with her husband Jason and their dog Lucy.
</figure>Pam Austin
I was raised at a Conservative synagogue in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the eldest of four children. I became a Confirmand and attended Hebrew High through 12th grade. I received a BS degree in English, and a Masters of Education degree in Remedial Education at Miami University (OH.) After 40 years of teaching at high schools and community colleges, I retired in 2016. The last 35 years of my career, I was the Reading Specialist at Voorhees Middle School. There I started an intergenerational club, called Adopt-a-Grandparent, and I took students to bimonthly visits at local nursing and assisted living facilities. The students showed such caring and empathy to the residents and each year, many shared special relationships with one or two seniors. The club is ongoing.
</figure>Joey Lieberson
Joey Lieberson is a student in the Hebrew High School program at Congregation Kol Ami in Cherry Hill, NJ, and a rising senior at Cherry Hill High School East.
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