Book an Event with Jerry and Deanna

Book an Event!

Jerry and Deanna would be delighted to present to your congregation, community organization, senior center, high school, book club or other group where grandparents (and teenage grandchildren) might gather. Programs can be fully virtual (with both Jerry and Deanna) joining virtually. For Chicago, we offer hybrid events—Deanna in Person with Jerry joining virtually.

Event Formats

Book Reading/Signing with Q & A Discussion (60 minutes, plus 30 minutes if in-person signing)

This 60- minute event (plus 30 minutes for the book signing) includes a reading from the book from Jerry and Deanna, plus a lively conversation touching on the themes of the book. We can also share the current data about teen mental health and the mental health benefits for both grandchildren and grandparents when they are involved in each others lives. We invite the host organization to designate an interviewer (might be from your board or a local media personality) or, as an alternative Deanna can lead the conversation, both interviewing Jerry and fielding questions from the audience.

For book signings, you may want to purchase a book for each attendee (or if you charge a ticket price, include the book in the ticket) or allow for book purchase direct from the authors onsite at the event.

Intergenerational Sharing Fun Event (60 to 90 minutes)

Grandparents and grandchildren…pull out your smartphones. It’s time for intergenerational sharing fun!

This program is a fun and social opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren to get a glimpse into each other’s worlds and learn about each other’s generations—the events, the music, the pop culture and the communication technologies that frame their respective realities.

Join Jerry Witkovsky and Deanna Shoss, authors of Where Two Worlds Meet: A Guide to Connecting with Your Teenage Grandchildren for this engaging and interactive session to commemorate the new book launch.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

- Describe which world events have most impacted them.
- Recognize how they may have experienced the same world event differently.
- Discuss each other’s favorite music.
- Discuss ways to accommodate each other’s favorite means of communication.

Smart Phones (one per family) are helpful, but not necessary. We can create a fun and interactive conversation with the whole group, using a laptop, projector and a good internet connection.

What We Need from the Event Host

There is no fee for virtual events or events booked in cities where we are located. We do ask that for each event the host organization purchases a recommended minimum of 10 books to use as you see fit (e.g. can be giveaways at the event or as an incentive for registration). Host organization handles all technical aspects for zoom or other videoconferencing platform, allowing for breakout groups and screen sharing, etc. The host organization also manages all promotions and registration for the event.

About the Speakers

Two exciting and dynamic speakers. Jerry Witkovsky and Deanna Shoss are the authors of Where Two Worlds Meet: A Guide to Connecting with Your Teenage Grandchildren and creators of the Grandparent-Grandchild Connection School Program and the Grandparents! Write Your Stories series (presented with JCC and YMCA Chicago). Jerry is an inspirational 94-year-old grandparenting activist, a grandfather to 6 and great-grandfather to 2 (with one more on the way!) and former General Director of JCC Chicago. Deanna Shoss is a global speaker and expert in intercultural and intergenerational communications, former President and CEO of the League of Chicago Theatres, Founder of Intercultural Talk digital and real-life marketing agency and host of the Intercultural Spark livestream, sharing stories and lessons from Boomer and GenX entrepreneurs.