Armed with a list of questions and behind a video camera, Orry Klainman, 10, of Encino gained new insight into the life of his 73-year-old Uncle Al.
Klainman learned more about his uncle's childhood in Poland, survival during the Holocaust and days in the underground in Israel."It was very interesting," Orry said. "I was glad to know things about him. I am glad to keep the tape so when I'm more grown up, I can watch it."
Orry was one of 43 fifth-grade students at Valley Beth Shalom Day School in Encino who conducted one-on-one interviews with grandparents and other relatives about their life stories for an intergenerational video project.
"The purpose of it is to give the children the opportunity to be a director and producer," said Denise Tomey, development director. "The greater purpose is learning about real-life history."
Overseeing the project was Al Rabin, former executive producer of "Days of Our Lives" and director of "General Hospital," who retired five years ago. A member of Valley Beth Shalom, Rabin said he got the idea from a similar project he was involved in two years ago with the University of Judaism in Los Angeles.
"The grandparents just love it," he said. "They will tell things to their grandchild they won't tell to their children. . . . Some of the escape stories are incredible. One of the grandfathers was a hero in Entebbe. The family didn't know."
One student's grandfather recounted for the first time his life during the Holocaust, Rabin said.
"It was so moving," he said. "He told how he lost his father, mother and uncle."
Rabin worked with the students in writing a "script," a lengthy list of questions molded to their interview subjects from a time line the relatives prepare showing four or five important events in their lives.
The students asked questions about childhood, school days, young adulthood, family life, career and retirement. And when the interviews were over, each interviewer and subject shared a hug.
The interviews took place over a two-day period. All the children got to take their tapes and scripts home.
"It brought me back to days I hadn't thought about in some time," said Asher Taban, 54, of Encino, who was interviewed by his son, Kevin, 11. "That will be a very memorable interview."