by Michelle Friedman, Keshet Board Chair
For the past five years, creative writing has been one of the choice activities at GADOL, Keshet’s adult day program. Adults share their voices, express their creativity and work together to tell stories that matter to them.
What began as a weekly writing group has grown into so much more.
Over the years, participants have written original stories, poems and even a short play. But perhaps one of the group’s proudest accomplishments has been the creation of The Keshet Rainbow Review—a monthly newspaper created entirely by GADOL team members.
The newspaper’s name was chosen by the group, reflecting their ownership of the project. Each month, team members decide together what topics to explore, who to interview and what stories to tell. Every article is written by members of the group, giving participants the opportunity to connect with the broader community in meaningful ways.
Through The Keshet Rainbow Review, team members have interviewed Illinois state representatives, disability advocates, a comedian with cerebral palsy, Israeli soldiers and many other interesting community members. The project has become much more than a newspaper—it’s a platform for self-expression, collaboration, leadership and connection.
In addition to conducting interviews, team members have written movie reviews, shared reflections on Jewish holidays and reported on Keshet events. One team member even draws her own cartoons for many of the editions. Through their writing, participants share not only information, but also their experiences, interests and perspectives.
The purpose of creative writing has always been to empower GADOL team members to share their voices, make decisions together and celebrate their creativity. Recently, the group found a brand-new way to do exactly that.
This spring, the group launched a special three-week project centered around friendship, creativity and music. Team members shared what they appreciated about one another, from favorite foods and places to visit to funny phrases and shared interests. With the help of artificial intelligence, the music creation app Suno and one of our dedicated volunteers, every team member received a personalized song inspired by everything the group had shared about them. Participants even chose whether they wanted a male or female singer and helped shape the genre, style and feel of their song.
At the end of the project, the group held a listening party where team members, staff, volunteers and parents gathered together to hear the songs for the first time. There was laughter, excitement, surprise and joy throughout the room as each song played. More than the creativity of the songs themselves, what stood out was the care and understanding team members showed toward one another. Hearing the personal details woven into each song made it clear how meaningful these friendships have become over the years.
This project became about much more than technology or music. It was about belonging, being truly seen and giving individuals the opportunity to express themselves in a creative and meaningful new way.
At Keshet, we believe every person deserves the opportunity to express themselves and shine in their own unique way. Through projects like GADOL’s Rainbow Review, team members are not only building creative skills—they are building confidence, connection, friendship and community.
And sometimes, they are even creating the soundtrack to those friendships along the way.
