Parenting through a Jewish Lens – Timeless texts to learn from and other Jewish parents in NH to lean on

Last year, a group of parents of young children from our community got together monthly (via Zoom) to learn together, share experiences with one another and grow as Jewish parents.

The Parenting Through a Jewish Lens program is offered by Hebrew College, and welcomes the participation of parents from all faiths, cultures, families, and life experiences.

Parents met over six once-monthly sessions to discuss topics that matter to them as parents. They explored Jewish values, reflected on the joys and challenges of raising kids today, and found support, encouragement, and connection with other parents. Topics of discussion included: joyful parenting, infusing our lives with meaning, finding peace in our homes, Shabbat as a time to reconnect and recharge, parenting at a time of loss, and parenting for kindness. With the help of the PTJL curriculum, parents discovered the many ways in which Jewish texts can inform their choices. During each session, participants read and discussed excerpts of Jewish texts from the class sourcebook (included with the registration).

The program was facilitated by Stefanie Paige Wieder, M.S.Ed., who is a child development specialist, parent coach and Temple Beth Abraham member.

Some of the feedback from parents who participated in last year’s course were:

“A very lovely mix of religious/traditions and broader Jewish concepts. Made me feel a bit closer to the community that I haven’t truly engaged with yet because of the pandemic.”

“Truly enjoyed the honest and nonjudgmental nature of our discussions!”

“Very well thought out class, thank you.”

“All was great. I look forward to an in-person meet up.”

After taking the course, 100% of participants agreed that…

  • They felt a stronger connection to Jewish community.
  • They were more inclined to start a new Jewish practice in their home.
  • They felt better prepared to talk with their child(ren) about issues related to God/spirituality/Judaism.

We are excited to offer the program again for those who have not yet participated in the course. We plan a set of 4 evening sessions (approximately 1 session per month) beginning in March 2023, on Sundays from 8:00pm – 9:30pm. Class is online via zoom.

Click here to let us know that you’d like more information!