The Mothers Circle Mini Course - Free 3-Session Workshop for Women of Other Religious Backgrounds Raising Jewish Children

Panera Bread, 165 E State Rt 4, Paramus, NJ | Get Directions »
FREE

Have you ever wondered how to create a Jewish home for your children, when you’re not Jewish yourself? The Mothers Circle, a series of free programs for women of other religious backgrounds raising Jewish children within the context of intermarriage, is excited to present The Mothers Circle Mini Course, a free 3-session introductory workshop to Jewish parenting. The three sessions will cover topics such as how to create a Jewish home, the Jewish child’s life cycle events, and an overview of the Jewish holidays. The sessions will take place at the Panera Bread at 165 W. State Rt. 4 in Paramus, NJ from 10 AM to 12 PM on Sunday February 5^th, Sunday February 12^th, and Sunday March 4^th.

Through experiential education and a supportive, relaxed environment, participants will gain confidence through knowledge, addressing the questions many women of other religious backgrounds have when raising Jewish children. Participants will explore various subjects such as the blessings for Shabbat, the meaning of the high Holidays, and what a bar mitzvah represents in the Jewish life cycle. The overview of Jewish holidays will include holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, and Passover.

Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Executive Director of the Jewish Outreach Institute, the organization that operates The Mothers Circle nationally and created the Mini Course, says, “The Mothers Circle Mini Course provides participants with a unique and informal opportunity for hands-on learning about raising Jewish children in the context of intermarriage. More importantly, the sessions meet the needs of those who might not yet feel fully comfortable creating a Jewish home with their Jewish partners and children.”

The Mini Course is locally hosted by Temple Avodat Shalom in River Edge, NJ. Rabbi Neal Borovitz of Temple Avodat Shalom is excited to be able to offer this opportunity: “Our congregation has worked successfully in offering joint programming with the Jewish Outreach Institute to serve the interests of both Jewish and non-Jewish men in relationships through the Answering Your Jewish Children and How Should I Know programs. It is out of that experience that we received interest from non-Jewish mothers in our community to offer a parallel program. We are grateful for this opportunity to offer the Mini Course to the community.”

The Mothers Circle Mini Course, made possible by a joint grant to the Jewish Outreach Institute and Temple Avodat Shalom from the Adler Family Innovation Fund, will be held at the Panera Bread at 165 W. State Rt. 4 in Paramus, NJ 07652 from 10 AM to 12 PM on Sunday February 5^th, Sunday February 12^th, and Sunday March 4^th. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Stephanie at administrator@avodatshalom.net or (201) 489-2463 ext. 202.