Melton offers new parent program

By JEWISH REVIEW

article created on: 2010-08-15T00:00:00

Portland’s Florence-Melton Adult Mini School, a project of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, will launch a new curriculum for parents. Portland Melton will partner with synagogues to offer this educational opportunity to anyone in the community.

The Foundations of Jewish Family Living brings to life Jewish tradition’s master stories, with the aim of helping parents share these stories and values with their children.

Foundations provides parents with the learning, the language and the confidence to bring the Jewish conversation home to their children and support Jewish learning at home. The 20-week class includes 20 lessons divided into two 10-week semesters.

The Foundations texts and stories are unique to this curriculum and are not included in core Melton courses, nor were they part of Melton’s earlier Parent Education Program. Topics include: being kind to the environment, welcoming guests, prayer, pursuing peace and the Jewish value of hope.

Each topic is matched with a Jewish story that can be shared with children. Classes are interactive and pluralistic.

This fall, Foundations will be offered at Havurah Shalom and Congregation Neveh Shalom. Other synagogues may also offer it now or in coming years.

“We look forward to seeing Foundations benefit children, families and our community,” said Melton Director Sarah Liebman.

At Havurah, Foundations will be facilitated by Education Director Deborah Eisenbach-Budner. A veteran Melton teacher, she said she is eager to help young parents “nurture their own intellect and spirit amid a learning community of other parents.”

Caron Rothstein, outreach and engagement director at Neveh Shalom, also looks forward to hosting these classes: “This is an important program for our Neveh Shalom family and the community at large.We’re very excited to host the Foundations curriculum.”