April 30, 2002

Positive Parenting Conference Scores Rave Reviews

An educational conference for parents, which took place on Sunday, April 28, 2002, focused on developmental issues faced by teenagers. Organized by the Orthodox Union, the conference attracted more than 400 parents on a rain-drenched day to hear a variety of exciting speakers. Although the conference was held at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County in Uniondale, NY, a significant number of parents from other areas, including Riverdale, Westchester and Highland Park, NJ, braved both the weather and the distances to attend.

Frank Buchweitz, OU Director of Special Projects who coordinated the conference, emphasized that this event "was not in response to any specific or urgent crisis within the community," but rather reflected an understanding for the need to strengthen the Jewish family. "It is in recognition of the multiple demands of family life," he explained, that "the Orthodox Union has conceptualized ongoing workshops and conferences like this one."

The focus of the Long Island conference was on addressing a multitude of issues that confront parents of teenagers in the Jewish community. The workshops were conducted by renowned and veteran mental health professionals, and included such topics as communication skills, dealing with oppositional behavior, and coping with anger in teens, to name but a few.

The keynote speaker was Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Executive Vice-President of the Orthodox Union who is himself a psychologist, and whose inspiring comments, along with a question and answer period by a panel of professionals, concluded an informative and enlightening day. A booklet of relevant articles on parenting topics, reprinted from Jewish Action, the OU's family magazine, was distributed as a resource guide.

Feedback forms completed by participants noted the ongoing need for helping families deal with parenting and relationship issues. One commented that the conference was "a constructive service to all of us trying to raise families and confront challenges," while another said the event "gave me avenues to handle things better. It gave me more confidence in how I should be talking to my kids."

"There is no greater service that we can provide," said Rabbi Moshe D. Krupka, National Director of Community and Synagogue Services," than to empower and strengthen the Jewish family."

The conference was organized in conjunction with the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) and FEGS, and with the support and encouragement of the International Association of Orthodox Mental Health Professionals, NEFESH, and synagogues and yeshivot on Long Island. The Positive Parenting Program of the Orthodox Union is sponsored in part through a grant from the Goldstein family of Parkside Memorial Chapels, who have made an ongoing commitment to these family-based programs.  

The Orthodox Union is committed to continue bringing these programs to communities throughout the country. If your synagogue or school is interested in planning a program or conference, the Department of Community and Synagogue Services will work with your planning committee in bringing such a program to fruition. Please contact the Orthodox Union Department of Synagogue and Community Services at 212.613.8188.

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