June 13, 2003

Turn Good Marriages into Great Ones:
Orthodox Union Presents ‘Positive Jewish Marriage Enrichment Retreat,’
As Part of  Focus on Family Life

Friday-Sunday, July 25-27
Montvale Holiday Inn, Montvale, NJ

The Orthodox Union, which has organized successful “Positive Jewish Parenting” programs nationwide, is now expanding its focus on families to married couples, with the objective of turning good marriages into great ones.

The OU will sponsor its first “Positive Jewish Marriage Enrichment Retreat” from Friday July 25-Sunday July 27 at the Montvale Holiday Inn in New Jersey’s Bergen County. The program is being presented with the support of NEFESH, the International Association of Orthodox Mental Health Professionals.

“Strengthening the Jewish family is an OU priority,” declares Rabbi Moshe Krupka, OU Executive Director of Programming. “The Positive Jewish Marriages retreat will focus on the positive aspects of marriage highlighting characteristics found in happy couples. Participants will be provided with opportunities to interact with each other through group discussions and activities led by marriage professionals.” Rabbi Krupka emphasized that the retreat was planned to address the needs, concerns and sensitivities of Orthodox families.

“The weekend is geared for happily married couples who want to communicate with and relate to each other on an even deeper emotional level,” says Frank Buchweitz, OU Director of Special Projects, who organized the program and plans to have similar ones available for synagogues, communities and schools. “The weekend, for adults only, is free from daily distractions and routines, allowing couples to concentrate on each other.”

Under the guidance of noted psychologists specializing in marriage, couples will have the opportunity to “re-connect, re-energize, and re-develop a closer emotionally intimate connection,” Buchweitz says, emphasizing that the retreat is for happily married couples.

“Through interactive presentations in workshop format, practical ideas, skills and suggestions will be presented throughout the weekend for nurturing more fulfilling marriages,” explains Buchweitz. “As a result, participants will leave the retreat on Sunday afternoon with a variety of skills, techniques and approaches to help strengthen the cornerstones and foundations of a loving, committed marriage.”

Sessions will deal with a variety of topics, including effective communication techniques; emotional closeness, intimacy and love; expectations for yourself and your spouse; learning to grow together, not apart; understanding and accepting differences; conflict negotiation and compromise; money and marriage; in-law and extended family relationships; maintaining closeness with your spouse while raising children; dating within marriage; Jewish marriage ethics as an enhancement to marriage; and ask the experts.

Presenters will include the following noted clinical psychologists, all of whom are experts on marriage:

· Rabbi Dr. Reuven Bulka, author of many books and articles, including Jewish Marriage: A Halachic Ethic; he is Rabbi of Congregation Machzidei Hadas in Ottawa, Ontario;

· Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Glick, Professor of Psychology at Champlain College in Montreal and Rabbi of Congregation Ahavat Yisroel in that city;

· Dr. David Pelcovitz, Chief Child and Adolescent Psychologist at North Shore University Hospital/NYU School of Medicine and Clinical Professor of Psychology at NYU School of Medicine (he will only be present on Sunday);

· Dr. Marcy P. Schaffer, engaged in the private practice of individual and family therapy, specializing in premarital and marital counseling; and

· Dr. Sylvan J. Schaffer, engaged in the private practice of clinical psychology; an attorney specializing in family law; as well as professor at NYU School of Medicine, Downstate Medical School, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

The cost of the retreat is $400 per couple plus a $40 non-refundable processing and registration fee. Catering is by Lou G. Siegel, under OU Kashrut supervision.

For further information and full program information, contact Frank Buchweitz at 212- 613-8188, or scroll down to “Marriage Retreat” on www.ou.org.

The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA, and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher supervision label, the , is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 250,000 products manufactured in 68 countries around the globe.

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