TWO OU CONGREGATIONS IN MEMPHIS TO PRESENT POSITIVE JEWISH PARENTING SEMINAR JANUARY 28,
AT ANSHEI SPHARD BETH EL EMETH CONGREGATION
Two Orthodox Union member congregations in Memphis, Anshei Sphard Beth El Emeth Congregation (ASBEE) and Baron Hirsch Congregation are teaming up with the OU’s Department of Community Services to bring Positive Jewish Parenting to strengthen parenting skills and provide advice from leading Orthodox mental health professionals to the community. The program will be held at the ASBEE, 120 East Yates Road, on Sunday, January 28, 6:30 p.m.
OU’s Positive Jewish Parenting program is offered to large audiences across North America. Now many Memphis families will benefit from the program as well.
The session will focus on strengthening communication, raising a healthy preschooler and a healthy pre-adolescent, and developing healthy self-esteem in children.
Rabbi Joel Finkelstein of ASBEE emphasized the importance of having the parenting program in his community. “Today’s parents are looking for ways of learning more about being strong parents and believe that as a community nothing should be higher on our agenda.”
“Just as we seek professional advice in our careers, so as parents must we always be open to new ideas and ways to grow as parents,” he declared.
His colleague, Rabbi Shai Finkelstein of Baron Hirsch concurred. “In a world where parents are faced with a constantly growing number of obstacles in raising children, we hope, along with the OU’s assistance, to be able to offer solutions to the issues parents are facing,” he declared. “We hope that parents will see that the Orthodox synagogues of Memphis are there to partner with them in raising their Jewish families. Synagogue life goes beyond religious services, classes, and even social events. We are there to help families.”
According to Frank Buchweitz, OU National Director of Community Services and Special Projects, “The OU is pleased to partner with its member congregations all over the country to benefit their communities. In Memphis’s case, we’re working with two congregations, and the programming will be of double impact and of double value to the community.”
Following registration, participants may select two out four workshops.
They may choose Strengthening Communication with Our Children, or Developing Positive Self-Esteem in Our Children, both with Dr. Barry Holzer, M.D., or Building Blocks of Childhood: Raising a Healthy Preschooler or Raising a Healthy Pre-Adolescent, both with Rabbi Evan Kroll, Ph.D.
Workshops will be followed by a Q & A with the presenters.
Dr. Barry Holzer, M.D., is a child and adult psychiatrist with private practice in New York. He is the Director of the Center for Attention Deficit and Behavior Disorders and a co-founder of NEFESH, the International Network of Orthodox Mental Health Professionals. He is a frequent lecturer to professional and lay groups on issues of child development and child psychiatry.
Rabbi Evan Kroll, Ph.D., is a school psychologist at the Frisch Yeshiva High School in New Jersey, and has a private practice in New York. He received semicha from Yeshiva University and was formerly a Judaic studies teacher at YU High School’s PTACH special education program.
Admission is free and light refreshments will be served. For further information and to register contact ASBEE at 901-682-1511 or at asbee@aol.com; and, Baron Hirsch at 901-683-7485 or at exec@baronhirsch.org.