Enriching the Jewish Family

Every so often a dynamic idea, sparked in the imagination, takes seed and begins to ripen in fertile soil. Inspiration usually coincides with a growing need that cries out to be fulfilled. It has been some time now that our community has struggled with the perils of everyday life. The modern American culture of rugged individualism, which has spawned a by-product attitude of me, first, is often at odds with what we feel in our Jewish hearts. But who alone could resist the seduction of this cultural juggernaut? As a result our family life has suffered and in many instances has become fractured, unable to sustain the very essence of its purpose. The Jewish family has always been the place where a sense of community and common aspirations has been nurtured. It has been the place too, where deeper values have been cultivated. The Jewish family has always been the birthplace where compassion, gratitude, forgiveness and love take root, flourish and become a guiding force in each of our lives. Today though, swimming against the tide of modernity, the Jewish family finds itself in crisis. Often gasping for air, all of us seek shelter from the storm.

Now there comes a proposed antidote to the ailing, often out of control and numbing environment that surrounds us. The Rabbi Charles A. Klein Institute for Jewish Family Life has been established to offer a safe refuge. Nonjudgmental, and with a gentle touch, the Institute seeks to enhance and enrich the Jewish family through experiential programming, practical social services and wise council. The initial focus will concentrate on three main areas: Enriching the Jewish marriage, Jewish parenting and the development of family chavurot.

The Rabbi Charles A Klein Institute has hired Mary Greenfield as the Director of Jewish Family Programming. She has a background in education and community organizing, as well as experience working with parenting education. Her focus will be on coordination of the family programs presently scheduled, and identifying areas of need for future programming. Programs this year will highlight Shabbat and holiday experiences. The emphasis of Institute programs is on the experiential. The Institute has developed a committee to work specifically on Jewish family programming that is responsive to the suggestions and needs of our families. The committee
is open to all interested individuals.