People who
are interested in Parenting Through a
Jewish Lens often ask, “What’s it really about? I’ve read the course description, I’ve read
the curriculum outline, but what do we really learn?”
For
starters, consider some of the texts that the teachers will introduce. They come from both traditional and
contemporary sources, and they all have something in them which can be applied
to our parenting choices. In session 2, for
example, one source shows us that our forefather Abraham actually had a sense
of humor! There is the text in session 3,
in which we encounter Rabbi Joshua ben Korhah, down on the floor playing horsey
with his children, much to the surprise of his students, who then learn from
him the lesson of playfulness. There is
the serious, like the Earl Grollman essay on talking to children about death;
and the sublime, like the Talmudic text about the uniqueness of every human
being.
There are
texts on prayer and God, relatable whether you are able to pray or even believe
in God. And there are texts on
repentance and forgiveness, lessons for us to learn and teach our children.
That’s the
part of PTJL which the teachers bring. Where you go from there will be as different
as are the parents in the room. Every
class will be unique, and every class will create its own meaning and find its
own “aha!” moments. Past students have
said, “I’ve enjoyed the space and time to think and share with others; the
chance to learn about Jewish texts that speak directly to our issues and
experiences”; “PTJL has created a
place for me to think through critical things that get lost in the day-to-day;
the content and discussion are so valuable“;
and, “I couldn’t be more inspired and happy with
how the material is presented, how the discussions are handled, and my decision
to be here.”
What will
the next session of PTJL bring? What will you bring to it? Your teachers and future classmates can’t
wait to find out!
For more
information, visit our
website.
You can also register online for a class near you.
