Foundations of Jewish Family Living
Florence-Melton Adult Mini School's new Foundations of Jewish Family Living brings to life Jewish traditions with the aim of helping parents share stories and values with their children.
Created by scholars at Hebrew University at Jerusalem, Foundations provides parents with the learning, language, and confidence to bring the Jewish conversation home to their children.
The Foundations texts and stories are unique to this curriculum and explore topics such as environmental responsibility, prayer, welcoming guests, pursuing peace, and the Jewish value of hope. Classes are interactive and pluralistic. Parents of all backgrounds are welcome.
Foundations Lessons: Part I
A Year of Values: Exploring values through the Jewish holidays
| 1 | Stories and Values | Introduction to Foundations |
| 2 | Reflecting the Source Creation | Rosh Hashanah, and our Godly Image |
| 3 | The Gift of Self Improvement | Teshuvah (Repentance), Yom Kippur, and the Golden Calf |
| 4 | Embracing the Other | Welcoming guests: Abraham and Sukkot |
| 5 | Living Beyond the Day to Day | Shabbat: creating holy time |
| 6 | Making Our Own Miracles | Chanukah, Maccabees, religious freedom |
| 7 | Protecting our Eden | Protecting our world, teaching our children, Tu B’Shvat |
| 8 | Rising to the Occasion | Esther, Purim, freedom of choice and heroism |
| 9 | Forever Leaving Egypt | Passover, Jewish Identity: Israel and the Diaspora |
| 10 | Identifying Jewishly | Ruth, Shavuot and covenant |
Foundations Lessons: Part II
Day to Day Values: Exploring values for everyday family living
| 11 | Birth of a People | Abraham and heeding the call |
| 12 | Creating Jewish Space | Jacob’s dream, the home, the objects within |
| 13 | Essential Judaism | Hillel and treating others the way you would want to be treated |
| 14 | Sacred Sound Bytes | Hannah and prayer |
| 15 | Words that Hurt | Miriam and avoiding gossip |
| 16 | Healing Process | The value of visiting the sick |
| 17 | Overcoming Anger | Joseph and his brothers. Avoiding grudges |
| 18 | Clearing a Path for Others | Building trustworthiness |
| 19 | Giving Respect, Expecting Respect | Honor between generations |
| 20 | Eternal Hope | Concluding Lesson |
Register Today!
Foundations is offered by the following synagogues:
Check back toward the fall for a listing of organizations that will offer Foundations in 2011-12!
For details about offering Foundations at your organization, please contact Melton for details: learn@meltonportland.org or 503-384-2476.