Moving Traditions, in partnership with Jewish Family & Child Service and the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, will lead a series of workshops October 19-21 for parents and educators of Jewish teens.
These informative, interactive workshops will be led by Rabbi Daniel Brenner, Moving Traditions Vice President of Education.
EVENTS FOR PARENTS OF JEWISH TEENS
Becoming a Teen: The Spiritual and Emotional Journey of B-Mitzvah
For parents of 6th – 8th grade teens
Sunday, Oct. 19, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m
at Congregation Neveh Shalom
The B-Mitzvah remains a highly valued ritual for so many families, and a majority of Jewish children experience some ritual around coming of age. Through the lens of Rabbi Yehudah Ben Teima’s teachings on the stages of life, this workshop explores the B-Mitzvah as a powerful moment of psychological and spiritual transition that has an impact on both teens and parents. The workshop will examine how this rite of passage can strengthen teens’ sense of self, deepen family communication, and foster peer relationships that promote mental and emotional health.
Knowing Your Limits: Talking to Teens About Boundaries and Consent
For parents of 9th – 12th grade teens
Monday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
at Eastside Jewish Commons
This interactive session offers parents practical tools to help teens navigate personal space, physical connection, and emotional boundaries. By modeling healthy communication, parents can help teens protect their mental and emotional wellbeing in relationships.
EVENTS FOR EDUCATORS OF JEWISH TEENS
Understanding Gender: Language, Identity, and Teen Wellbeing
For Educators
Sunday, Oct. 19, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
at Congregation Neveh Shalom
Teens need space to discover themselves and they need adults in their lives who will embrace them for who they are. Being comfortable with gender is, therefore, deeply linked to teen mental health. This session will help you:
- Understand how language affirms identity and impacts emotional wellbeing.
- Build the confidence to ask sensitive questions and engage in honest conversations.
- Explore the intersection of Jewish and gender identity through the lenses of wholeness, connection, and justice.
- Access resources to support and advocate for LGBTQ+ youth.
Leading a Life of Balance: Jewish Pathways to Wellbeing
For Clergy
Monday, Oct. 20, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
at Congregation Shaarie Torah
From daily rituals to mystical practices, Jewish tradition offers a diversity of resources for managing stress and nurturing psychological resilience. Participants will explore Jewish ideas about balance in life and experience the kinesthetic and meditative practices of Abraham Abulafia, Reb Nachman of Breslov, and Devorah Lapson in a highly interactive workshop that integrates Jewish learning with Jewish ritual.
Healthy Relationships for Healthy Minds
For Day School Educators
Monday, Oct. 20, 4 – 5:30 p.m.
at Portland Jewish Academy
For Jewish Professionals
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
at Congregation Beth Israel
At a time when people are spending more time on screens, this workshop focuses on in-person, face-to-face skills. A Jewish lens to interpersonal communication is introduced that is grounded in personal space and multimodal communication and gives participants an opportunity to discover how different people recognize and express emotions through body language, tone, and gesture. These communication skills are essential to fostering safe, supportive relationships that are the foundation of mental health.
Featured Speaker: Rabbi Daniel Brenner
Rabbi Daniel Brenner serves as the Vice President of Education for Moving Traditions, where he weaves together ancient wisdom, developmental psychology, social pedagogy, embodied practice, and pop culture to help a diverse network of rabbis, educators, and volunteer leaders who mentor teens. Brenner is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. He lives with his beloved, Dr. Lisa Brenner, in Montclair, New Jersey and they are the proud parents of three young adults.