Women of Wisdom Education Series
SPACE IS LIMITED! REGISTER EARLY!
Please join us for this dynamic educational series designed to give you an opportunity to engage with experts on compelling topics. If you love learning, are interested in meeting and interacting with other women in the community, and care about issues that matter, this program is for you!
Join us for all four or choose the ones that fit your schedule.
Couvert: $54 series; $18 per session
Light breakfast served at the morning sessions, coffee and dessert served at the evening session.
Kosher dietary laws will be observed.
All sessions will be held in private homes in the Greater MetroWest area. Specific locations will be provided prior to each session.
SESSION I:
Mindful Self-Compassion: The Gift of Kindness
This session is full* Please contact Claudia Lukac at clukac@jfedgmw.org or (973) 929-3057.
Tuesday, January 21
7 – 9 p.m.
We lead stressful lives. We care for others, work in and out of the home, support our communities, and more. We are entitled to self-compassion—treating ourselves with the same kindness we extend to others when they face challenges. Come hear psychotherapist Beth Sandweiss, who consulted on mindfulness programs for Jewish Family Service of MetroWest, in addition to teaching college students and mentoring patients and health care professionals at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Her lessons focus on practicing self-compassion, enhancing your capacity for joy, and developing greater awareness, wisdom, and resilience.
SESSION II:
The Moral Compass of Jewish Motherhood: Boundaries and Guidance
Friday, February 28
10 a.m. – noon
We strive both to support our children and to respect their boundaries, no matter their ages. Sometimes, the struggle brings with it a moral component, with questions including how much is too much and when to “let them fail to succeed?” Donna Ellenbogen, a family therapist and founder of Family Wellness Solutions, and Cantor Meredith Greenberg of Temple Ner Tamid offer insights into how both Jewish tradition and modern family therapy help us keep our moral compasses pointed in the right direction.
SESSION III:
#MeToo for Us All: The Jewish Community Response
Tuesday, March 24
10 a.m. – noon
The headlines are no longer flooded with #MeToo-movement stories of celebrities as either perpetrators or survivors of sexual harassment, but that doesn’t mean the problem has disappeared. Hear from Helen Archontou, CEO of YWCA Northern New Jersey and founder of the Time is Now Action Coalition, who will lead a discussion on how women, both in and out of the workplace, deal with these issues and how they are asserting their rights. We will also offer updates on how our Jewish community has responded to complaints and worked proactively to prevent sexual harassment and educate the community.
SESSION IV:
Anti-Semitism: Reality, Reaction, Response
Wednesday, April 22
10 a.m. – noon
The facts are alarming. Anti-Semitism is rising rapidly. According to the ADL, the American Jewish community experienced near-historic numbers of anti-Semitic incidents in 2018. What can we learn from this data about how we, as individuals, can address the problem? We will hear from Evan Bernstein, New York/New Jersey regional director at the Anti-Defamation League, Linda Scherzer, director of CRC of our Jewish Federation, and community leader Rabbi Howard Tilman of Congregation Beth Israel about what’s happening here in New Jersey and nationally, on college campuses, and around the world—and the best ways to respond productively.
Building an inclusive community is a priority. Contact us and we will make every effort to meet your needs.