Youth, Family & Community

Heller High students celebrate havdallah in Israel

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Find the right program for you: search through camps, Israel and social justice travel programs, youth group, and leadership opportunities for kids from elementary school through college.

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campers enjoying color war at Camp Eisner

Discover the Magic of Jewish Summer Camp

Jewish summer camps fuse the activities, friendships, and communal life of traditional camps with the Jewish values, role models and culture our shared heritage. This uniquely immersive experience provides a confidence-building opportunity in which campers experience joy and discovery in a communal Jewish setting.

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What's New

Rosh HaShanah

Creating High Holiday Memories for Children

September 3, 2024

Finding ways to make the High Holidays meaningful for your child is an important way to nurture their Jewish identity. There are many ways to celebrate at home, like reading books, making crafts, or discussing what the holiday means to you and them.

Interfaith Family

Creating Belonging for Interfaith Families

July 10, 2024

One of my most treasured memories is of my husband buying Purim carnival wristbands for our children. This act might seem small, but it symbolized a significant shift for us. See, my husband isn't Jewish, but we are raising a Jewish family.

Interfaith Family

Meet My Interfaith Family: The Hills

May 30, 2024

I’ve been pretty open about how I discovered my Jewish heritage and my subsequent decision to convert, in part to reclaim that part of my family’s identity.

Jewish Converts Interfaith Couples and Families

Interfaith Families: Reform Judaism Sees You, Welcomes You, is You!

Reform Judaism has made a commitment to welcoming interfaith couples and their children into congregations, and offering support and education for their extended families.

Intro to Judaism

Learn the fundamentals of Jewish thought and practice in 16-20 weeks. This course is perfect for interfaith couples, those from different faith backgrounds considering conversion, and Jews looking for an adult-level introduction.

Free Downloadable Family Blessing

Get a free, downloadable family blessing that you can print and frame for your home. Choose between two meaningful designs: a tree or a watercolor stripe.

Family Activities

boys at camp distinguishing the havdalah candle into the wine

Make Your Own Havdalah Kit

The beautiful ritual of Havdalah is the ceremony marking the end of Shabbat. Learn more about Havdalah rituals then create your own ritual items to observe Havdalah on your own, the perfect activity to enjoy with your family.

beeswax candles for the Jewish holiday of Shabbat

Beeswax Candles for Shabbat and Havdalah

Try this beeswax candle activity with your family.

3 Fun At-Home Science Experiments from Jewish Summer Camp

At URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy, a Reform Jewish summer camp with locations in Byfield, MA, and Thousand Oaks, CA, every summer morning starts with a “Boker Big Bang” – a brief prayer followed by a (contained) explosion. Here are a few of the camp’s favorite experiments.

Eight Ways to Make Every Night of Hanukkah Shine

Here are eight wonderful things about Hanukkah, one for each night, that can enhance our celebrations of this beloved holiday.

Parenting

Photo of four hands with the word VOTE, one letter on each hand

Grow a Good Citizen: Talking with Kids about Voting and Democracy

Talking with your kids about democracy and the election process communicates your values and helps children make sense of what they may hear on TV, at school, from friends, and around the dinner table.

Helping Today's Kids Grow Into Tomorrow's Adults

One of the hardest parts about being a parent is preparing your children for when they leave home. Watch the video below to see Jordanna Flores, director of year-round programs at URJ Camp Newman, explain how sending your kids to camp can prepare them to be resilient and independent adults.

Find a Jewish Name for Your Child

Learn the meanings and history of Jewish names to find the right one for your child.

Divorce

When Jews Divorce: What Do We Tell Our Children?

In consultation with a child development expert and depending on children’s developmental and emotional needs, spouses should agree on how and when they will explain their divorce to their children and how they will relate to their children following the announcement.

an image of a tuxido and a wedding dress, with a red heart in the middle, and scissors cutting the heart in half

The Jewish Way of Divorce

Judaism has always viewed marriage and the rearing of children as essential for personal gratification, the fulfillment of one's communal obligations, and as a religious obligation. Still, Jewish tradition entertained no illusions about the possibility of strife within marriage. Therefore, divorce, while not encouraged, is not deemed sinful or forbidden, but rather a sad, occasionally necessary solution to an unhappy marital relationship.

Youth, Family & Community

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Family Activities

Parenting

Divorce

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