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Celebrate Hanukkah with a Free Activity Book!
Download a free resource with games, puzzles, stories, and more content from Highlights Magazine that’s perfect for ages 5-12 or kids at heart.
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Find a Program
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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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.
What's New
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How NASA Engineers Helped Me Become a Better Jewish Parent
December 16, 2022
"Good Night Oppy," a documentary streaming on Amazon Prime about the two robotic rovers that NASA sent to Mars in 2003, grabbed me by the heart. What I did not expect to experience from this movie was a potent lesson in parenting from NASA engineers.
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Antisemitism Finally Hits Home for Me
September 29, 2022
In the many years (57 to be exact) that I have been in an interfaith marriage, I felt somehow removed from antisemitism. I was raised in a Roman Catholic family, and, while there were a few comments from aunts and uncles when I got engaged, it was the 1960s, and I was in love. I believed we would figure it out as we went along.
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Going Back to School: Easing the Transition for Your Preschooler
July 26, 2022
As the sun sets on these long, hot summer days, plans begin to return to school. Buying new clothes and a backpack, but perhaps the most important transition is the one of the child walking into a new classroom and starting a new school year. It can be scary for them and for you!
Interfaith
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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.
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Talking to Children About Jewish Identity in an Interfaith Family
For children in interfaith families, clarifying the role of religion in the family dynamic is important.
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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.
Family Activities
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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.
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Beeswax Candles for Shabbat and Havdalah
Try this beeswax candle activity with your family.
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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.
Parenting
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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. Jordana Flores, director of URJ 6 Points West explains how sending your kids to camp can prepare them to be resilient and independent adults.
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How to Be the Grownups that Creative Kids Need
Being able to nurture your child's creative talents is one of the most exciting and overwhelming aspects of parenting. URJ 6 Points Creative Arts Academy Director Jo-Ellen Unger explains how you can encourage your child's creative growth without over-programming them and their schedules.
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Find a Jewish Name for Your Child
Learn the meanings and history of Jewish names to find the right one for your child.
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What It's Like to Live on an Israeli Kibbutz in a Global Pandemic
As a family mediator and the parent of four children, I have found comfort and logic in the kibbutz response to this crisis – a laser focus on the responsibility to its members.
Divorce
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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.
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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.