Growing Today’s Jewish Families: New Spiritual and Ethical Perspectives

Today, adults can consider a range of ways to bring children into their lives–through adoption or foster care, with the help of donors or surrogates, with no parenting partner, or with more than one. These options can feel both liberating and daunting as folks navigate finances, laws, bureaucracy, technology, etc. But what of the ethical implications of these choices? How can Jewish values help guide decision-making in this intimate and important area of life?

Through a Jewish lens, and with an expansive definition of family, a queer sensibility, and a reproductive justice consciousness, we will explore various mechanisms for becoming a parent or caregiver. We’ll hear personal stories from folks with different identities who have turned to a variety of family models or been raised within them. Through their stories, we’ll explore the ethical and relational questions and pitfalls they navigated along the way.

Who Is This For?

• Adults facing social or physical infertility and wrestling with decisions about how to become parents or caregivers.
• Those who would like to support them (including Jewish clergy/communal professionals, social workers, family members, etc.).
• We welcome Jews and non-Jews, LGBTQ+ folks, straight people, single and partnered people, and those with a variety of Jewish backgrounds and experiences.
  

Schedule
The series consists of five live sessions featuring panel discussions, moderated Q&A, and facilitated break-out sessions by interest group, as well as one opportunity to choose from pre-recorded panels exploring particular topics in more depth.

Session One: Why We’re Here
January 14, 2024, 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. EST

Session Two: Personal Journeys Towards Parenthood/Child Rearing, Part I
January 28, 2024, 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. EST

Session Three: Personal Journeys Towards Parenthood/Child Rearing, Part II
February 11, 2024, 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. EST

Session Four: Personal Journeys Growing Up X
February 25, 2024, 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. EST

Session Five: Asynchronous Pre-Recorded Programs

Session Six: No Simple Paths, Embracing Complexity
March 10, 2024, 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. EDT

Program Co-Sponsors

Featured Speakers

See More Information and More Speakers here.