Shalom Baby

When Ali and I were expecting our first child almost seven years ago, we signed up for a childbirth education class at the hospital where we would be delivering. It was informative, but it would be a stretch to call the experience transformative.  At the same time, we took a class offered by our local Jewish community and it had a much bigger impact on us. Each week, we gathered with other first-time expectant parents and a facilitator to talk about childbirth, parenting, and anything else that was on our minds as we got closer to our due dates. Babies were born, and we celebrated together. So strong were the connections from that class that, when Ali went into labor on Yom Kippur two-and-a-half years later, we dropped off our oldest with one of the families that we met through these classes. 

Starting November 4, we are offering this same kind of experience for expectant parents in Cleveland. Schechter is partnering with Carolyn Stulberg, founder of the Alexandria School for Nannies and Schechter grandparent, to offer “Shalom Baby”. These 90-minute weekly sessions will cover a wide variety of topics. Sessions will include “Mazal Tov - Bringing Baby Home - Now What?,” “Schmutz by any other name is still Schmutz!” and “Jewish Guilt and the Work-Life Family Balance.”

Each week will feature guest presenters to help participants discuss that session’s topic and explore resources to help navigate each particular area of having a new baby in their lives. Of course, the program wouldn’t be complete without some exciting giveaways each week (big ticket items like a crib mattress, Baby Bjorn, and a photography session), some nosh, and a chance to build connections with other expectant parents in the same phase of life.

We’re delighted to offer this program with the support of a Shoresh grant from the JECC. This grant program has allowed us to expand our reach within the Cleveland Jewish community as part of our multi-prong approach to admissions and recruitment. In the coming weeks, you will be hearing more from our staff, parent ambassadors, and student ambassadors about how you can help grow Kehillat Schechter.  For more information on Shalom Baby click HERE.

So, if you are expecting a new baby or know someone who is, help us get the word out about “Shalom Baby” at Gross Schechter Day School.

Shabbat Shalom,

Dr. Ari Yares
Head of School