Helping parents have those important conversations

Are the police good or bad? Why don’t I look like that person? When Rachel Figurasmith’s (DS ’15) daughter started asking hard questions, Rachel knew she wasn’t the only parent struggling with having difficult conversations with children. And through her work as senior educator at Repair the World NYC, which facilitates family service-learning, Rachel was ready to tackle the challenge. With the help of a 2018 Seeds of Innovation grant, she’s launched “Big Jewish Talks for Little Jewish Talkers” to help parents find the intersection between Jewish teaching, social justice, and community service, aiding them in discussing today’s pressing issues with their children, all at developmentally appropriate levels. Monthly salons will bring in experts to help parents address concerns and build the skills needed to answer the toughest questions using a Jewish lens. The first salon, held in November, focused on talking to kids about gun violence.