Calendar
BEYOND THE BUMP
6 Thursdays, February 9-March 16, 6:30–7:30 PM
IN PERSON at the EDCJCC
$152 for the six-week session; EDCJCC Member Rate $122
Facilitated by Catherine Coogan, Ph.D.
Pregnant for the first time? Looking to create a community with other expecting moms to exchange ideas and find support? This group will meet weekly in person at the EDCJCC for six weeks to provide a safe and facilitated space for moms-to-be to discuss their experiences and learn from one another. We will explore several topics, including: concerns about childbirth and parenting; balancing family with work outside the home; navigating new relationships with your partner, parents, and in-laws; and recognizing post (and pre)-partum depression and anxiety. The group will be kept small so that connections can be fostered and maintained easily.
Join JFamily in partnership with Hill Havurah for a celebratory Tot Shabbat, featuring our favorite Shabbat songs and a story. Tot Shabbat will be held on Saturday, February 11 at 10:00 AM in the Shalom Room at Reformation (212 East Capitol Street, NE).
A virtual lap time experience for our youngest JFamily members and their care providers. These 25 minute experiences introduce songs, rhymes, and developmentally appropriate movement. Come build a bond with your baby while meeting other caregivers. This program is meant for the baby to be in their caregiver’s lap with their grownup actively involved. (Best for children 0 – 18 months.)
This program is brought to you by the Edlavitch DCJCC and funded by The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and The United Jewish Endowment Fund.
Family-Friendly Klezmer Brunch with Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra
Sunday, January 29
Brunch will be available at 10:30 AM before the concert. The concert kicks off at 11:30 AM.
Kids under 7 years old attend free of charge.
There will be concert seating for those who want it, but children will not be expected to sit quietly — dancing is encouraged!
Presented in partnership with PJ Library
This event is now sold out!
Join us for a JFamily art experience at the Phillips Collection! Guided by a professional art educator, explore Intersections: Linling Lu through fun, hands-on activities. We’ll start with storytime in the gallery before heading to the workshop to make art inspired by the exhibition. Next to the workshop, there is a play space with additional creative toys and children’s books, if your family would like to take a break. This event is designed for families with children ages 0 to 6.
$10 for one adult and one child; free for one Phillips member and one child; $5 per additional child.
The Phillips Collection, founded in 1921, is America’s first museum of modern art. This event is presented in collaboration with JFamily, a program by the Edlavitch DCJCC, which provides inclusive Jewish family experiences for families with children under 6 years old.
GENTLE SLEEP SECRETS FOR NEWBORNS
Thursday, February 16, 10:00 AM
Join us for coffee, the company of other new parents, and a relaxed conversation about your baby’s sleep. Gentle sleep coach Jessica Dodson of Starlight Sleep Coaching will discuss how sleep develops during infancy, why it can be so difficult and what you can do to make it easier for both you and your baby. Learn gentle steps you can take to help shape your child’s sleep from their earliest months and how to avoid common pitfalls that can lead to restless nights. Bring your questions – we’ll spend most of our time talking through participants’ specific situations. Babies warmly welcomed!

Our Jewish community is diverse in many ways – including in cultural and ethnic background. This workshop helps couples from different cultural and/or ethnic backgrounds explore how they can blend their heritages together to create Jewish traditions that are meaningful to both of them. Like an ube hamantaschen, this process is unique to each couple and their journey. Join us for three facilitated sessions to explore the different strands of your identity and to create new aspects of Jewish practice that reflect your family’s story.
Week 1: February 22, 2023, 7:00-8:30 PM
Facilitator: Dee Sanae
Activist, community builder, and founder of Mosaic Visions Dee Sanae, a Black Japanese Jew, will lead a discussion about multifaceted identity and will help you create narratives of meaning around your own cultural and/or ethnic heritage(s).
Week 2: March 1, 2023 7:00-8:30 PM
Facilitator: Primrose Madayag Knazan
Food is an important component of cultural and ethnic identity. Hear from author, playwright, and foodie Primrose Madayag Knazan, a Filipinx-Canadian Jew, and create a unique family recipe that blends aspects of your cultures. This session will also include a cooking demo!
Although it isn’t required for the workshop we strongly recommend Ms. Knazan’s new book, Lessons in Fusion.
Week 3: March 15, 2023 7:00-8:30 PM
Facilitator: Dee Sanae
Ritual is deeply imbedded in all aspects of Jewish identity and many Jews perform Jewish rituals without necessarily attaching them to a belief in God. In this workshop, you will draw on the narratives that you created in the first week to design a ritual or a ritual object that brings together elements of your heritages.
While we understand that conflicts can come up we encourage every participating couple to do their best to attend all three workshops in this series.
Registration:
Cost: $56 per couple
Please email Sonya at sweisburd@edcjcc.org if cost is a barrier – we want everyone to be able to attend.
In partnership with the Bender JCC
JFamily is treating you to coffee! Meet JFamily Ambassador Shoshana and fellow JFamily neighbors for an informal coffee break. Come on your own or with your little ones! This month, we’re meeting at Coffee Nature (4224 Fessenden Street NW). Weather-permitting, we will plan to sit outside.
This program is brought to you by the Edlavitch DCJCC and funded by The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and The United Jewish Endowment Fund.
Interested in Kids’ Group Swim Classes, but not sure where to jump in? Wondering what class level is appropriate for your child? Already in swim classes but want to learn more about the registration process?
Please join swim instructors James and LaJuan in the Kay Community Hall on February 25 from 5:30 PM-6:30 PM for the EDCJCC Group Swim Lesson Seminar.
Please RSVP for the event at aquatics@edcjcc.org with your name and expected number of people.
Family friendly, light refreshments served.
We look forward to seeing you all soon!
Nested’s In-Person Childbirth Education (CBE) Boot Camp is a comprehensive class that will prepare you for your journey through labor, delivery, and the postpartum period!
In this class we will:
- Review common third trimester issues and what to expect at your 36-week visit
- Learn about the signs of labor, when to call your obstetrician, and what should be on your hospital bag packing list
- Discuss each stage of labor and what can help alleviate and relax the mom, including options for pain management and potential interventions during the labor process
- See what the hospital process will look like and what to expect from your healthcare team
- Discuss the “typical” childbirth scenario as well as how to prepare for the unexpected, including inductions, assisted vaginal births and c-sections.
- Learn from experienced labor doulas as they demonstrate specialized comfort techniques to help with labor pain
- Learn and practice tips, tricks and techniques for Prenatal Wellness: Pelvic Floor Health, Ergonomics & Exercises from a physical therapist
At Nested we know the importance of optimizing the physical and mental health of both parents during pregnancy and the postpartum period. With coping strategies, empowerment, education on diet & exercise and community resources, parents will leave feeling prepared for the doctor’s office, the delivery room and the trip back home.
We recommend taking this class on the earlier side of your pregnancy (24-39 weeks).
REGISTER HERE
Note: 1 registration ticket allows for up to 2 people (1 ticket = 2 people) to attend the class and access the course resources.