Rosh Hodesh

The Greater Kansas City Jewish community has been participating in a wonderful program for 7th and 8th grader girls, called Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing! The program meets one Sunday afternoon a month and is based on the Jewish tradition of women’s New Moon celebrations to build the self-esteem, Jewish identity, leadership skills, and friendship networks of adolescent girls. Now entering it's tenth year in Kansas City, this enormously successful nation-wide program has won many national awards.

Although the gatherings will be held at Congregation Beth Torah, this program is open to all Jewish 7th or 8th Grade girls.  One of the best aspects of this program is getting to know more Jewish friends from all over the community.  Congregational affiliation is not required.   

These monthly Sunday afternoon sessions,  provide a supportive environment where girls can explore the social and cultural issues they encounter as they become adults and derive their own authentic Jewish values in response to the challenges they face. The small groups are designed to provide a celebratory, empowering setting in which girls can support each other in growing and learning, while having lots of fun. The program’s success is due, in part, to the participatory mixture of discussing issues, traditions, and role models; making crafts and writing stories; rejoicing with song and dance; socializing, and eating!   

New Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing! groups will be starting this fall and will meet monthly from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.  The fee is $140 for the year.

 For more information, contact Marcia Rittmaster, Rosh Hodesh: It's a Girl Thing! Coordinator at mrittmaster@gmail.com or (913) 649-9524.

This program is partially funded through a grant from the Flo Harris Supporting Foundation of the Greater Kansas City Jewish Community Foundation.