Description
Designed for expectant parents, this innovative program combines childbirth education with an exploration of the Jewish traditions and rituals connected with pregnancy, birth, and parenting. Co-created by the JCC and Rose Medical Center, JBU is a series of eight classes. The program also includes dinner with a Mohel to discuss baby naming and Brit Milah, Babysafe, and Journey to Parenthood.
Journey to Parenthood: Encompasses conversations about the imminent post-partum experience, communication skills, parental expectations, and changing identities for both partners, facilitated by skilled professionals and returning parents.
COMMUNITY
JUDAICS
CHILDBIRTH
Expectant parents are asked to fill out an application.
Click on the blue buttons below to see the schedules for the upcoming cohorts. Registration is based on your expected due date.
- Spring 2025 #1 Cohort: Due Date between April – June 2025
- Spring 2025 #2 Cohort: Due Date between June – August 2025
- Summer 2025 #1 Cohort: Due Date between August – September 2025
- Summer 2025 #2 Cohort: Due Date between September – November 2025
- Fall 2025 Cohort: Due Date between November 2025 – January 2026
- Winter 2026 Cohort: Due Date between February – March 2026
*You do not need to take any additional birthing classes. JBU provides all the same birthing education that you would get from the typical birthing classes through your hospital.
Thanks to the Lexi Mossman Hammerman L’dor V’dor fund, JBU is offered on a sliding Scale.
“The best part of JBU for us was not what we learned but the friendships and support system we made. Those were life-changing in the early days of postpartum and have continued to be paramount to our parenting now. Baby cafe was also an integral part of my postpartum journey. I credit it with helping my overall mental health as I had a supportive place to go each week, had a sense of community, and felt less alone. It gave me hope about the difficult parts of breastfeeding and provided me a space to further foster friendships made through JBU.”
2022 Jewish Baby University Participant
Jewish Baby University FAQs
How often are the classes offered?
Currently classes are offered four to six times a year.
How many other expecting parents sign up for each session?
Class numbers range from five expecting families to 12! Our average class size is eight expecting families.
Which JBU class is right for me?
Give us a call to discuss! Typically you take your childbirth class in your third trimester. Most expectant parents are due within 1-3 months of their last class. Spacing the classes this way ensures that you will be on maternity leave at roughly the same time as your classmates!
We are an interfaith couple–is this class going to overwhelm my non-Jewish partner?
Not at all! We have many interfaith families go through JBU, and have never heard that it made anyone uncomfortable. We work with Judaic instructors who are incredibly open and inclusive. Their method of teaching does not assume that you come to the class with any amount of Jewish knowledge. Instead, they educate, and help facilitate discussions to help you determine how you would like to foster a Jewish home, and raise your child.
I know I’m going to miss a class, should I still sign up?
If you know based on your schedule that you will have to miss one of the classes, please take the time to discuss this with us! We have a few options for how you can “make up” a class. If your partner can’t make it to a class, but you can, you should definitely still plan to attend. We welcome you to invite a friend or family member to the class instead.
I consider my family to be non-traditional. Will we feel welcomed in this class?
Yes! This course is for all types of family structures. The curriculum is incredibly valuable and relevant, no matter your family set-up. We’re also willing to adapt our curriculum to meet the needs of the families attending each class. Most importantly, we hope to help you build a network of support, and find friends you can lean on and raise your child with.
If I sign up for JBU, what other prenatal classes do you recommend I take?
JBU is an all-encompassing prenatal class that should pave the way for you to begin your parenting journey with confidence. The childbirth portion we offer is your “basic” labor and delivery curriculum. You would only need to sign up for additional classes if you were interested in a particular method of childbirth (for example hypnobirthing, water birth, etc.).
We offer an overview of CPR in our Baby Safe class. If you are interested in a more in-depth training, you can sign up for a CPR Certification course (typically a six-hour class).
We now also offer extension classes including Breastfeeding Basics, Car seat safety and Legacy Planning for the New Parent, contact us to learn more. Once your baby has arrived, there are lots of wonderful lactation support groups you can join.
Let us know if you need resources!
Apply Below
