at Madraigos event
On October 30, Madraigos, the organization that works tirelessly to meet the needs of the community, presented “Be the Parent Your Child Craves,” an initiative of its Parenting Matters program. The event was held at Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence and attended by more than 450 mothers, fathers, therapists, and educators from the Five Towns and Queens who came out to gain insight and support from Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein, founder and director of Ohr Naava Women’s Center, and Brad Reedy, Ph.D., world-renowned parenting expert and author of The Journey of the Heroic Parent.
Mr. Eli Perlman, LCSW, clinical director, Madraigos, opened the program by welcoming the standing-room-only crowd of attendees and thanking the many people who helped bring the program to fruition. He shared the brief history and incredible growth of the Parenting Matters program, specifically the parenting groups.
The first speaker, Rabbi Wallerstein, addressed the topic of “conscious parenting.” In his passionate, heartfelt style, he spoke about the vital importance of making time for one’s children. He strongly urged parents to shower their children with love and let them know, in no uncertain terms, that they are the most important part of the parent’s life. He stressed the importance of the quality of the father–daughter and mother–son relationship, which strongly influences the child. Rabbi Wallerstein’s words were inspiring and moving while offering concrete suggestions, advice, and direction to everyone in the room—each on his or her own individual level.
The event continued with a special award ceremony to recognize the independent efforts of Mrs. Rena Kutner, MFT, and Mrs. Rivki Rosenwald, MFT, CLC, as facilitators of the Madraigos’s ongoing weekly parenting groups. Eli Perlman first presented an award to Mrs. Kutner, praising her unusual deep sensitivity for the challenges that parents face and her sincere desire to help strengthen all family relationships. Mr. Perlman then presented an award to Mrs. Rosenwald, commending her enthusiasm for helping others to grow, and her insatiable thirst for knowledge.
The final speaker, Dr. Reedy, spoke about parents needing to look inward and examine their own lives to enable them to effectively parent their children. He said the more in touch a parent is with himself or herself, the more tolerance and understanding they will have for their child.
After the speeches, the evening drew to a close with parents enjoying sushi and a beautiful dessert buffet. As the crowd lingered a bit longer, the conversations all centered on the uplifting content of the speakers. Sara, a parent, remarked, “It was very enlightening. I am walking out with a feeling of hope and with some practical tools on how to deal with my children. Thank you!”
Madragios extends sincere hakaras ha’tov to Harborview, proud sponsor of this Parenting Matters event. Event sponsors also include close friends and family of Rivki Rosenwald and Rena Kutner who wanted to personally express their appreciation and admiration for their valuable work.
Key sponsor of the evening and chairman of the board of Madraigos, Mr. Ephraim Kutner, of Harborview, commented, “I applaud the clinical department for putting together a truly incredible event. I am very proud of my wife, Rena, for her accomplishments and I am thrilled that she and the entire Madraigos team are making such a meaningful impact on our community.”
Corporate sponsors include Gourmet Glatt, Seasons, Andrew Lock Menswear, Pro Health, Pip Printing, Jerusalem Florist, JK Designs, Paper Place, Doma Restaurant, Secret Me, and Debbie’s Flowers. Anelis Marketing is also recognized for their outstanding marketing efforts and exceptional graphic design.
“We are honored to provide programming for the community that supports, educates, and empowers families.” said Rabbi Dov Silver, founder and executive vice president of Madraigos. “I am grateful to Ephraim Kutner of Harborview and the other event sponsors who generously supported this event.”
Mr. Eli Perlman, said, “The parenting event was not only well-attended and well-received, it was a clear indication that the community wants to continue the dialogue about parenting. We are excited and prepared to present the community with more events about effective parenting.”
Madraigos has profound gratitude to Mindi Werblowsky, assistant clinical director, social-work interns, and volunteers who took an active role in taking care of all necessary logistics for the event.
Overall, the feeling at this Parenting Matters event was growth and empowerment for parents of all ages. Strength and hope was in the air not only because of the valuable insights shared by the wonderful speakers, but also because of the message expressed by the sheer number of attendees. Sitting in a room filled to capacity meant to the attendees, “I am not alone. We are all in it together, building our homes, our relationships, ourselves.”
Madraigos plans on launching new parenting resources for the community in the near future. Parents are urged to register for the next parenting group scheduled to start November 13. To register or learn more about upcoming Parenting Matters initiatives, please contact Eli Perlman at 516-371-3250, ext. 111, or eperlman@madraigos.org. For sponsorship opportunities please contact Rivka Lock, director of development, at 516-371-3250, ext. 102, or rlock@madraigos.org.
Madraigos, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, offers a wide array of innovative services and programs geared towards helping teens and young adults overcome life’s everyday challenges one step at a time. The goal is to provide members with the necessary tools and skills to empower them to live a healthy lifestyle and become the leaders of tomorrow.
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