jBaby Program Expands to North Shore

Jewish and interfaith expectant and new parents now have the opportunity to connect with one another through the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago’s jBaby Chicago program.

These connections can help develop a community where new families can share valuable parenting resources and advice on topics such as: preschools, raising children, local events and activities, how to incorporate Judaism into daily life, and much more.

Launched in March 2014 in Chicago, jBaby has already see more than 350 families take advantage of playgroups, classes and one-on-one meetings with jBaby Chicago mom ambassadors. A celebration of the program’s success and expansion was held at the newly opened Little Beans Cafe in Evanston earlier this month.

Patch recently found out more about the program, which has expanded to offer classes throughout the Chicagoland area including some on the North Shore in Evanston, Glencoe, Buffalo Grove, Skokie and Northbrook Here are a few questions and answers about this, as posed to Debbi Cooper, assistant vice president of Young Family Engagement.

Q: What is JUF?

A: The Jewish United Fund (JUF) mobilizes resources to uplift the global and local Jewish community, supporting basic needs, creating Jewish experiences and strengthening Jewish community connections.

jBaby Chicago is part of JUF Young Families, an outreach department of the Jewish United Fund. jBaby Chicago is an inclusive social group for Jewish and interfaith expectant and new parents looking to make connections, build friends and engage in Jewish life in Chicago.

Q: How has this helped Jewish families thus far in Chicago?

A: jBaby Chicago launched in March 2014 and we have already had over 350 families join to take advantage of our playgroups, classes and one-on-one meetings with jBaby Chicago mom ambassadors. Overwhelmingly we hear that these new parents are looking to meet other new parents in the same life-stage, with similar interests and questions about engaging more in Jewish life in Chicago as a young family. Over 90% of jBaby Chicago families have met at least another family they intend to keep in touch with following participation in one of our programs and 99% want to do more with jBaby Chicago. For many parents, jBaby Chicago has helped them take a “next step” in Jewish life and has connected them to a Jewish organization. Already, we know that jBaby Chicago families have gone on to join synagogues, hold traditional Jewish baby naming ceremonies, organize Shabbat dinner clubs and incorporate new Jewish practices in their homes. We view all of these as great successes!

Q: What was the reasoning for bringing this to the suburbs?

A: jBaby Chicago began as a pilot program in the city in its first year. As soon as we launched, we began getting emails and phone calls – almost daily – about whether these programs and classes would be available in the north and northwest suburbs. We know that there are thousands of Jewish and interfaith families in those suburbs who are also looking for increased Jewish connections, both to other families and to synagogues, Jewish preschools and other Jewish organizations. When we reached out to potential suburban partners to develop jBaby Chicago classes, we had 18 different Jewish organizations interested in developing a jBaby Chicago partner class. Full suburban class programming is beginning this week.

Q: Outside of Little Beans Cafe in Evanston, are there any other locations for this on the North Shore?

A: Yes, just like in the city, we will be working with a variety of Jewish and secular partners to host jBaby Chicago classes. Synagogues, Jewish Preschools, JCC Chicago and neighborhood play spaces are all locations you can expect to see jBaby Chicago classes and programs pop up!

Q: How does the social part work? Does everyone meet at planned events, if so, how often or is it just one meeting and they all connect on their own after that?

A: There are a variety of ways for families to connect through jBaby Chicago, depending on families’ interest, schedule and availability. There are playgroups hosted at Chicago’s hottest playspots that meet weekly and monthly weekend events geared to the whole family. We also hold special holiday-themed events around major Jewish holidays - Pajama Havdalah and Dreidels & Donuts held earlier this winter - and Purim Palooza & Passover Playdate yet to come. Beginning in March we will be launching a series of downtown lunches for moms that work in the area to talk about work-life balance issues with new babies/young children. We are very interested in hearing from our demographic and growing and expanding our programming based on their needs and interests.

Q: How many people so far are involved with organizing, and how many are partaking?

A: jBaby Chicago has two full time staff people, one part time program coordinator and three jBaby Chicago ambassadors. We are looking to expand to 8 ambassadors once we launch in the suburbs. Over 350 families (over 1,000 moms, dads, babies/tots and grandparents) have participated in a jBaby Chicago offering since the city launch.

jBaby Chicago is supported, in part, by the Crown Family and other local donors.

Find out what classes are being offered through the program, including ones in Evanston and Northbrook. http://www.juf.org/jbabychicago/partnerClassesList.aspx

Here’s a list of some on the north suburbs:

Love, Religion...and Baby, InterfaithFamily Chicago, Beth Emet Synagogue & Jewish Child & Family Service - An interactive and low-key workshop for interfaith/intercultural couples.

Russian jBaby – Mommy/Daddy & Me, Russian Jewish Division, JUF - Baby & tot class for Russian-speaking Jewish parents with activities, music and parenting discussions.

SENSE-sational Shabbat, Bernard Weinger JCC - A weekly class where tots can listen to, smell, touch, and taste the beauty of Shabbat.

Daddy & Me Movement Class, North Shore Congregation Israel - Sunday morning “Stretch-n-Grow” movement class just for dads and their tots.

Baby-Toddler Music & Movement Class, Solomon Schechter Day School - Weekly music & movement class for babies and toddlers.

jBaby Around Town, Beth Emet & Jewish Reconstructionist Synagogue (JRC) - Explore the hottest play spots in and around Evanston – with a Jewish twist.

Nurturing Ourselves as New Mothers, Jewish Reconstructionist Synagogue (JRC) - Support and social group for new moms of babies 0-6 months.

Hebrew Play, Bayit Evanston