Department of Ruach & Resilience

Pillar 1: Programming for Children

• An original series of playful, tastefully designed episodes and books.
• Objective: Each story is a values-driven adventure that models key Jewish middos (like kindness and courage) and the power of connection in a way that is engaging and accessible for young minds.

Pillar 2: Programming for Parents & Adults

• "Stories of Strength," a weekly podcast featuring deep-dive conversations with respected mental health professionals, rabbis, and parenting experts.
• Objective: The podcast explores the adult applications of the middos found in our children's stories, bridging timeless Jewish wisdom with modern mental health practices to empower adults.

The Bereishis Foundation is proud to introduce our Curriculum and School Supports Division, created to strengthen schools with programs that weave together Jewish values, social-emotional learning, and classroom wellbeing.

• Teacher Training: Professional development equips educators with strategies to build nurturing classrooms that promote resilience, respect, and unity.
• Student Workshops: Interactive, age-appropriate sessions encourage students to explore their strengths, practice communication, and build skills for healthy relationships.
• Ready-to-Use Lesson Series: Schools receive engaging lesson plans that blend Torah values with resilience-building activities, giving students practical tools for everyday success.

With this division, the Bereishis Foundation partners with schools to create classrooms where safety, confidence, and Jewish identity go hand in hand.

Our Vision

Strong Families → Thriving Children → Vibrant Communities

We partner with parents as the first teachers of their children, empowering them with tools, knowledge, and connection.

Our Pillars

• Education & Awareness: Parenting workshops, child development & mental health guidance, and family learning initiatives.
• Support & Advocacy: One-on-one consultations, parent support groups, and access to resources & community services.
• Connection & Belonging: Family events & celebrations, school–home partnerships, and peer networks of encouragement.

Signature Programs

• Parent Learning Circles: Shared discussions rooted in Jewish values.
• Family Resilience Workshops: Emotional first aid & coping tools for children and parents.
• School–Home Bridges: Stronger alignment between family and classroom goals.
• Generations in Conversation: Programs connecting grandparents, parents, and children.

Our Guiding Principles

• Respect: Honoring each parent’s unique role.
• Partnership: Families as co-educators.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Rooted in holy values.
• Accessibility: Multiple formats to reach all families.

Outcomes We Strive For

• Parents who feel confident & capable.
• Children who feel secure & resilient.
• Schools strengthened through partnership.
• Communities that are empowered & connected.

More information coming soon.

Bereishis helps teachers create safe, respectful, and child-centered classrooms by focusing on relationships, regulation, and restorative practices. Our coaching supports educators in moving beyond compliance toward strategies that empower students and strengthen classroom community.

A thriving classroom is not defined only by academic achievement, but by the sense of safety, belonging, and mutual respect that students experience each day. At Bereishis, we know that strong classroom cultures are built when teachers are equipped with tools that go beyond instruction to include child-centered, culturally attuned approaches to classroom management.

Our Teacher Coaching & Classroom Culture program helps educators create environments where discipline is not about control, but about guidance, restoration, and growth. We work side by side with teachers to shift from compliance-driven practices to strategies that honor each child’s dignity and potential.

Our Approach:

• Relationships First – Coaching emphasizes trust and connection. Teachers learn how to cultivate authentic relationships with students, making classrooms spaces of warmth, curiosity, and compassion.
• Regulation & Resilience – We support educators in teaching students practical tools for emotional regulation, problem-solving, and conflict resolution, helping them become active participants in maintaining a positive classroom culture.
• Respect as a Guiding Value – Teachers and students co-create norms, routines, and expectations that reflect shared values. Respect is not demanded but modeled, affirmed, and practiced daily.
• Restorative Practices – When harm occurs, our coaching equips teachers to facilitate processes that repair relationships, restore trust, and rebuild community, avoiding punitive cycles that exclude or stigmatize.
• Collaborative Learning Environments – From classroom setup to peer-led problem-solving, teachers are guided to design spaces that encourage cooperation, cultural affirmation, and collective responsibility.
• Sustained Feedback & Reflection – Through observation, dialogue, and ongoing coaching, teachers reflect on classroom culture, receive constructive feedback, and adapt strategies to meet the evolving needs of their students.

Why It Matters

When teachers shift from policing behavior to partnering with students in building a healthy classroom culture, children thrive both academically and socially. They experience school as a place that values their voices, nurtures their growth, and equips them with skills for life.

At Bereishis, we see relationships, regulation, and respect not just as classroom tools, but as community values that ensure our schools remain places of belonging, empowerment, and success for every child.

Adolescence is a stage of discovery, growth, and challenge. Our Teen Resilience Program is designed to give teens the tools, skills, and mindset to navigate this stage with strength and confidence, while remaining grounded in their Jewish values.

Through workshops and interactive activities, teens build essential skills in:

• Self-Confidence: recognizing personal strengths and abilities.
• Healthy Communication: expressing themselves with clarity and respect.
• Stress Management: learning techniques to manage pressure.
• Positive Peer Relationships: fostering friendships rooted in respect and empathy.
• Identity and Values: connecting resilience practices to Torah-based perspectives.

Intended Outcomes

Participants are prepared to approach challenges with confidence, strengthen emotional balance, build respectful relationships, and develop a stronger sense of Jewish identity and self-worth.