Chai There (Young Families)

Chai There, parents and future parents! We hope new opportunities to connect will foster lifelong friendships and support systems.

Chai There, babies! Welcome to the world. A new adventure begins!

Chai There, tots! We’d love for you to play and learn with new friends.

Chai There, an initiative launched in March of 2025, is designed for expectant parents and families with children ages 0-5.

We welcome both temple members and non-members to this new community, aimed at celebrating life’s precious moments, your littlest blessings in it, and all the good things to come.

Our mission is to create a warm, nurturing, and inclusive space where babies, toddlers, and new parents can grow together. Through fun and engaging programming, we will encourage social connections, empower families with resources, and lay the foundation for meaningful and long-lasting relationships within our Jewish community.

To see a full list of upcoming programming with dates and registration info, please click the blue button.

Here are a few examples of some of the fantastic programs you’ll find!

Rise & Shine:
Shabbat Morning Music & Bagels
Rise & Shine meets the second Saturday of each month for a music-filled morning of singing, clapping, and movement followed by bagels! Also don’t miss Tot Shabbat, a brief tot service followed by a craft, which meets on the fourth Saturday of every month.

Torah & Tots: A preschool-aged and family friendly Jewish class series that will culminate in a joyful Tot Mitzvah celebration – coming Spring 2027!

Havdalah
Celebrate the end of Shabbat with a fun and lively Havdalah program led by Cantor Sydney Michaeli followed by dinner.

To learn more, get involved, or to subscribe to our monthly Chai There newsletter, contact Sarah Rogoff.

Do you have an idea for a program? Please click here:

The Temple Rodef Shalom Endowment develops the financial resources to support our vitally important work for the next generation and secures our future as a sacred community. Chai There is supported by TRS Endowment Fund for Youth and Jewish Identity, established to strengthen Jewish identity among our youth, in honor of Rabbi Amy Schwartzman’s 20th anniversary.

TRS Groups for Parents

Parents need support! We have several type of parenting groups available. If you don’t see what you’re looking for below, please reach out to Sarah Rogoff. Visit our Events page for all the upcoming kids/youth/families events!

First Year Mom’s Group: Connect with other mothers on Friday mornings (Sept – May) to discuss parenting issues, support one another, share stories and observe Shabbat together each week. For moms and babies under 1 year.
Mother’s Circle: This is a professionally-led group for non-Jewish women who are raising their children in the Jewish faith. It meets monthly through the school year to bond, discuss challenges, and find a comfortable space in the TRS community. Click here to read more.
Pregnancy Pods: Join Cantor Sydney Michaeli for a series of conversations around your pregnancy – the joys, the challenges, and everything in between. There will be chances to share meals and move your bodies – and open up about whatever you’re feeling… excitement, fear, wonder, or all of the above! Please email Sarah Rogoff to learn more.
Caring Cohorts: Check our Events webpage to read more about these topic-based support groups, including The Village for parents of neurodiverse children and the Middle Matters for the sandwich generation.