Provides counseling to children and adults struggling with a range of emotional and social difficulties. Specialized services include evaluation and assessment, time limited, time effective and ongoing individual, couple, family and group counseling as well as psychiatric services and medication management as indicated. Specialized expertise treating eating disorders, loss and bereavement and issues around trauma including but not limited to family violence and sexual abuse. Orthodox therapists provide treatment in English, Hebrew, Russian, Dutch and Yiddish.

The Genesis Project was developed in partnership with a focus group of newly single young mothers who felt the need for a sense of community. The group serves parents who are single through divorce, by choice or through the death of a spouse. We also provide services for their children.

The Genesis Project, fondly referred to as GPAC (Genesis Parent Action Committee) by the members, offers a warm inclusive, single parent family community within our larger Jewish community. The group welcomes newcomers on an ongoing basis.

Many GPAC parents have active lives, busy with work, family and friends. Yet, GPAC offers something extra... an oasis where they can connect and learn from other single parents, and where their kids can do the same.

The Genesis Project offers meetings, workshops, and social events for single parents and their children.

• Regularly scheduled weeknight dinner meetings. Parents discuss issues, socialize and share resources, while the children socialize and discuss issues as they interact with teen mentors and an expressive arts therapist.

• Workshops on topics of interest such as Building Good Parenting Skills, Having a Life as a Single Parent, Dating as a Single Parent, Time Management, Life Coaching, Workshops for Dads, Celebrating Jewish Holidays and Rituals as a Single Parent Family

• Social events, such as holiday parties and summer picnics.

View the Events page for specific dates and times of upcoming events.

Working closely with a network of Jewish healing centers and programs throughout North America we offer consultation, resource material, publications, training and referrals to community resources.

We address such questions as:

"What does Judaism teach about health, illness, and healing?"

"In what ways can the wisdom of Jewish tradition help sustain the spirits of those in need as well as those who provide care?"

"What resources can our community develop to meet the spiritual needs of those who are suffering, to make sure no one faces illness or loss alone?"

Through our Partners in Caring (PIC) program, a UJA-Federation of NY initiative, we assign a qualified and experienced social worker to the synagogue, JCC, school or other Jewish institution. The social worker provides consultation, training and direct social work services to the institution's entire synagogue community, including staff, lay leaders, volunteers and members. The social worker offers members crisis intervention, time-limited counseling, case management, information & referral, mutual support groups (such as bereavement, caregivers, and single parent), and community education programs.

Our Partners in Caring (PIC): Support for Older Adults program social workers offer support to older adults, their families and their synagogues in the Mid and Northern Brooklyn communities.

Provides rabbinic students with field work placements in projects of the Jewish Connections Division to enable them to develop skills in responding to the psychosocial needs of individuals, families, and groups.

Divorce Support

The program’s mission is to reach out to and sustain Jewish community members at this time of loneliness and potential alienation. Established over 5 years ago in response to the limited resources available in the Jewish community, the program offers inclusive and readily accessible support and guidance for those going through divorce.

Since the program’s inception, we have served over 850 people, both women and men going through divorce as well as their loved ones who may also be affected, e.g., mothers and fathers, concerned grandparents and other family members. Our programs are sponsored by and for the Jewish community, but we welcome all who would like to join us.

We offer:

• Seven-session professionally-facilitated divorce support groups

• Consultation and referral for counseling, psychotherapy, community resources, spiritual partners, synagogue referrals

• Workshops on topics of interest such as Children and Divorce, Financial Planning, Feeling Comfortable in Court, Dating, Life Planning after Divorce, Meditation, Adult Children of Divorced Parents, and Grandparent Consultation

For Professionals

If you are interested in developing a program or workshop for single parent families at your agency, please contact Judith Levitan for consultation and program development.

UJA-Federation of New York’s Connect to Care takes aim at the impact of the economic downturn in the Jewish community throughout all of New York City. This program provides a broad array of coordinated services designed to offer you and your family the help you need where and when you need it. Services are easy to access, discreet, and comprehensive, addressing a broad range of challenges you or your family may be facing.

The program offers:

• Employment and career-transition services, including job networking opportunities and career seminars.
• Financial consultation, debt counseling, and budget assistance.
• Legal services.
• Supportive counseling and Jewish spiritual care.
• Loan Assistance.

Under the Same Tent offers opportunities for Black, Asian, Latino, or mixed-race Jews to meet each other, to talk about common experiences, and to build a broader community. Through affinity groups and other in-person gatherings, young adults, parents and couples both seek and offer support. These groups are offered in partnership with Be'chol Lashon.