ONLINEBeyond the Huppah

Create the Jewish marriage you want. Join us for Mayyim Hayyim’s six-session seminar for engaged and recently married couples that will provide tools to solidify a strong relationship and explore different ways of creating a Jewish home. LGBTQ+ and interfaith couples welcome.

Discussion topics include:

Communication and Coupledom:

• How do we argue productively?
• How do we recognize the actions and words that support our relationship and those that hurt it?

Decision-Making and Financial Management:

• How do we negotiate important decisions for our family honestly and respectfully?
• How will we manage our money?
• How can tzedakah, giving to others, play a role in our lives?

Jewish Ritual:

• How does Judaism sanctify a relationship?
• How can Jewish rituals help mark important transitions, such as deciding if and how to begin a family?
• How might we relate to the ritual of mikveh within our relationship, on our own terms?

Sexuality:

• What does Judaism teach about sex in marriage?
• How do we build and maintain a healthy sex life?

Building a Jewish Family:

• What does a “Jewish family” mean to us?
• How will our relationship change if we choose to have children?

Niddah: Exploring the Boundaries of Intimacy:

• This session will cover niddah, the practice of abstaining from intimacy around the time of the menstrual cycle. This discussion-based and participant-driven session will explore central texts while focusing on real niddah experiences today. As with all “Beyond the Huppah” sessions, couples will have time to reflect on their learning privately and with the larger group.

Faculty:

Ordained from Hebrew College, Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen serves as Congregation Kehillath Israel’s assistant rabbi and director of outreach and innovation, where she also serves as the rabbi of Base BSTN. As a convert to Judaism, she understands what it feels like to be on the “outside” of Jewish community and to be intimidated by the learning curve that is so often a barrier for people. She is driven by her background to bring inspiring and empowering Judaism to all who seek it.

Rabbi EBC is an alumna of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship and Hillel International’s Office of Innovation Fellowship for Rabbinic Entrepreneurs. She holds a B.A. from William Jewell College in Religion, Philosophy and Gender Studies & Human Sexuality, an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School and an M.J.Ed. from Hebrew College. Originally from Overland Park, Kansas, she now lives in Brookline with her husband, Matt, their son (Ma’or) and their daughters (Tziona and Tehillah).

Matt Bonney-Cohen is the director of strategic operations for Base BSTN. He is also the senior educator. Matt previously served as the development manager for Boston University Hillel, coordinated executive education programs at Harvard Kennedy School and served as the chair of the Boston-area israel360 initiative for three years. He holds a master’s degree in management with a certificate in nonprofit management from Harvard University and earned his bachelor’s degree in film and television from Boston University. A lifelong Bostonian and Deadhead, Matt is a kvelling rebbetz-man to Elizabeth and a Grateful Dad to Ma’or, Tziona and Tehillah.

Some scholarship funds are available. Please be in touch if you need financial assistance.