Few of us expected to be raising kids in the current environment of resurgent antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Join PJ Library and Temple Israel for a conversation with Dr. Tovah Klein, the bestselling author of "Raising Resilience: How to Help our Children Thrive in Times of Uncertainty" along with local parenting expert, Dr. Chloe Massey and Rabbi Elana Nemitoff-Bresler.

When: Tuesday, March 17st @ 7:30PM

Where: Temple Israel, 14 Coleytown Road, Westport

About the book: Uncer­tain­ty is a giv­en in life; Jew­ish par­ents face an extra lay­er of uncer­tain­ty with grow­ing anti­semitism and our unique Jew­ish his­to­ry. Whether it’s nation­al or glob­al events affect­ing our sense of safe­ty, the rise of anti­semitism, or dai­ly stres­sors, we are con­stant­ly con­front­ed with sit­u­a­tions threat­en­ing children’s well­be­ing. Par­ents can mit­i­gate the effect of ram­pant uncer­tain­ty by guid­ing chil­dren to feel grounded, man­age adver­si­ty and devel­op resilience, and by knowing what they bring to being a parent. Par­ents are the buffer.

Rais­ing Resilience is a life­line for fam­i­lies con­tend­ing with life’s stress­es and crises — from the most com­mon­place to most dev­as­tat­ing — peer or sib­ling con­flicts, fam­i­ly ten­sions, divorce, loss, aca­d­e­m­ic chal­lenges, grow­ing up Jew­ish today. Dr. Klein offers par­ents and care­givers spe­cif­ic resources that chil­dren devel­op in their rela­tion­ship with par­ents, enabling them to face adver­si­ty, adjust, and thrive rather than fal­ter or break down under pres­sure.

She will help attendees understand what chil­dren need to man­age life’s hur­dles and cre­ate capac­i­ty for mean­ing­ful, thriv­ing lives by con­fi­dent­ly build­ing strong rela­tion­ships with our kids so they become moti­vat­ed, self-assured, flexible and car­ing.

Dr. Tovah Klein is Director Emerita of the Center for Toddler Development and Psychology Professor at Barnard College in NYC. She is author of two national bestsellers, Raising Resilience: How to help our children thrive in times of uncertainty and How Toddlers Thrive.

Her aim is to help parents see every child for who they are so each can thrive. She integrates her work in everyday development and challenges with work on trauma and stress to understand how best to help children and teens become grounded, empathic and resilient. 

She holds a doctorate in psychology from Duke University and a BA from University of Michigan. Her research aims to understand parental influences on children’s development, and the experiences of parents, including challenges of work and family. She studies large-scale traumatic events such as families who witnessed the World Trade Center attacks, Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011 and parenting during covid-19 lockdown.  She takes her messages to TV, radio, print, online, podcasts and live audiences.

Dr. Chloe Massey is a mom to three boys, child development expert, educator, and researcher who is passionate about empowering parents through practical, evidence-based guidance. Holding a Doctorate in Education with a background in Teaching and Learning and Applied Psychology, Dr. Massey has dedicated her career to understanding the science of child behavior and development. Her journey into private practice began naturally when, as a mom herself, friends started seeking her advice on parenting challenges. Drawing from her personal experience ("I get it!" is her favorite line) and her expertise as an educator and researcher, she found a calling in supporting parents beyond her close circle. Combining her knowledge, warmth, and the desire to make research accessible, she launched a virtual practice focused on helping parents navigate the complexities of parenting with confidence and connection.

Questions? Reach out to Sara at Sara@ShalomCT.org