About GenAleph
Let's face it, Orthodox parents today face challenges no previous generation could fathom.
Distracted Parents
In today's fast-paced world, parents often struggle to find quality time to build meaningful relationships with their children. Parents are juggling supporting their families, community responsibilities, and the day-to-day logistics of running a home.
High Entitlement Levels
According to educators and psychologists, there is a remarkably high level of entitlement among today's children. In addition to keeping up with social standards, our children are conditioned to get what they want, when they want it - with free two-day shipping.
Attrition
A 2013 Pew Study shows that more than 33% of Jews who are raised Orthodox do not remain Orthodox as adults. This statistic is alarming. What will be with the next generation of Torah Judaism?
The Resources
1
Guiding Good Choices
Guiding Good Choices
In-person parenting course
2
The Jews Next Dor
The Jews Next Dor
Weekly podcast
3
Online Courses
Online Courses
Virtual parenting classes
4
Healthy Habits Hub
Healthy Habits Hub
Weekly family challenges
5
Family Bonding Experiences
Family Bonding Experiences
Interactive relationship-building activities
6
Speakers' Bureau for Parenting
Speakers' Bureau for Parenting
Directory of educational experts
Let's Learn More About These Resources
1 The GGC Curriculum
What is GGC?
1

Guiding Good Choices is a proven curriculum that was created and tested by researchers at the University of Washington, which focuses on the skills and tools needed to strengthen the bonding of parents and children, which is critical for lowering rates of attrition and increasing engagement.

2

GenAleph offers the GGC curriculum in a way that is adopted for your community. By working with community leaders, we ensure that GenAleph will work for all communities (right, left, center).

3

This course is not a one-off parenting course, it encompasses everything you need to know in just 5 weeks!

The Process
1
We work together with your community liaison.
2
Community leaders, such as school leaders, shul leaders, lay leaders, and parenting experts step up as course facilitators.
3
We train the facilitators to teach the GGC curriculum.
4
We help the liaison promote courses in convenient times and locations across the community.
Bring GGC to Your Community Today

GenAleph provides parents with resources that are easily accessible, data driven, and relatable for Orthodox families.
GenAleph partners with community leaders to bring the GGC curriculum to your community.

2 The Jews Next Dor Podcast
The Jews Next Dor
About The Jews Next Dor Podcast

In order to tackle these challenges, we need to make sure we as parents are prepared to handle each level of our children’s hierarchy of needs to enable our children to become passionate and committed Jews.

The podcast is built based on the hierarchy of needs for parenting, with each month focusing on a different topic, starting with the most basic needs, and advancing each month.

Each week a new episode will be released learning from leading experts of our dor, our generation, about raising the Jews next dor, the Jews of the next generation.

Listen to the first episode
3 Online Courses
Check our variety of courses to strengthen the critical parent-child relationship
Online Courses
4 Healthy Habits Hub

The Healthy Habits hub is a feature of our weekly email. Each month we will introduce a new healthy parenting habit which is exclusive for GenAleph members, along with further guidance on how to implement this healthy habit in our weekly email.

5 Family Bonding Experiences
Spending quality time together with our children is an amazing way to bond with our children. This resource is a part of our community-wide initiatives when we partner with a community.
Meet Our Team
Rabbi Phil Karesh M.ED
Rabbi Phil Karesh M.ED

Rabbi Phil Karesh serves as the Executive Director of the Department of Community Projects & Partnerships. This innovative department focuses on national, research-based initiatives to enhance the wider Jewish community. Phil Karesh has training in parenting courses from University of Washington’s Center for Communities that Care, and Shalom Task Force.

Among the portfolio of projects that Rabbi Karesh manages is GenAleph, an initiative that focuses on the foundational bonding between parents and children. Rabbi Karesh has been a part of the OU ecosystem for 13 years.

He obtained semichah from Yeshiva University in Israel, is a certified mohel, and earned a Master’s in Education from Loyola University Chicago.

Please reach out to learn more and say hello at phil@genaleph.org.

Aliza Pollak, B.S.
Aliza Pollak, B.S.

Aliza Pollak serves as the Executive Fellow at GenAleph, the Orthodox Union’s parenting initiative. In this role, she works closely with the Executive Director implementing GenAleph’s programs and manages many of the day-to-day responsibilities. Aliza’s dedication to helping the Jewish community drives her commitment to GenAleph’s mission of strengthening the foundational parent-child relationship within our communities.

Aliza earned her bachelor’s degree in Finance and Business Strategy & Entrepreneurship from Sy Syms School of Business, Yeshiva University. With a background in business and a passion for strengthening the Jewish community, Aliza is excited with the opportunity to work closely with community leaders, helping to promote the next generation of passionate and committed Jews.

Please reach out to Aliza at aliza.pollak@ou.org to connect and learn more.