I have been eager to share a little bit about what my teen Rosh Hodesh groups are about. After all, it was through my participation in these groups that ultimately led to me being part of this blog. So I’ll start with a little background…

Rosh Hodesh literally means “the head of the month”. The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar cycle and Rosh Hodesh marks each month’s new moon.

Most people have probably heard of Rosh Hashanah which is known as the Jewish new year (”head of the year”). The Talmud teaches that Rosh Hodesh was given to women because they refused to be involved in the creation of an idol and did not surrender their jewelry to make the golden calf.

So, I am lucky enough to be a part of a national program called “Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing!”. The goal of this group experience is to strengthen adolescent girls’ self esteem and Jewish identity. We meet monthly during the school year and address various issues facing teen girls by accessing the wisdom of our Jewish heritage. Girls’ can begin the program in sixth grade and continue through twelfth. And with groups all over the country, our little Jewish community here in St. Louis has been one of the most successful cities.

Each month has a different theme such as friendship, forgiveness, leadership and stress management just to name a few. But there is one that really stands out for me - self respect. Teaching the next generation to respect themselves and their bodies is a most worthy lesson.

We can tell girls whatever we want about respecting their bodies, but when we put it in the context of something so much bigger then them, I think it’s really eye opening. And through the lens of Judaism, girls can appreciate the relevance of some very important, very ancient lessons.

We are created in God’s image and our body is a gift from Him to be treated with respect by ourselves and others. There are many Jewish customs that reflect and promote the notion of sanctity of the body:

• Dietary laws/keeping Kosher
• Tznuit (modesty)
• Morning blessings (gratitude for the body and its functions)
• Mikvah (ritual bath given at special times)
• Rituals for newborns - Bris (circumcision) for boys and Simhat bat (celebratory ceremony) for girls
• Taharah rituals (special preparations for the deceased)

We can gain strength from these sacred traditions to tackle the tough issues of eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, sexual promiscuity and other destructive behaviors in the world of teenage girls. At the very least, the doors open to valuable discussion. And anything that gets girls talking openly and honestly, in a safe setting is truly a gift.