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‘Girl Thing’ group starting 6th year in Tucson

Congregation Anshei Israel has announced its sixth year of “Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing!” The program uses Jewish teachings to help pre-teen and teenage girls make healthy life choices. Keys to the program are an informal setting, small group size and activities designed to strengthen girls’ Jewish identity, leadership skills and self-esteem. All Jewish girls in 6th through 9th grades are welcome to participate. Emily Riley-Saxton will lead the program; since 2012.

The groups will meet at Congregation Anshei Israel in the youth center once a month on Sundays (6th and 7th graders, 12:15 to 2:15 p.m.; 8th and 9th graders, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.). Meetings will focus on core Jewish values and practices to explore issues such as body image, friendship, family, assertiveness and social action. Parents are not al­lowed at meetings, except for the orientation/ kick-off.

Parents and their daughters are invited to attend a “Taste of Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing!” orientation/kick-off on Saturday, Aug. 10, beginning at 5 p.m. Parents may stay for the Mincha service at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:45 p.m. There will be a supervised sleep-over night for the girls in the youth center on Saturday night, followed by programs Sunday morning. Breakfast is included.

RSVP by Aug. 5 to Riley-Saxton at 490-1409.

The program is sponsored by the Jake and Goldie Silverman Foundation and Congregation Anshei Israel.