FE!

Survivin
AnOLESCCE

Girls and their moms meet
to share love and anxiety.

Emma Drongowski, 10, and Avery Drongowski, 12, of Royal Oak
take part in a discussion.

DIANA LIEBERMAN

Special to the Jewish News

T

he average American woman is 5'4" and
weighs 140 pounds. But that's not what
adolescent girls see when they read maga-
zines or watch television. Instead, they are bom-
barded by images of 5'9" fashion models weighing
an average of 110 pounds.
It's no wonder that the top "magic wish" of girls
ages 11-17 is to be thinner, social worker Susan
Rogers of Birmingham told a group of local moth-
ers at Congregation Shir Tikvah on June 15.
Body image is just one focus of the interactive
program, "The Challenge of Adolescence: Opening
Up the Mother-Daughter Dialogue." Rogers devel-
oped the 90-minute program for girls entering
grades 6-9 in the fall, along with their mothers.
"The four topics we introduce are peer pressure,
self-image, body image and consumerism," said
Rogers, a social worker at Birmingham Groves
High School. "We see these as interrelated. How
we think of ourselves influences our decision-mak-
ing, our achievements and our goals."
The June 15 event at Shir Tikvah, which also
included families from Congregation Beth Shalom
and Temple Emanu-El, was the first of two moth-
er-daughter dialogues. The second, to be held Sept.
26, will include mothers and daughters from
Congregation Beth Ahm, Temple Kol Ami and
Congregation B'nai Moshe.
The National Council of Jewish Women Greater
Detroit Section sponsors the dialogues, with a
grant from the DeRoy Testamentary Foundation.
NCJW member Arlene Frank of Detroit, who
leads the Womencenter at Oakland Community
College, coordinated the program.
"The idea is to look at the challenges and issues
adolescent girls face in the growing-up process,"
said Frank. "We know we can't resolve every issue
in an hour and a half, but what we do is exactly
what the title says — 'opening up a dialogue.' "

"Judaism is there is help provide guidance and
direction," he told the girls. "In addition, your par-
ents are there to help provide guidance and direc-
tion."
Rabbi Starr said the event was in keeping with
Shir Tikvah's commitment to family education.
"Part of successful Jewish education is bringing
together parents and
children using
Jewish values and
Far right: Rabbi Aaron
Jewish tradition,
Starr
values such as
respect for your
Right: Susan Rogers
body; honoring
your mother and
Below: Rabbi Starr of
father, life as the
Congregation Shir Tikvah
ultimate mitzvah,"
outlines
biblical advice.
said Rabbi Starr, the
synagogue's director
of lifelong learning.

After salad and schmoozing, the adults and teens
broke into two groups. While Rogers met with the
mothers, the daughters held similar discussions
with social worker Melissa Lewin. The two groups
reunited to summarize their thoughts.

SURVIVING ADOLESCENCE on page 32

Lines Of Communication

Shir Tikvah Rabbi Aaron Starr began the June 15
program with the verses from Ecclesiastes: "To
everything there is a season ..."

IN

6/30

2005

