Pathways bridges family divides

Pathways Melbourne has launched a family support programme for religious Jewish parents whose children are questioning their beliefs or moving away from Orthodox Judaism.

The Mishpachah (Family) programme, developed in partnership with grassroots organisation Chazak, ran as a six-week pilot where parents met weekly for confidential support sessions.

“Chazak is a parent support group created to help parents navigate their children’s journey away from Orthodox Judaism. We aim to support each other to create pathways to strengthen ourselves, our family bonds, and find connection with our children,” explained a Chazak spokesperson.

The Wednesday evening sessions were facilitated by psychologist Kalman Rubin and social worker Bonita Cohen, providing what organisers described as a safe space to share experiences and learn practical communication tools.

“This has been a very important group that assists in developing agency and personal self-growth, enriching communication skills, support from others and allows members to understand how to accept and encourage their children to be who they want to be and enjoy a fulfilling life,” Rubin and Cohen said.

Dassi Erlich, Pathways’ Youth and Family Programmes Manager, led the pilot from design to delivery, incorporating insights from focus groups and therapy experts.

“When we designed Mishpachah, we were not just filling a service gap, we were challenging the silence around religious differences in families… That is the path forward,” Erlich said.

The programme addressed themes including shame, resilience, boundaries and community pressure, combining education with practical skill-building conversations.

Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with one describing it as “an excellent program with excellent tools” while another noted, “Some of the tools I learned here helped improve my relationship with my husband and with my kids.”

Erlich acknowledged the challenges in attracting participants to the pilot programme, citing stigma within the Orthodox community about children having different religious values.

“There is a lot of shame, and there is a lot of stigma in the community about children having different values, or wanting to go in a different direction, or not wanting to be religious,” she said.

One parent told organisers the programme would be “the absolute last” resort for desperate families, a perception Erlich hopes to change.

“It shouldn’t be the last call because parents have nowhere else to go. It should be that this is a part of your toolbox, that you come to Pathways because you know your children have different values,” she said.

The pilot programme was run exclusively for mothers, though Erlich confirmed plans to include fathers in future iterations, potentially through separate programmes designed for men’s preferences.

“We went with the path of least resistance for our pilot programme, because the women were engaged and wanting that help,” she explained.

Despite initial resistance, Erlich was struck by the sense of community that developed among participants.

“It was a really beautiful thing to witness… to see how the women were relating to each other and talking to each other and responding to each other,” she said.

A second programme is planned for early next year, with organisers aiming to develop new support models for varied family needs and expand to include programmes for young people themselves.

“Keeping families connected is vital. We learned so much from this pilot and are looking forward to refining and offering it again early next year,” Erlich said.

Pathways Melbourne described the initiative as part of its commitment to building culturally attuned spaces for families navigating religious change, ensuring “no parent walks this journey alone.”

For more information about the next Mishpachah program, visit www.pathwaysmelbourne.org/our-programs/family