New Dads Need a Village, Too

WHC’s New Dads Group is part of a growing slate of programs for families with kids ages 0-5.

Growing a family doesn’t come with a handbook (wouldn’t that be nice?), but finding community can help light the way. At Washington Hebrew Congregation, we’re working behind the scenes on a slate of new programming designed to meet families at every stage — from new parents to new grandparents. 

Our New Dads Group, currently in its first cohort, creates a space for men to connect in the thick of early parenting, when sleep and social lives are scarce, routines are constantly shifting, and the rhythm of daily life feels wholly unfamiliar. It’s a stage that can feel both joyful and deeply isolating, often all at once. 

“It’s about camaraderie and affirmation, an unexpected sense of shared experience, and the validation that you’re not alone,” says Stephanie Tankel, Director of Lifelong Learning. “Because having a baby is hard. It’s really amazing, and it’s really hard.” 

The group meets Wednesdays at Temple and is led by rabbinical student and fellow dad David Fisher, who facilitates discussions with plenty of time for casual conversation (and, Tankel would like to point out, plenty of snacks). Inspired by the success of WHC’s New Moms Group, fathers can exchange advice, share the challenges of early parenting, and build friendships with other men in the same stage of life — a rare opportunity for connection that is especially important right now.

“We know that for men in particular, there’s a loneliness epidemic,” says Tankel. “The moms group gives us this natural avenue for people to connect, and we think it’s time to offer that for dads, too.”

And while the dads group is one piece of the puzzle, it sits within a much larger vision: additional programming for families with children ages 0–5. Bud, Sprout, Bloom is a new six-week series WHC will offer later this year at Temple, designed for parents who find themselves sitting with questions about their child’s development. At the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center, be on the lookout for weekly music offerings for children ages 0-5 and their family members or caregivers led by Caren Pilgermayer. Through stories, songs, and movement, Pilgermayer will bring the themes and holidays of the Jewish calendar to life for little ones and the adults who join them.

Programming also extends to grandparents. An upcoming workshop will explore the balance between physical safety and nurturing, as grandparents and anyone else who is interested  can learn (or remember) how to hold, cuddle, and comfort their younger family members with care and confidence. 

The goal of all this programming, Tankel says, is simple: to help families find connection, support, and joy during some of the most transformative periods of life, all through a Jewish lens that brings meaning, connection, and lasting support for families. 

“Our strong suspicion is that when families come together to talk about, unpack, and celebrate all of these crazy moments in their lives, that it feels good,” says Tankel.