Say what you will about Jewish youth groups, but I met more interesting people through my involvement in USY than I have through any other activity I’ve ever been involved in. Among the very interesting people I have come to know over the years is Mimi Arbeit.
Mimi believes that sexuality education can be a vehicle for positive social change. Mimi also believes that sex ed shouldn’t end when we graduate from school. What’s more, she believes this can and should happen within a Jewish context.
Most importantly, Mimi has turned her dreams into action. Using the Unitarian Universalist book Our Whole Lives: Sexuality Education for Young Adults, Ages 18-35 as a jumping off-point, Mimi is launching a 14-session course discussing sexuality in our lives and society with progressive Jews in our 20s and 30s at Moishe/Kavod House in Brookline, MA.
She’s holding an introduction and information session on Sunday, November 22, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Moishe/ Kavod House: 165 Winthrop St., Apt B., Brookline, MA
Here’s what she has to say:

The sex ed class will be 14 sessions and begins in January. But don’t worry – the Intro Session will also include plenty of discussion about sexuality!
(Come early if you can to say hi to the Kavodnicks at the skillshare and to enjoy snacks and chill out with ME)
Come to the Intro Session to learn about:

• The curriculum we will use in the topics we will cover
• he values, assumptions and goals of our class
• The processes we will use to build a safe space and foster communal commitment and personal growth
• The resources we will use to make the class relevant to our community’s explicit dedication to Judaism and social justice

Please RSVP to mimi dot arbeit at gmail dot com.
If you would like to come to an Intro Session but cannot come on 11/22, please e-mail me ASAP.
To learn more about this project, check out my blog, and e-mail me with any questions, concerns, ideas or envisioning!
Tell your friends! Bring your friends! Spread the word!
Here’s to sex, health and conversation.
With love and excitement,
Mimi

And if that isn’t enough to make you write it into your calendar in pen, I want to add that Mimi assures me “the curriculum is explicitly queer-friendly, and my reason for doing this work is explicitly pro-queer.” She’s working very hard to create an environment where we can all talk about sex and sexuality, Jewish values and ethics regardless of what kind of sex we’re having (or, in many of our cases, what kind of sex we’re not having despite best efforts).