The 1st International Conference

on Jewish Marriage Education

The 1st International Conference on Jewish Marriage Education in Israel was held in 2011 and was a huge success.

Initiated and organized by Together in Happiness (B’Yachad B’Osher), our goal for the conference was to offer professionals and laypersons interested in the subject of marriage education in Israel the opportunity to gain a better understanding from the pioneers and local marriage education and relationship experts about what marriage education is, and how it can foster happy marriages and reduce the growing divorce rate.

Most of all our aim was to create enthusiasm among the participants for undertaking projects and initiatives in marriage education which would touch all segments of Israeli society, from non-religious to Haredi, Ashkenazi to Sephardi and Jews located from the north to the south.

Examples of specific marriage education programs were presented in demonstration format to show that there are different “flavors” of marriage education that will appeal to different groups and interests.

The conference featured as keynote speaker world-renowned Marriage Education expert Dr. Howard J. Markman (University of Denver, Colorado).

Dr. Markman offered proof of the effectiveness of Marriage Education by citing the results of his own scientifically researched and worldwide acclaimed curriculum known as PREP (Prevention Relationship Education Program).

Attendees enthusiastically signed a Marriage Education Charter declaration, the most significant provisions included:

We will give married couples the opportunity to improve their relationships through various marriage education programs.
We will involve community activists from all walks of Israel society in marriage education.