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Hava NaBaby: Bring your questions. Meet your people.

Jewish childbirth education, in community

Hava NaBaby brings together a small circle of expecting parents to prepare for birth, ask the big questions pregnancy raises, and make friends to raise kids alongside. Our first circle begins in January 2027.

Everything you need, in one room

The birth class, the doula, the parents group, the therapist, the rabbi: most of what expecting parents need exists somewhere. It’s just scattered, and most parents are lucky to get one or two of those covered well.

Hava NaBaby puts it all in one room.

HOW IT WORKS

A small circle. You’ll meet with expecting parents due around the same time as you, for a set number of sessions with a clear start and finish.

Two educators, every time. Every circle is co-taught by a certified childbirth educator and a Jewish educator.

Real birth prep. Evidence-based, practical tools for labor and delivery, whether you’re hoping for an unmedicated birth or have the epidural on speed dial.

Friends who get it. You’ll leave with a group of parents at exactly your stage. They’re the people you’ll be texting at 3am.

WHO IT’S FOR

Hava NaBaby circles are for pregnant people and their partners, of any gender, and for single parents by choice, who are welcome to bring a friend or support person. You don’t need any prior Jewish knowledge or a particular birth philosophy. Whatever your background, there’s a seat for you.

Adopting or working with a surrogate? Our circles aren’t quite the right fit yet, but Hava NaBaby is building options for your family, and our Hava NaBaby Program Manager Elyse Barrick would love to talk.

A tradition built on questions. A community built for yours.

Judaism has been working through big questions for a few thousand years, and pregnancy might be the most question-filled season of adult life:

What will birth actually be like?
Which pain management options are right for me?
Is the way I’m feeling normal?
What do I most want my kids to learn from me?
What will I say when they ask who made the sky?

Bring all of it. Jewish wisdom is woven through every circle as an invitation, never a prescription. It’s real adult learning, not a Hebrew school refresher.

OUR FIRST CIRCLE BEGIN IN JANUARY 2027

Dates, times, and location are coming soon. Add your name to hear first, and tell us when you’re due so we can find the right circle for you.

ADD YOUR NAME & FIND OUT MORE!

WORKSHOPS, COMING SOON

Not ready for a full circle? Hava NaBaby workshops dig into one big topic at a time. Dates are coming soon.

Comfort Measures for Labor and Delivery
Because sometimes it takes more than chicken soup.
Evidence-based ways to manage discomfort in labor, paired with wisdom from Jewish tradition, whatever kind of birth you’re planning.

Jewish Pregnancy and Parenthood
Because when ancient wisdom meets modern life, it’s better than apples and honey.
Prayers for pregnancy, bedtime rituals, and how you’ll welcome your baby into the Jewish community, whether your Jewish life runs on bagels and lox or on Shabbat, the weekly day of rest.

Intentional Parenting
Because thoughtfulness now means more reasons to kvell (Yiddish for bursting with pride) later.
Big questions about the person and parent you want to be, explored with other expecting and new parents.

Expecting Grandparents
Because a new baby is a big deal for the whole mishpacha (that’s family).
Gather with other grandparents-to-be and create a keepsake of family wisdom for the next generation.

BECAUSE PARENTHOOD TAKES A SHTETL

A shtetl was a small Jewish town in Eastern Europe, the kind of place where everyone knew your business. Every new parent could use one.
Expecting a grandchild, or know someone who’s pregnant? Send them this page. The best circles start with a friend saying, “You should try this.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Nope. Circles bring together people who grew up in Jewish life, people who are simply curious, and a few skeptics too. No prior knowledge needed, and nobody will quiz you.
Absolutely. Partners of every background are welcome.
No. You’ll explore what Jewish tradition offers at this moment in your life, and you decide what to keep.
It’s preparation that helps you understand what’s happening in pregnancy, labor, and delivery, so you can make decisions alongside your medical team. Think of it as moving from patient to main character.
No. Hava NaBaby is designed to cover what you need to prepare for birth, with more room for your questions.
Yes. Every birth has room for choices, even a scheduled one, like music in the room or a second support person. Often the answer is yes, if someone thinks to ask. We’ll help you know what to ask for.
Every circle is co-taught by a certified childbirth educator and a Jewish educator. You’ll meet ours here soon.
Someone trained to teach Jewish ideas and practice to adults at any level. Think less Hebrew school, more good conversation over tea
Our first circle begins in January 2027. Dates, times, and pricing are coming soon. Add your name and you’ll hear first.

ABOUT HAVA NABABY

Hava NaBaby is what happens when Jewish wisdom and evidence-based birth prep stop getting scheduled on different nights. It was founded by Rabbi Miriam Burg, a rabbi and Jewish educator who is also a childbirth educator certified by the International Childbirth Education Association.

A national scan found that Jewish life does a great job serving preschoolers, twenty-somethings, and families, but very little exists for the stretch between young adulthood and the moment a family actually starts. Hava NaBaby is training local educators to fill that gap, city by city, and Durham is one of four communities piloting it.

Learn more at havanababy.org