At BigTALKS*, our mission is to empower parents to raise emotionally healthy teens who are prepared for the physical, mental, and spiritual challenges of adolescence.
Are you…
Struggling with how
to prepare your child to experience puberty in a healthy, positive way?
Looking for a Torah-based approach to educating your child about adolescence without causing feelings of shame, stigma and guilt?
Worried about your child getting this sensitive information from questionable sources—all because they didn’t think they could ask you?
Finding yourself becoming judgmental of your child’s struggle, when compassion is more necessary than ever?
Wondering whether your child’s behavior is considered “normal”?
You only get one chance to do it right.
Puberty is a sensitive subject to talk about, especially to children. Knowing what to tell them—and how to tell them—is crucial.
We believe parents deserve the tools to guide their children through the often-turbulent stages of teenagehood. We also believe children deserve a shame-free, Torah-informed perspective on the hurdles that accompany these formative years.
Our BigTalks toolkits feature a user- friendly guidebook and a video presentation that will enable you to have a proper and productive talk with your child. These tools will help you navigate follow up discussions and answer your child’s questions in a sensitive and informed way.
Boys Toolkit
Girls Toolkit
What rabbanim and parents are saying
Ich hob es leib- I really like it!
The Novominsker Rebbe, HaRav Yaakov Perlow zt"l
I suggest you get the CD from Rabbi Tenenbaum to teach your child about inyanei kedusha.
HaRav Elya Brudney Sh"lita
Torah Umesorah recognizes the efforts of Rabbi Shmuel Tenenbaum, Mashgiach Ruchani of Yeshiva Tiferes Tzvi, for his formulating “Big Talks,” a much needed sefer on the challenges and nisyonos that talmidim encounter in their teenage years.
“Big Talks” is a most worthwhile tool to be used by parents and others who are involved in directing the growth of children.
The sefer is endorsed by the Vaad Roshei Yeshiva of Torah Umesorah.
Rabbi Dovid Nojowitz
Menahel, Torah Umesorah
Rabbi Tenenbaum’s love for all talmidim, his devoted care to all the bachurim in the community and beyond, has no boundaries. With his heart of gold, his passion and fire in avodas Hashem Yisborach, he created an amazing curriculum that addresses this issue with perfection. Explaining what needs to be explained, “Lo pachos v’lo yoser”. His work hits straight to the hearts and minds of our talmidim, giving them a toolbox to be true B’nei Torah kedoshim u’tehorim that are Shomrei Habris.
.. Take this bracha into your yeshiva and you will see bracha u’kedusha in your talmidim.
Rabbi Klausner
Rosh Chaburah, Marbeh Chaim
Words are our most powerful tool. In a most clever and amiable way, Rabbi Tenenbaum gives us the tools to make the talk we need to have with our children a perfect fix.
Rabbi Nosson Muller
Menahel, Yeshivas Tiferes Tzvi, Chicago
As parents, we place a high value on keeping our children healthy – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Many parents understand the importance of explaining the changes that a girl experiences as she matures but hesitate to initiate the conversation. This toolkit is an invaluable resource as it provides Torahdig, hashkafic direction on how best to relay this sensitive information in a way that encourages healthy self-respect and pride in being a Bas Yisroel.
Rebbetzin Bryna Bender
The Big Talks Girls Toolkit is extremely impressive. I am awed by the sensitivity and appropriateness of the compilation. It encompasses all the important conversation mothers should have with their daughters. The Big Talks guide is fantastic! The need for such a toolkit is long overdue! Thank you, Rabbi Tenenbaum and his entire team, for once again being at the forefront of chinuch in today’s generation. I have no doubt that this project will help thousands of girls as they develop into true Bnos Yisroel!
Mrs. Faigy Zelcer
Director, Penimi
“I could not be more thrilled to see the curricula of the BigTalks Toolkit for girls. The sensitivity and wisdom with which it was written makes it such a great fit for mothers or educators to use with girls.”
Sarah Rivka Kohn
Founder, Links- Shloime's Club
Professionally, as a frum social worker that has worked with teenagers for 15 years, I am amazed by this amazing new kedusha talk. I wish this was around when I started my career. Personally, as a parent, I used this kedusha talk with my sons and the results have been beyond superb. It went so far that my son just recently mentioned to me that it is so sad that all his friends didn’t have this talk when they were reaching Bar Mitzva age, it would have really helped them not being so confused and have a healthy understanding of the topic. I have used the concept with others and the results are astounding. This is a MUST for every parent, mechanech, and professional.
A Thankful Parent
What are the goals of BigTalks?
Build Healthy Body Awareness
Prepare your child for the changes occurring in their body in a way that will help them develop positive and healthy body awareness.
Encourage Open Communication
Give your child the gift of knowing that they can be open with you about their challenges, fears, and struggles.
Provide Guidance Based on Torah
Arm your child with the tools to face the physical and emotional challenges of puberty, within a halachic and hashkafic framework.
Prevent Mental Health Challenges
Educate your child about their body so that they can anticipate challenges while armed with tools in their toolbox and grow into a healthy, well-adjusted teen.
About the founder
Rabbi Shmuel Tenenbaum is the mashgiach at Yeshiva Tiferes Tzvi in Chicago, and a pioneer in promoting education about kedusha and adolescent development. As a psychotherapist specializing in adolescence, he recognized the importance of preparing children for developmental changes, and – with the guidance of rabbanim and roshei yeshiva — founded BigTalks.
For close to a decade, Rabbi Tenenbaum worked to create and develop the BigTalks curriculum. This curriculum has been presented at workshops for mechanchim at the Agudah Convention, Torah Umesorah Convention, and various principals’ conventions, and has been successfully implemented by schools and organizations worldwide.
What other toolkits will we be producing?
Kedusha, Inc. and BigTalks is excited to produce and make available many more resources for parents. Our goals include:
Going to Yeshiva Toolkit
Teenage Toolkit
for Boys
Teenage Toolkit
for Girls
Customized Toolkits
By Request
Be the first to know when our new toolkits are released!