Maternal Instinct
by Rachael Goldberg
August 19, 2005

Meredith Jacobs, founder of Modern Mom Inc., has used her knowledge and creativity to make life easier for her fellow modern Jewish mothers.

Last summer, Mrs. Jacobs, a Rockville resident, held a series of workshops at her synagogue, B’nai Tzedek, where she is the vice president of education.

The workshop, “Friday Night Shabbat” was quite successful. “I thought that only three people were going to show up,” says Mrs. Jacobs. A friend suggested that she turn the workshops into a book, which she did.

To promote the book, Mrs. Jacobs created a Web site. But unintentionally, the site has “taken on a life of its own,” she says. Modernjewishmom.com features all sorts of helpful tips and information about the weekly Torah portion and Jewish holidays, as well as great ideas for projects for kids and recipes, and advice for modern Jewish moms.

“It’s so nice, and it feels great,” she says. “I’m learning so much.” The site even features a column by Mrs. Jacobs’ mother, who lives in Pennsylvania, aptly titled “Modern Jewish Grandma.” Meredith Jacobs’ sister and friends, who are scattered across the United States, also contribute to the business and the Web site.

The Modern Jewish Mom site has really taken off. “People all over the world are logging on,” said Mrs. Jacobs. “I’ve gotten e-mails from people in the Netherlands and Cuba. It’s incredible.”

After all, Mrs. Jacobs explains, a lot is involved in being a mom these days – managing the kids’ schedule and one of your own. Mrs. Jacobs, who has two kids, ages 6 and 8, tries to think of practical approaches to family activities. “I test out the projects on my kids,” she said.

“I really think that we need to embrace our traditions,” said Mrs. Jacobs. “This is my way of doing something about it. It gives our children a sense of where they fit in the world and in history.”

On Shabbat, Mrs. Jacobs emphasizes family time rather than the dinner menu. “The importance is that you talk to your children and connect,” she said, “not whether or not you can roast a chicken.”

Meredith Jacobs has signed a book deal with published Harper Collins. For information about Modern Mom Inc., visit www.modernjewishmom.com.

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