SERVICES
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Training
With over twenty years of experience as a Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutor, I am ready to assist your teens prepare for their important day. I will help them to not only prepare for every part of the service, but to understand and relate to their Torah portion so that every word of their terrific d'var Torah is their own. It is always a priority to me that my students not only take an active role in the service, but feel a personal connection to it. B’nai Mitvah give your young adult a chance to take charge of something in a way they rarely have before, I will make sure they, and you the family, have the support to get the most out of their day. I look forward to the honor of guiding you through this milestone.Flexible scheduling for classes, also available for brief sessions with other members of your family who may need help. Experience with students of all proficiency, as well as students with learning disabilities/other additional educational needs.
This joining of two lives can be a wonderful weaving of what matters most to each. It can blend the traditional with the modern in a way that reflects the beauty of the marriage coming into being. But it can also be a time of uncertainty as old boundaries blur and new ones are formed. I would be honored to play a role in helping you make the transition to becoming partners in marriage, personalizing a day that reflects your vision.From pre-wedding pastoral sessions designed to build on the strengths in your relationship that brought you to this day, through planning meetings in which the elements of the ceremony will be determined, to the time you are introduced as husband and wife, it would be my delight to prepare you to take your first steps united as one.
Synagogue Services
It has been my delight to lead services from the pulpit in a variety of large and small congregations, as well as in smaller venues such as Rosh Chodesh groups and minyans in people’s homes. In that capacity, I have both used siddur texts and service booklets created on a more individualized basis. Whether on the bimah or in another location, I have enjoyed leading the prayer service, delivering sermons, reading Torah, chanting Haftarah, and working in collaboration with cantors, cantorial soloists, and lay leaders to create meaningful services for Shabbat and holidays.
Funerals and Shiva Minyans
When a loved one passes, the family not only feels that loss, but may also feel at a loss for direction in dealing with what comes next. While there are many rituals regarding death and mourning, they need to be put into place with compassion for those who remain and are in mourning. I will be there to guide you through what may feel like a bewildering maze of choices, offering both comfort and the assistance that will lead to a meaningful service. Whether help is needed for the funeral, for shiva minyans, or for the later unveiling of the monument, I will work with and for you to bring meaning and closure in the process of moving from grief to blessed memory.
Hebrew and Judaic Tutoring
Tired of struggling with or not being able to read from the Siddur or other texts during synagogue service? Many Jews, both those born to Judaism and those recently finding it or being one of the many Jews who had little to no Hebrew training Looking for more meaning from our prayers, Torah readings, or holidays? Hoping to chant from the Torah or Haftarah? Whether you are a child, teen, or adult, I would be happy to help to support you in your quest for more. Together we will explore the materials and resources that match your needs and curiosity, with the goal of making you more comfortable and able to participate in services, share in home and community celebrations, or just to feel your curiosity and questions have been satisfied. Let’s make Jewish learning a positive and personally enriching experience!
Hospital and Hospice Visits
Every individual and family faces illness in their own way based on their own unique needs. It is so important to meet them on their own terms with compassion and support. It would be my honor to assist you in navigating this journey, whether it leads back to health or on to end of life care. Partnered with you as well as any health care workers or caretakers, we can imbue honor and comfort into a difficult time.