Private Ceremonies
How you want it - even if you don't know how you want it yet!
I am not affiliated with a denomination, and would love to create a meaningful experience with you, whether it's an adventure in the woods, a service in your living room, or a more traditional looking baby-naming, bar mitzvah, wedding or funeral. With expertise working with unaffiliated and interfaith communities, I'll explain what is happening both to you and your guests throughout. I fully embrace non-traditional families. Want to do something not Jewy, but still meaningful? Incorporate your Buddhist, Indian, pagan rituals, or Chinese heritage? Cool! Let's discuss. You will always have a place with me!
Where I've done private ceremonies: Los Angeles, Chicago, Costa Rica, Joshua Tree, Berkeley (upcoming), rented synagogues, backyards, event spaces, community centers, restaurants, living rooms, shabbat dinner tables.
Special Events and Workshops
Workshops, Facilitation, Residencies, and Speaking Engagements at Synagogues, camps, universities, private retreats and events.
Bring me in to lead an interfaith discussion, to focus on the arts and Judaism, to consult with your religious school or camp and enhance your curriculum, create a new program, to lecture or to facilitate a workshop for your staff, students, or fellows. I almost alway integrate an experiential element into learning.
Where I've led special events and workshops: Brandeis, HUC, Camp Ramah, Hunter College, Women's N'Shama Minyan at Brandeis-Bardin, American Jewish University Graduate School in Education, Storahtelling (24 original scripts performed in synagogues from Atlanta to Florida to New Jersey to Denver), Hebrew Helpers, Silverlake Independent JCC, keynote speaker for Los Angeles International Airport diversity and inclusion program, Honeymoon Israel.
Service Leader and Cantorial Soloist
Original liturgy, creative service structure, translation, musical direction.
I can design, lead and teach an alternative service for your community, musical direct, or serve as a cantorial soloist. My background is in Conservative and Reform melodies. I was trained as an opera singer, but love folk music, and play ukulele and piano. In lieu of sermons, I tend to incorporate teachings throughout. I know how to lain and speak Hebrew fluently, and am trained as a maven/meturgeman - a live biblical translator.
Where I've Lead Services/Sung: Pico Union Project with Craig Taubman, Am Shalom in Chicago, East Side Jews, Wilshire Boulevard Temple Los Angeles, University congregations at NYU, Yale, University of Vermont, private living rooms.
