It’s been almost seven years since I took a week-long Storahtelling seminar at Elat Chayyim (now part of the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Seminar), for an entire week a group of about 12 people (who had never met) studied seven verses of Torah. The seminar guided us through the development a Storahtelling and concluded with our performance. I knew then that I wanted to bring Storahtelling to Massachusetts, to Sudbury, to Beth El to share the excitement that Torah reading could be! And…..they are here this weekend! For an actual Storahtelling and Saturday evening theatrical performance.
Torah Study on Saturday morning had always been more accessible for me than the Torah reading during services. Understanding, in my own language, the text has, over the years drawn me closer and closer to Torah. The idea of ‘translating’ is not new! In addition to the Rabbi and Cantor, hundreds of years ago, when Hebrew was not the language of the Jews in attendance, there was the m’turgeman, an Aramaic word for the person who would give a dramatic translation of the text.
Storahtelling revitalizes that tradition using music, performance, and interactive participation, bringing the page to the stage! During the Torah reading the Storatelling troupe not only conveys the text of the biblical heritage, but also the context of its timeless and contemporary relevance!
Friday night, January 28th 7:30 p.m. there will be a taste of things to come, with an introduction as part of evening services at Beth El.
Saturday morning join us for bagels at 9 a.m. and learn about the ancient art of Torah Translation and its contemporary relevance in today’s world. Join us for services at 10:30 and experience an actual Storahtelling, in which the Mavens bring the Torah to life through a fresh fusion of Hebrew Chanting, dramatized English translation and interactive commentary during our Saturday morning service. Stay for lunch!
Saturday at 8:00 p.m. join us for Becoming Israel:
Three parallel lives intertwine to discover their shared story andtheir common name—Israel—“The One Who Struggles with God.”
Leah, a Biblical wife, meets Rachel, a Holocaust survivor, and Jake, a young American on his first trip to Israel. Fusing sacred scripture with contemporary stagecraft, Becoming Israel examines the intersection between individual identity and collective memory, inviting audiences for a closer look at the legacy of Israel in a global reality.
Tickets for the evening performance are $10.
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