Storahtelling is a non-profit organization headquartered in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

that focuses on promoting

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

literacy through the application of theater and stagecraft techniques to traditional Jewish texts and stories. The organization provides training in its methodology to professionals and leaders, offers adult classes, presents rituals, ceremonies, staged dramas at synagogues, and community institutions globally.

Mission and history

Storahtelling was founded in 1999 by Amichai Lau-Lavie, an educator, Jewish mythologist, and performance artist. Initially, Storahtelling functioned as a theater troupe. But in 2008, it developed a methodology known as the Maven Method. This method integrated the study of Jewish source texts with Jewish rituals, leading to the transformation of Storahtelling into an education and training institute. In 2013, Storahtelling introduced Lab/Shul, an initiative that hosts experimental events focusing on Jewish community and learning. Apart from performing at synagogues and Jewish community centers, Storahtelling has also staged productions at theaters and nightclubs. The Maven Method draws inspiration from the traditional practice of Torah reading combined with local language translation. Storahtelling mavens learn to interpret not only the words of the Torah but also the social and historical contexts of its stories in contemporary terms. The method involves intensive Torah study to comprehend the spiritual significance and the depth of the text.

Programs

The Maven Method employs performances and training programs to reintroduce the

Torah Service Torah reading (; ') is a Jewish religious tradition that involves the public reading of a set of passages from a Torah scroll. The term often refers to the entire ceremony of removing the scroll (or scrolls) from the Torah ark, chanting the ap ...

to local communities, catering to audiences of various denominations and age groups. Raising the Bar aims to transform and redefine the

B'nai Mitzvah A ''bar mitzvah'' () or ''bat mitzvah'' () is a coming of age ritual in Judaism. According to Halakha, Jewish law, before children reach a certain age, the parents are responsible for their child's actions. Once Jewish children reach that age ...

experience for the broader Jewish community, particularly those who are not affiliated with traditional institutions. This is achieved by incorporating the Storahtelling methodology. StorahStage encompasses fully staged theatrical productions that tour globally, exploring biblical narratives from a contemporary perspective.

External links

Official WebsiteAn Article about Storahtelling in Time Out New York (defunct link)An article about Storahtelling from Israeli GLOBES magazine (defunct link)
{Dead link, date=January 2019 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes

References

Theatrical organizations in the United States