FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Information, contact:

Franny Silverman, Director of Special Programs

Storahtelling, Inc.

212-245-8188

franny@storahtelling.org

www.storahtelling.org

First Annual World-Wide-Storah Weekend

Storahtelling’s International 10^th Anniversary Celebration

NY, NY, February 2, 2009 – Storahtelling, Inc. announces the first World-Wide-Storah event celebrating 10 years of Storahtelling’s groundbreaking work in the Jewish community and beyond, lifting Bible “off the page and onto the global stage.”

World-Wide-Storah is a series of performance events scheduled for February 6^th – 8^th, 2009: one weekend of one biblical story presented in 11 different interpretations in 11 different communities worldwide: one location for each of Storahtelling’s 10 years, plus one more—looking to the organization’s continuing future success in “restoring ancient stories for new generations.”

More than 30 Storah-trained Mavens (defined below) across denominations from London to Jerusalem, Miami to Portland, will present Storah-Style events, inviting thousands of all ages to make story matter - celebrating Storahtelling’s innovative model for of sacred storytelling for the 21^st century. The Mavens, utilizing tools they have acquired from Storahtelling’s training programs, will lead 11 diverse communities to delve into the challenging biblical text of the Exodus – examining the yearning for freedom, the price of war, triumph and morality - in contexts ancient and modern, global and deeply personal.

“To face the challenges of a global reality we need change agents that think globally,” says Amichai Lau-Lavie, Storahtelling’s founder and Executive Director. “Jewish illiteracy is clearly one of Judaism’s greatest challenges, worldwide. Restoring the role of the Maven is a great way to meet this challenge and provide the Jewish community, in its widest sense, with real access to the Jewish conversation.”  

Hebrew for “expert,” Maven is a biblical term originally describing the role of the oral translator of Hebrew Scripture into local language. Mavens were part of the Torah Service as translators and storytellers for centuries, but faded from Jewish life a thousand years ago. In the past decade, Storahtelling has reclaimed and restored the Maven for communities across the globe, bringing creativity and passion to weekly Torah Services everywhere.

Storahtelling has trained Mavens internationally since 2006 in communities which include London, Jerusalem, Cleveland, Riverdale, and even streaming live on the web.  Rose Community Foundation in Denver just announced its generous support of a new multi-denominational Maven Training cohort in Colorado, which will be launched in 2009.   In this vein, Storahtelling has been recognized by the Slingshot Guide as one of the top 50 innovative Jewish organizations for 4 years is a row.

Isa Aron, professor of Jewish Education at HUC-JIR in LA said, “Storahtelling's approach is so powerful and so important in increasing the level of learning and engagement in congregations.  Maven training is truly the next frontier.”

To find a World-Wide-Storah Event near you, click here or visit www.Storahtelling.org.

(If link does not work, cut and paste: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=111631079264164683362.0004607806af987977439)

On February 6-8, 2009, World-Wide Storah will occur in the following 14 locations, to date:

1. Washington, DC: Temple Sinai - Storahtelling Co. Maven Team David Loewy and Naamah Harris

2. Miami, FL: Congregation Bet Shira - Storahtelling Co. Maven Team Jake Goodman and Shira Kline

3. Portland, OR: Congregation Neveh Shalom – StorahLab Educator Rosana Berdichevsky and her learners

4. London, England, St Albans - Trained Mobile Maven, Joel Stanley

5. Cleveland, OH - Trained Mobile Mavens, Judy Schiller & Jesse Freedman

6. Wilmington, NC: Topsail Island Jewish Women's Retreat - Trained Mobile Maven,

Marge Eiseman

7. Riverdale, NY: Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale – Trained Mobile Maven, Phil Keisman

8. New York, NY: Temple Emanu-El – Maven-in-the-Making (trainees), Rabbi Howard Goldsmith and Cantorial Intern Joshua Breitzer are joined by Storahtelling Co. Maven David Wolkin.

9. Jerusalem, Israel: Kehilat Kol HaNeshma – Storahtelling Co. Maven Amichai Lau Lavie and Jerusalem Mavens-in-the-Making Cohort

10. Durango, CO – Maven-in-the-Making (trainee), Rabbi Elliot Baskin

11. Los Angeles, CA – Mobile Maven, Jonathan Freund – Exact location TBA

12. Atlanta, GA: The Temple – Maven-in-the-Making (trainee) Rabbi Frederick Reeves is joined by Rabbi Micah Lapidus

13. Web-based: The Second Life Synagogue (www.secondlife.com) - Trained Mobile Maven, Aaron Freeman

14. Bethesda, MD: Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation – StorahTroupe members Carren Kaston, Tamar Lieberman and Luther Jett with others.

For additional information on World-Wide-Storah, please contact Franny Silverman: 212-245-8188.  For information on upcoming Storahtelling events or to make a contribution to Storahtelling, please visit: www.storahtelling.org.

ABOUT STORAHTELLING – Storahtelling is a pioneer in Jewish education via the arts and new media.  Through innovative leadership training programs and theatrical performances, Storahtelling makes ancient stories and traditions accessible for new generations, advancing Judaic literacy and raising social consciousness.  Established in 1999, Storahtelling has been identified as a “trailblazer of the Jewish World” (Bnai Brith magazine), inspiring “reverence and relevance” (the Washington Post) and hailed by Time Out NY as “Super Stars of David.” www.storahtelling.org

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