Tefilah is hard. It is hard for those committed to traditional practice, harder for those who are not. It is especially hard for teenagers, who are learning to challenge authority and think for themselves. But it is essential for the work of Jewish education. Tefilah is where we have the chance to nurture our kids emotionally and spiritually. It is our chance to infuse joy and love into their experience of Judaism. And the power of great Tefilah reaches beyond the prayer space. It can shape how students feel about the rest of their school experience and make the Jewish element feel essential to their journey. And it can produce graduates who actively seek out prayer community and thus Jewish community wherever they find themselves.

Building a strong Tefilah culture takes work, but it is neither mysterious nor unreachable. It grows from positive energy, connection, and joy. It comes from learning to cultivate awareness, meaning, and gratitude, while looking to connect those back to traditional rituals. It means developing prayer skills because fluency allows each of us to make the experience truly our own. It is a gradual process that does not depend on having a charismatic, guitar-toting master – teachers can and often do learn alongside their students.

If you don’t know where to begin, let me help.

I have devoted years to exploring how to shape meaningful prayer spaces and to build robust prayer communities in schools and camps. I write and lecture about Jewish liturgy, lead teacher trainings, and work on curricula.

I would love to help you imagine what is possible, to set goals for your Tefilah program, and to lay out concrete strategies for working towards them.

Please reach out to me at joshcahan@gmail.com or 917-673-1003.

Ask about:

• Consultations with school leaders
• Professional development programs
• Extended consulting projects (including online learning and site visits)