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 or camp experience and make Judaism 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 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. I offer:

• Faculty Training in Tefilah pedagogy and leadership
• Workshops with student leaders
• Program audit to identify strategies for strengthening your Tefilah program

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