Torah of Awakening for Tweens offers meditation based, core Jewish spiritual practices that actually work, while fostering an experiential connection to Jewishness at that crucial moment leading into the teen years.

Participants will:

  • Learn to work with challenging emotions such as fear, anger, and self-doubt.
  • Experience the healthful “high” of Jewish meditation and Hebrew chanting.
  • Explore their own unique purpose and contribution to the world.

In addition to meditation and chanting, students will also explore transformational Torah and classic Jewish wisdom texts. They will foster their own connections and original insights through lively, inspiring discussions and deep exploration. They will also further their learning in both independent hevruta (learning with each other in pairs), and with individual, one-on-one guidance from Reb Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks.

For the ceremony, students will be able to co-create their own service and lead what they’ve learned. These ceremonies will be fully participatory with everyone who attends; the Hebrew prayers will be short enough with transliteration for family and friends to chant and sing along, yet powerful enough to create a transformative rite of passage and group experience for everyone.

Simple Program Structure

Program Duration: Between One and Two Years

The first year is spent learning, while the second year continues the learning but adds the planning and practicing of the ceremony and Torah chanting (if the student chooses to chant Torah). The ceremony can be planned for either after the two years are complete, or for during the second year- your choice.

Weekly Sunday Sessions:

​Students meet weekly on Zoom for between one and two hours on Sundays, depending on where the student is in the learning, beginning at the following times:

PT: 9:30 am, MT: 10:30 am, CT: 11:30 am, ET:12:30 pm

Missing sessions is not a problem, though students should aim to attend weekly, and at least once per month. These Sunday sessions happen most weeks for the duration of the program.

For the first hour, students participate in morning prayers and meditation with others in the Torah of Awakening community. Over time, students begin to lead different parts of the morning service, culminating in the bar/bat mitzvah ceremony, which the student can co-design.

For the second hour, students meet together with me for learning, discussion and practice. (Students who need to learn to read Hebrew will get extra attention in the first few months to build this skill.) Over time, students will gain the life-saving skills of meditation for physical and emotional wellbeing, while learning to lead others in Jewish prayer and meditation.

One-On-One Meetings:

Seven, 60-minute private sessions for addressing each student’s unique path.

Custom, In-Person Ceremony:

I will travel to you and co-lead your ceremony along with your child! Ceremonies can be on Shabbat, or on Sunday or another weekday. Ceremony planning includes three, 60-minute planning meetings, and as many emails as it takes!

Interested? Questions? Email Reb Brian Yosef HERE, and see more details HERE.

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