Joyful Judaism House of Study
Rabbi Julie prepares people of all ages for B Mitzvah, tailoring studies to the individual needs of learners.
House of Study
For children aged 10 – 13 in the Philadelphia area, Rabbi Julie conducts a one-room Jewish schoolhouse in her home in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, or on Zoom, called House of Study.
House of Study was created more than twenty years ago to capture the joy of learning in the Jewish community. Class is held on Sunday evenings three times a month. Participants create a community that offers an engaging peer group and a personalized course of study.
Students learn Jewish values, history, traditional prayer, and Torah through songs, stories, lively discussion, and dramatic enactment. Younger students witness older students achieving, eventually becoming the models for new younger students; this replicates the multi-generational nature of Judaism. Rabbi Julie sometimes works with an assistant, which allows the group to break into smaller sub-groups in creative ways. Students learn, have fun, and grow into a sense of Jewish mastery and meaning.
Students are prepared to be called to the Torah and chant their Torah portions as part of their B Mitzvah ceremony. The focus is to celebrate growing up Jewish with learning designed to be meaningful and manageable for each individual.
Some children come in with minimal Jewish background, and others have been in Hebrew school for years. Through digital recordings and assignments tailored to each child, everyone moves at their own pace. Rabbi Julie is a master teacher with decades of experience teaching a wide range of learners
Some families hire a tutor in addition to the class, but most students can use the class structure without a tutor.
Families make private arrangements for the ceremony by renting a synagogue, hotel, country club space, or any other suitable space. Rabbi Julie brings the Torah scroll.