Tutoring services.

Chanting sacred texts.

Known to some as cantillation - also known as leyening, for my students it’s about telling the story. Whether training in Torah trop, Haftarah, yontif or megillot, I love guiding my students according to their ear and heartbeat. This practice should extend from you rather than from force, self-consciousness or most commonly: the race to get it over with! I have worked with students who possess great facility with biblical Hebrew decoding, as well as those for whom the Alef Bet is a brand new concept, and so many in between. This practice is celebratory of all skill-levels!

Liturgy, davvenen & prayer-leading.

While my roots extend from the Conservative movement with an Ashkenazi, egalitarian bent, I have spent most of my adult life post-denominational spaces and am currently being ordained as a Rabbi-Hazzan in the Renewal Lineage of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. Exposure to and familiarity with a variety of styles, tunes, and cultural traditions has only enriched my spirituality and my educating. Jews are a diverse and global people. Exploring and sharing our embodied traditions of ritual is an ongoing project that I truly cherish.

D’var Torah & drash.

It will likely come as no surprise that one of my favorite aspects of guiding Jewish study is facilitating deep thinking and creative expression of story. Story-telling is personal, familial, and embedded across our lineage. Collaborating to identify the seed and modality for the expression of your Torah is both a passion and an honor.

Ritual craft, design & leadership.

No two lifecycle moments are alike. Some families seek a ritual experience outside of a congregational infrastructure. There are many reasons why one may opt for a more private, customizable ceremony to mark their milestone. In these cases, I gladly consult on experience design, serve as a ritual leader (solo as well as collaboratively with other leaders/clergy), and draw on my lifelong experience in production & live performance to land us all in an event that is organic to its family and community story.

Testimonials.

Our oldest's Bat Mitzvah was scheduled for April 2020 (hello Covid!) My daughter decided to postpone until October and was adamant about reading the proper Torah portion for her new date. So, even after working together for nearly a year, Eli stayed on board to walk her through her new parsha. When October came and we realized that we were not going to be able to have the large in-person service we had planned, Eli helped us pivot to an intimate backyard ceremony--with all of our guests watching on Zoom. He managed all the technical stuff: the virtual view, the lighting, the sound, and even helped us get an outdoor TV so we could see and engage with the faces on zoom. He oversaw rehearsals and coordinated every aspect of the day. We had the most beautiful celebration of our daughter, and most of it is in thanks to Eli!

Ericka, parent
Eli's calm, kind and enthusiastic personality made him the perfect fit as a Bar Mitzvah tutor for our son. Eli not only tutored and prepared our son for his Bar Mitzvah, he also helped us craft a beautiful and personalized service. Eli oversaw all the coordination between the cantor and musicians, including scheduling rehearsals and managing contracts, making the process stress free for us. Most importantly, on the day of, Eli played yet another role and co-officiated the Bar Mitzvah service in a meaningful and personalized way.

Rachel, parent
Eli was such an amazing resource with both of our sons’ preparations for their bar mitzvahs! From engaging the boys in the Hebrew alphabet, to teaching them prayers and Torah trope, to helping them envision what their bar mitzvahs would be like, Eli brought joy and thoughtfulness to it all. The really amazing part though, and the most valuable, was that he saw each of our boys for themselves, and that made all the difference. On a practical level, Eli was flexible and a total pleasure to deal with. I highly recommend Eli!

Allison, parent
Eli shepherded two of our kids through their b’nai mitzvah. His ability to relate and connect to both of them was remarkable, and the kids truly enjoyed learning with him. It was a hands-off process for me, Eli set them both up with google drive files and helped them manage what was expected each week. He made them feel proud and confident--and excited even--to chant Torah and deliver meaningful lessons about their parshas. He helped our kids relate to sacred Jewish text, finding meaning and purpose in the process. It was such a positive experience working together.

Ericka, parent
The minute Eli popped on the screen, I knew that I was going to love him. He was instantly warm, funny and charismatic. Most importantly, he was kind. By the end of the zoom call, I felt like I'd already known him for years. Eli is someone I would describe as a real mensch. A person who embodies all of the wonderful characteristics of what is means to be Jewish. I felt a sense of happiness that someone I thought so highly of would be teaching Torah to our son. At first, I was worried that he would complain about his lessons but there was no grief given. He really enjoyed his meetings with Eli and it made the preparation for his bar mitzvah that much more meaningful. Eli is a wonderful teacher and an overall great human being. I will always be grateful to him for the invaluable lessons he taught my son.

Marissa, parent

General inquiries.

For prospective students, families, scheduling availability, rates and additional information — please fill out this brief contact form and I will get back to you as soon as possible.