Jewish Storytelling Coalition

Saturday, June 6, 2020

NSN National Storytelling Conference

Cindy reports that the conference has been going on all week and there's a very special program 
Sunday June 7, at 6pm EDT (5pm CDT):

The Israel Storytelling Association will be featured

National Storytelling Network virtual conference has been going on all week. Not too late to register - you get access to recordings for the next  couple of weeks for whatever you register for. Scroll way down at this link to see the programming - it has been amazing. On Sunday 6/7 is an opportunity to hear Israeli storytellers: 
Sunday, June 7:
5:00 pm CST: International Spotlight: Multi-Cultural Stories from Israel
A potpourri of folk tales and personal stories, reflecting the multiple cultural backgrounds that characterize our society. Some stories will sound familiar to listeners in other countries- so it is when stories wander from land to land. Presented by Israel Storytellers Association.
ISA was founded in 2008 with the purpose of gaining recognition and government support for storytelling as a unique art form- complementing but separate from other performing arts. ISA offers its members enrichment workshops and courses, led by local and visiting storytellers. We also sponsor public performances and festivals all around the country.
Stories
Tales of the Baal Shem Tov: A Forest, a Fire and a Prayer told by Rinah Sheleff- Host
Sometimes all that’s left is the story.
Born in U.S.A., rinah has lived all her life in Israel. From an Eastern European background, she loves to tell stories like Hassidim, and like the Hasidim, she loves to dance. rinahsheleff@gmail.com
A Bridge in Chem told by Sephie Shochat-Beeri
Everyone stumbled on that bridge, but when the rabbi’s hat fell into the water, the elders knew they had to take action!
Teacher of English as a Second Language & instructor of creative movement, Sephie finds ways to include stories in everything she does. Here greatest fan was her mother, Marlene, whose memory she honors with today’s story. http://facebook.com/people/Sephie-Shochat-Beeri
Abu-Katrina the Lazy told by Yoel Shalom Perez
Abu-Katrina was too lazy to work for a living – “I’d rather die than work!” -but he was no match for his clever and desperate wife.
Dr. Yoel Perez, storyteller, folklorist and author, is chairperson of the Israel Storytellers Association. His website is the largest site of folklore & folktales in Hebrew. It includes an international folktale collection of more than 4,000 tales (many have been translated into English.) Yoel is the go-to person for Israeli storytellers looking for a special story on any subject. http://folkmasa.org/a00e.htm
Why Worry? told by Sharon Aviv
Some very sound and well-known advice from Ireland takes on a very personal twist with Sharon.
Founder and director of the Gollem Storytelling School (“gollem” in Hebrew means cocoon), Sharon performs and lectures all around the world. She is a great believer in the power of stories to heal and to bring people together. https://www.facebook.com/sharon.aviv.35
Is There Anything Stronger than Love? told by Doron Kaynar Kissinger
… The mysterious saga of my family.
Doron is an actor in the theatre of life. He creates personalized ceremonies for couples as they enter marriage, and for mourners as they accompany their loved ones to their final resting place. Doron’s stories range from reminiscences of his parents, who fled Nazi Germany, to personal adventures as a “sabra”– a native-born Israeli. https://www.facebook.com/doron.kaynarkissinger
The Man Who Set Out to Find His Luck told by Hanan Abo Zlaf
A man travels a long distance to ask a wise man about his luck. He is given good advice, but does he take it?
Hanan hails from a Druze village in northern Israel. She discovered her storytelling skills when she spoke about her experience as a survivor of domestic violence. Today Hanan tells folktales to school children, and shares her personal story with women who need to hear it. https://www.facebook.com/hanan.abozlaf
How I Became a Storyteller told by Oshik Achinoam
What does a sick nature guide do just before he leads a group of children in survival skills? The solution surprised Oshik; the outcome, even more.
Oshik is a natural-born storyteller, the kind you love to listen to around the campfire. He also teaches survival skills to children and introduces them to the magical world of nature. https://www.oshikachinoam.com/english
“God and the Desert” told by Na’ama Tel-Tsur
The origin of their special relationship.
Storyteller and actor with the Pashut Forest Theatre, which performs in the forest, with the earth as stage and the trees as scenery. https://www.facebook.com/nataz78
Guy “Zandy” Zandman, Singer-songwriter
We will take a break from the spoken word to hear a song in Hebrew about a wanderer who travels far and wide to seek more and more stories.