Tween-age Jewish kids are busy these days … very busy! Middle school academic pressures mount. Athletics and social activities take up time. Top it off with Hebrew education and learning a Torah portion. Did I mention this new generation of up-and-coming b’nai mitzvah loves technology? A new form of bar/bat mitzvah preparation has emerged all over the Internet — online tutoring.
Online?
What is online tutoring? With a computer, microphone and Internet connection, a teacher can provide personalized bar mitzvah training from anywhere. Compare that to traditional bar mitzvah programs, where parents must schlep their children to the synagogue at the time assigned to them, which may or may not fit in between Science Olympiad, soccer practice and homework. Online tutoring can complement a synagogue-based program, provide an alternative for the unaffiliated Jewish family who wants to mark their child’s coming of age in a meaningful way, or it can spark a lifelong relationship with a synagogue and the Jewish community.
With so many options available online, it’s easy to find a program that fits your budget, your child’s learning style and the family schedule.
An Adventure
If your budding bar/bat mitzvah loves the great outdoors, or if you’re just looking to put more emphasis on process than party, consider the Adventure Rabbi Program (adventurerabbi.org). Rabbi Jamie Korngold, a former Westchester resident who relocated to Colorado, has created a distance-learning program for students seeking to explore the frontiers of religion. Many families culminate their experience in a ceremony atop the awe-inspiring Rocky Mountains. Rabbi Jamie’s California-based colleague, Rabbi Evon Yakar, meets with students weekly via Skype in a flexible and personalized program. As most students come from the 60 percent of Jews who are not affiliated, Korngold and Yakar use the student’s interests as a portal to bring them into Judaism. Korngold aims to, “get the kids really excited about being Jewish,” and is very proud to report that she always achieves her goal. Hebrew study, combined with an independent learning project, social action project and cultivation of Sabbath practices, helps families develop a sustainable connection to Judaism.
Some say that bar/bat mitzvah is primarily about becoming an adult member of the Jewish community, and that this Internet revolution with private services misses the point. Rabbi Korngold makes it her business to get the whole family connected to a wider community. Her program is geared toward getting friends and family involved in the preparation and service. As part of their training, students enjoy membership in the Adventure Rabbi program, where they can meet other families studying from all corners of the world, from as far away as Bangkok or Cambodia. They all come together as part of a worldwide, eco-aware Jewish community.
Go Techy
Times have changed in the world of Jewish education. Rabbi Danielle Gobuty Eskow, who co-founded My Bar Mitzvah Tutors (MBMT, mybarmitzvahtutors.org) with her sister, is a creative, intelligent and engaging young woman who identified technology as an ideal way to connect youth to their Jewish heritage. Rabbi Dani and Marisa Gobuty work with tech-savvy grad students in Jewish studies, young people who can easily relate to their students, to educate and inspire children of all ages. Rabbi Dani takes an unusual tack for an online tutor: one of her primary goals is to connect families to a synagogue. For her, “the most important thing is that kids enjoy their Jewish learning.” Her clientele comprises of many students who are unaffiliated, but also those who cannot learn through a traditional synagogue program due to scheduling conflicts or learning differences. She enjoys working with temple clergy to make Jewish learning interactive and fun. By making study flexible and convenient, online programs break down a major barrier to Jewish education.
Julie Hirschfeld, a Westchester resident, turned to MBMT when she found synagogue programs were not a match for her daughter’s busy schedule. Hirschfeld explains, “There are all sorts of good programs out there, but nothing really fit my daughter’s needs.” Her family remained active members of their temple, confirming that online tutoring can be an adjunct to other aspects of a Jewish community. In fact, Rabbi Dani often uses her programs as a bridge to long-term Jewish affiliation for students.
For Molly Kopp, another MBMT student, meeting over Skype was easy and a perfect way to work around her busy schedule. “Although one might think this is an impersonal way to learn, I, along with my family, developed a close-knit relationship with Rabbi Dani, and my Hebrew tutor, Beth.” As a testament to the inspiration the right teachers can provide, Molly elected to continue her Judaic studies, and currently attends the Solomon Schechter School of Westchester.
Through the bar/bat mitzvah process and religious education, parents hope to cultivate in their children an appreciation for Jewish values and customs. Every child is inspired in a different way. When it comes to finding the right tutor for your child’s bar/bat mitzvah preparation, you really are spoiled for choice. There’s no need to stress about the in-person tutoring schedule or stick it out with a teacher that doesn’t “get” your child. Find the perfect tutor through your computer. Just ask your child to Google it!
Elisa Bremner is a Westchester-based freelance writer.
