Paper Midrash is a unique opportunity for your community to be immersed in a fusion of Jewish scholarship and creative expression, with Isaac & Rabbi Shawna Brynjegard-Bialik as your artists and scholars in residence.

This isn't just any weekend; this is an extraordinary experience carefully curated to elevate your community's spirit. Imagine a weekend where every moment is a masterpiece — a canvas painted with excitement, discovery, and shared passion. Brace yourselves for a weekend that transcends the ordinary, where each workshop and presentation is a highlight.

We will work with you to design the right mix of programs for your community, to help you meet your goals and inspire your congregation. Residencies start at around $3500 for a full weekend of programming, depending on how many (and which) programs you want; a typical weekend includes all of our best offerings, such as:

Friday
Isaac & Rabbi Shawna deliver an engaging visual sermon on the parasha of the week, filled with pop culture references, humor, and authentic scholarship. They can also bring their special "visual t'filah" with them; created in partnership with the CCAR, it features Isaac's artwork and a dynamic new approach to liturgy.

Saturday
Isaac & Rabbi Shawna lead a three-hour hands-on papercutting workshop for adults and/or high school students — we call it "Torah Study with Knives." Each participant creates their own paper midrash, a beuatiful, meaningful and personal exploration of text .

That night they can be the centerpiece of social evening or adult education session, with an all-ages community art program such as "Fingerprint Mosaics" or a dynamic visual presentation on a topic such as "People of the Comic Book" or “Women of Valor and Other Super Heroes.”

Sunday
Isaac & Rabbi Shawna will lead a 90-minute program for your pre-b- mitzvah students and their parents on midrash and “Getting More Out of Your Torah Portion,” or our two-hour "Street Art Prophecy" spray paint workshop for your teens.

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Representative Paper Midrash Residencies

Upcoming

Manhattan Beach, CA
Houston, TX
Indianapolis, IN
Charlottesville, VA
Boulder, CO

 

2024

Kehillat Israel —  Pacific Palisades, CA (May 2024)

Shalom School — Sacramento, CA (May 2024)

Greene Family Camp — Texas (April 2024)

Temple Beth-El — Providence, Rhode Island (March 2024)

Temple Israel — Westport, Connecticut (March 2024)

Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom —Youngstown, Ohio (March 2024)

Temple Emanu-El — San Jose, California (February 2024)

Temple Har Shalom —  New Jersey (February 2024)

Congregation B'nai Israel —  Little Rock, AK (February 2024)

 

2023

Am Shalom —  Chicago, IL (Dec 2023)

San Diego JCC — San Diego, CA (Nov 2023)

Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom — Montreal, Canada (October 2023)

Temple Akiba — Culver City, CA (October 2023)

Hebrew Union College — Los Angeles, CA (July 2023)

Institute of Southern Jewish Life — Jackson, MS (June 2023)

Congregation B'nai Israel — Sacramento, CA (May 2023)

Temple B'nai Torah — Seattle, WA (May 2023)

Congregation B'nai Israel — Sacramento, CA (May 2023)

North Country Reform Temple — Long Island, NY (April 2023)

Temple Beth-EL — Rhode Island (March 2023)

Temple Beth HIllel — Valley Village, CA (February and March 2023)

Temple B'nai Shalom — Fairfax Station, VA (February 2023)

Temple B'nai Torah — Seattle, WA (January 2023)

Congregation Kol Ami — Vancouver, WA (January 2023)

 

2022

Limmud UK — Birmingham, England (December 2022)

Congregation B'nai Jehudah — Overland Park, KS (Dec 2022)

Temple Beth-El — Riverside, CA (November 2022)

Temple De Hirsch Sinai — Seattle, WA (November 2022)

URJ Camp Newman — Santa Rosa, CA (October 2022)

United Jewish Federation of Tidewater — Virginia Beach, VA (July 2022)

Temple Emanuel — Winston-Salem, NC (June 2022)

Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center —  Pasadena, CA (May 2022)

Temple B'nai Torah — Seattle, WA (April 2022)

Kehillat Israel – Pacific Palisades, CA (March 2022)

Congregation Micah – Nashville, TN (March 2022)

American Jewish University – Masters of Education Program – Los Angeles, CA (February 2022)

Hebrew Union College –  Los Angeles, CA (Feb 2022)

Advot – New GIrls Academy – Los Angeles, CA (February 2022)

Peninsula Temple Sholom – Burlingame, CA (February 2022)

 

2021

Congregation Beth Emeth –  Wilmington, DE (December 2021)

Temple Beth-El – Providence RI (November 2021)

Congregation Achduth Vesholom –  Fort Wayne, IN (October 2021)

Shir Tikvah – Homewood, IL (October 2021)

Temple Israel – Tulsa, OK (May 2021)

Congregation Or Ami – Lafayette Hill, PA (April 2021)

Temple Shaaray Tefila – New York, NY (April 2021)

Temple Israel of Hollywood –  Los Angeles, CA (March 2021)

Temple Beth Israel –  Fresno, CA (February 2021)

Hillel at UCSB –  Santa Barbara, CA (February 2021)

Temple Emeth – Teaneck, New Jersey (January/February 2021)

Ohef Sholom –  Norfolk, VA (January 2021)

 

2020

Temple Beth-El – San Antonio, TX (December 2020)

Kol Shalom – Rockville, MD (December 2020)

Hebrew Union College –  Los Angeles, CA (December 2020)

HaNefesh –  Orange County, CA (December 2020)

Oregon Hillel Foundation – Eugene, OR (October 2020)

Congregation Beth Judea – Long Grove, IL (October 2020)

Congregation Har HaShem – Boulder, CO (February 2020)

Temple Isaiah – Lafayette, CA (February 2020)

The Community Synagogue – Port Washington, NY (January 2020)

 

2019

Congregation Shomrei Torah – Santa Rosa, CA (December 2019)

Temple Emanuel – Beverly Hills, CA (December 2019)

Temple Emanuel – Winston-Salem, NC (November 2019)

North Shore Congregation Israel – Chicago, IL (October 2019)

The Temple-Tifereth Israel – Cleveland, OH (October 2019)

Adat Ari El – Valley Village, CA (September 2019)

Women's Rabbinic Network Convention – Claremont, CA (June 2019)

Jewish Federation of Los Angeles– Los Angeles, CA (March 2019)

Temple Beth-El – San Antonio, TX (March 2019)

Congregation Etz Chaim – Lombard, IL (March 2019)

Peninsula Temple Sholom – Burlingame, CA (March 2019)

Yavneh Day School – Los Gatos, CA (January 2019)

Congregation B'nai Tzedek – Orange County, CA (January 2019)

 

2018

Temple Israel – Stockton, CA (December 2018)

Congregation Kol Ami – Vancouver, WA (December 2018)

Temple Israel – Long Beach, CA (October 2018)

Congregation Or Ami – Calabasas, CA (October 2018)

Temple Beth Sholom – Irvine, CA (October 2018)

Temple Judea – Tarzana, CA (August 2018)

Hebrew Union College – Los Angeles, CA (July 2018)

URJ Sci-Tech West – Thousand Oaks, CA (July 2018)

Tikkun4Change – Northridge, CA (May 2018)

Temple Emanu-El – San Jose, CA (February 2018)

Peninsula Temple Sholom – Burlingame, CA (January 2018)

 

2017 and Prior

Congregation B'nai Israel – Sacramento, CA (December 2017)

Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County – CA (September 2017)

Temple Beth Israel – Fresno, CA (March 2017)

Limmud UK (December 2016)

Temple Ahavat Shalom – Northridge, CA (December 2016)

URJ Camp Newman – Santa Rosa, CA (annual summer residency since 2007)

 

 

For more information about Paper Midrash
and bringing Isaac & Rabbi Shawna to your community
as artist and scholar in residence,
please contact us at info@papermidrash.com.

Download our intro packet: a small PDF with information
on Isaac & Rabbi Shawna and Paper Midrash;
you can share it with colleagues to familiarize them with what we do.

Download the press kit: a Zip archive containing photos, flyer templates,
and marketing blurbs to help you promote Paper Midrash in your community.

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info@papermidrash.com