How can puppetry and hands-on play give new life to the way we approach Torah exploration? How can we use artistry and imagination to interpret text? This hands-on workshop will introduce a range of theater-based techniques to bring Torah study to life through tabletop storytelling, puppetry, and imaginative play. Participants will work in chevruta (partnership) to interpret the text. No prior experience in theater or text study is required! Together, we’ll reflect on how these approaches can be used with both children and adults in a variety of settings, making this session ideal for people of all ages, especially those who work with or have kids. Participants will also engage with the framework of the new book, Let There Be Play: Bringing the Bible to Life with Young Children.

Jonathan Shmidt Chapman is an award-winning artist, writer, and Jewish educator. As the founder of the K’ilu Company, Jonathan reimagines Jewish education through theater and play. His projects have reached thousands of families and classrooms across the country. His book Let There Be Play: Bringing the Bible to Life with Young Children was published by Behrman House in June. Jonathan was named the Covenant Foundation’s inaugural Jewish Family Education Fellow in 2023. He is also the recipient of a Pomegranate Prize and the Jewish Education Project’s Young Pioneers Award. His theatrical works for children and families have been presented at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and Seattle Children’s Theatre, and have been featured by NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, the New York Times, and American Theatre magazine. He has served on the faculty at Northwestern University and New York University. He lives in the Chicago area with his husband, Rabbi David Chapman, and their two children.