Illuminate – To expand Jewish adult learning of Jewish wisdom tales by training educators in story-based pedagogies, refining curriculum, and developing a community of practice.

Which literary works do you draw from when leading Healing Story Circles?

The main medium we use in Healing Story Circles is – not surprisingly – stories, specifically, the unique Tales of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, a mystical storyteller (1772-1810) whose stories fascinated many writers, intellectuals, and artists. They are presented as fairy tales, often mysterious ones, which invite curiosity and play. Some of the stories are complex, with tales within tales within tales – a maze of motifs and images for us to ponder. We sometimes use visual art, poetry, and music to open the stories in alternative ways, but we always return to an improvisational and emergent pedagogy of shared discovery. 

Can you describe how story-based pedagogy works?

Our approach invites learners to free-associate with images and narratives in the story-texts, bringing in other Torah texts, other wisdom traditions, current events, and personal stories and experiences. We use those as lenses to uncover new insights into the tales themselves; and the tales, in turn, shed new light on our lives and our world. As a result, learners gain not only textual skills but new sources of resilience and hope. 

Can you give an example of one specific story that you study frequently?

One of the tales we return to again and again is “The Tale of the Seven Beggars.” It’s a long and labyrinthine tale, whose tales-within-tales are told at a wedding thrown by beggars for two orphan children. The themes of each tale within the tale address this meta-theme in multiple ways: How do we find joy in the dark, hope in times of despair, and courage in moments of fear? In our current moment of crisis, anxiety, and looming catastrophe, these questions are very alive for many of us. Rather than discuss policy solutions, we are using stories, images, and evocative questions to go deeper, and to create an experience of imagination and delight. “The Tale of the Seven Beggars” contains searing images and narrative moments, allusions to classical Jewish texts, and deep resonances with current challenges, making it a powerful text for students to explore together.