ABOUT US
Founder and Lead Educator, Miriam Kanani, MA
Miriam Kanani, M.A. is a singer, educator, storyteller, and Jewish ritual leader who has a true passion for Jewish Education, leading ceremonies, and working with Bar and Bat Mitzvah students and children from preschool age until middle school. Miriam Kanani was a lead teacher in the Tawonga B'nai Mitzvah Program for three years, and has prepared over one hundred students for their Bar/Bat/B' Mitzvah ceremonies. She has officiated ceremonies around the Bay Area for families for families doing an independent B'nai Mitzvah, and works with interracial families, LGBTQ families, and families across the Jewish spectrum. In her lessons Miriam can teach all of the prayers, Torah trope, Haftarah, Torah Speech writing in a creative and fun way!
As far as education, Miriam attained her Master's Degree from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, and holds a Multi-Subject California Teaching Credential, as well a certificate in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles. She spent four years in intensive Hebrew study in Israel, and has learned trope through mentorship in the Leyning with Heart Program.
Miriam has taught children of all ages around the Bay Area and was a Hebrew teacher at Congregation Beth El in Berkeley for the 6 years. She is an educator with over 20 years of experience in the Jewish education world, and has taught in both preschools, elementary schools, synagogues, Jewish summer camps, and informal Jewish education programs. Miriam organizes an informal chavurah called Bustan Ahava where she organizes She looks forward to getting to know you and your familiy!
Educator and Song Leader, Rachel Valfer-Sills, M.A.
Rachel Valfer Sills is a song leader, instrumentalist, and Torah trope teacher. Rachel has been preparing B'nai Mitzvah students for their ceremonies for the past 20 years throughout the entire Bay Area. Rachel is a Berkeley native who was part of the founding class at Tehiyah Day School, has been a B'nai Mitzvah tutor at Temple Sinai in Oakland, Congregation Beth El in Berkeley and Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley.
Rachel has worked on and off in a cantorial capacity in Berkeley at Congregation Beth El and Netivot Shalom. You will often find her davening at Netivot Shalom on the High Holidays, performing around the Bay Area in Hebrew, Ladino, Arabic and Turkish, and working privately with her Torah and trope students.
Rachel received her B.A. degree at Brown University and her M.A. from Hebrew University in Jerusalem in Hebrew Civilization. Rachel studied Middle Eastern Music and Dance in Jerusalem at the School for Classical Music from the Near East in Jerusalem. Rachel is a performing musician and vocalist, part of the internationally acclaimed Qadim Ensemble, and often performs with the acclaimed dancer Miriam Peretz. Learn more about her music at her ensemble's website here: http://www.eliyahusills.com/qadim/
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