There are no upcoming classes being offered at this time because Yedid is working on Ana Elech, their first album of Jewish original music!
Testimonials:
“Yedid is an incredible teacher of Torah and I loved their leyning class. As an adult learning Torah for the first time, I was intimidated, but their class was fun, accessible, nonjudgemental, and incredibly empowering. They gave everyone in the class so much individualized attention and tailored the class to each of our learning styles and levels of knowledge. They even sent us all recordings and materials so that we could continue practicing on our own!! Can’t recommend studying with Avra enough, they are a blessing of a person and an amazing teacher!”
-Elijah Burger, past participant and member of Western Mass queer/trans Havurah
“I am so, so grateful for this course. I became an adult B-Mitzvah at age 67, which was my first introduction to chanting Torah – and I loved it. But as in many hard, new skills, I was able to chant the lines of my passuk, but didn’t really grasp the fundamentals. My shul recommended this course and I jumped at the opportunity. Yedid’s teaching includes a systematic introduction to each trope with clever, interactive ways to practice and put them to memory. They provided valuable audio resources (I still refer to them!), their singing is sweet and accessible, and their approach promotes confidence. Now I chant Torah regularly at my shul and I’m extremely grateful for the learning I did with Avra!”
-Miriam Cohen, past participant and member of Kolot Chayeinu
“Leyning with Heart was so much fun! There was a great mix of activities that catered to different learning styles. I loved learning with people of various ages and with a mix of people who were refreshing their chanting skills and those who were learning trope for the first time. The class prepared me well to leyn at my synagogue soon after, and I now plan to keep doing it regularly.”
-Eve Gutman, past participant and member of Kol Tzedek
Past Classes:
Dark and Light in the Jewish Canon: an Exploration through Study and Song, winter 2026
Leyning with Heart, summer 2025
Prayer in Word, Prayer in Action: Abraham Joshua Heschel’s Teachings on Prayer, Halacha, and Justice with Kol Tzedek, winter 2025
Leyning with Heart, summer 2024
Prayer as Home for the Soul: Abraham Joshua Heschel’s Teachings on Prayer with Judaism Unbound’s UnYeshiva, spring 2024
Music and the Jewish Heart with Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir, winter 2024
Shuv L’Makom: Return to the Place, summer 2023
Leyning with Heart, summer 2023
Leyning with Heart 2024 Siyyum (celebratory final class) where participants leyned for each other!
Pictured: Yedid holding a Tikkun, the book used to prepare to read from the Torah