Educators and Program Directors

Moving Torah brings study to life -- and brings life to study. It beautifully combines three of the most important parts of Torah learning:  close study of the text, dynamic Chevruta learning, and meaningful personal application. This integrated approach is held together by a uniquely creative emphasis on movement, space and vision. My students reached new depths of understanding when they looked at Torah through the Moving Torah lens. I have watched Andrea work in a number of different settings -- with adults and kids, in large groups and small -- and her instincts as an educator are spot-on. Andrea breathes life into text and Torah study.

Rabbi Shawn Fields-Meyer
School Rabbi, Milken Community High School


Moving Torah gives teachers and learners unique opportunities to engage with Jewish texts personally, intellectually and kinesthetically. This experiential learning methodology enables learners to inhabit a text, become its characters and appreciate nuances and perspectives within the text that might not otherwise be obvious to a reader. Andrea Hodos provided our education students with valuable tools for teaching texts through movement which can be used in a variety of formal and informal educational settings. 

Miriam Heller SternDean, Fingerhut School of Education, American Jewish University


Andrea’s performance of Cutting My Hair in Jerusalem, followed by her workshop designed to help our participants tell their own stories, has played an incredibly important role in helping our participants develop a creative articulation of their own Jewish journeys.  Her work is genuine, honest, perceptive, and touching; it has introduced BCI’s young Jewish adults to an entirely new way to express what has shaped them.

Navah Kelman Becker, Director, 
the Marilyn and Sigi Ziering Brandeis Collegiate Institute (BCI)


Andrea is a gifted teacher of Torah.  She asks great questions of the biblical text, elicits meaningful personal stories in response, and then translates those jewels into physical movements of midrash that speak louder than any words.  Our 3rd through 6th graders were captivated by how Andrea took their stories, turned them into movements and then transformed the Torah learning into a personal commentary.

Rabbi Michelle Missaghieh, 
Temple Israel of Hollywood, Los Angeles


Andrea was the scholar-in-residence for the 2nd annual Women's Retreat of the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center. Andrea's thoughtful, creative and playful workshops and services moved our minds, hearts and bodies and provoked stimulating discussions among the retreat participants. Most importantly, we all had a lot of fun and very much appreciated Andrea's unique approach to Torah study. We wholeheartedly recommend Andrea as a retreat leader.

Judith Pettigrew, Retreat Co-ordinator


Thank you so much for leading such an inspiring lesson for my 10th grade TaNaKh class. The piece you performed was visually captivating to the students, and it led to a profound text-based discussion that truly illuminated the Yosef and Yehuda reunion story. This was truly Torah that integrated body, heart, mind and spirit.  I must say that as an educator who has taught for many years in both classroom and informal educational settings, I have seen several attempts to make the text come alive through drama, and yours was by far the most impactful. I say this not only based on my own experience, but from the students' perspective as well. They were thoroughly engaged and gave enthusiastic feedback. 

Tuvia Aronson
Former Dean, Tiferet Israel Fellowships, Milken Community High School


Moving Torah integrates the mind and body as students concretize and internalize the learning.  When you study the Bible this way . . . you embark on a journey to understand your relationship to the text, God, yourself, your people and the world -- with all your heart and mind, with all your soul, and with all your might.

Marlynn  Dorff
Master and Mentor Teacher
Pressman Academy

To read more reflections on Moving Torah from Marlynn Dorff, click here.


To bring this innovative and inspiring work to your institution or event, contact us.  We look forward to creating meaningful and engaging experiences with you!