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Calling all Story Seekers. January 8-11, 2026

Festival Schedule

Grandma Ida’s Diamond Earrings with Laura Simms

THURSDAY, January 8

Spark!

Featuring local Jewish storytellers

7:00 – 9:00 PM

Toco Hills 2935B N. Druid Hills Rd

Ages 16+

FRIDAY, January 9

At your Shabbat! Storytelling Toolkits

Storytelling Shabbat

Auditorium

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

On your own

1:00 – 5:00 PM

Explore The Breman’s galleries and uncover more stories!

1:00 – 1:45 PM

Auditorium

Ages 4-8 with an adult

Lunch Break

Storytelling at The Breman: Discover New Stories Self-guided exploration

Gathering the Sparks and Opening the Circle The Breman

SATURDAY, January 10 Storyteller Laura Simms

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Adults, teens, and tweens

We invite families, synagogues, schools, and senior centers to incorporate the magic and creativity of storytelling into their Shabbat celebration.

Rejoice! Regardless

The Breman

SUNDAY, January 11

7:00 – 9:00 PM

Auditorium

Ages 16+

Laura Simms Storyteller

Laura Simms is an internationally acclaimed storyteller, writer and educator advocating engaged storytelling as compassionate action for personal and community transformation. She offers in-depth classes, coaching, and powerful performances of stories that address the most pressing issues of our times with dignity and joy. In Rejoice! Regardless, Laura tells stories of her childhood in Brooklyn, working in a displaced persons camp in Haiti, with Romani women in Romania, and hearing the violin music of a survivor who lived in her attic in Boro Park.

Adults, teens, and tweens

Concurrent Workshops | Festival Attendees Pick One The Holy Grail of Braiding Stories Led by Laura Simms

2:00 – 3:30 PM

TBD

Adults and teens

In this workshop, Laura will guide you through the basics of learning how to braid or weave traditional tales with your personal narratives, and you can begin writing your own story.

Family Stories for Resilient Kids Led by Richard Stone

2:00 – 3:30 PM

TBD

Adults (esp. parents & guardians)

Learn how to uncover and share meaningful stories that create a family storytelling tradition and help kids feel grounded, capable and connected in a world filled with challenges and uncertainty. More workshops next page ⇒

Creating Sacred Stories: An Art & Soul Workshop Led by Rabbi Ruth AbuschMagder

FILM SCREENING 2:00 – 3:30 PM

TBD

Adults and teens

THURSDAY January 22 7:00 PM

Whether you see yourself as an artist or not, this workshop will help you tell your story with guided prompts, engaging with a variety of materials, and self-reflection. No art or writing experience required—just an open heart and willingness to explore.

“Holy Moly” Story Cabaret

Stories from on and off the pulpit by local rabbis

4:00 – 5:00 PM

Auditorium

Adults and teens

The Atlanta Jewish Storytelling Festival is presented with support from: MAYOR’S OFFICE OF

Cultural Affairs This program is supported in part by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

Funding for this program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

Special Thanks To Atlanta Storytellers, Carapace Atlanta, Georgia Storytelling Network, The Moth in Atlanta

Writers/Directors: Yonatan Nir & Dani Menkin

Picture of His Life

A daring Israeli underwater photographer, Amos Nachoum, prepares for his greatest challenge yet in this extraordinary true-life adventure.

Festival Advisors Audrey Galex (Program Director) is a dynamic storyteller, journalist, and community advocate dedicated to amplifying voices, fostering connections, and inspiring positive change. Born and raised in Rock Island, IL, Audrey’s passion for storytelling blossomed along the banks of the Mississippi River. Her debut children’s book, Turtle Rocks, is a testament to her belief in the transformative power of storytelling, inviting readers of all ages on a journey of discovery, resilience, and the magic of believing in oneself. Beyond her professional endeavors, Audrey finds joy in dancing to live music, singing in piano bars, playing miniature golf, and spending quality time with her family. She believes in the power of stories to open hearts and minds, fostering understanding and empathy in an ever-changing world. Audrey Galex’s journey is a testament to the enduring power of storytelling to inspire, connect, and transform lives. Through her work, she continues to share the beauty of the human experience, one story at a time Stacey Beth Shulman (Advisor and Spark! storyteller) is a subtle disruptor, gentle activist, and intuitive creatrix. She

found reality storytelling through MothUp Atlanta, and has since told stories for MothUp, Carapace, the Southern Order of Storytellers, the Museum of Design Atlanta, Rabbit Box, and many other festivals and events. A native of Atlanta, Stacey’s stories often feature local landmarks from years past. When she is not telling stories, Stacey can be found teaching yoga and art classes, cake decorating, and being a helicopter mom to her 2 cats, Willow and Olive.

Spark! Mickey Dubrow is the author of The Magic Maker, Always Agnes, American Judas, and Bulletproof. His short stories and essays have appeared in Prime Number Magazine, The Signal Mountain Review, and Full Grown People. His first novel, American Judas, won the 2024 American Legacy Book Award in the category of Science Fiction: Parallel Universe/Alternative History. The Magic Maker is a nominee for the 2026 Sophie Brody Medal. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife, author Jessica Handler. Samuel Frenkel is a technology consultant for nonprofit organizations and the proud father of two amazing sons and stepfather to two additional

amazing kids. Originally from New Jersey, he’s now spending Chapter 5 of his life in Atlanta’s Cabbagetown neighborhood with his wonderful wife and stepchild. He’s not a professional storyteller, just a guy who loves connecting with people, and storytelling is one of his favorite ways to do that! When he’s not working on a nonprofit’s data strategy or telling stories, he’s probably tinkering with his hobby: travel hacking with credit card points. Jessica Handler is the author of the forthcoming novel The World to See, the novel The Magnetic Girl, winner of the 2020 Southern Book Prize, a 2019 “Books All Georgians Should Read,” an Indie Next pick, Wall Street Journal Spring 2019 pick, Bitter Southerner Summer 2019 pick, and a SIBA Okra Pick. Her other books include Invisible Sisters: A Memoir and Braving the Fire: A Guide to Writing About Grief and Loss. Her nonfiction has appeared on NPR, in Oldster, Image Journal, Five Points, Tin House, Drunken Boat, The Bitter Southerner, Brevity, Creative Nonfiction, Salvation South, The Washington Post, and elsewhere. She was the SP ’23 Ferrol Sams, Jr. Distinguished Writer in Residence at Mercer University in Macon, GA, and is member of the faculty at Etowah Valley MFA at Reinhardt College. Jessica lives in Atlanta with her husband, novelist Mickey Dubrow.

Hildee Isaacs is is a storyteller, pet sitter extraordinaire, purveyor of promotional products #HildeeSWAG, and the cofounder of Gotta Sing Events, which provides curated sing-along experiences. If you love to sing out loud with other folks, see Hildee. She’s also an experienced Mah Jong player and instructor. She loves pickleball, hiking, dancing and cooking, and is a frequent volunteer with TIE Atlanta, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, and Atlanta Pride. Faye Pous was born in Kansas City, Missouri (GO CHIEFS!!!). Her high school guidance counsellor said ‘You should go to Hofstra University; you’ll like it, there’s lots of Jews there’. So she headed off to the wilds of Long Island, where it turned out that Mrs. Olsen was half-right, there were a lot of Jews there! When she came to Atlanta to go to Emory Law School, she had no expectation of Jews being there, so imagine her delight when she found 2/3 of the student body were MOTs. She fell in love with EVERYTHING about the city and the people, and even has a peach tree in her backyard, making her an official southern belle, no?! She has three grown children, Perry, Max and Sallie, no grandchildren (we’re not ready yet!), and has recently discovered a love of storytelling

through The Moth, competing in the Grand Slam competition. Stacey Beth Shulman - See Advisors McKenzie Wren is a facilitator and consultant who works in multiple arenas to support connection and growth. As Wren Consulting, she works with businesses and nonprofits by facilitating creative experiences that help teams collaborate, connect, and lead with confidence. As Ma’ayan Spiritual Arts, she facilitates art, ritual, and connection through Earth-based, embodied Jewish practices that root spirituality in body, earth, and creativity. She is also the special projects manager for the Southern Jewish Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity (SOJOURN) working to expand LGBTQ+ inclusion across the South. At the heart of everything she does is the belief in the power of relationship, community and stories!

Workshops Laura Simms - See Festival Schedule Richard Stone, CEO of StoryWork International, is a nationally recognized speaker on the power of story and its applications in business,

healthcare, and education. He got his start over 30 years ago developing story-based training programs for team building and leadership development and has been a leader in the health and psychological benefits of narrative reminiscence. Richard has worked with diverse organizations such as Walt Disney Imagineering, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Hewlett Packard, Eastman Chemical Company, Kraft Foods, and Novant Health. His current work at StoryWork International is focused on using the power of story to assist leaders to transform their organizations and their approach to leading, infusing their work with deeper purpose and meaning. Richard has authored numerous books including The Healing Art of Storytelling, Stories: The Family Legacy, The Kingdom of Nowt and co-authored The Patient Survival Handbook and Story Intelligence. He wrote and produced a one-man show based on the stories of the Baal Shem Tov entitled The Maggid and wrote and co-produced Flames of Freedom, a historical drama that traces the lives of the first Jews who escaped the Inquisition in Portugal and deadly pogroms in Eastern Europe seeking freedom in the new Georgia Colony in 1733. Rabbi Dr. Ruth Abusch-Magder loves a good Jewish story and creative Jewish expression. With a doctorate in Jewish culinary history, she works

with families to create meaningful life-cycle moments. She leads trips to explore Jewish life in countries such as Mexico and Morocco. Currently training to become a facilitator with the Jewish Studio Project, Rabbi Ruth is a potter and coordinator of Jewish art experiences. She lives in Sandy Springs with her husband Dr. D.

Holy Moly! Rabbi Michael Bram is the Jewish Community Chaplain for Jewish Family & Career Services of Atlanta. Rabbi Bram grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and joined the Air Force after graduating from the University of Minnesota with a degree in astrophysics in 1998. After serving in California and North Dakota, Rabbi Bram separated from active duty to attend Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in Monsey, New York. In 2008 Rabbi Bram returned to active duty as a chaplain in the Air Force. His assignments include Germany, Texas, Alaska, Colorado, and California with deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Qatar. Rabbi Bram retired from the Air Force in 2024 and served at the Veterans’ Affairs Hospital in Las Vegas. After completing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Vanderbilt University, Rabbi Bram took his current position in August of 2025. Rabbi Bram is married to the former Sara Wexler of Savannah Georgia and they have five children.

Rabbi Brian Glusman serves as Rabbi at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, one of the city’s largest and most vibrant Jewish institutions. He is also the spiritual leader and visiting rabbi at Congregation Shearith Israel in Columbus, Georgia. Before coming to Atlanta, Rabbi Glusman was Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth-El in Birmingham, Alabama, and previously served congregations in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Colorado. He received rabbinic ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York and holds advanced degrees in counseling with a specialization in marriage and family therapy. While in Alabama, Rabbi Glusman was a visiting lecturer at the University of Alabama’s School of Education in Birmingham and a frequent speaker at Samford University. Today, he continues his commitment to service as a chaplain for the City of Dunwoody Police Department. In 2024, Rabbi Glusman was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree in recognition of 25 years of distinguished rabbinic service. He and his wife, Dr. Laurie Glusman, live in Sandy Springs and are proud parents of three adult children. Rabbi Lauren Henderson is the spiritual leader of Or Hadash in Sandy Springs. Ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York in 2016,

she is rooted in tradition and guided by a visionary spirit. Demonstrating a profound commitment to creating a home for Jewish connection and authenticity, R’ Lauren nurtures the divine spark within each person. She invites congregants to explore Jewish practices by incorporating meditation and contemplative music during worship. Her warm and inclusive approach fosters an environment where everyone can bring their whole selves. Lauren and her husband, Joel Dworkin, have two sons, Rafi and Amit. A southerner who originally hails from Spartanburg, SC, she enjoys running even when it’s completely humid out, discussing her and your favorite books and podcasts, and baking (and eating) all the chocolate. Cantor Tracey Scher is a mezzosoprano from Nova Scotia, Canada. Cantor Scher has created several multigenerational choirs, bands and Arts programs throughout the years, believing strongly in the enrichment

of Judaism through music and the Arts. Cantor Scher holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education from Acadia University, a graduate degree in Opera Performance from Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University and studied extensively with the world-renowned tenor Carlo Bergonzi at the Accademia Verdiana in Busetto, Italy. Deciding to lead a life where relationships could be nurtured through music, she pursued the cantorate and was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in NYC with a Master of Sacred Music Degree in 2003. In addition to performing and creating meaningful Jewish musical programs, Cantor Scher also dedicates her time to sustaining the cantorate as a whole. She has served as a member of the Executive Board of the American Conference of Cantors from 2007-present and also serves on various committees of the ACC. She is passionate about finding ways to deepen relationships through education, pastoral work, travel and face-to-face meetings. Cantor Scher is married to Christopher Lewis and they have two children, Isaac and Maya.

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