B'nai Mitzvah Tutor
“My kids looked forward to every engagement with Shana. Not only was she motivating and supportive, she has an amazing voice! I like the confidence she instilled in my girls and truly appreciated her flexible and positive attitude.”
— Jacqueline Emanuel, Washington, D.C. (Parent)
“Shana helped my sons feel like their b’nai mitzvah prep was manageable — that if they just kept walking up the mountain, step by step, eventually they would find themselves standing on the summit. She was always encouraging, providing both confidence and accountability. When the day of the ceremony came, both boys felt well-prepared and not terribly nervous — perhaps that is the highest testament to Shana’s success.”
— Adam Ruben, Washington, D.C. (Parent)
“Shana was an exceptional tutor for me. She was really fun and very knowledgeable. She was patient, even in stressful times with me. She cared so much about me being successful and it meant a lot to me. I would recommend her to anyone anytime.”
— Mitchell Spector, Orlando, Florida (Student)
“Shana is exceptional at what she does and I recommend her highly. She is extremely knowledgeable, hardworking, punctual, easy going, and a complete delight to work with. Shana challenges the student and provides positive feedback along the way, striking a perfect balance. My son is enjoying his lessons with her and learning so much. Her passion for Torah is overflowing and she shares that joy with my son (and me, the parent!) every time.”
— Shira Reeves, Silver Spring, Maryland (Parent)
“When we were looking for someone to help prepare our son Mitchell for his bar mitzvah, it was a no-brainer to ask Shana. When Shana is engaged in prayer or in reading Torah, she has a glow about her that anyone can tell comes deep from within. I wanted my son to learn from someone who I knew feels that deep connection to being Jewish. She was so caring and patient throughout the entire process, but also provided Mitchell the structure he needed to keep his learning and preparations progressing. That balance allowed him to confidently enjoy the journey of his bar mitzvah preparation and had fun along the way. Shana is hands down a truly special individual and anyone would be fortunate to have her work with their children.”
— Shira Spector, Orlando, Florida (Parent)
“Shana was recommended to us by friends who had worked with her for their daughter’s bat mitzvah. We are extremely happy we took their advice. Shana strikes a great balance in being very nice to work with, while also keeping my daughter motivated to be prepared for each tutoring session. My daughter has only glowing things to say about Shana, and I’m confident she will be ready for her bat mitzvah. It is my pleasure to pass on the same advice we received from our friends and strongly recommend Shana to anyone who needs a b’nai mitzvah tutor!”
— Jeffrey Marks, Washington, D.C. (Parent)
“From the first meeting, it was clear that Shana connects well with 12-year-old kids, meets them wherever they are in their Hebrew knowledge, and shows them that with one step at a time, they can learn what is needed. Our son was well-prepared for his bar mitzvah because of Shana’s patience and encouragement. The time she has spent creating a website with sound files was particularly helpful. She was a huge part of our son’s success!”
— Justin Fisher, Washington, D.C. (Parent)
“Shana was terrific. She took the time to get to know our daughter and to understand how she would learn best. She helped her stay organized and on track, and, most importantly, to appreciate the significance and meaningfulness of what she was learning. Throughout the year, we felt immense confidence in Shana and we could tell that our daughter did too. She helped make her bat mitzvah a wonderful experience. She is, simply put, an exceptional tutor.”
— Benjamin Soskis and Rebecca Deutsch, Washington, D.C. (Parents)
“Shana has been tutoring my son for the past year. My son went from knowing no Hebrew, to knowing the whole alphabet, and then progressed to learning his Haftorah and Torah portion. He responded really well to her cheerful, steady and straightforward demeanor and respected how knowledgeable she is. Shana would also record verses and blessings and send audio files over the internet, so my son could listen as he practiced, and that was super helpful. She was 100% punctual and reliable, and also flexible in scheduling tutoring sessions. I highly recommend Shana and am really proud of what she helped my son achieve.”
— Jessica Smith, Washington, D.C. (Parent)
“Shana’s teaching made me feel really prepared and gave me a lot of confidence that I could succeed. Her audio files helped me stay organized, and she spaced out all the things I had to learn so that I never got overwhelmed. So when my bat mitzvah came around, all the support and help she had given me made me feel much less nervous and more confident.”
— Mira Soskis, Washington, D.C. (Student)
“Shana made learning fun and easy for me. She was very clear and made the journey less stressful.”
— Claire Emanuel, Washington, D.C. (Student)
“Shana took over training our daughter for her bat mitzvah in a pinch. With three months to go, Shana expertly mapped out a progression path to the finish line. By the day of the bat mitzvah, our daughter was not only prepared but also was confident, relaxed and happy. Shana is an encouraging coach, a pleasant perfectionist and a cheerful mentor. Her voice! Shana also has an incredible voice that rises up from the bimah. We were incredibly lucky to have her for the final part of the bat mitzvah training and would do it again from the very beginning in a heartbeat.”
— Jennifer Jacobson, Orlando, Florida (Parent)
“Shana is a joy to work with! As the rabbi of a congregation whose students vary widely in Jewish background, interests, and learning styles, it means so much to me that Shana is able to meet every student where they’re at. She’s warm and friendly, appropriately challenging, steadfastly encouraging, and unbelievably organized, and truly does set up every student to feel confident and accomplished on their special day and beyond.”
— Rabbi Hannah Spiro, Hill Havurah, Washington, D.C.
“Shana has a beautiful voice to go with her beautiful spirit. She is kind and patient with her students, while also gently pushing them to achieve more than they knew they could. She always looks for unique ways to keep them motivated, and she adapts her approach to best meet the needs of each student and family. Our family and friends were truly impressed with how well-prepared our daughter was at her Bat Mitzvah, and she was proud of herself for what she accomplished.”
— Eileen Krantz, Orlando, Florida (Parent)
Shana Medel 