Thursday, December 11, 7:30 pm
There’s a story behind everything, and in December, master storyteller Corey Rosen will help people in Tidewater discover the power and joy of sharing theirs.
A writer, performer, and longtime host for The Moth StorySLAM in San Francisco, Rosen is celebrated for helping people turn everyday moments into unforgettable stories. He is the author of Your Story Well Told and soon to be released A Story for Everything, which explores how stories shape connections, identities, and communities. Rosen last visited Tidewater in 2022 for a series of highly entertaining events surrounding Your Story Well Told. This year, he returns with a brand-new book, a fresh set of stories, and a weeklong residency that promises to entertain and inspire.
Rosen’s visit will conclude with a community event, A Story for Everything: An Evening of Stories, Laughter, and Inspiration. In what is sure to be an unforgettable evening, Rosen will host Tidewater’s very own story slam, where local storytellers will take the stage to share true stories that are funny, heartfelt, and deeply human.
In the days leading up to the main event, Rosen will immerse himself in the community, leading workshops across Tidewater. He will work with Jewish Family Service’s board and staff, Hebrew Ladies Charity Society, the Holocaust Commission of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s board, and UJFT’s board and staff – helping each group communicate its mission through authentic and powerful storytelling. He will also lead a dinner workshop for Tidewater Jewish Foundation’s Life & Legacy teams, “Legacy Stories that Inspire,” exploring how personal narratives can strengthen the culture of giving and sustain Jewish life for generations to come.
Jewish educators will gather for “Storytelling in the Classroom and Beyond,” a dynamic session on how to use stories to engage students and spark learning. Jewish teens will take part in “My Proud Jewish Story,” a program designed to help them express their Jewish identity through personal storytelling.
Rosen’s visit will also extend beyond the Jewish community. He will work with several Hampton Roads nonprofits including ForKids, Virginia MOCA, and the Virginia Arts Alliance, to explore how storytelling can build empathy, inspire action, and strengthen connection across diverse audiences.
By the end of his residency, hundreds of people across generations, professions, and backgrounds will have discovered new ways to find meaning in their experiences and share them with confidence, humor, and heart. A Story for Everything will remind that everyone has a story worth telling, and that storytelling remains one of the most powerful tools to connect as Jews, as neighbors, and as human beings.
For more information, or to register for the event on Thursday, December 11, visit JewishVA.org/KCL or contact Sierra Lautman at SLautman@ujft.org or 757-965-6107.
Presented by the Konikoff Center for Learning of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, as part of the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival, and made possible through a grant from the Tidewater Jewish Foundation.