Workshops & Classes

Rena Yehuda Newman is a skilled and experienced educator, specializing in comics workshops and writing workshops. Their experience as a public speaker, zine maker, independent publisher, magazine editor, Jewish educator, illustrator, and comics artist inform their teaching approach. Rena Yehuda not only believes that everyone can write and draw, but that amazing transformations occur when we give ourselves the chance to create through word and image.

They offer workshops for all skill levels (including those with no writing or drawing experience at all!) and are always happy to work with organizations, educators, and program coordinators to custom tailor sessions to fit with overarching curriculum, units, or special events. Creative workshops can range in size and scope, from small groups to big assemblies, hour-long workshops to full day experiences. They are also an experienced Zoom facilitator and can lead sessions virtually. Rates are sliding scale. Inquire about inviting Rena Yehuda to lead a workshop for your group by emailing Rena.Yehuda@gmail.com.

Comix Workshops

Using tools inspired by the work of master comics-educator Lynda Barry, Rena Yehuda guides students through a fast-paced series of writing and drawing exercises that culminate in creating comics strips on any topic ranging from the personal to the political, the philosophical to the imaginative. Comix workshops can be a fantastic way to get creativity flowing, especially in organizations or topics where comix might seem unusual — whether for a Hebrew school class or a scientific lab planning a study, drawing comix can be a powerful way to communicate ideas, illustrate data, meditate on questions, and illuminate visions. Comix workshops are at minimum 60 minutes.

Zine Workshops

What’s a zine? A small, independently published, and often-handmade book or booklet — historically, a product of the underground press. Rena Yehuda has been making zines since early high school and loves to spread the word. Zine workshops include a primer on the classic one-sheet 8-fold zine, topic brainstorms, and writing exercises built to spur participants on to get the word out about a cause that matters to them, a burning question on their mind, or the kinds of personal/political reflections that the unique intimacy of a zine’s platform can offer.

Writing Workshops

Writing is consciousness – and with the right prompts, we can write our way into groundbreaking new ideas or personal revelations. After creating several collections of writing prompts of a variety of topics, including Jewish identity and queer experience, Rena Yehuda loves taking writers through a journey using creative prompts and games. They offer writing workshops for participants to explore topics like memory, gender, spirituality, age, sex, sexuality, connection, justice, and more.