Director, Stephanie Streja
Stephanie is passionate about Judaic music and teaching and believes in making the Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation process a fun and meaningful experience for the student and family. Stephanie has been tutoring and preparing Bar/Bat Mitzvah students for nearly 25 years understanding and meeting the needs of each individual student. Her experience and love of Torah infuses her teaching and creates an engaging and enjoyable learning experience for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah student. Stephanie graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice & Opera and Music Education from Northwestern University and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Conducting from the University of California, Irvine. For the last decade Stephanie has been the Voice Department Head for the Sun Valley Summer Music Festival’s Summer Music Institute in beautiful Sun Valley, Idaho. For nearly two decades she worked with the Wood River Jewish Community in Sun Valley as well, leading Shabbat services and holiday celebrations as a Cantorial Soloist, instructing and preparing the community’s Bar and Bat Mitzvah students in her capacity as the Director of Children’s Education, and continues to be a valued leader in the Jewish community whenever she is present there. She formerly served for six years as Choir Director and Cantorial Soloist at Congregation Shir Ha’ma-alot in Irvine, CA, as Judaic Music Specialist at the Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School in Northridge, CA, and for the last 13 years as Director of the Chorale at Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks, CA. She delights in teaching and preparing B’nei Mitzvah students and officiating beautiful, meaningful services for nearly three decades bringing her special touch of ru’ach (spirit/energy) to each lesson and service.