The inspiration for having a memoir class at Temple Emanu-El came to us from Dr. Tina Rotenberg z"l.  We are so grateful to her for her creativity and enthusiasm and only wish she could have seen her idea fully come to fruition.

There are many reasons to write our stories. We may want to understand better some facet of our life, or we may want to share our experience and hard-won insights with the ones we love—and even with generations to come. As the writer Doris Lessing observed, “Humanity’s legacy of stories and storytelling is the most precious we have. All wisdom is in our stories and songs.”

Sometimes, though, simply starting a memoir is a real challenge. How can we bring our story to life on that blank page? This six-session workshop offers thought-provoking activities that will inspire participants to see with fresh eyes the richness of their experience and help them shape the story they want to tell.

Meet Jean Sheppard

Jean Sheppard is a writer, editor, educator and life coach living in Toronto. For over two decades, she taught senior-level English at Havergal College. Since leaving Havergal in 2012, she has received an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia and trained as a life coach with Adler Learning in Toronto and the Certified Professional Retirement Coach organization based in Michigan.

To learn more about Jean, please visit her at jeansheppard.com.