Meditation in Jewish Life Come to Elat Chayyim and tap into the rich tradition of meditation as a Jewish spiritual practice. We've created a sacred space for both beginning and advanced meditators.
What's a Meditation Retreat? Come spend a period of days in silence and experience what you usually can't in the ordinary noise of our lives. Silence leads to a natural mindfulness, that alert, balanced awareness of present experience that promotes clear understanding and wise response. On retreat, we focus our attention on each moment of present experience in order to cultivate calmness and clarity of mind. With this clarity, we can live each moment more fully. At these retreats, we combine sitting and walking meditation, Jewish prayer, chanting, and the practice of devekut or connecting oneself deeply to the Divine Presence. Except for teachings, chanting and question/ answer periods, we live in silence, daytime and night, mealtime, and personal time. At the end, we share our experiences.
What's a Meditation Retreat?
Come spend a period of days in silence and experience what you usually can't in the ordinary noise of our lives. Silence leads to a natural mindfulness, that alert, balanced awareness of present experience that promotes clear understanding and wise response. On retreat, we focus our attention on each moment of present experience in order to cultivate calmness and clarity of mind. With this clarity, we can live each moment more fully.
At these retreats, we combine sitting and walking meditation, Jewish prayer, chanting, and the practice of devekut or connecting oneself deeply to the Divine Presence. Except for teachings, chanting and question/ answer periods, we live in silence, daytime and night, mealtime, and personal time. At the end, we share our experiences.
Contemplative Shabbatot/Weekends
These retreats are a great way to experience the depth of Shabbat observance within a framework of silence. Look for these retreats in the year 2000
These retreats are a great way to experience the depth of Shabbat observance within a framework of silence.
Look for these retreats in the year 2000
Silent Meditation Retreats
with Rabbi David and Shoshana Cooper Nine-Day Retreat: December 17-26, 1999 Seven-Day Retreat: June 25-July 2, 2000
Healing the Heart and Healing the World Jewish Meditation in a New Millennium- January 14-17, 2000 Hollywood, Florida For the first time in the southeast, leading practitioners of Jewish meditation will share their experience of the importance of meditation to Judaism and to the lives of Jews. "Jewish Meditation in a New Millennium- Healing the Heart and Healing the World" will consist of a Shabbaton, a conference featuring keynote addresses and numerous workshops and a day of post conference intensives. The gathering, which expects 1000 participants, will be held at Temple Beth El in Hollywood, Florida, the weekend of January 14-17, 2000. The contemplative Shabbaton will run Friday night and Saturday. This will be immediately followed by the conference on Saturday night and Sunday. On Monday, interested students can get a more experiential intensive with the keynoters and workshop leaders. Shoshana Cooper and Rabbis David Cooper, Jeff Roth and Sheila Peltz-Weinberg will lead the meditative Shabbaton. It will begin Friday at 7:00 PM and then resume on Saturday morning, concluding with Havdallah at the conference. The conference itself will begin at 7:30 PM on Saturday with Havdallah and chanting led by Rabbi Shefa Gold. Proceedings will continue early Sunday and conclude between 5 and 6 PM with a closing panel on Meditation and Everyday Life. The keynote speakers are Rabbi David Cooper, Rabbi Sheila Peltz- Weinberg, Rabbi Dovid Zeller, Rabbi Shefa Gold and Roshi Bernie Glassman. Workshop presenters include; Mitch Chefitz, Nathan Katz, Rabbi Miles Krassen, Rabbi Shoni Labowitz, Rabbi Jeff Roth, Rabbi Rami Shapiro, and Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg. The program is under the sponsorship of Elat Chayyim; A Center for Healing and Renewal, Living Waters; A Spiritual Retreat Program, and the Sh’ma Center; A Center for Jewish Meditation. Elat Chayyim is a transdenominational center for Jewish spiritual retreats in Accord, New York, about 80 miles north of New York City. Among its varied offerings of summer and holiday retreats, Elat Chayyim is one of three national groups at the forefront of the reentry of meditation into contemporary Jewish life. This work has been supported through the generous support of The Nathan Cummings Foundation. Elat Chayyim offers two different two year training programs for Jewish leaders in meditation as well as a series of introductory and advanced meditation retreats for rabbis. A full schedule of weekend, weeklong and ten day meditation retreats are available to the general public. LivingWaters is a spiritual health spa based on ancient Kabbalastic teachings. It is a nurturing, joy-filled environment, designed for healing the mind, stimulating the body and liberating the soul. The LivingWaters programs are guided by Rabbi Shoni Labowitz, author of Miraculous Living and God Sex and Women of the Bible, and Rabbi Phillip Labowitz, both nationally known lecturers and creators of healing rituals in Jewish Renewal. People of deep spirituality, they draw from Eastern and Western traditions in their work as co-Rabbis at Temple Adath Or in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Sh’ma Center for Jewish Meditation is devoted to teaching Jewish meditation as a means to achieve devekut, union with God. Founded by Rabbi Rami Shapiro and located on the grounds of Temple Beth Or in Miami, Florida, the Sh'ma Center offers morning meditation sessions, weekly classes, Sabbath meditation retreats, and day-long opportunities to learn from leading Jewish spiritual teachers from all over the United States. The Sh'ma Center welcomes people of all backgrounds, seeing in meditation a means of transcending differences and awakening to the singular Reality that is the common ground of all being. The January event is presented in cooperation with Temple Beth El, Hollywood, Florida. Co-sponsors include Aleph: The Alliance for Jewish Renewal, and The Nathan Cummings Foundation. Rabbi Jeff Roth, director of Elat Chayyim, invites everyone to "share in an experience of the rapidly growing reentry of meditation into Jewish life." He says, "Its practice will help you compose your mind, awaken your heart and discover the enriched sense of the Divine presence in your life. Whether you are experienced or first connecting to Jewish meditation this Shabbaton and conference is designed with you in mind. The presenters are among the most skillful teachers in the Jewish world." SCHEDULE Shabbaton Jan. 14-15 Conference Jan. 15-16 Post conference intensive workshops Jan. 17 Friday Jan. 14 7:00pm Registration Advanced registrants only 7:30pm-9:30 Shabbaton begins (After dinner) Shabbat Jan 15 8:30am Silent practice/ yoga 8:45 Walking practice 9:15 Shacharit Chant/silence/torah 12:30pm Lunch 2:00 Meditation with instructions - Three levels 3:00 Walking 3:45 Silent practice 4:30 Questions and Answers 6:00pm Dinner 7:00 Regather in Main Sanctuary Conference Jan 15-16 6:30pm Registration 7:30 Confernce begins Welcome/Havdallah Shonni/Jeff/Shefa 8:30pm Keynote: David Cooper Contemplative practice and merging with God (devekut) 9:30 Closing practice- Thirty minutes Sunday Jan. 16 7:30am Optional practices Silence Contemplative Davvenen Yoga 9:00am Keynote-David Zeller 9:55 Keynote-Sheila Weinberg 10:45 Workshops (8) Jeff Roth, Shonni Labowitz, Mitch Chefitz, David Zeller, Rami Shapiro, Miles Krassen Daniel Siegel Nathan Katz 12:15pm Box lunch 2:00 Contemplative chant/ Shefa 3:15 Break 3:45 Keynote: Contemplative Practice and Tikkun Olam- Bernie Glassman 4:45pm Panel - Questions and Answers Closing ritual Jan 17 Post conference workshops 9:00 Morning session Rabbi Shefa Gold Rabbi David and Shoshannah Rabbi Bernie Glassman Rabbi David Zeller Rabbi Miles Krassen 12:30 Lunch 2:00-5:00 Afternoon sessions (with same teacher) Jan 14-17 Entire Event Fri nite-Monday $295 Jan 14-15 Shabbaton $130 Jan 15-16 Conference Sat. night Sunday $130 (all day, includes box lunch) Jan 17 Monday Intensives $95 (all day, includes box lunch) Jan 14-16 Shabbaton and Conference $235 Friday night Sunday Jan 15-17 Conference and Intensives $200 Sat night Monday Jan 14-15Jan 17 Shabbaton and Intensives $200 Frinight Sat night, Monday Add $25 for registration after 12/31/99 10% Discount to: seniors, full-time students, and members of supporting organizations Please ignore the room accommodation selection and children's program information on the registration form. Neither room accommodations nor a children's program will be included in the conference. For the sake of making the online registration form work, which is designed for retreats at Elat Chayyim, please select any room accommodation. Your selection will not affect the cost of attendance, but is required to complete the form. With the support of The Nathan Cummings Foundation, Sylvia Boorstein and Rabbis Jeff Roth and Sheila Peltz Weinberg will facilitate the following retreats: Rabbinic Meditation Retreats Rabbis are invited, at no cost, to partake in beginning retreats on both coasts or advanced retreats at Elat Chayyim. This can be an opportunity for your own rest and renewal and increased self-understanding and deeper connection to God. It can also offer an additional form which you can use when you lead and teach. Send letters of interest to Rabbi Jeff Roth. Introductory Rabbinic Meditation Retreats At Elat Chayyim (for east-coast rabbis) May 7-10, 2000 At Spirit Rock Meditation Center in CA (for west coast rabbis) November 7-10, 1999 November 5-8, 2000 Advanced Rabbinic Meditation Retreats Prior experience necessary (At Elat Chayyim) May 21-25, 2000
Shoshana Cooper and Rabbis David Cooper, Jeff Roth and Sheila Peltz-Weinberg will lead the meditative Shabbaton. It will begin Friday at 7:00 PM and then resume on Saturday morning, concluding with Havdallah at the conference. The conference itself will begin at 7:30 PM on Saturday with Havdallah and chanting led by Rabbi Shefa Gold. Proceedings will continue early Sunday and conclude between 5 and 6 PM with a closing panel on Meditation and Everyday Life.
The keynote speakers are Rabbi David Cooper, Rabbi Sheila Peltz- Weinberg, Rabbi Dovid Zeller, Rabbi Shefa Gold and Roshi Bernie Glassman. Workshop presenters include; Mitch Chefitz, Nathan Katz, Rabbi Miles Krassen, Rabbi Shoni Labowitz, Rabbi Jeff Roth, Rabbi Rami Shapiro, and Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg.
The program is under the sponsorship of Elat Chayyim; A Center for Healing and Renewal, Living Waters; A Spiritual Retreat Program, and the Sh’ma Center; A Center for Jewish Meditation.
Elat Chayyim is a transdenominational center for Jewish spiritual retreats in Accord, New York, about 80 miles north of New York City. Among its varied offerings of summer and holiday retreats, Elat Chayyim is one of three national groups at the forefront of the reentry of meditation into contemporary Jewish life. This work has been supported through the generous support of The Nathan Cummings Foundation. Elat Chayyim offers two different two year training programs for Jewish leaders in meditation as well as a series of introductory and advanced meditation retreats for rabbis. A full schedule of weekend, weeklong and ten day meditation retreats are available to the general public.
LivingWaters is a spiritual health spa based on ancient Kabbalastic teachings. It is a nurturing, joy-filled environment, designed for healing the mind, stimulating the body and liberating the soul. The LivingWaters programs are guided by Rabbi Shoni Labowitz, author of Miraculous Living and God Sex and Women of the Bible, and Rabbi Phillip Labowitz, both nationally known lecturers and creators of healing rituals in Jewish Renewal. People of deep spirituality, they draw from Eastern and Western traditions in their work as co-Rabbis at Temple Adath Or in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The Sh’ma Center for Jewish Meditation is devoted to teaching Jewish meditation as a means to achieve devekut, union with God. Founded by Rabbi Rami Shapiro and located on the grounds of Temple Beth Or in Miami, Florida, the Sh'ma Center offers morning meditation sessions, weekly classes, Sabbath meditation retreats, and day-long opportunities to learn from leading Jewish spiritual teachers from all over the United States. The Sh'ma Center welcomes people of all backgrounds, seeing in meditation a means of transcending differences and awakening to the singular Reality that is the common ground of all being.
The January event is presented in cooperation with Temple Beth El, Hollywood, Florida. Co-sponsors include Aleph: The Alliance for Jewish Renewal, and The Nathan Cummings Foundation.
Rabbi Jeff Roth, director of Elat Chayyim, invites everyone to "share in an experience of the rapidly growing reentry of meditation into Jewish life." He says, "Its practice will help you compose your mind, awaken your heart and discover the enriched sense of the Divine presence in your life. Whether you are experienced or first connecting to Jewish meditation this Shabbaton and conference is designed with you in mind. The presenters are among the most skillful teachers in the Jewish world."
Shabbaton Jan. 14-15 Conference Jan. 15-16 Post conference intensive workshops Jan. 17
7:00pm Registration Advanced registrants only 7:30pm-9:30 Shabbaton begins (After dinner)
8:30am Silent practice/ yoga 8:45 Walking practice 9:15 Shacharit Chant/silence/torah 12:30pm Lunch 2:00 Meditation with instructions - Three levels 3:00 Walking 3:45 Silent practice 4:30 Questions and Answers 6:00pm Dinner 7:00 Regather in Main Sanctuary
6:30pm Registration 7:30 Confernce begins Welcome/Havdallah Shonni/Jeff/Shefa 8:30pm Keynote: David Cooper Contemplative practice and merging with God (devekut) 9:30 Closing practice- Thirty minutes
7:30am Optional practices Silence Contemplative Davvenen Yoga 9:00am Keynote-David Zeller 9:55 Keynote-Sheila Weinberg 10:45 Workshops (8) Jeff Roth, Shonni Labowitz, Mitch Chefitz, David Zeller, Rami Shapiro, Miles Krassen Daniel Siegel Nathan Katz 12:15pm Box lunch 2:00 Contemplative chant/ Shefa 3:15 Break 3:45 Keynote: Contemplative Practice and Tikkun Olam- Bernie Glassman 4:45pm Panel - Questions and Answers Closing ritual
Silence Contemplative Davvenen Yoga
Jeff Roth, Shonni Labowitz, Mitch Chefitz, David Zeller, Rami Shapiro, Miles Krassen Daniel Siegel Nathan Katz
9:00 Morning session Rabbi Shefa Gold Rabbi David and Shoshannah Rabbi Bernie Glassman Rabbi David Zeller Rabbi Miles Krassen 12:30 Lunch 2:00-5:00 Afternoon sessions (with same teacher) Jan 14-17 Entire Event Fri nite-Monday $295 Jan 14-15 Shabbaton $130 Jan 15-16 Conference Sat. night Sunday $130 (all day, includes box lunch) Jan 17 Monday Intensives $95 (all day, includes box lunch) Jan 14-16 Shabbaton and Conference $235 Friday night Sunday Jan 15-17 Conference and Intensives $200 Sat night Monday Jan 14-15Jan 17 Shabbaton and Intensives $200 Frinight Sat night, Monday Add $25 for registration after 12/31/99 10% Discount to: seniors, full-time students, and members of supporting organizations Please ignore the room accommodation selection and children's program information on the registration form. Neither room accommodations nor a children's program will be included in the conference. For the sake of making the online registration form work, which is designed for retreats at Elat Chayyim, please select any room accommodation. Your selection will not affect the cost of attendance, but is required to complete the form. With the support of The Nathan Cummings Foundation, Sylvia Boorstein and Rabbis Jeff Roth and Sheila Peltz Weinberg will facilitate the following retreats: Rabbinic Meditation Retreats
Rabbi Shefa Gold Rabbi David and Shoshannah Rabbi Bernie Glassman Rabbi David Zeller Rabbi Miles Krassen
Neither room accommodations nor a children's program will be included in the conference.
For the sake of making the online registration form work, which is designed for retreats at Elat Chayyim, please select any room accommodation. Your selection will not affect the cost of attendance, but is required to complete the form.
With the support of The Nathan Cummings Foundation, Sylvia Boorstein and Rabbis Jeff Roth and Sheila Peltz Weinberg will facilitate the following retreats: Rabbinic Meditation Retreats
Rabbis are invited, at no cost, to partake in beginning retreats on both coasts or advanced retreats at Elat Chayyim. This can be an opportunity for your own rest and renewal and increased self-understanding and deeper connection to God. It can also offer an additional form which you can use when you lead and teach. Send letters of interest to Rabbi Jeff Roth.
Introductory Rabbinic Meditation Retreats At Elat Chayyim (for east-coast rabbis) May 7-10, 2000 At Spirit Rock Meditation Center in CA (for west coast rabbis) November 7-10, 1999 November 5-8, 2000
Advanced Rabbinic Meditation Retreats Prior experience necessary (At Elat Chayyim) May 21-25, 2000
Mindfulness Leadership Training at Elat Chayyim
Taught by Sylvia Boorstein, Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg and Rabbi Jeff Roth Supported by a grant from the Nathan Cummings Foundation What Is Mindfulness and Mindfulness Meditation Practice? "We are missing two ingredients...: calm, mindful perception and a gentle openness of the heart. In reality, these two are one." -Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira -From "Conscious Community" translated by Andrea Cohen-Kiener Mindfulness, a natural capacity of the mind, is that alert, balanced awareness of present experience that promotes clear understanding and wise response. This habit of attentiveness in all situations is strengthened by the practice of mindfulness meditation in daily life as well as in intensive retreat. The practice of mindfulness in intensive meditation retreat settings has grown in the past three decades as its value as an adjunct to health care programs (Jon Kabat-Zinn) and education programs (Daniel Goleman) has been widely publicized. Mindful awareness, apart from its historical background as a practice taught and preserved in simple form by Buddhist teachers, is non-sectarian, enabling it to be integrated into Jewish religious practice as a way of connecting deeply, personally, and intuitively with prayer, study, and service together. It is the growing interest and enthusiasm in the Jewish community for incorporating this approach into communal and personal Jewish life that prompts the Nathan Cummings Foundation to sponsor this program.
Taught by Sylvia Boorstein, Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg and Rabbi Jeff Roth Supported by a grant from the Nathan Cummings Foundation
What Is Mindfulness and Mindfulness Meditation Practice?
"We are missing two ingredients...: calm, mindful perception and a gentle openness of the heart. In reality, these two are one." -Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira -From "Conscious Community" translated by Andrea Cohen-Kiener
"We are missing two ingredients...: calm, mindful perception and a gentle openness of the heart. In reality, these two are one."
-Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira -From "Conscious Community" translated by Andrea Cohen-Kiener
Mindfulness, a natural capacity of the mind, is that alert, balanced awareness of present experience that promotes clear understanding and wise response. This habit of attentiveness in all situations is strengthened by the practice of mindfulness meditation in daily life as well as in intensive retreat.
The practice of mindfulness in intensive meditation retreat settings has grown in the past three decades as its value as an adjunct to health care programs (Jon Kabat-Zinn) and education programs (Daniel Goleman) has been widely publicized.
Mindful awareness, apart from its historical background as a practice taught and preserved in simple form by Buddhist teachers, is non-sectarian, enabling it to be integrated into Jewish religious practice as a way of connecting deeply, personally, and intuitively with prayer, study, and service together.
It is the growing interest and enthusiasm in the Jewish community for incorporating this approach into communal and personal Jewish life that prompts the Nathan Cummings Foundation to sponsor this program.
Mindfulness Leadership Training Program
Program Description:
We are pleased to offer a second round of this popular program, which served thirty-one students in its first series. This is a two-year training program for rabbis, Jewish educators, Jewish lay leaders and davenning leaders that emphasizes the integration of mindful awareness into a full Jewish life: communal worship, personal prayer, study, and service to others. Participants will develop skills for presenting Jewish teachings and practices as tools for personal and community transformation. The program consists of two five-day retreats per year at Elat Chayyim. These retreats will be both experiential and didactic. The traditional intensive mindfulness retreat form will be expanded to include instructions for the teaching of mindfulness to others. Participants will have the opportunity to maintain contact with program faculty and other participants between retreats. Topics will include: Basic mindfulness theory / basic practice instructions. Guidelines for interviewing students and for responding to questions about practice including group interview skills. *Working with difficulties in practice. Discussion of interpolation of mindfulness into existing community liturgical and other ritual practice. The use of a Jewish vocabulary to discuss mindfulness practice. Study of appropriate texts. Cost and Dates: Tuition is $1300 for the entire program plus $400 per retreat with subsidized transportation. Retreat dates are: October 29-Nov. 3, 2000 April 29- May 4, 2001 October 14-19, 2001 April 14-19, 2002 Application: Submit a letter of application to Elat Chayyim by March 15, 2000, including your Jewish education background, Jewish positions held and previous meditation experience. Space in the program is limited. Elat Chayyim 99 Mill Hook Road Accord, NY 12404 e-mail: elatchayyi@aol.com Phone: 1-800-398-2630 Fax: 914-626-2037 Teachers Biographies: Sylvia Boorstein is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California and a Senior Teacher at Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. She lectures and teaches widely on the subject of a mindful Jewish life and has taught mindfulness retreats regularly at Elat Chayyim since 1993. She is the author of several books on Buddhism and mindfulness meditation, most recently, That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist: On Being a Faithful Jew and a Passionate Buddhist. Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg has been a congregational rabbi for the Jewish Community of Amherst for eleven years. A graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, she is one of the interpretive contributors to the Reconstructionist Prayer Book and has written and published widely in the field of Jewish spirituality. She is a founder of B'not Esh, a feminist spiritual collective. She has been a mindfulness practitioner for ten years and has co-led Jewish mindfulness retreats with Sylvia Boorstein. Rabbi Jeff Roth, a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, is a co-founder and executive director of Elat Chayyim. He is a regular facilitator of Shabbatonim and holiday retreats. He co-leads Jewish mindfulness retreats with Sylvia Boorstein, does meditation workshops around the country and is a trainer with David and Shoshana Cooper in the Jewish Meditation Leaders training program.
We are pleased to offer a second round of this popular program, which served thirty-one students in its first series. This is a two-year training program for rabbis, Jewish educators, Jewish lay leaders and davenning leaders that emphasizes the integration of mindful awareness into a full Jewish life: communal worship, personal prayer, study, and service to others.
Participants will develop skills for presenting Jewish teachings and practices as tools for personal and community transformation.
The program consists of two five-day retreats per year at Elat Chayyim. These retreats will be both experiential and didactic. The traditional intensive mindfulness retreat form will be expanded to include instructions for the teaching of mindfulness to others. Participants will have the opportunity to maintain contact with program faculty and other participants between retreats.
Topics will include:
Cost and Dates:
Application:
Submit a letter of application to Elat Chayyim by March 15, 2000, including your Jewish education background, Jewish positions held and previous meditation experience. Space in the program is limited. Elat Chayyim 99 Mill Hook Road Accord, NY 12404 e-mail: elatchayyi@aol.com Phone: 1-800-398-2630 Fax: 914-626-2037
Submit a letter of application to Elat Chayyim by March 15, 2000, including your Jewish education background, Jewish positions held and previous meditation experience.
Space in the program is limited.
Elat Chayyim 99 Mill Hook Road Accord, NY 12404
e-mail: elatchayyi@aol.com Phone: 1-800-398-2630 Fax: 914-626-2037
Teachers Biographies:
Sylvia Boorstein is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California and a Senior Teacher at Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. She lectures and teaches widely on the subject of a mindful Jewish life and has taught mindfulness retreats regularly at Elat Chayyim since 1993. She is the author of several books on Buddhism and mindfulness meditation, most recently, That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist: On Being a Faithful Jew and a Passionate Buddhist. Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg has been a congregational rabbi for the Jewish Community of Amherst for eleven years. A graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, she is one of the interpretive contributors to the Reconstructionist Prayer Book and has written and published widely in the field of Jewish spirituality. She is a founder of B'not Esh, a feminist spiritual collective. She has been a mindfulness practitioner for ten years and has co-led Jewish mindfulness retreats with Sylvia Boorstein. Rabbi Jeff Roth, a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, is a co-founder and executive director of Elat Chayyim. He is a regular facilitator of Shabbatonim and holiday retreats. He co-leads Jewish mindfulness retreats with Sylvia Boorstein, does meditation workshops around the country and is a trainer with David and Shoshana Cooper in the Jewish Meditation Leaders training program.
Sylvia Boorstein is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California and a Senior Teacher at Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. She lectures and teaches widely on the subject of a mindful Jewish life and has taught mindfulness retreats regularly at Elat Chayyim since 1993. She is the author of several books on Buddhism and mindfulness meditation, most recently, That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist: On Being a Faithful Jew and a Passionate Buddhist.
Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg has been a congregational rabbi for the Jewish Community of Amherst for eleven years. A graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, she is one of the interpretive contributors to the Reconstructionist Prayer Book and has written and published widely in the field of Jewish spirituality. She is a founder of B'not Esh, a feminist spiritual collective. She has been a mindfulness practitioner for ten years and has co-led Jewish mindfulness retreats with Sylvia Boorstein.
Rabbi Jeff Roth, a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, is a co-founder and executive director of Elat Chayyim. He is a regular facilitator of Shabbatonim and holiday retreats. He co-leads Jewish mindfulness retreats with Sylvia Boorstein, does meditation workshops around the country and is a trainer with David and Shoshana Cooper in the Jewish Meditation Leaders training program.
Jewish Meditation Leadership Training Course
Staff: Rabbi David Cooper, Shoshana Cooper, Rabbi Jeff Roth
Jewish life is experiencing a revitalization with the reclaiming of deep meditative and contemplative practices. These tools have the potential to bring the practitioner in touch with the Divine Presence that pervades all of life (devekut). This increased sense of holiness brings with it renewed meaning and empowerment in prayer, study and service to others. It allows us to access our greatest wisdom and compassion.
This training program is designed to allow participants to greatly deepen their own meditation practice, to learn Jewish meditation techniques, to understand the context of contemplative practice in enhancing Jewish and daily life and for opening up the heart. The program consists of a two-year training period and envisions two successive two-year programs for those with the most serious interest and aptitude.
In addition to the general purposes, the first two-year component will train leaders in the skills necessary to teach the elementary principles of Jewish meditation. Upon successful completion of the program and approval of the mentors, graduates will be qualified to lead weekly sitting groups. Participants will learn to use a series of models, which can be used in synagogues, havurot, living rooms, etc. The models include:
Contemplative Shacharit (for morning sitting groups) Contemplative Minchah (for afternoon sitting groups) Contemplative Ma'ariv (for evening sitting groups)
These models include teaching, silence and chant. Participants will receive materials in writing and on tape to facilitate of these groups. These materials will include the chants as well as basic practice instructions and basic teachings about liturgical and kabbalistic practices.
The program will teach basic experiential understanding of mindfulness practice, contemplative prayer practice, use of sacred chant, kabbalistic meditations and other meditation techniques.
In addition to four week long retreats during the first two years, the training includes ongoing supervision of each individualÕs personal practice as well as feedback on leadership techniques. Participants will be asked to keep a journal of their daily practice experiences.
Participants will receive mentoring from a pair of the facilitators. These mentors will conduct private practice interviews during the retreats as well. In the months without retreats, participants will have regular contact with one of the two mentors.
Successive two-year programs will begin in 2002 and 2004. Those who participate in the third and fourth year of the training will be asked to join one three-week retreat in addition to three week-long programs. Students who successfully complete this training will be certified as Jewish meditation teachers, qualified to lead weekend retreats. For those in the six-year program, there will be a forty-day retreat. These trainees will be incorporated as assistant trainers in other ongoing retreats and learn skills in interviewing as well as teaching.
Submit a letter of application to Elat Chayyim by December 1, 1999 including your Jewish educational background, previous meditation experience and your reasons for applying to the program. Space is limited and the demand is expected to be high so apply early. We will accept only 48 participants.
Cost and Deadlines:
Tuition for the program is $750/year payable in two installments. The first installment is due upon acceptance and the second on February 1, 2001. In addition to the tuition, retreat fees for each of the seven day programs will be: $510 for a double room or $570 for a single room. These fees represent a $120 discount from regular seven-day fees. Trainees who decide to stay on for the fourteen days will be given proportional fee reductions.
Tuition for the program is $750/year payable in two installments.
The first installment is due upon acceptance and the second on February 1, 2001.
In addition to the tuition, retreat fees for each of the seven day programs will be:
Dates:
Two 7-day retreats/year for 2 years June 25-July 2, 2000, for trainees and the public December 17-24, 2000- trainees only (December 24, 2000-January 1, 2001 is the public retreat) June 17-24, 2001- trainees only (June 24-July 1, 2001- possible retreat open to the public) December 23-30, 2001- trainees only (December 30, 2001-January 6, 2002 is the public retreat) We encourage participants to try and arrange for one fourteen-day retreat during this period by staying over for the public retreat.
Two 7-day retreats/year for 2 years
We encourage participants to try and arrange for one fourteen-day retreat during this period by staying over for the public retreat.
Teacher biographies:
Rabbi David Cooper leads contemplative workshops across the country. He is an experienced practitioner in many spiritual traditions and is the author of God Is A Verb; Renewing Your Soul; Entering the Sacred Mountain; The Heart of Stillness; and Silence, Simplicity & Solitude. He is also the author of the audio-tape series, The Mystical Kabbalah and The Holy Chariot. Shoshana Cooper, teacher of Japanese Tea Ceremony, long-time practitioner of meditation, and composer of sacred Jewish chant, leads contemplative workshops across the country. She brings the skill and compassion of her previous career as an oncology nurse and university-level nursing instructor to her teaching. Rabbi Jeff Roth, co-founder and Executive Directors of Elat Chayyim, is a serious meditation practitioner and a creator of experiential approaches to liturgy. Ordained by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, he uses guitar and storytelling to create joyous worship. He is an instructor for the Mindfulness Leadership Training Program and leads mindfulness meditation retreats for rabbis, monthly contemplative Shabbatot and general meditation retreats at Elat Chayyim and around the country.
Rabbi David Cooper leads contemplative workshops across the country. He is an experienced practitioner in many spiritual traditions and is the author of God Is A Verb; Renewing Your Soul; Entering the Sacred Mountain; The Heart of Stillness; and Silence, Simplicity & Solitude. He is also the author of the audio-tape series, The Mystical Kabbalah and The Holy Chariot.
Shoshana Cooper, teacher of Japanese Tea Ceremony, long-time practitioner of meditation, and composer of sacred Jewish chant, leads contemplative workshops across the country. She brings the skill and compassion of her previous career as an oncology nurse and university-level nursing instructor to her teaching.
Rabbi Jeff Roth, co-founder and Executive Directors of Elat Chayyim, is a serious meditation practitioner and a creator of experiential approaches to liturgy. Ordained by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, he uses guitar and storytelling to create joyous worship. He is an instructor for the Mindfulness Leadership Training Program and leads mindfulness meditation retreats for rabbis, monthly contemplative Shabbatot and general meditation retreats at Elat Chayyim and around the country.
I believe that you are really developing something special that will have a profound effect on the course of Judaism in this country and abroad. This is a secret that is just too good to keep. -Participant