Hazon Rabbis’ Retreat March 31 – April 3, 2019 Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center A Weekday Shabbaton for Rabbis and Spiritual Leaders
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Join the Hazon Rabbinical Council The Hazon Rabbinical Council is a mutually beneficial and supportive avenue for Hazon to help catalyze a broad spectrum of religious leaders to use Hazon as a portal for education and action, helping them be stronger leaders in creating a healthy and sustainable community in the Jewish world and beyond.
Benefits of Rabbinical Council membership: A public recognition of your pledge toward sustainability on the Hazon website where you will be listed as part of the Rabbinical Council. Invitation to exclusive, bi-monthly webinars led by members of the Rabbinical Council and beyond. 10% off three retreats of your choice up at the home of Hazon, Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, and 15% off all Hazon bookstore purchases. Opportunities to teach at Hazon bike-rides, retreats, and conferences. Receive Hazon’s quarterly newsletter for rabbis, sent out to over 1400 rabbis in our network, with select contributions from you and other rabbis. Become instantly eligible to become a member of Hazon Seal of Sustainability, for your synagogue or institution, and gain access to community micro-grants, and access to discounts on sustainable product purchasing for your synagogue/institution. Hazon can promote your Jewish outdoor, food and environmental events online. Send us links to your programs and we’ll share them with our communities. Let’s collaborate! One-on-one mentoring and support for assembling a team or cohort to attend: Hazon Ride and Retreat, Arava Institute Hazon Israel Ride, or any retreat or conference that you would like to host — either at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center or at home! Join today at
hazon.org/rabbinicalcouncil
Welcome! Shalom Dearest Friends, It is my deepest honor and pleasure to welcome you to the Hazon Rabbis Retreat 2019! Whether this is your first time at Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, or whether you have many anecdotes you can share about your experiences here in the past, we want you to have fun, loosen up, get deep, and do your thing! The schedule of the retreat is intentionally relaxed, but the intent is deeply serious. The Jewish community faces many great challenges - and so, on a far larger scale, does the entire world. The intuition behind Hazon’s work is that these are not two different challenges. We believe that when you point Jewish life outwards to make a difference in the world, you also strengthen Jewish life in the process. That’s why we’re raising our game, and working harder than ever before to help the Jewish community to take a real lead on issues of environmental sustainability, with a particular focus on sustainable food systems. Because Jewish life was acronymically challenged, we coined a new acronym - JOFEE - to stand for Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Education. Hazon is the Jewish lab for sustainability, and Isabella Freedman is our living exemplar of these values. So we hope that this retreat will be an opportunity for you to rest, retreat and recharge, and also to think much more deeply about some
of these issues. Our deepest hope is that we will be able to support you in your rabbinate, even as you support us in this vital work. We hope you’ll have the time and space to think more deeply about who you are and the community you serve, also, be sure to pick up some of our Hazon publications at Guest Services as a gift from us to you! The retreat is partly peer-led because we want each of you to have the opportunity to step back or step forwards in ways that make most sense for you. Our hope is that after these few days together, you reenter your current work with renewed vision, with a more thoughtful approach to your work as a rabbi and spiritual leader and that you feel a sense of restored and renewed motivation to make your impact on the Jewish future a sustainable one. I especially invite you to chat with me one-on-one if you have particular questions or suggestions. Thank you so much for being here.
Isaiah Rothstein
Rabbi-in-residence, Hazon
PS: Many of you have already joined Hazon’s Rabbinical Council, which honors those rabbis who support us and reflects our mutual commitment to you. We hope that each of you will choose to join our Rabbinical Council in due course.
Table of Contents Welcome to Isabella Freedman...........................................................................3 Guest Information....................................................................................................4 About Hazon..............................................................................................................6 Our Food Values at Isabella Freedman......................................................8 Higher Welfare Kosher Meat...................................................................... 10 Schedule Sunday, March 31........................................................................................... 11 Monday, April 1............................................................................................... 12 Tuesday, April 2............................................................................................... 14 Wednesday, April 3........................................................................................ 16 Participant Bios...................................................................................................... 17 Mentors List............................................................................................................. 17 Reading List............................................................................................................. 22
March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 3
Guest Information Please read upon arrival If you need anything during your stay, please contact the Retreat Manager on duty. EMERGENCY CALLS: In the event of a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1 from your cell phone, OR: 9-9-1-1 from any land line phone, located in the buildings throughout campus. Please familiarize yourself with the location of the nearest phone to your room. You must dial 9 before making any call on our land line phones. After making a 9-1-1 call, please contact a retreat manager at the IF Emergency #: Dial 860 – 453-3963 from a cell phone. Emergencies only, please. You must dial 9 before making any call on our land line phones. SECURITY: Isabella Freedman is an oasis in a troubled world. And, we are committed to vigilance and preparedness for the unfortunate realities of our society today. Two general guidelines provide the basis for our security program: Please wear your name tags at all times. Our staff need to be aware of who should be on our site. In the event of a campus-wide emergency, you will hear three one-second blasts of a very loud air horn, repeated multiple times. If you hear this, immediately evacuate to the decorative gate at Adamah farm located across the street from the main entrance and remain there until emergency services arrive. Do not use your cellphone or take time to look for others besides children. FIRST AID: First aid materials are located at Guest Services, in the Lounge, Yurts, Arts and Crafts Building, and Pool House. A defibrillator is located in the Lounge. FIRE SAFETY: Please only light candles at group candle lighting in the main building. Camp fires must be approved by the event coordinator in advance and are only allowed at the fire pit by the lake. Camp fires must be put out at the end of the activity. Please see a retreat manager for any questions. SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited in all buildings, and throughout campus. You may smoke only at the fire pit by the lake. Please dispose of cigarette butts in the designated cigarette bin. PARKING: Driving and parking is not allowed on grassy areas. Please only park in the designated parking areas: the lot near the main entrance and the lot near the barnyard. KASHRUT: Our facility is strictly kosher. Please do not bring any outside food or beverages or personal drinking and eating vessels (including water bottles and travel mugs) into the main building without prior approval from one of our kosher
supervisors. Mugs from our coffee bar can be used throughout the main building. Please do not take our dishes outside of the dining spaces. Food may be brought outside of the dining spaces in compostable to-go ware found at the coffee bar. Any supplemental food you wish to have at a meal must be brought (in original sealed packaging) to be checked by our kosher supervisor. CLEAR YOUR TABLES: Please clear your table after finishing your meal. Bins for compost and dishware are located at the corner of the Dining Hall. CHECK OUT PROCEDURE: On check-out day, you MUST move out of your room by 10 am or a $50 late fee will be applied to your credit card. Kindly strip your bed and place all sheets and towels into the pillowcases. (Please leave mattress pads, blankets and comforters on the beds.) COMPOST & RECYCLING: Around campus you will see containers for compost (green), recycling (blue) and trash (black). Items that are compost: All food including bones, paper napkins, paper towels, to-go ware (hot/cold cups, lids, utensils, containers) tea bags, paper wrappers, corks, and wooden coffee stirrers. We use our compost to fertilize our Adamah Farm! GUEST FRIDGE: You may store personal food items in the fridge located in the Sunroom near Guest Services. (These items do not have to be kosher.) Please label your name on all items. POTABLE TAP WATER: ALL tap water on campus comes directly from a local well source and is potable and delicious! HOT WATER/COFFEE: Due to our kosher policies, on Shabbat we offer coffee and hot water until it runs out. Once Shabbat ends, our staff make fresh batches. We appreciate your understanding, and we strive to provide enough coffee and hot water through the holiday. CHILDREN: Please make sure that your children are supervised at all times, or are participating in children’s programming associated with your retreat. THERMOSTATS: The thermostats in your buildings/rooms are programmed to keep you comfortable. You may adjust the temperature by increasing or decreasing the thermostat one or two degrees.
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GAMES, BOOKS AND MORE: We offer a variety of sport equipment, books, games and toys for your pleasure. Please see a retreat manager to borrow any of these items. Please do not use any bikes located on campus as these belong to Isabella Freedman staff.
HIKING: Please stay on Isabella Freedman trails when hiking. We advise telling a friend when you go out on a trail and when you return, carrying a cell phone and water bottle, and only hiking during daylight hours. Trail maps are located at Guest Services.
LAKE AND SWIMMING / BOATING: The pool and lake are closed for the season.
TICKS AND LYME DISEASE: We recommend doing a tick check after spending time outdoors. We have tick removal information available at Guest Services.
VISITING THE GOATS: Please only enter into fenced-in areas with an Isabella Freedman staff member present, and please respect any signage and/or directions given by staff members.
We hope you enjoy your stay with us! It’s important to us to know both what you enjoyed and ways we could improve our work here. Please do fill out an evaluation form. If you do not receive one, please email evaluations@hazon.org.
Honoring Native Land At Isabella Freedman, we cultivate the soil to grow food, we climb mountains to gain new perspectives, we mikvah in the lake to mark transitions, and we pray, learn, and engage with our tradition and with the forests and living waters. Long before we started applying our own stories and traditions to this land, it was the sacred home of the Mohican people. For more than five hundred years, Indigenous communities across the Americas have demonstrated resilience and resistance in the face of violent efforts to separate them from their land, culture, and community. Too often their history is erased. As Jews we have experienced exile and persecution, and as part of the larger process of decolonization and reconciliation, we honor the Indigenous People who have stewarded this land for thousands of years. Want to learn more about the history of Indigenous People where you live? Visit native-land.ca
March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 5
About Hazon
The word "hazon" means "vision." We're the Jewish lab for sustainability. We work to create a more sustainable Jewish community – and a healthier and more sustainable world for all. We do this through immersive multi-day programs like food conferences, retreats, and bike rides; through thought-leadership (writing, teaching and advocacy); and capacity-building – fostering new experiments in Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Education, across the Jewish world.
“The Torah is a commentary on the world and the world is a commentary on the Torah.” Our theme quote reflects our belief that turning Jewish life outwards to address some of the greatest challenges of our time is good not only for the world, but also for the renewal of Jewish life itself.
Our programs are multi-generational and open to people of all religious backgrounds and none. We are based in New York, Detroit, Denver, Boulder, and at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in the Connecticut Berkshires.
Education
Action
Advocacy
We offer Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Education (JOFEE), providing thought-leadership and immersive experiences for a spectrum of ages and interests. From institutions and individuals using our wide range of curricula and sourcebooks to kids at our Teva programs weighing their leftovers and young adults living in community and farming with Adamah, Hazon supports learning at the intersection of Jewish life and sustainability.
Hazon participants take action. We compost and pickle. We improve the energy profiles of our Jewish institutions, use our food dollars to support local farms, and meet thousands of our neighbors at regional Jewish Food Festivals. We raise environmental awareness while riding our bikes. We share sustainable Shabbat meals, create gardens at our Jewish institutions, plant seeds for future generations, build intentional communities in North America, and visit our partners in Israel’s environmental sector.
And in settings from synagogues to community board meetings to global climate marches, we advocate on local and regional projects like bike lanes and family-owned farms, as well as on national issues like climate change and sustainable agriculture. Hazon provides rabbis with sermon materials on climate issues, and training and support for meetings with government representatives. Hazon participants speak up to help make the world we all share healthier and more sustainable for everyone.
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Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center: Organizational Retreats & Simchas
With decades of retreat hosting experience, Isabella Freedman is the ideal setting for your organizational retreat or simcha. We offer a unique gathering place for meetings, workshops, and team-building, as well as weddings, b’nai mitzvah, milestone birthdays, and family reunions. Our event coordinators will work with you to design and curate an experience that is perfect for you and your guests. Enjoy a tour of the Adamah farm, Teva nature programs, farm-to-table food education, yoga, meditation, and other on-site amenities and activities. JOFEE
Because Jewish life is short of acronyms, we’ve added a new one to summarize the fast-growing field that we’re catalyzing: JOFEE, which stands for Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Education. Our range of programs has grown steadily since 2000. We offer retreats here at Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, plus bike rides, food festivals, curricula resources, mini-grants, and capacity-building. Flagship programs include Adamah, Teva, JOFEE Fellowship, and the Hazon Seal of Sustainability. Seal of Sustainability
Many Jewish institutions want to engage in healthier, more humane, and more sustainable behaviors, but don’t know where to start or how to keep up the momentum. Through the Hazon Seal of Sustainability, we are providing a solution – a roadmap to advance sustainability-related education, action, and advocacy in the Jewish community. The Hazon Seal will help you improve sustainability and strengthen your institution in three areas and through three audits: sustainable food and animal welfare, renewable energy and facilities, and ecosystems and health. Tap into our expertise, online resources (including our Food Audit), workshops, and field trips, for your Green Team to create a culture of sustainability through signage, educational programming, gardens, green kiddush, green roofs, composting, solar panels, and recycling. Sustainable Israel Tour Join community leaders on a one-of-a-kind mission highlighting developments in Israel towards more sustainable food production, healthy living, and social justice. Adamah
Our flagship farming fellowship, based here at Isabella Freedman, is a three-month leadership training program for Jewish adults ages 20 – 35 that integrates organic agriculture, farm-to-table living, Jewish learning, community building, and spiritual practice. Adamah – a program of extraordinary impact – cultivates the soil and the soul to produce food, to build and transform identities, and to gather a community of people changing the world. We grow vegetables, fruit, herbs, goats, flowers, eggs, and more, using organic and sustainable methods. And we grow people by creating hands-on experiences with ecology, food systems, spiritual practice, a vibrant evolving Judaism, and intentional community. Adamah alumni are fanning out across the American Jewish landscape as educators, rabbis, activists, entrepreneurs – and farmers.
Teva
Teva works to fundamentally transform Jewish education through experiential learning that fosters Jewish, ecological, and food sustainability. Teva was founded in 1994 with the philosophy of immersing young people – children ages 2-17 years old and educators of children – in the natural world and providing structured activities to sensitize participants to nature’s rhythms, help them develop a more meaningful relationship with nature, and deepen their own connection to Jewish practices and traditions. Teva works with day schools, congregations, camps, JCCs, BJEs, youth groups, and other Jewish institutions that cover the spectrum of religious affiliation. Our Teva educators have been inspired by their experiences living and teaching in community to start initiatives that are making real impact in Jewish communities around the world. "Camp Teva" is available for children during most of our retreats at Isabella Freedman. Hakhel The word hakhel means "gather the people," or "to create a community.” (It’s from the same root word as kehillah, community.) Hakhel was founded on the premise that communal life is an irreplaceable component in maintaining Jewish identity, and yet existing community models do not resonate with increasing numbers of people. Through Hakhel, we are cultivating the emergence of a range of new experiments in Jewish community by providing matching mini-grants, free professional consulting, and learning trips to Israel for individual communities and community leaders; by networking communities through conferences, peer-learning, trainings and seminars; and by developing content and educational materials to further develop the field and the discourse of Jewish Intentional Communities. Bike Rides
In 2000, we launched our first Jewish Environmental Bike Ride aimed at raising both environmental awareness and much needed funds to support greening initiatives in the Jewish community. What started as a singular program now includes several supported rides in cities across the United States, as well as a popular series of fun, free community events called Tribe Rides. Thousands of people have participated in our various bike rides which often serve as entry points to organized Jewish life for those who are excited about biking, sustainability, the environment, and/or the outdoors. Our two largest bike rides – the New York Ride & Retreat (which takes place over Labor Day Weekend here at Isabella Freedman) and the Israel Ride – are powerful immersive experiences, as well as important fundraisers for Hazon and the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. Educational Curricula and Sourcebooks
We have developed a diverse library of curricula and sourcebooks that can be used in the classroom, at home, or as experiential programs. Our tools are geared towards various age groups and are used in synagogues, day schools, JCCs, and camps around the world. Check the Hazon Bookstore here at Isabella Freedman for titles including Food for Thought: Hazon’s Sourcebook on Jews, Food & Contemporary Life, Tu B’Shvat Haggadah: The Hazon Seder & Sourcebook, Sustainable Shabbat Dinner, and more.
March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 7
Our Food Values at Isabella Freedman How do we create an American Jewish community that is measurably healthier and more sustainable, demonstrably playing a role in making the world healthier and more sustainable for all? Our food choices impact the earth, animals, indigenous peoples, agricultural workers, local communities, factory workers, and food industry workers. Hazon is working to build connections and relationships between farmers, entrepreneurs, farm workers, consumers, distributors, rabbis, Jewish leaders, business leaders, and other faith leaders, among others. We are supporting farmers, building CSAs, inspiring farmers’ markets at our synagogues and JCCs, and helping to source local food at Jewish institutions. At Isabella Freedman, we are incredibly proud of our kosher farm to table kitchen, which we call Adamah Foods. We strive to achieve the highest standards of sustainability through food sourcing that is seasonal, local, organic, fair trade, and supports animal welfare. Following are some of our guiding principles. Sustainable Fish
Pickles of All Kinds
As worldwide demand for fish has increased, wild fish populations can't keep up with our appetites and find themselves threatened by overfishing. Certain fish farming practices have very little effect on the environment while others are devastating. We use the Monterrey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch list in determining how to serve ocean friendly fish.
The Adamah farmers harvest organic vegetables from our land for seven months of the year, but the bounty of their labor is available every day on our salad bar thanks to oldworld preservation techniques. After harvest, Adamah fellows submerge cucumbers, cabbage, and other fresh veggies in salt water brine. Over the course of a few days or even several months – depending on the vegetable, time of year, and desired result – nutrients inherent to the vegetable are preserved while delicious pickle flavors and additional nutrients are brought out. Eating fermented foods restores beneficial bacteria to your intestinal tract, which aids with digestion and absorption of nutrients.
How can you make sure you are eating safe and sustainable fish at home? Get the Seafood Watch mobile app at seafoodwatch.org. Fair Trade
When we buy foods grown far away, like chocolate, tea and coffee, we make sure they come from Fair Trade sources. We choose reputable certifiers like the worker cooperative Equal Exchange and the indigenous rights and environmental advocates Deans Beans. Our fair trade chocolate costs four times more than most brands, but it is our priority to nourish our guests with food produced in fair and sustainable ways. Craving chocolate? You can find ethically-sourced chocolate bars in the Hazon Bookstore! Want to avoid consuming foods produced by slave labor? Choose fair trade in all of your shopping! Taste the Forest
Experience the liminal moment between winter slumber and spring vibrance in the maple syrup we serve. In late winter, when nights are below freezing but days are warm, trees move sap up to their branches and emerging leaf buds. Our neighbors Jude and Winter Mead siphon off a portion of the excess sap production of their maple trees each season, boil it down, and bottle it for us to serve throughout the year. 40 gallons of sap yield just one gallon of syrup, making this precious regional delicacy a real reminder to slow down and savor the sweetness of the world. Want to bring some home with you? We produce a small amount of maple syrup from the trees right here at Isabella Freedman by hand – schlepping buckets and boiling the sap down in an outdoor evaporator. Purchase your taste of the Isabella Freedman forest in the Hazon Bookstore!
Can't imagine your post-Isabella Freedman meals without sauerkraut and kimchi? We have jars for sale in the Hazon Bookstore along with our small-batch jams and other Adamah products! You can also find a wide variety of lacto-fermented vegetables in your local market or CSA. “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
Michael Pollan's adage expresses our intentions for the Adamah Foods experience. We strive to nourish, accommodating all of our guests' different dietary needs. Please begin your meals with small portions, revisiting the buffet for second helpings so that not too much precious food ends up being wasted. In the interest of our community's health and the sustainability of our planet, we serve balanced meals that center on whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. During the spring and summer we grow and harvest the majority of our own produce at the Adamah Farm. This includes kale, collards, chard, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, cauliflower, scallions, garlic, salad greens, spinach, Jerusalem artichoke, turnips, radishes, kohlrabi, jalapeños, dill, parsley, cilantro, sorrel, watermelon, cantaloupe, summer squash, zucchini, winter squash (kabocha, jester, acorn, and delicata), radish, eggplant, cabbage, ginger, and watermelon radish. Interested in reducing your footprint on the environment and feeling healthy? Try eating more vegetables by joining a CSA program, increasing your whole grain and bean intake, and keeping fruit and nuts around for snack time.
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Meat
All of the meat we serve is provided by Grow & Behold, a company started by alumni of the Adamah program and former Hazon staff. Grow & Behold's mission is to provide premium Glatt Kosher pastured meats raised on small family-run farms. Pasture-raised meats are better for the environment, for your health, and for the animals you eat. Turn the page to read more about how we are deepening our commitment to serving ethical, higher welfare kosher meat. Interested in finding kosher, pasture-raised meat in your area? Check out growandbehold.com or kolfoods.com for nationwide delivery and buying club options. Pri Ha’Gafen (Fruit of the Vine)
The Twin Suns wine that we serve is produced with limited chemicals thanks to a farming system called Integrated Pest Management. The grape growers use beneficial insect habitats and predator perches to control insect infestations rather than spraying poisons. They also use a well-designed trellis system that aids production of phenolics and flavonoids – the good stuff in wine! Want to be eco-conscious when organic products aren't available? Look for the IPM label at the grocery store. IPM is a good alternative to organic when you are trying to minimize the amount of chemicals in your food. Grains & Beans
All of the rice, beans, and other grains we serve are certified organic. We are particularly proud of the corn meal we get from Wild Hive Community Grain Project, a local mill using traditional stone grinding equipment, as well as our tofu which is handmade by a local company called The Bridge from organic soybeans grown in New York state. Does it really matter if I buy organic rather than conventional food? Whenever possible, it is best to know your farmer's growing practices. When you are faced in the grocery store with the decision between organic and unlabeled food, choosing organic is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment, keep your body free of dangerous toxins, and support safer conditions for workers who would otherwise be harmed by dangerous chemicals. No EGG-ceptions
We buy and serve eggs consciously. Why care about higher welfare eggs? More than 90% of laying hens in the U.S. are packed into tiny cages on factory farms. Barely able to move,
they suffer injuries, disease, and extreme distress. Many others endure similar distress in large, overcrowded barns. To support systems where hens can walk, spread their wings, lay eggs in nesting spaces, dust bathe, and perform other natural behaviors, we must support farms that value higher welfare. There’s more we can do for hens, but buying higher welfare eggs is where we start! The eggs we use are Oliver’s organic, free range, pasturefed eggs. We are also very proud to be a founding member of buyingpoultry.com’s Leadership Circle which recognizes organizations for using higher animal welfare poultry and eggs. How can we switch to higher welfare eggs? • Choose products with labels from “Certified Humane,” “Certified
Humane + Pasture Raised,” or “Animal Welfare Approved.” These are some of the only labels on egg cartons that are truly meaningful for animal welfare. • Use BuyingPoultry.com to search a list of higher-welfare egg brands
and retailers. • Download the new Hazon Food Guide for more information about
higher-welfare products. • Contact Jewish Initiative for Animals for support in finding higher-
welfare eggs. Keeping it Kosher
The question of what is fit to eat is at the root of our kosher tradition – and more relevant than ever in today’s word. At Isabella Freedman, keeping it kosher means following the letter and the spirit of the laws – creating a space where everyone can enjoy food that is truly fit to eat together. We also care very much about making sure that every kosher product we buy is aligned with our food values. At every meal you will find one of our mashgichim (kosher supervisors) in the dining area who will be available to answer your questions about kashrut. Thank you in advance for respecting our kashrut guidelines. Learn More
Visit us online at hazon.org/jewish-food-movement or check the Hazon Bookstore for our resources on Jews, Food & Contemporary Issues, including sourcebooks, how-to guides, and curricula materials for adults, kids, and families. Please enjoy the abundance, ask lots of questions, demand answers, and challenge the ever-changing thoughts on what it means to eat responsibly. Thank you for being here; we are honored to feed you.
March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 9
Deepening Our Commitment to Serving Ethical, Higher Welfare Kosher Meat In our society, all too often the readily available and familiar sources for our food prioritize uniform quality and economies of scale over taste, nutrition, environmental health, animal welfare, hospitality, and support for local communities. Hazon has developed a list of food values that we strive to reach when we are preparing food at all Hazon events, programs, and meetings. However, we often are asked to prioritize one (or more) of our food values over another. Hazon strives to take everything into account and prioritizes to bring you the best possible mix of foods and experiences, pushing both producers and consumers to make higher welfare foods available, and working within the realities of supply, budget, and our vision. Our food choices should not be reduced to a “this over that” mentality, but rather a holistic approach that we pursue with our vision clearly before us. As we work towards a healthier and more sustainable food system where we will be able to meet all of our food values all the time, we are making a new, deeper commitment to foster growth and demand for the highest welfare kosher meat available.
Since the Hazon Food Conference in August 2018, Isabella Freedman has pledged to increase the heritage
chicken (as defined by the American Poultry Association) that Hazon sources each year by at least 5% and we will no longer serve any conventionally bred turkey. Over the next 7-year period, we intend to incrementally move towards improving the welfare of the chickens that produce our meat and eggs, with a vision toward eliminating all conventionally bred chicken from our menu. Working with Grow & Behold Foods and JIFA (Jewish Initiative for Animals) and other allies, we aim to shift the percentage of kosher chicken that is heritage, which is important for both public health, the long-term stability of the food supply, and animal welfare. The initial heritage chickens will hatch from eggs laid at Frank Reese’s farm, Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch. Frank focuses on animal welfare, breed conservancy, and environmental stewardship. We are also pleased to be able to support the important work that Frank is doing to safeguard genetic diversity and to preserve ways to raise poultry outside the currently dominant factory farm system.
In addition to our commitment to serving heritage chicken, and in an attempt to reduce meat consumption overall, we are developing new and creative plant-centered menus which can be augmented by flavorful preparations of meat. Some people are accustomed to always having meat at Shabbat or holiday meals. How do we take the Jewish sensibility of elevating holiday time with a particular food to enhance our understanding of, and commitment to, sustainability and gratitude? As we think about the food we use to sanctify our holiest of times, let’s make sure the food is a sanctification of life, the world, and all of our blessings. Using Michael Pollan’s approach of ‘The Third Plate’, we will be taking a ‘less meat, better meat’ approach to our meat consumption, including over Shabbat. We will also continue to purchase our eggs from Oliver’s Organic Pastured Eggs, who maintain NOFA-NY certified organic, freerange hens. We have also connected Oliver’s with Red Barn Produce, a local wholesaler who has started selling their eggs and expanding the market for higher welfare eggs in the Hudson Valley and the Berkshires. We encourage you to join us and help build the market for heritage poultry, higher welfare eggs, and less meat, better meat approaches to food purchasing.
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Schedule
Sunday, March 31 3:00PM-5:00PM Check-In (With JOFEE Stations) Great Hall Grab a snack, bike your own smoothie, pick up a complimentary Hazon publications and otther swag or pickle something to take home (life is a process, so is pickling)! Other exciting things to consider for those who arrive with time to spare: Enjoy a walk around the lake, meet our staff, meet our goats, our boats, or jump into Lake Miriam for ritual or for fun -- let us know if you spot one of those century old turtles! 4:00PM-5:00PM Relax and Restore -- Body Alignment (Massages) Stage Jenn Krueger Want a space to relax and restore? Come and receive a brief session to slow down, tune in to your breath and discover alignment in your body, mind, heart and soul. I will weave together modalities from Somatic Experiencing, massage and body based meditation to provide you with a brief space to re-connect and re-energize. 5:00PM-6:00PM Cocktail Reception Library Enjoy some drinks and light hor duerves! Make a l'chaim and introduce yourself to new and old friends! Do you see the wall prompts with questions to get your gears turning? Write something down and let us know what you think. 6:00PM-7:00PM Dinner Dining Room Enjoy our farm-to-table spread with new and old friends. Dont Forget: Meals are a great opportunity for you to become more acquainted with people in an informal way, switch it up from time to time! 7:15PM -- 8:00PM Opening Plenary ~ Welcome Synagogue Shamira Chandler, Sabrina Sojourner, Nigel Savage, and Isaiah Rothstein The goal for this session is to get into the flow of the Retreat together with intentionality. From both logistical, practical and spiritual prespectives, we will go over the schedule, and partake in song and silence.
8:00-8:45PM Ice-Breakers: Who is in the room/Why are You Here? Synagogue Yaffa Epstein and Isaiah Rothstein During this time we will take a chance to get to know each other, let loose, have fun and get a sense of who is in our community. 8:45-9:00PM Bio Break 9:00PM-9:25PM Library Sound & Silence (non-trad) Ma'ariv Ora Weiss We will weave melody and silence with intention, few words. Bringing our voices together to begin melding us, with love, as a strong, if temporary, community. 9:00PM -- 9:45PM Ham'sader kokhavim - a stargazing Arvit Synagogue David Seidenberg We will weave stargazing into the Maariv/Arvit prayers and leverage the inspiration of the stars to deepen our kavanah. The One who orders the stars in their watches will be our focus as we daven under the night sky. Afterward we will do some telescope viewing along with a naked eye tour of the heavens with a laser to point out special heavenly phenomenon, marvel at our place in the universe, and explore how we can share that wonder with our communities. 9:50PM-11:15PM Creative Farbrengen Great Hall Elad and Rivka Nehorai Hevria, a creative Jewish community based in Brooklyn, will be hosting a creative farbrengen on Sunday night. For those unfamiliar, a creative farbrengen is a farbrengen mixed with an open mic. It's where we share our spiritual and creative selves in a vulnerable way through our art and a raucous farbrengen. The idea is to create a comfortable, informal atmosphere where creativity melds with our open dialogue. You may like to bring something creative to share. It can be music, poetry, or just you talking for a bit about something. The point is that we are all sharers, and everyone's creative voice is valued and heard. March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 11
Monday, April 1 | JOFEE Day 7:00AM-8:30AM Hike to Overlook Great Hall Arielle Aronoff The forest has much to teach if we open our senses to observe and take in the lessons. On this moderately strenuous hike, we will take the time to observe the sounds, smells, sights, feelings, and even tastes of the forested landscape. Join me to start your day awakening your body, mind, and soul. 7:45AM -8:30AM Sit, Walk and Write Library Marc Soloway Come join Marc for a short meditation and writing practice. 7:45AM-8:30AM Traditional Matbeah Synagogue Jan Salzman Weaving joy into the fiber of our day, we will daven with full throats and open hearts. Working our way through the morning t'filah, we will emerge refreshed and energized. 8:00AM -- 8:45AM Breakfast Dining Hall Enjoy our farm-to-table spread with new and old friends. Dont Forget: Meals are a great opportunity for you to become more acquainted with people in an informal way, switch it up from time to time! 9:00AM -- 12:00PM Morning Seder: Shmitta as a Model of Sustainability Library Yaffa Epstein, Mike Moskowtiz, Aharon Ariel Lavi This session will be co-taught by three radically different Rabbis. Each will present a different angle on the question: Using Shmitta as a model, how can we sustain ourselves so that we can keep doing our holy work? 12:15PM-1:00PM Lunch Dining Hall Want to share a song?! lunch time #songswap! Enjoy our farm-to-table spread with new and old friends. Dont Forget: Meals are a great opportunity for you to become more acquainted with people in an informal way, switch it up from time to time!
1:00PM -- 2:30PM Break Great Hall During this break slot: Enjoy massages, a spiritually empowering art-activity about the Feminine role in the story of the Exodus, a hike to the overlook and more. 1:05PM-2:05PM Relax and Restore -- Body Alignment (Massages) Stage Jenn Krueger Want a space to relax and restore? Come and receive a brief session to slow down, tune in to your breath and discover alignment in your body, mind, heart and soul. I will weave together modalities from Somatic Experiencing, massage and body based meditation to provide you with a brief space to re-connect and re-energize. 1:05PM-2:05PM Feminine Role in the story of Exodus: Miriam, Shirat HaYam and Tamborines. Meet outside Arts and Crafts Lana Shulamov We will discuss the story of Exodus from a Feminine prospective and the role the the Feminine Energy played in the actual Redemption. We will tie in Kabbalistic prospectives and discuss how the shape of the tambourine that Miriam ised connects to the circle dance that women conducted after coming ashore from Yam Suf Split Journey. 1:00PM-2:20PM Hike to the Overlook Meet outside Arts and Crafts Arielle Aronoff and Robin Damsky Join Arielle Aronoff and Robin Damsky for a stimulating and meaningful Hike to the Overlook exploring the natural world on campus through a Torah and Science lens. 2:30PM -- 2:45PM GROUP PHOTO Main Entrance We wont be photoshopping anyone in, so please try to be there! 2:45PM - 4:00PM "Hands in the Soil" @ The Farm w/ Adamah Staff Adamah Farm Adamah Staff We will get our hands on the land and in the soil doing productive early spring farm work with Adamah staff and apprenti.
12 • Hazon Rabbis' Retreat • Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
Monday, April 1 | JOFEE Day 4:15PM - 4:55PM Debrief Around the Fire Fire Pit Adamah and Teva Staff We will gather to reflect on the farm experience and what it means to us. Some of the questions we will ask include: What is the value of getting our hands dirty? Jewishly? Ecologically? How often do you as a clergy person experience working the land? We will also enjoy some JOFEE related favorites: Hot (hard) apple cider, fresh herbal tea, hot chocolate, cheesemaking, grind flour and flatbread making and more.
7:30PM -- 8:45PM Rabbis and Spiritual Leaders: A New Vision for Hazon Library Nigel Savage Come and hear about Hazon's strategic plan and vision for this generation, and the role clergy play in creating a stronger and more sustainable world for everyone. Hazon's Strategic Plan also includes how Hazon can best serve rabbis and spiritual leaders, and how rabbis and spiritual leaders can best serve Hazon. Have questions for the CEO? Bring them today.
5:00PM -- 5:25PM Traditional Matbea Library Kate Judd Join with Cantor Kate Judd for a heart-soaring musical Mincha service that will help you strengthen your voice, literally and spiritually, drawing from her work and personal/professional experience.
8:45PM -- 9:00PM Traditional Matbea Library Marc Soloway A reflective and traditional Maariv with niggun, poetry and silence along with the matbeah.
5:00PM -- 5:25PM Praying With Our Two Feet: Mincha With The Chickens Meet outside Arts and Crafts Shamirah Chandler, Aaron Philmus Meet Adamah Farm’s flock of beautiful birds. Cluck a niggun and learn how to pray like a chiken. Learn how animals can teach us wisdom about life’s greatest mysteries like birth, reproduction, and death. Meet at Arts and Crafts at 2:05pm sharp for this brief walk to the chicken yard. 5:30PM-6:15PM Archapelegroups See Back of Name Tag Look on the back of your name tag, you will see a location for your Archapellego to meet! be sure to send a leader from your group to pick up prompts for discussion. 6:20PM -- 7:15PM Dinner Dining Room Enjoy our farm-to-table spread with new and old friends. Dont Forget: Meals are a great opportunity for you to become more acquainted with people in an informal way, switch it up from time to time!
9:05PM -- 10:30PM Braindates and Networking Great Hall Though you might have a considerable amount of work to catch up on, we hope you take the opportunity to network and braindate with new and old friends. Who would you like to meet with? what role does collaboration play in making your vision become a reality? 9:05PM -- 10:00PM Relax and Restore -- Body Alignment (Massages) Stage Jenn Krueger Want a space to relax and restore? Come and receive a brief session to slow down, tune in to your breath and discover alignment in your body, mind, heart and soul. I will weave together modalities from Somatic Experiencing, massage and body based meditation to provide you with a brief space to re-connect and re-energize. 10:00PM-10:45PM Night Hike: Renewing our Relationship with Darkness Meet outside Arts and Crafts Shamirah Chandler Join us outdoors for both inner reflection and strengthening of the senses. Learn to explore at night, when our ability to see is diminished. No flashlights, cameras or watches please. Sturdy shoes a must.
March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 13
Tuesday, April 2 7:00AM-8:30AM Hike to Overlook Meet Outside Arts and Crafts Arielle Aronoff The forest has much to teach if we open our senses to observe and take in the lessons. On this moderately strenuous hike, we will take the time to observe the sounds, smells, sights, feelings, and even tastes of the forested landscape. Join me to start your day awakening your body, mind, and soul. 7:45AM-8:30AM Avodat Lev: Service of the Heart Fire pit Jill Hammer and Shamu Sadeh Avodat Lev, meaning ”Service of the Heart,” is a contemplative and songful collective practice that was born at Isabella Freedman, where we gather together to sing, reflect and welcome the new day. The session will follow the traditional arc of Jewish morning liturgy, moving from gratitude to praise to love to oneness through song, chant, silence, movement, and other practices. 8:00AM -- 8:45AM Breakfast Dining Hall Good Morning! Enjoy our farm-to-table spread with new and old friends. Dont Forget: Meals are a great opportunity for you to become more acquainted with people in an informal way, switch it up from time to time! 9:00AM-10:30AM Panel Discussion: Communal Sustainability in the 21st Century Library Jill Hammer, Sid Schwarz, David Ingber Moderated by Shais Rishon In the Eco-system of Jewish Life, what are the changes in the world that we should may more attention to? What are you most concerned and sensitive about in our generation, and what role do clergy play in communal sustainablity of our generation? 10:30AM-- 11:00AM Break Though you might have a considerable amount of work to catch up on, we hope you take the opportunity to network and braindate with new and old friends. Who would you like to meet with? what role does collaboration play in making your vision become a reality?
11:00AM -- 12:00PM Earth Based Judaism: Physical, Spiritual and Emotional Library Shamira Chandler and Hanania Cohen, Robin Damsky What is earth-based Judaism? Connecting to the roots of the land, the agricultural cycle of the Jewish calendar, and the earth as great witness to everything our world has experienced thus far, join in conversation with three thought leaders in the field of earth based Judaism for a thoughtful discussion on what it means to them and what it might mean to you. 11:00AM -- 12:00PM "Praying With Our Feet": The Art of Showing up in a generation of Social-media Synagogue Bob Kaplan, Lauren Tuchman and Zohar Atkins In 1965 Professor Abraham Joshua Heschel, went to Selma, Alabama, to march with Martin Luther King Jr. in the struggle for civil rights. Someone marching alongside him questioned why such an eminent scholar would come to Selma instead of remaining in his ivory tower in New York. Heschel’s reply was profound: “When I march in Selma, my feet are praying.” What does Praying With My Feet mean as we enter into the second decade of the 21st Century nearly 55 years after Heschel marched with King? In creating a more sustainable Jewish community for the world and beyond, what are the key principles of showing up? 12:00-12:45PM Archapelegroups See Back of Name Tag Look on the back of your name tag, you will see a location for your Archapellego to meet, be sure to send a leader from your group to pick up prompts for discussion. 12:45PM -- 1:45PM Lunch Dining Hall Want to share a song?! lunch time #songswap! Enjoy our farm-to-table spread with new and old friends. Dont Forget: Meals are a great opportunity for you to become more acquainted with people in an informal way, switch it up from time to time! 1:45PM-3:15PM Break Though you might have a considerable amount of work to catch up on, we hope you take the opportunity to network and braindate with new and old friends. enjoy relaxing massages, a discussion about the book Ariel Samson: Freelance Rabbi, a hike to the overlook and mincha prayer options.
14 • Hazon Rabbis' Retreat • Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
Tuesday, April 2 1:45PM-2:05PM Relax and Restore -- Body Alignment (Sign up!!) Stage Jenn Krueger Want a space to relax and restore? Come and receive a brief session to slow down, tune in to your breath and discover alignment in your body, mind, heart and soul. I will weave together modalities from Somatic Experiencing, massage and body based meditation to provide you with a brief space to re-connect and re-energize. 1:45PM-2:05PM Ariel Samson: The Freelance Rabbi Library Shais Rishon Ariel Samson is just your run of the mill anomaly: a 20-something black Orthodox Jewish rabbi looking for love, figuring out life, and floating between at least two worlds. 1:45PM-2:45PM Hike to the Overlook Meet Outside Camp Teva Arielle Aronoff The forest has much to teach if we open our senses to observe and take in the lessons. On this moderately strenuous hike, we will take the time to observe the sounds, smells, sights, feelings, and even tastes of the forested landscape. Join me to start your day awakening your body, mind, and soul. 2:45PM -- 3:10PM Prayer With the Earth Among the trees Robin Damsky Take the opportunity to treat yourself to breath and revitalization. Connect to God's Creation in a deep and personal way with an outdoor experience of prayer, sound and movement. 2:45PM -- 3:10PM Traditional Egalitarian Matbea Synagogue Lauren Tuchman We will daven Mincha together using the traditional matbeah/liturgy with a lot of singing. 3:15PM -- 6:00PM Open Space: Sustainability of our Jewish Community and the Planet Library Nate DeGroot Open Space is a self-organizing practice of inner discipline and collective activity which releases the inherent creativity and leadership in people. By inviting people to take responsibility for what they care about, Open Space establishes a marketplace of inquiry, reflection and learning, bringing out the best in both individuals and the whole.
6:00PM -7:00PM Dinner Dining Hall Good Evening! Enjoy our farm-to-table spread with new and old friends. Dont Forget: Meals are a great opportunity for you to become more acquainted with people in an informal way, switch it up from time to time! 7:15:PM -- 9:00PM Soul Stirring Awakening and Open Mic Great Hall Neil Blumofe Deep inside each of us is a yearning spirit waiting to be heard. Each of us discover the Infinity within us through different modes, all using our individual creative forces differently. Join with Neil Blumofe as MC for an awesome Open Mic! Sign up Sheet is at the stage. 9:05PM-9:30PM Meditation Library Sarah Tasman Kotzer Ruach: Breathing into The Stuck Places. This will include a short teaching, guided breathwork, silent meditation, and a closing intention setting. 9:05PM-9:30PM Traditional Matbeah Synagogue Tiferet Berenbaum Using the ancient and spiritually charged words and melodies of our tradition, we will pause to greet the night, celebrate mitzvot, declare G!d One, celebrate our freedom, offer Avodat Lev to the Source of Being, and take upon ourselves the charge of Tikkun Olam. 9:35PM-11:00PM Schmooze with Drinks and Friends Great Hall It is our last night together! Was their someone you maybe didnt get a chance to speak or hang out with? tonights the night! 9:45PM-10:45PM Late Night Walk Around Lake Miriam Meet by Camp Teva Arielle Aronoff The forest at night is filled with wonders that you cannot experience in the light. The darkness of the night allows us to go more deeply inwards to awaken our senses. This gentle guided walk will be without flashlights.
March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 15
Wednesday, April 3 7:45AM-8:30AM Getting Rid of Emotional Baggage: Cleaning Our Inner Hametz Synagogue Sarit and Hanania Cohen We carry around and accumulate alot of emotional baggage in our lives. As we enter in the month of Nissan and think about freeing ourselves from our Mitzrayim, join for a prayer-filled and full experience. 7:45AM-8:30AM Traditional Matbeah Library Lauren Tuchman We will daven Mincha together using the traditional matbeah/liturgy with a lot of singing. 8:00AM -- 9:00AM Breakfast Dining Hall Enjoy our farm-to-table spread with new and old friends. Dont Forget: Meals are a great opportunity for you to become more acquainted with people in an informal way, switch it up from time to time! 9:00AM -- 9:45PM Archapelegroups See Back of Name Tag Groups Look on the back of your name tag, you will see a location for your Archapellego to meet, be sure to send a leader from your group to pick up prompts for discussion. 9:45- 10:15AM Speed Networking Table Hop w/ Mamosas and Raffle! Dining Hall Isaiah Rothstein Grab a mamosa, and build partnerships with new and old colleagues. How might the collective wisdom in the room best serve your dreams, visions and passions? Tighten your shoes, this is going to be quite the ride.
10:30AM -- 11:15AM Rabbinical Council Synagogue Marc Solloway and Josh Ratner Come schmooze with Hazon's Rabbinical Council's co-chairs Josh and Marc and find out how you can get involved. How would you like to help shape our future? 11:30 - 12:15AM 2020 Hazon Rabbis' Retreat Sun Room Isaiah Rothstein and Nate Degroot Every year we have the opportunity to bring together rabbis and spiritual leaders from across the Jewish world, help us shape the retreat for 2020 with your ideas and vision. 11:30 - 12:15AM Hazon Seal of Sustainability Synagogue The Hazon Seal of Sustainability is program which provides a roadmap for Jewish institutions to become healthier and more sustainable througb education, action and advocacy. 12:15PM -- 12:45PM Closing Patio Near the Lake As this year's Hazon Rabbis' Retreat comes to a close, let us stop to appreciate this particular group of people for what we brought to the community. 1:00PM -- 1:30PM To-go Lunch Don't forget to grab some nourishment for the road. 1:15PM Shuttle and Good Bye
10:30AM -- 11:15AM JOFEE Fellowship Library Yoshi Silverstien The JOFEE Fellowship seeks to invigorate the Jewish educational landscape by seeding Jewish communities with a cadre of outstanding Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Educators. Learn more during this session with the director, Yoshi Silverstein.
16 • Hazon Rabbis' Retreat • Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
Participant Bios Arielle Aronoff first came to Hazon as a Teva educator. She found a place in this community and did not want to leave. After spending the fall and winter at Isabella Freedman, she took a seasonal outdoor education position for the spring and quickly returned to be manage Camp Teva prior to her current role as Director of Teva. Before coming to Hazon, Arielle worked as a farmer, baker, and healthy school food advocate/educator. Arielle spends her time hiking, baking sourdough bread, and foraging for berries and mushrooms. Zohar Atkins is a rabbi, poet, and theologian, based in New York. He earned a DPhil in Theology from Balliol College, Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, semikhah from JTS, and a B.A. and M.A. from Brown. He is the author of Nineveh (Carcanet, 2019) and An Ethical and Theological Appropriation of Heidegger’s Critique of Modernity (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018). His poetry won an Eric Gregory Award in 2018. Atkins is the founder of Etz Hasadeh, a Center for the Study of Existential Torah, and a David Hartman Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Tiferet Berenbaum received rabbinic ordination and a Masters in Jewish Education from Hebrew College in Boston, a non-denominational, accredited school of Jewish Studies. She loves working with children and has teaching experience in Jewish educational settings. Prior to attending rabbinic school, Rabbi Tiferet attended Tufts University where she majored in clinical psychology and Judaic studies. Rabbi Tiferet’s experience includes working with two other congregations, as a teacher in a Hebrew Day School, and much more. Rabbi Tiferet’s profound love of Judaism and Jewish culture; her knowledge of Ladino and Sephardic culture; her strong connection to the Jewish Renewal movement, and deep appreciation for traditional Jewish liturgy makes her a perfect fit for our congregation. Rabbi Hanania Cohen was drawn into the world of holistic medicine emphasized in ancient Chinese and Japanese paradigms after learning martial arts philosophy. He decided to replace killing with healing. R. Cohen graduated with a diploma in traditional Chinese medicine from Reidman college in Jerusalem. He completed his clinical internship in Chengdu University Hospital of traditional Chinese medicine in People's Republic of China where he interned in a variety of departments led by the University’s top doctors. Upon moving to the USA, R. Cohen was eager to learn how to change people behavior with fast results, attending the Hypnosis Motivation Institute(HMI) in California, graduating as a certified hypnotherapist. He also became certified to do Neuro-Feedback as well as Posture Neurologist and Functional Medicine practitioner. ~ In pursuing the highest form of education Rabbi Cohen, graduated with a master's degree in Science of Oriental Medicine (MSOM) from Dongguk University in L. A. winning the Outstanding Clinic Intern Award. He accomplished all requirements for the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), receiving his certification as Diplomate of Acupuncture and later his license to practice acupuncture in the state of Colorado.
Sarah Chandler aka Kohenet Shamirah is a Brooklyn-based Jewish educator, ritualist, artist, activist, and poet. Currently, she is the program director of the new Romemu Yeshiva (opening June 2019), a garden educator with Grow Torah, and the Director of Curriculum Design & Cultivation with Fig Tree, a startup Hebrew School in Brooklyn. A trainer with BeKavod, she supports Jewish non-profits in harassment prevention, through designing and maintaining respectful workplaces. She teaches, writes, and consults on issues related to Jewish earth-based spiritual practice, farming, and mindfulness. Ordained as a Kohenet (Hebrew Priestess) in 2015, she is studying as a shamanic healer apprentice at The Wisdom School of S.O.P.H.I.A and Kabbalistic imaginal dream work at The School of Images. Rabbi Robin Damsky, founder and director of In the Gardens (inthegardens.org) has been identified by Kenissa as an innovator re-defining Jewish life. She blends spiritual practice with music, movement, meditation, Neo-Hasidic text study, edible garden design and social justice/tikkun olam into a holistic expression for the new century. Robin works with care and compassion to bring Torah and a reverence for the earth to people of all ages, guiding them into a joyful experience of renewal and wholeness. With an MA in Jewish education, mindfulness and meditation teacher certification, a BFA in dance, extensive botanical studies and licensure in medical massage, Rabbi Damsky fuses a love of creation with self-care and spiritual practice, bringing forth ebullient spiritual expression. Nate DeGroot is the Hazon Detroit Co-Director and Spiritual and Program Director. In this role, he is helping the Detroit Metro Jewish community to reconnect with their own inherited earth-based Jewish spirituality and reinvest in their historic relationship with the Detroit community around its transformative environmental justice work. He was ordained at Hebrew College in Boston, where he also received a Masters in Jewish Education. He most recently served as the inaugural Jewish Emergent Network Rabbinic Fellow at IKAR in Los Angeles, and before that founded a grassroots cooperative Jewish community in Portland, Oregon. He is a lover of the wild and is excited to bring his passion for all things sacred to his work at Hazon. Yaffa Epstein serves as the Director of Education, North America for the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. She received Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshivat Maharat and holds a Law Degree from Bar-Ilan University. She has studied at the Pardes Kollel, the Advanced Talmud Institute at Matan, and the Talmud Department of Hebrew University. Yaffa has been a teacher of Talmud, Jewish law, and Liturgy at Pardes for over a decade, and has served as the Director of the Beit Midrash at the Dorot Fellowship in Israel. She has taught Talmud and Jewish Law at Yeshivat Maharat, The Drisha Institute, The Wexner Heritage New Members Institute, Kayam Farm Kollel, and Young Judaea. Yaffa has lectured at Limmud events around the world, has written curriculum for the Global Day of Jewish Learning, and has created innovative educational programming for Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life.
March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 17
Participant Bios Jill Hammer is the Director of Spiritual Education at the Academy for Jewish Religion and the codirector of the Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute. She is the author of several books, including The Jewish Book of Days: A Companion for All Seasons, The Hebrew Priestess: Ancient and New Visions of Jewish Women’s Spiritual Leadership, and The Book of Earth and Other Mysteries. Her forthcoming book is Return to the Place: The Magic, Meditation, and Mystery of Sefer Yetzirah. She is a rabbi, ritualist, poet, priestess, writer, and scholar of ancient and modern ritual, myth, and midrash. David Ingber was named by Newsweek as one of 2013’s top 50 most influential rabbis in the United States as well as by The Forward as one of the 50 most newsworthy and notable Jews in America. He promotes a renewed Jewish mysticism that integrates meditative mindfulness and physical awareness into mainstream, post-modern Judaism. Rabbi Ingber has taught at the Academy for Jewish Religion, Columbia University, CUNY, Jewish Theological Seminary, Limmud LA, New York University, the 92nd Street Y, Pardes, The Skirball Center at Temple Emmanuel, and Yeshivat HADAR. Rabbi David studied at several yeshivot in Jerusalem and New York including Yeshiva University, Beit Midrash L’Torah, Yeshivat Chaim Berlin, and Yeshivat Chovovei Torah Rabbinical School. He also studied philosophy, psychology and religion at New York University. Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, founder of Renewal Judaism, ordained Rabbi David in 2004. Prior to founding Romemu, Rabbi David was Rabbi-in-Residence at Elat Chayyim Retreat Center. Talia C. Johnson is a Jewish ritual and service leader, writer, poet, sensitivity editor, public speaker, workshop facilitator, educator, mentor, coach, and activist. She is a woman who is, in no particular order, an out queer autistic lesbian trans woman. Talia is Vice Chair of the Heartspark Press Board of Directors, part of the leadership team of Autistics for Autistics Ontario, and is active in two Jewish communities in Toronto, Matanot Lev and Danforth Jewish Circle. She is co-editor of the Nothing Without Us anthology of Disability fiction to be released late-summer 2019. Talia is currently studying with the Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute with ordination as a Kohenet Hebrew Priestess planned for the summer of 2019. Talia is pursuing a graduate degree in Jewish Studies with a focus on Judaism, queer/ trans/LGBTQIA+, and mental health. Her work in these areas bridges mental health, spirituality, and LGBTQIA+/queer/trans spaces, areas that are usually independent silos. Kate Judd grew up near a college in the hills of Vermont, went to that college, and now serves the synagogue near there. She has a BA in Creative Writing and Lit. and an Artist Diploma in Voice from Longy School of Music, and is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique. She has her MJEd and her ordination as a Cantor from Hebrew College. Proud of her pluralistic education, her deepest spiritual entry into her Jewish experience is through nusach and trop. She has served community as their Spiritual Leader for seven years; they're granting her a year's unpaid sabbatical -- she will be nine months at Pardes in Jerusalem studying Talmud, another
great love. Her vision is that the Cantorate should survive and thrive, and that traditional nusach and liturgy should be kept alive and valued. Rabbi Bob Kaplan is currently the founding Director of The Center for Community Leadership, (formally known as CAUSE – NY) a division of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC). He also co-directs the New York – Jerusalem Experts Exchange, a joint project of the JCRC and the Jerusalem Intercultural Center that exchanges best practices in building diverse societies. Mr. Kaplan is involved in a variety of issues including conflict resolution, coalition building, interracial/ faith relationships, combating hate crimes, and community building. Rabbi Kaplan acts as an organizational consultant to many diverse communitybased organizations — Jewish and non-Jewish on the issue of intergroup/ faith relations and capacity building. Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner serves as the solo rabbi of the Ann Arbor Reconstructionist Congregation, and lives in Ypsilanti, MI. A 2016 graduate of Philadelphia's Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Ora has worked as a congregational rabbi and chaplain. She is a former Wexner Graduate Fellow, a certified yoga teacher, and a lover of poetry. Jenn Krueger is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Healer and Jewish Ritual Leader. She weaves together sources from Jewish tradition with contemplative and body awareness modalities to support an embodied connected Judaism. Jenn has studied at a number of places including Pardes, Lishma, the Rabbinical School at Hebrew College and the Aleph Rabbinic Ordination Program. She also studied Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, philosophy and Peace and co-existence studies at Brandeis University as well as massage at Healing Spirits Massage Training Program in Boulder, CO and SE with the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Healing Institute. Jenn recently co- founded a group on the UWS of Manhattan called Mmmmm: Meditation, Movement and Maariv. Aharon Ariel Lavi is the founder and director of Hakhel: The Jewish Intentional Communities Incubator in the Diaspora. He is a professional community organizer and serial social entrepreneur who believes that networks are key to shaping our reality. He is co-founder of Garin Shuva on the Gaza border; the Nettiot Intentional Communities Network, reengaging Haredi Ba’aley Teshuva into society; and MAKOM: the national umbrella organization of intentional communities in Israel. He lives with is wife Liat, their four children, and a dog in the Negev and when he doesn’t work or study Torah he likes riding his bikes in the open fields of the Negev, and desperately trying to learn to play the flute, a guitar, or anything that makes music.
18 • Hazon Rabbis' Retreat • Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
Rabbi Adam Mayer works at Kohelet Yeshiva since 2014. He came to Philadelphia from Jerusalem, where he received a Certificate of Advanced Jewish Studies from Pardes Institute and an M.A. in Jewish Education and Certificate in Jewish Day School Education from Hebrew College’s Shoolman
Graduate School of Education. He received semicha from Rabbi Zalman Nechamia Goldberg and his B.A. from Brandeis University, graduating with honors in his double major of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and Hebrew Language and Literature. Rabbi Mayer served in the IDF and has been teaching Judaic Studies since 2003. Rabbi Mike Moskowitz is a deeply traditional and radically progressive advocate for trans rights and a vocal ally for LGBT inclusivity. Raised as a secular Jew in Richmond, Virginia, he began identifying as Orthodox at 17 and spent the next 20 years learning and teaching in the world of yeshivahs. Rabbi Moskowitz received three Ultra Orthodox ordinations while learning in the Mir, in Jerusalem, and in Beth Medrash Gevoha, in Lakewood, New Jersey. His work on behalf of trans rights began while he served as the Rabbi of the Old Broadway Synagogue in Harlem and as the Aish NY Rabbi at Columbia University. Most recently,Rabbi Moskowitz was the senior educator for Uri L'Tzedek - Orthodox Social Justice. Rivka Nehorai is an outspoken activist for artists and creative spirits, insisting that raw, redemptive art-making is the means for mental and spiritual health. She is a professional artist whose daily chicken dance between mothering three little ladies and navigating her way throughout the greater art world never gets boring. Her current work can be viewed at rivka.gallery and on Instagram. Rivka teaches artistic approaches to high school students as well as figure drawing for adults. Elad Nehorai is the writer behind the blog Pop Chassid, the co-founder of the creative Jewish website Hevria, and one of the leaders of Torah Trumps Hate, a new Orthodox Jewish activist organization and community. Aaron Philmus is the rabbi at a small congregation in RI. He lives on the parsonage property with his goats, chickens, and ducks. He regularly runs Jewish farm and nature programs with his kehilah Torat Yisrael. With the help of Teva Educators Frances Lasday and Tiferet Rose, he runs a monthly Teen Teva Rhode Island program with students from JCDSRI. This Summer he is co-running a multi-day interfaith bike ride across Rhode Island called the "Faith to Farm RIde." They will visit more than 20 farms over the course of four days. At the end of their journey there will be a farm-to-table banquet and sharing of faith traditions around food. Rabbi Joshua Ratner is the Director of Advocacy at JLens, a network of over 9,000 individual and institutional investors who seek to apply a Jewish lens to the modern context of values-based impact investing. Rabbi Ratner oversees JLens' advocacy work in the corporate and investment arena on social, environmental, and Israel-related concerns. He previously served as the director of the Jewish Community Relations Council in New Haven, Connecticut, the Associate Rabbi at Yale University's Hillel, and the rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami.
Shais Rishon, MaNishtana is one of a “growing cadre of incredibly talented Jewish leaders of Color.” MaNishtana is a writer, speaker, and rabbi whose work takes prejudice, bias, and ignorance head on, asking the questions about humanity, race, religion, and social injustice that we all have (and maybe are afraid to talk about), with gut-punching insight and gut-busting sarcasm. Isaiah J. Rothstein serves as the Rabbi-in-residence for Hazon. Growing up in a multi-racial Chabad family in Monsey, NY, Isaiah is pulled towards building platforms for Jews of all backgrounds to celebrate their identities and affinities – together – with the rest of community. Isaiah received rabbinic ordination and master of social work from Yeshiva University’s RIETS and Wurzweiler School of Social Work. During his spare time, Isaiah is a Jewish Engagement and Diversity Consultant with his organization, the Union Street Sanctuary, and plays music with his band Zayah. Isaiah currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. David Seidenberg is the creator of neohasid. org and the author of "Kabbalah and Ecology." His mission is to do deep work on Jewish and Biblical thought and Jewish practice; work that can help change the course of Western civilization to avert the ecological disaster that is arising from our anthropocentrism. But his work encompasses more than that, since he loves digging into texts, uncovering new angles on tradition, and sharing Hasidic spirituality and nigunim outside of its traditional environment, even when these are not related to ecology. Most of his writing has something to do with ecology or human rights. He has smikhah from both JTS and Reb Zalman, and endeavors to blend the best of both those worlds into a coherent vision and practice. Jan Salzman, after 6 years in a Conservative schul, founded Ruach haMaqom, a Jewish Renewal synagogue in Burlington, Vt. Their motto: More Joy! Less Oy! She brings eagerness to learn, a strong voice, and curiosity. Nigel Savage founded Hazon, the Jewish lab for sustainability, in 2000. Hazon is one of only two groups to have been recognized in every single Slingshot guide. We have been recognized by the Sierra Club as one of 50 leading faith-based environmental organizations. In 2015 Nigel was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Jewish Theological Seminary. He has twice been named a member of the Forward 50, the annual list of the 50 most influential Jewish people in the United States. He is a recipient of the Bernard Reisman Award, and has given Commencement speeches at Wagner (NYU, in 2011), at Hornstein (Brandeis, in 2014) and at Spertus (in Chicago, in 2018). Before founding Hazon, Nigel was a professional fund manager in London, where he worked for NM Rothschild and was co-head of UK Equities at Govett. He has an MA in History from Georgetown, and has learned at Pardes, Yakar, and the Hebrew University. He was a founder of Limmud NY, and serves on the board of Romemu.
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Participant Bios Hazzan Sabrina Sojourner is a Spiritual Leader for Revitz House, a Co-Convener for the DMV-Chapter of the Jewish Multiracial Network, and serves independent and unaffiliated Jews everywhere. She has a national reputation for her effectiveness as a facilitator, trainer, speaker, and transition coach as well as a writer. Recently, she launched Training the Heart to Listen, a conversational approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that invites participants to bring their spiritual values and the sacredness of their spiritual communities to reflect on how language, assumptions and certitudes shape our reality; examine how and where their faith tradition belongs in the discussion of (DEI); and to Rabbi Sid Schwarz is a social entrepreneur, author and teacher. He is currently a Senior Fellow at Hazon. Rabbi Sid founded and led PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values for 21 years; its work centered on integrating Jewish learning, Jewish values and social responsibility. He is also the founding rabbi of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation in Bethesda, MD where he continues to teach and lead services. Dr. Schwarz holds a Ph.D. in Jewish history and is the author of two groundbreaking books, Finding a Spiritual Home: How a New Generation of Jews can Transform the American Synagogue and Judaism and Justice: The Jewish Passion to Repair the World Rabbi Sid directs the Clergy Leadership Incubator (CLI), a program that trains rabbis to be visionary spiritual leaders and Kenissa: Communities of Meaning Network which is identifying, convening and building the capacity of emerging new models of Jewish identity and community across the country. Sid was awarded the prestigious Covenant Award for his pioneering work in the field of Jewish education and was named by Newsweek as one of the 50 most influential rabbis in North America. Sid’s most recent book is Jewish Megatrends: Charting the Course of the American Jewish Future (Jewish Lights, 2013).
how it is produced and how all of that fits with deep Jewish obligations and values. Marc has ridden twice in the Hazon-Arava Institute Israel Ride in 2008 and 2010. Marc co-chaired two Hazon Food Conferences on the west coast in 2010 and 2011, he is on the Hazon Steering Team in Colorado as well as the Jewish Life team for the Rocky Mountain Jewish Food Summit in April 2012. Marc was instrumental in bringing Boulder’s first Jewish CSA through Hazon, which is now a collaboration of five synagogues and the JCC with two weekly drop-off sites. Marc is also a proud member of a Jewish goat and chicken co-op across the street from his synagogue. Before becoming a rabbi, Marc was an actor, storyteller and massage therapist in his native London and currently is the narrator of a documentary film about the Baal Shem Tov. Drorah Setel's rabbinate has focused on a feminist transformation of Judaism. She was the first rabbi to be ordained solely by women and spent 20+ years working on sexual and domestic violence prevention in the Jewish community as well as creating new ritual and liturgy. She is a former member of Havurat Shalom and has been deeply influenced by her long engagement with the Havurah movement. She has also spent much of her professional life working with small congregations, often in small Jewish communities, whose distinctive needs are seldom, if ever, addressed by national organizations and movements. Hannah Spiro, the rabbi of the Hill Havurah, is a DC-area native and a June 2017 Reconstructionist Rabbinical College graduate. Hannah is additionally an accomplished singer/songwriter, and loves bringing music onto the pulpit and into the classroom. She has one child, Julius, who was born in March 2018.
Rabbi Garth Silberstein received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in 2016. Previously he had also studied at the Pardes Institute for Jewish studies, and received a BA in acting and biology from Bennington College in Vermont. While a student, Rabbi Silberstein interned at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale-The Bayit, Congregation Shaarey Tphiloh in Portland, Maine, Congregation Kadimah-Toras Moshe in Boston, and Hazon. Prior to beginning his rabbinic training, Rabbi Silberstein lived in New York and worked in the theatre and in non-profit management for several years. A native of Davis, California, Rabbi Silberstein is an out-door enthusiast, and has led Hazon’s Cross-USA bike ride twice. In 2014, Rabbi Silberstein founded Organic Yeshiva, an immersive adult education program that combines traditional talmud study with hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture. Rabbi Silberstein has taught and spoken at numerous synagogues and other institutions throughout the United States.
Rabbi Sarah Tasman is the founder and CEO of the Tasman Center for Jewish Creativity which offers meaningful, accessible, and personalized Jewish learning, community classes & gatherings and private spiritual coaching. Rabbi Sarah nurtures Jewish spirituality and creativity through yoga, mindfulness, meditation, and art during retreats and Rosh Chodesh groups that she leads. She is a faculty member of the Jewish Mindfulness Center at Adas Israel and the Adas Israel Community Mikvah. Previously, Rabbi Sarah was the InterfaithFamily/DC Director, serving the needs of interfaith couples and families throughout Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC. She has also served as Senior Jewish Educator at Maryland Hillel and has taught at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue and many area synagogues and organizations. She was ordained by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in 2012. She also holds a master of Jewish Education, a certificate in non-profit management, and completed her 200 Hour Yoga and Meditation Teacher Training at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in 2014. Sarah is a Rabbis Without Borders Fellow and member of the Hazon Rabbinic Council.
Rabbi Marc Soloway has served as the rabbi of Congregation Bonai Shalom in Boulder, Colorado since 2004. He has always loved food, perhaps a little too much, and in recent years has thought more deeply about where this food comes from,
Lauren Tuchman received rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2018 and is, as far as she is aware, the first blind woman in the world to enter the rabbinate. A sought after speaker, spiritual leader, and educator, Rabbi Tuchman has taught
20 • Hazon Rabbis' Retreat • Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
at numerous synagogues and other Jewish venues throughout North America and was named to the Jewish Week’s 36 under 36 for her innovative leadership concerning the inclusion of Jews with disabilities in all aspects of Jewish life. Gabi Weinberg holds a BA in English from Yeshiva College, an MA in medieval Jewish history at the Bernard Revel Graduate School for Jewish Studies, and recently completed rabbinic ordination at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University as a Wexner Graduate Fellow. Gabi is currently the director of High School Programs at the Tikvah Fund and is working to create more opportunities for students in the Institute for High School Students and alumni to continue to engage with each other and the work of the Tikvah Fund. Previously, he served as the director of adult education and teen programming at the Young Israel of Scarsdale. Ora Weiss is re-reading Torah as a guide to waking up to greater consciousness, who we really are. The vision of her rabinate is to create a spiritual community that transcends all classifications, that supports all humans, based on this new reconstructed layer of Torah. Lana Shalumov, Coach/Instructor in NeuroGraphic Art, has a degree in Psychology and Special Education, and has been practicing in the field of Special and Bilingual Education for the past 20 years. Currently Lana became certified in Coaching and is in the process of developing programs that explore the beauty of Tanach – Bible stories from Torah, the Energy of Alef-Bet (the letters of Creation), basics of Kabbalah, and the Tree of Life – Sfirot, through the Transformational art method called Neurographics. Lana resides in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and 5 children.
Daria Jacobs-Velde, through compassionate and attentive listening , has gently encouraged those who are interested in seeing and naming the walls in their lives to face them, especially vis a vis their relationship to Judaism as a spiritual practice. As a (hopefully usually!) thoughtful, kind, generous and loving rabbi, she seeks to bring healing to the lives of these individuals, their relationship to Judaism, Judaism’s relationship to the earth, and the earth itself. This requires serving as a perceptive guide, an attentive agitator, a strong, clear communicator, and a weaver of the web of connection. Effective service requires her to be a cli of the Holy One of Blessing. Presently she is serving as co-rabbi (with her husband) at a Reconstructionist congregation. Prior to this, they were building nature-connected Jewish community in northern CA. Lori Ahava Wynters is a Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance, Kripalu Yoga Teachers, and Ayurveda Association. A faculty at Vassar, Goddard and SUNY New Paltz in education, psycholog,y and social/ecological medicines, she is also a rabbinical student and Director of Kol Isha. Rain Zohav is just newly the Executive Director of a small, formerly local Jewish environmental non-profit called " Jews of the Earth; I bring a lifetime of environmental activism, starting with the first Earth Day including working in thenoi of Kibbutz Shomrat for 9 years, organic gardening and farming on Twin Oaks community, 30 years of being a Jewish educator and helping various communities become Green Faith Communities. Most recently I answered the clergy call to go to Standing Rock and have also organized a small symbolic action outside the EPA. My vision is that we can prevent the worst of climate change and learn to live with a sense of the sacredness of all life. Honoring the Creator of all.
HAZON RABBIS’ RETREAT 2019 MENTORS LIST Mentors of the Participants
David and Shoshana Cooper Nancy Flam Lionel Blue Savina Teubal Jonathan Magonet Esther Broner Arthur Waskow Marcia Cohn Spiegel Albert Friedlander Arthur Hertzberg Abraham Joshua Heschel Marcia Prager Jack Kessler Teddy Klaus Lynne Landsburg Mira Rivera Arthur Waskow Zalman Schachter-Shalomi Shawn Zevitt
Gil Steinlauf Jill Hammer Rabbi Arthur Waskow Avi West Jonathan Slater Sheila Peltz Weinberg Sylvia Boorstein Rabbi Miles Krassen Rabbi Ruth Gan Kagan Rabbi Ebn Leader Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi Rabbi Sid Schwarz Sanford Sylvan (z"l). Cantor Dvorah Buhr Cantor Charles Osborne Cantor Doctor Brian Mayer MLK Jr Baba Ram Das The Aish Kodesh
Reb Zalman Rabbi Shefa Gold Rabbi Ira Stone Jon Young Rabbis Marcia Prager Shawn Zevit Rabbi Pinhas Polonsky Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg Rabbi Moshe Weinberger Rabbi Joseph B. Solveitchik My Parents Nigel Savage Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz Rabbi Simcha Willig Reb Zalman Schechter-Shalomi Ruth Messinger Rabbi Jill Jacob Alicia Ostriker
Peter Pitzele Dr. Catherine Shainberg Reb Zalman Nehemiah Polan Art Green Marcia Prager my mom Rabbi Zalman Shacter Shlomi Ruth Messinger Abe Wald Rabbi/Kohenet Jill Hammer Rabbi Jill Zimmerman Rabbi Benay Lappe Rabbi Julia Watts Belser Phyllis Taylor. Rabbi Marc Margolius, Rabbi Tamar Kamionkowski Rabbi David Teutsch Rabbi Linda Holtzman Dr. Maxine Grossman
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Reading List Likutei Moharan, Rebbe Nosson of Breslav Everyday Holiness, Alan Morinis A River Flows From Eden, Melila Hellner-Eshed Intuitive Eating, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch Heaven with Scribes and Pharisees: The Jewish Path to God, Rabbi Lionel Blue Living in the Shadow of the Cross: Understanding and Resisting the Power and Privilege of Christian Hegemony, Paul Kivel The Torah of Music, Joey Weisenberg The Genius of Judaism, B. Levy Being and Time, Martin Heidegger The Soul of Judaism: Jews of African Descent in America, Bruce D. Haynes The Green Amendment, Maya K. van Rossum Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, Robin Wall Kimmerer Living Covenant, David Hartman. Happiness is an Inside Job, Sylvia Boorstein Mindfulness, Joseph Goldstein Food Not Lawns, H. C. Flores The Healing Wisdom of Africa, Malidoma Some Personality Types, Riso and Hudson. Dignity, Donna Hicks. Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, Yossi Klein Halevi Path Of Blessing, R. Marcia Prager This Is Real & You're Completely Unprepared, Alan Lew Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, Joe Dispenza Quiet: The Power of Introverts, Susan Cain Joyful, Ingrid Fettel Lee The Way of the Happy Woman, Sarah Avant Stover Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson Siddur HaKohanot: A Hebrew Priestess Prayerbook, Jill Hammer and Taya Shere Sacred Instructions, Sherri Mitchell Homo Deus, Yuval Harrari The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander Eight Years in Power, Ta Nehosi Coates The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture, Yoram Hazony Jewish with Feeling, Zalman Shachter Shlomi Anything, Aviva Zornberg Voices of the Matriarchs, Chava Weissler Who Wrote the Bible?, Richard Elliott Friedman The Ethics, Baruch Spinoza
22 • Hazon Rabbis' Retreat • Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
We Thank You! As an organization, Hazon believes that the communal sustainability of the Jewish people and the world around us significantly depend on the spiritual leaders of the generation. The Torah teaches that it is through gratitude that we can catalyze the physical world and make it grow and flourish. “And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew; for Hashem had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to work the soil (Genesis 2:5)” Because rain had not yet fallen, and there had yet to be a human species to cultivate the fields, plant-life had not yet begun to grow. Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, on this verse points out that it was not that humans were needed for the land only, but also to pray for the rain, essentially it was the act of uttering praise by humankind that caused for rain to fall and for the plants to grow. On behalf of Hazon, we want to thank you for joining us at the Hazon Rabbis’ Retreat 2019, it is our hope that through the work you do with Hazon you feel that you can return back to your work recharged and rejuvenated and to move forward both your personal vmission for the world and the mission of Hazon, namely to create a more sustainable Jewish community and planet for all. B’vracha, With many Blessings,
Isaiah Rothstein
Rabbi-in-residence, Hazon
Special Thank You To: • Judith Belasco, Executive Vice President, Hazon: For her ongoing support and for being a strong advisor in the curation of the retreat. • Kohenet Shamira Chandler, Spiritual and Creative Activist and Educator: For your friendship, love of the Jewish people and unwavering and ongoing commitment to the mission and vision of Hazon. • R’ Kohenet Jill Hammer for being a beacon of light for the Jewish community and contributing so greatly to the work of the Jewish people and Hazon. • R’ Nate Degroot, Spiritual Leader for Hazon Detroit. for your support, friendship and consultation throughout the curation of the retreat. • Rabbis Marc Soloway and Josh Ratner for modelling for our clergy the power of consistency around issues of our planet and the Jewish community. • Nigel Savage, CEO, Hazon: For being a rebbe to rabbis and spiritual leaders, envisioning a world where clergy are supported to carry out their work to be the best they can be. • And (Acharon Chaviv - last but not least) R’ Sid Schwarz, social entrepreneur, author and teacher: For your mentorship, support and advising before the retreat and your ongoing commitment to supporting and building a new infrastructure for the Jewish people.
March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 23
Notes
24 • Hazon Rabbis' Retreat • Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 25
A roadmap for Jewish institutions to become healthier and more sustainable through education, action, and advocacy. A ROADMAP to healthier food, less waste, meaningful JOFEE* education, and a less harmful impact on the environment that sustains us. Wherever you are today, you can be better tomorrow. “We wouldn’t have done any sustainability work if it weren’t for the Seal program.” – Town and Village Synagogue, NYC “We have a much better understanding, or ‘road map’ of where we could successfully go next.” – Tamarack Camps, MI
Created by Tran from the Noun Project
“Participating in the Seal provided the impetus to create an organized committee and a focus to our efforts.” – Congregation Shir Tikvah, Troy, MI “It has really emerged as a cornerstone of what and how we do things at Hillel.” – Colorado State University Hillel
A rich RESOURCE for knowledge and ideas
Created by Gregor Cresnar from the Noun Project
National PUBLICITY, brand-raising, awards, and recognition
“Even outside of Seal projects, the Hazon resource bank has inspired and informed numerous activities, services, and discussions…”
“The Seal provides helpful branding and publicity for our work, and is a nice bow to tie up our greening efforts.” – JCC of Staten Island, NYC
“I was personally surprised by the extent to which Jewish ideals really align with sustainability.” – Colorado State University Hillel, Fort Collins, CO
A channel to ignite the community, engage members, and bring NEW MEMBERS through the door
A NETWORK of Jewish and other faith-based organizations committed to sustainability including a cohort of peers to learn with and from Created by Oksana Latysheva from the Noun Project
“It’s great to be part of a cohort of organizations working on such different projects. We love hearing from groups all across the country and there’s always something we can take away from what they’re doing.” – B’nai Jeshurun Synagogue, NYC
Created by Adrien Coquet from the Noun Project
“I was tremendously amazed by how our Hillel was able to find new students who had felt left out in other Jewish spaces.” – Colorado State University Hillel, Fort Collins, CO
An annual CERTIFICATION to celebrate success and highlight the progress of leaders in the field of sustainability Created by Deemak Daksina S from the Noun Project
Financial SAVINGS by increasing efficiency, attracting new donors to sustainability work, and unlocking opportunities for regional project grants
“I love having the Seals up as a talisman of what we stand for and something to visibly point out to staff, campers, and guests.” – Ramah in the Rockies, Denver, CO Created by Ralf Schmitzer from the Noun Project
*JOFEE stands for Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Education. Learn more at hazon.org/jofee.
“I can’t tell you how important this has been to us… It’s mobilized a whole new set of people… younger members.” – Town and Village Synagogue, NYC
March 31 – April 3, 2019 • 27 Icons from thenounproject.com
Main Office
P H I L
L A K E
Entrance
Red Yurt
Parking
Basketball Court
Chestnut
n Road
Johnso
Kaplan Family Farm (incl. Orchards & Chickens)
Staff Housing
Beebe Hill Road Red Trailhead
May
Patio
Gazebo
Playground
Program Offices
Library
Lakeside Trailhead
M I R I A M
Follow gravel road to Blue & Yellow Trailheads
L A K E
Fire Circle
Book Store & Guest Services
Scheuer
Weinberg
Maple
Synagogue
Greenhouse
CHECK-IN
Great Hall
Arts & Crafts
MAIN BUILDING
Dining Hall
Dining Tent
Pool
Entrance to Garden
Cob Oven
Johnson Road
Kfar
Blue Heron Cedar
Beige Yurt
Mikveh, Swimming & Boat Dock
Pine
Tent Camping Area
d Roa
Parking
= Eruv
© DON MANNES 2011
Lakeside and Yellow Trailheads
Elm
Kaufmann
son
John
Goats & Barnyard
Staff Housing
Driveway to Cultural Center
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Isabella Freedman Emergency #: 860-453-3963