2008 Program Catalog

Isabella Freedman JEWISH RETREAT CENTER 2008 Program Catalog

www.isabellafreedman.org | (800) 398-2630

Message from the Directors Dear friends, At the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, we design each of our programs with several questions in mind: How do we make a 3,000-year-old tradition relevant in a fast-moving contemporary world? How do we give people an experience of Jewish tradition that is joyful, inspiring and alive? How do we touch people’s lives directly, while inspiring positive change across the Jewish world and beyond?

You hold the answer to these questions in your hands. Each year, thousands of guests come to Isabella Freedman to participate in retreat programs that are carefully organized to inspire a love of Jewish tradition, strengthen the bonds of community and cultivate Jewish leadership. Young, old and from myriad Jewish backgrounds, people come to reconnect to a tradition that provides spiritual fulfillment, deep learning and communal engagement.

The programs presented in this catalog are modeled after the Jewish mystical tradition that teaches us to engage and balance the worlds of body, mind, heart and spirit.

In body, we hope that your time spent with us connects you to your physical being, enabling you to move and breathe in new ways.

In mind, may our workshops help you deepen your understanding of Jewish tradition and become increasingly aware of the issues that are most important to your life.

In heart, may our gatherings help you open to greater love and compassion for yourself and others.

In spirit, may our retreats allow you to connect to the Ineffable — that which reminds us that we are greater than our egos, that we are in fact part of a great mystery that dwells within us and connects us to all of life.

From all of us here in the Connecticut Berkshires, we wish you fourfold blessings in 5768. May your body, mind, heart and spirit be filled with light, and may you visit us often.

B’shalom,

Adam Berman

Executive Director

Amy Hannes

Program Director

Ari Weller

Associate Director

When you come to Isabella Freedman,

Judaism comes alive!

Since our founding more than 100 years ago, Isabella Freedman has provided retreat experiences for over 60,000 people of all ages and backgrounds.

Today we offer the most comprehensive schedule of year-round Jewish retreats anywhere in the world. We model an approach to Jewish tradition that is relevant and joyful, teaches skills for spiritual and communal leadership that embody the Jewish values of chesed & tzedek — compassion & justice — and inspires our guests to live by these values.

CONTENTS 4 Our Home 6 Program Highlights 8 2008 Program Calendar 12 Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration 36 Reflections From Rabbi Art Green 48 Organic Farming & Environmental Education 56 Baby Boomers & Senior Adults 60 Guest Information 64 Transformation Through Service 65 Renting Isabella Freedman

Our Home

4 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Location

Dining

Isabella Freedman is located near the small New England town of Falls Village, Connecticut, approximately 2 hours from New York City and 3 hours from Boston. The retreat center rests on 380 acres of forested land and lush meadows in the foothills of the southern Berkshires. There are two lakes for boating, fishing and swimming, or simply for contemplation. Well-groomed trails wind around the lakes and stretch into the adjacent forest, connecting after a short distance with the Appalachian Trail for miles of unspoiled hiking and views.

We serve gourmet wholefoods cuisine, using only the finest quality and freshest ingredients.

We are committed to providing local, organic produce, grains, cheeses and meat when available. In season, nearly all of our produce is grown on our own organic farm. High-quality vegetarian and vegan alternatives are offered at every meal. Ingredients for all dishes are labeled at each meal for those with food allergies or special needs. For questions about our dining services, please email: dining@isabellafreedman.org.

Accommodations

Kashrut

During your time with us, you will enjoy the simplicity, comfort and charm of our country lodging. We can accommodate up to 180 guests in our well-appointed rooms. Each of our eleven lodges has its own unique character, and all are fully air-conditioned and winterized for use at any time of year. Some buildings have rooms with private baths; others offer shared bathrooms. Handicap-accessible rooms are also available upon request.

The Isabella Freedman kitchen is glatt kosher and under the strict supervision of the Hartford Kashrut Commission. An on-site mashgiach is present in the kitchen at all times. For kashrut questions, please email: kashrut@isabellafreedman.org.

Surrounding Area

Commitment to Sustainability

With its natural beauty, quintessential New England towns, antiques, literary history and rich cultural life, it’s no wonder the Berkshires continue to attract and inspire so many visitors year after year. Located near the historic town of Falls Village, CT, Isabella Freedman is only a short distance from the world-renowned cultural, historic and natural attractions of the beautiful Berkshires.

Isabella Freedman is committed to operating our facility in ways that minimize our environmental impact. New buildings are constructed with energy efficiency that is at least 30% better than state code. Food is sourced and grown with the environment in mind. Non-toxic paints, cleaning products and finishes are used throughout the facility. Renewable energy technologies such as biodiesel (use and manufacturing), solar hot water and a small-scale hydroelectric turbine are utilized on the site.

In the spring of 2008, we will install a 10 KW solar photovoltaic system for our main office building. For an updated list of environmental projects and policies, please visit our website.

Organic Farming Our four-acre organic farm yielded over 30,000 pounds of produce in 2007, most of which we served in our dining room. Visitors are invited to work with the ADAMAH fellows in the farm from spring through fall. After every retreat during the growing season, we hold farmers markets where guests can purchase a variety of seasonal delights as well as our own branded label of pickled (live-culture food) products.

DURING YOUR STAY YOU CAN ALSO ENJOY: Hiking trails that connect to the Appalachian Trail Our organic gardens and four-acre farm Outdoor lake swimming and boating with lifeguard, in season Outdoor pool with lifeguard, in season Hot tub year-round Tennis, volleyball and basketball courts Indoor fitness room Private massage and body work Wi-Fi high-speed internet access Arts and crafts center Fire circle for evening bonfire programs Low elements ropes course for team-building activities Glass-walled synagogue with views of lake and mountain Large theatre space Bookstore stocked with a wide selection of Jewish books, music and art

5 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Program Highlights

Jewish Mysticism pages 24, 25, 26, 33 Unlock the secrets of Kabbalah with modern mysticism’s Danny Matt, Miles Krassen, Gershon Winkler and Elliot Ginsberg.

Diversity page 16 Celebrate a vibrant Shabbat at our Jewish Multiracial Retreat and be part of a creative and inspirational community at the Nehirim: GBLT Spiritual Retreat.

Torah Learning pages 15, 18, 20, 25 Study with today’s most renowned Jewish Scholars, including Avivah Zornberg, Art Green, DovBer Pinson and Zalman Schachter-Shalomi.

Organic Farming pages 48 – 52 Spend a day, a week or three months digging in the soil at ADAMAH programs and other Workshops in the Fields.

Jewish Holidays pages 14, 17, 35 Experience Rosh Hashana in the land of apples and honey, Yom Kippur in the mountains and Sukkot under the stars.

Prepare for Passover with Shefa Gold and rediscover Shavuot with Yitz and Blu Greenberg.

Environmental Education pages 53 – 55 Become a Jewish steward of the earth at our Global Climate Change Leadership Seminar and participate in programs co-sponsored by Hazon and the Teva Learning Center.

6 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Bnai Mitzvah Family Camp page 28 Create a meaningful bar or bat mitzvah experience with Amichai Lau-Lavie and Rachel Brodie.

Baby Boomers and Senior Adults pages 56 – 59

Join a community of active seniors for a ten-day Passover Retreat, a two-week Summer Vacation or a weeklong Elderhostel.

Yoga and Meditation pages 30, 38 – 39, 43, 46 Reduce stress and deepen your awareness with David and Shoshana Cooper, enjoy daily yoga classes, join Rachel Cowan for a special Women’s Mindfulness Retreat and develop your practice at Elat Chayyim’s Advanced Meditation Training.

Jewish Arts pages 30, 41 Explore music, theater, visual arts and creative writing with Danny Maseng and Basya Schechter.

Children’s Program page 62 Give children the gift of a joyous and engaging Jewish experience.

7 Register by phone 800-398-2630

2008 Program Calendar SPRING April 6 – 10 Remaking Eden: A Practical and Spiritual Introduction to Ecological Garden Design Dave Jacke page 51 April 11 – 13 Preparation for Pesach: The Purification of the Heart Rabbi Shefa Gold page 14 April 13 – 15 Inspirations for Passover Nourishment: In the Kitchen and Beyond Amy Hannes and Shivanter Singh page 14 April 18 – 28 Passover Program for Senior Adults page 56 May 25 – September 1 ADAMAH: The Jewish Environmental Fellowship Summer Session page 49 May 26 – 29 Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg The Joseph Saga: Trauma and Healing Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg with Ebn Leader, Claudia Kreiman and Jonah Steinberg Co-sponsored by Hebrew College’s Open Beit Midrash and the Skirball Center for Adult Jewish Learning at Temple Emanu-El page 15 May 30–June 1 Nehirim: GLBT Spiritual Retreat Jay Michaelson and others page 16

8 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

SPRING – SUMMER June 1 – 5

June 16 – 19 (cont.)

June 26 – 29

Elderhostel Week One (#14782) page 58

FOR RABBIS AND RABBINICAL STUDENTS

Open Our Hearts To You: A Women’s Silent Mindfulness Retreat Rabbi Sheila Weinberg and Rabbi Rachel Cowan page 36

June 2 – 5 Teva Learning Center Professional Development Seminar page 54 June 6 – 8 Jewish Multiracial Network (JMN) Annual Retreat page 16 June 8 – 11 Shavuot Retreat on Revelation and Communication Rabbi Yitz Greenberg and Blu Greenberg page 17

Judaism of the 21st Century: Paradigms and Practices for the Global Age Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (By Video-Conference), Rabbi Arthur Green, Rabbi Tirzah Firestone and Rabbi Shaya Isenberg page 18 Enneagram and Kabbalah: Understanding Unique Expression of the Divine Image Rabbi Avruhm Addison and Hannah Nathans page 19 June 19 – 22

June 16 – 22

Bringing God Out of Hiding Rabbi Alan Lew page 21

The Jewish Arts Institute (JAI) Week 3: Jewish Identity and Ensemble Theatre-Making Danny Maseng, Aaron Davidman and Yosefa Briant page 41

The Joys (and Oys) of Sage-ing Rabbi Shaya Isenberg, Bachira Sugarman and a teleconference appearance by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi page 20

NEW TWO-YEAR INSTITUTE BEGINNING! Kohenet: A New Vision of Jewish Women’s Spiritual Leadership Rabbi Jill Hammer, Holly Taya Shere and Shoshana Jedwab page 42 June 16 – 19 TorahTrek: Spiritual Wilderness Retreat Rabbi Mike Comins page 19

June 22 – 29 Awareness: Awakening Today, Everyday – Contemplative Practices in Stillness and Motion Rabbi David Cooper, Shoshana Cooper and Eliezer Sobel page 39 Elat Chayyim Advanced Meditation Training Program (ECAMP) Rabbi Jeff Roth, Rabbi Joanna Katz, Rabbi Alan Lew and Norman Fischer page 43

June 29 – July 3 Elderhostel Week Two (#16409) page 58 July 7 – 20 Senior Adult Summer Vacation (Trip A) page 57 July 20 Family Farm Day with ADAMAH ADAMAH Staff and Fellows page 50 July 21 – August 3 Senior Adult Summer Vacation (Trip B) page 57 August 4 – 10 NEW TWO-YEAR INSTITUTE BEGINNING! Lev Shomea: Training Spiritual Directors in the Jewish Tradition Dr. Barbara Eve Breitman, Rabbi Avruhm Addison, Rabbi Zari Weiss, Ann Kline and Julie Leavitt page 45 Yoga and Jewish Spirituality Teacher Training Institute Diane Bloomfield and Rabbi Myriam Klotz page 46

9 Register by phone 800-398-2630

2008 Program Calendar SUMMER (CONT.) August 4 – 7

August 11 – 14

August 18 – 21 (cont.)

Uncertainty, Freewill, and Your Unique Role in Tikkun Olam David Friedman page 21

Discovering God Through Kabbalah Daniel and Hana Matt page 24

Parenting: A Spiritual Practice Rabbis Victor and Nadya Gross page 27

Kabbalah as a Spiritual Practice With Rabbi DovBer Pinson page 25

A Taste of ADAMAH Shamu Sadeh, Adam Berman and Rabbi Jill Hammer page 50

Theater of the Talmud: Encountering Essential Dramatic Tensions in Our Lives Dr. Ruth Calderon page 22 Chanting For a Vision Rabbi Shefa Gold page 23 August 7 – 10 The Visionary’s Shabbat Rabbi Shefa Gold page 23 Beyond Laughter Through Tears: The Power of Jewish Humor Rabbi Moshe Waldoks page 22

August 14 – 17 Torah, Meditation and Raising the Sparks Through Kabbalah Daniel and Hana Matt page 24 From the Roots Above: An Introduction to Meta-Judaism Rabbi Moshe Aharon (Miles Krassen) and Hazzan Richard Kaplan page 25 Holy Drumming Akiva Wharton page 26 August 17

August 10 Family Farm Day with ADAMAH ADAMAH Staff and Fellows page 50

Farm and River Day for Young Adults (20s and 30s) Adam Berman and Shamu Sadeh page 52

August 11 – 17

August 18 – 21

NEW TWO-YEAR INSTITUTE BEGINNING! Davennen Leadership Training Institute (DLTI) Rabbi Marcia Prager and Rabbi Shawn Zevit with Cantor Jack Kessler and Daniel Sheff page 47

Teachers and Friends, Lovers and Adversaries: The Holiness of Relationships in Jewish Mystical Teachings Rabbi Elliot Ginsburg page 26

10 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Days are Coming: Meta-Judaism and a Deep Exploration of Messianic Age Rabbi Moshe Aharon (Miles Krassen) and Hazzan Richard Kaplan page 27

August 18 – 24 Bnai Mitzvah Family Camp Rachel Brodie, Julie Batz, Amichai Lau-Lavie and Sarah Skolic Co-sponsored by Jewish Milestones and Storahtelling page 28 August 21 – 24 Creating Wild and Inspired Jewish Music Basya Schechter page 30 Cultivating Relationships: A Weekend for Jewish Singles Rosalie Eisen and Rabbi Efraim Eisen page 31 Embodied Worlds: Yoga and Movement Prayer Jodi Falk page 30 August 24 Extending the Harvest: Artisanal Methods of Food Preservation Joshua Rosenstein page 52

SUMMER – FALL

HIGH HOLIDAY RETREATS – WINTER

WINTER

August 25 – 28

September 29 – October 2

December 25 – 28

If Talmud Study is So Much Fun, How Can I Join the Party?

Arthur Kurzweil page 33

Rosh Hashanah Retreat See our website for details page 35

Third Annual Hazon Food Conference in San Francisco Co-sponsored by Hazon page 55

Kabbalistic Mussar to Transform Relationships Alan Morinis page 32

October 8 – 9

Hebrew Ulpan: An Essential Gate into Hebrew Language Tova Weitzman page 32 Journeys Into Oblivion: Ancient Jewish Wisdom for the End of Times Rabbi Gershon Winkler and Ravi Miriam Maron page 33 Global Climate Change Leadership Seminar Adam Berman, Tom Wessels, Rachel Jacoby Rosenfield and others page 53 August 29 – September 1 Hazon New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride page 55 August 31 – September 5 Elderhostel Week Three (#15082) page 59 September 7 – December 7 ADAMAH: The Jewish Environmental Fellowship Fall Session page 49 September 8 – 12 Elderhostel Week Four (#16657) page 59

Yom Kippur Retreat See our website for details page 35 October 13 – 16 Third Annual Sukkahfest See our website for details page 35 October 24 – 26 Seventeenth Annual Jewish Men’s Retreat Shawn Zevit and others page 34 November 28 – 30 Fifth Annual Carlebach Conference: The Way of the Baal Shem Tov Rabbi Naftali Citron and others Co-sponsored by the Carlebach Shul page 34 December 15 – 21 Yoga and Jewish Spirituality Teacher Training Institute Week Four Diane Bloomfield and Rabbi Myriam Klotz page 46 December 21 – 28 Awakening to What Is: Winter Meditation Retreat Rabbi David Cooper, Shoshana Cooper and Eliezer Sobel page 39

December 28 – January 4 Elat Chayyim Advanced Meditation Training Program (ECAMP) Week Four Rabbi Jeff Roth, Rabbi Joanna Katz, Rabbi Alan Lew and Norman Fischer page 43 January 12 – 18, 2009 Lev Shomea: Training Spiritual Directors in the Jewish Tradition Week Two Dr. Barbara Eve Breitman, Rabbi Avruhm Addison, Rabbi Zari Weiss, Ann Kline and Julie Leavitt page 45 Jewish Arts Institute Week Four: Integration Danny Maseng and Rick Chess page 41 Kohenet: A New Vision of Jewish Women’s Spiritual Leadership Week Two Rabbi Jill Hammer, Holly Taya Shere and Shoshana Jedwab page 42 February 18 – 23, 2009 Davennen Leadership Training Institute (DLTI) Week Two Rabbi Marcia Prager and Rabbi Shawn Zevit with Cantor Jack Kessler and Daniel Sheff page 47

11 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration Isabella Freedman is a retreat destination for guests from a wide range of spiritual and religious paths. Whether you have had limited or no Jewish education, are traditionally observant, or simply seek to find a place that’s right for you in the Jewish community, we welcome you to join us in learning and celebration.

Our programs are led by today’s most respected and innovative thinkers, authors, teachers, cantors and rabbis from across the Jewish denominational spectrum. Prayer at Isabella Freedman is as varied as the backgrounds of our visitors. Please see specific program descriptions for more details.

We offer family programs, four-day retreats, professional training institutes, meditation retreats and holiday programs — all designed to leave you feeling more connected to Jewish tradition, more connected to community, and more inspired to move forward in your life.

The Elat Chayyim Center for Jewish Spirituality, an integral part of Isabella Freedman’s programs on Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration, is a living laboratory for the development and renewal of contemporary Jewish spiritual life. Elat Chayyim retreats promote practices that draw on the wisdom of Jewish tradition and reflect the values and consciousness of our evolving society. Experiential approaches to Jewish learning, ritual and prayer are designed to help participants in their search to cultivate awareness of the Divine presence in all aspects of life.

12 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Prayer on Elat Chayyim retreats is designed to provide an experience that opens the heart and facilitates our connections to community, the Divine and our deepest truths. Prayer sessions generally follow the structure and rhythm of traditional Jewish services and also include chanting, musical instruments and meditation. Please see specific program descriptions for more details.

Look for this symbol and events.

next to Elat Chayyim programs

A Typical Day at Isabella Freedman

New Four-Day Retreat Structure

While actual times and schedules may vary according to retreat, here is how you can expect to spend your time during four-day retreats, professional training institutes, meditation retreats and holiday programs.

This year we are introducing a new retreat structure that gives you three options for participating in any of our four-day retreats.

1. Register for a Monday – Thursday retreat;

6:15 – 6:45 am Optional meditation 7:00 – 8:00 am Optional yoga or morning prayer 8:00 – 9:00 am Breakfast Silent breakfast 9:00 – 11:45 am Morning class session or children’s program 12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch

2. Register for a Thursday – Sunday retreat; or 3. If you register for two consecutive four-day retreats, and spend Monday – Sunday or Thursday – Thursday with us, you will receive $100 off your total program fee.

Classes will begin both Monday and Thursday evening immediately following dinner and orientation.

See page 62 for children’s program dates and information.

2:00 – 4:45 pm Afternoon class session or children’s program 5:00 – 6:00 pm Optional yoga, farm tour, guided contemplative hike or free time 6:00 – 7:00 pm Dinner 7:20 – 8:20 pm Sharing circle 8:30 – 9:30 pm Evening program or entertainment These elements are unique to Elat Chayyim retreats, all of which are designated by this symbol: 13 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration SPRING PROGRAMS

Preparation for Pesach: The Purification of the Heart

Inspirations for Passover Nourishment: In the Kitchen and Beyond

April 11 – 13, 2008 Rabbi Shefa Gold

April 13 – 15, 2008 Amy Hannes and Shivanter Singh

Each year as we embark upon Pesach’s journey from slavery into freedom, we are apt to get so caught up in the details of cleaning, searching the house for chametz, cooking and preparing for guests, that we ignore the internal preparation for the purification of our hearts.

Expand your holiday appetite on a journey of kosher-for-Passover culinary magic and spiritual nourishment. Learn to make delicious dishes and healthy choices that will satisfy your soul, feed your body and add beauty to your seder table. Discover the ease and delight of cooking with whole foods and seasonal produce as we prepare maror by hand, scarlet quinoa with crisp spring greens, Yemenite haroset with figs and ginger, and other inspiring Pesadiche dishes. Bring your apron, your taste buds and your spirit as we begin our preparations for Passover in this hands-on, heartsopen workshop.

Participants in this workshop will use the modalities of text study, chant, meditation, imagery and inner journeying to explore the landscape of the heart and search for the hidden chametz — those soured places within us that can lead to the leavening or inflation of the ego. We’ll use the Song of Songs and a 13th century text by the grandson of Maimonidies to map our journeys toward freedom.

Program fee: $125 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/prepassover Rabbi Shefa Gold is a leader in Aleph: Alliance for Jewish Renewal.

She received ordination from both the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. Shefa is the director of C-DEEP, The Center for Devotional, Energy and Ecstatic Practice in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, and the author of Torah Journeys: The Inner Path to the Promised Land.

14 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Program Fee: $150 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/nourishment Amy Hannes recently joined Isabella Freedman as Program Director. As the founder of the Inspired Palate, an organic whole foods personal chef service, Amy has extensive experience inspiring the palates of omnivores, herbivores and hungry people of all ages. She is also a lawyer, mediator and author of several articles including Edible Boston’s Fresh Food and Community: Now at a Farm Near You. Shivanter Singh brings over forty years of culinary experience to his new position as Executive Chef of Isabella Freedman. Most recently, he was the General Manager of Omega Food Works at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, New York, where he ran a health-conscious and environmentally sustainable kitchen for thirteen years.

Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg The Joseph Saga: Trauma and Healing May 26 – 29, 2008 Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg with Ebn Leader, Claudia Kreiman and Jonah Steinberg Co-sponsored by Hebrew College’s Open Beit Midrash and the Skirball Center for Adult Jewish Learning at Temple Emanu-El

This course will explore the intergenerational effects of traumatic experience in the narratives of Joseph and his brothers. Beginning with the relationship of Isaac and Jacob, Avivah will discuss the effects of the Akeda (the Binding of Isaac) on three generations. She will use midrashic and hasidic sources, as well as material from psychoanalysis and literature to aid in this exploration. Teachers and students from the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College will lead daily prayer and facilitate a daily Beit Midrash (partnership learning).

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/zornberg Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg is the author of Genesis: The Beginning of Desire (for which she won the National Jewish Book Award),The Particulars of Rapture: Reflections on Exodus, and a number of articles. She holds a PhD in English Literature from Cambridge University and for the past twenty years has taught Torah in Jerusalem at MaTaN, Pardes and the Jerusalem College for Adults.

MORE SPRING PROGRAMS Remaking Eden: A Practical and Spiritual Introduction to Ecological Garden Design April 6 – 10, 2008 Dave Jacke For more information about this new workshop and other environmental programs, see pages 48 – 55.

Passover Program for Senior Adults April 18 – 28, 2008 For more information about this and other programs for baby boomers and senior adults, see pages 56 – 59.

ADAMAH: The Jewish Environmental Fellowship Summer Session May 25 – September 1, 2008 For more information about this and other ADAMAH programs, see pages 49 – 50.

15 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration SPRING PROGRAMS

Jewish Multiracial Network (JMN) 11th Annual Retreat June 6 – 8, 2008 Join dozens of other Jewish multiracial and multicultural families, couples and singles for an inclusive Shabbat experience that will celebrate the diversity of our community. The weekend includes exciting adult discussions and workshops, youth and teen programming, childcare, multi-generational family programming and time to relax and enjoy all that Isabella Freedman and JMN have to offer.

Nehirim: GBLT Spiritual Retreat May 30 – June 1, 2008 Jay Michaelson with Rabbi Dawn Rose, Professor David Brodsky, Rabbi Jill Hammer, Shoshana Jedwab and Amichai Lau-Lavie Join us for a retreat full of workshops, classes, services and performances that are joyful, creative and energetic. Participants come from a diverse array of religious observance levels (and, yes, non-Jewish partners are welcome), sexual and gender identities and age and socio-economic backgrounds (full student scholarships are available). Participants come for transformative spiritual experiences, diverse and welcoming community or simply to have fun and meet people in a beautiful natural setting.

All are welcome! Last year’s retreat sold out, so please register early. For more information including retreat schedules and past participant feedback, please visit www.nehirim.org.

Program Fees Adults: $50 Children: $50 For Room and Board Fees, see www.isabellafreedman.org/jmnretreat.

Please note that rates are different from those listed on page 61.

For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/jmnretreat

Program Fee: $85 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/nehirim Jay Michaelson is the director of Nehirim: GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality (www.nehirim.org) and the chief editor of Zeek: A Jewish Journal of Thought and Culture (www.zeek.net). His most recent books are God in Your Body: Kabbalah, Mindfulness, and Embodied Spiritual Practice (2006) and Another Word for Sky: Poems (2007).

MORE SPRING PROGRAMS Elderhostel Week One June 1 – 5, 2008 For more information about this and other programs for baby boomers and senior adults, see pages 56 – 59.

Teva Learning Center Professional Development Seminar June 2 – 5, 2008 at Surprise Lake Camp For more information about this and other environmental programs, see pages 48 – 55.

16 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

SPRING PROGRAMS

Shavuot Retreat on Revelation and Communication: Explorations of Covenantal Language, Divine and Human June 8 – 11, 2008 Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, Blu Greenberg and others Join Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, Blu Greenberg and a team of Jewish academics and educators for a Shavuot experience filled with prayer, study and an exploration of covenantal ethics in speech, sexuality and relationship. Prayer services will be progressive/traditional in the style of Jerusalem’s Kehillat Shira Hadasha (men and women sit separately, both lead parts of the service and read from the Torah, and everyone sings). In addition, a separate meditative and chanting prayer service with instruments will be offered each morning. There will be activities for children of all ages during services and study sessions.

This retreat has a two-night or three-night option.

There is no program fee for children.

Program Fee for two nights: $25 Program Fee for three nights: $35 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/shavuot Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg is a leading Jewish thinker who has written on theology after the Holocaust, the ethics of Jewish power and the theory and practice of pluralism and Jewish-Christian relations. He was Chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, President of the Jewish Life Network/Steinhardt Foundation, Founding President of CLAL: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, a professor of history at Yeshiva University and a Rabbi of the Riverdale Jewish Center. His books include: The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays and For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: The New Encounter of Judaism and Christianity.

Blu Greenberg is a leading activist in the movement to bridge feminism and Orthodox Judaism. She writes and teaches about feminism, Orthodoxy and the Jewish family. She founded JOFA – the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, and One Voice: Jewish Women for Israel. Blu has taught at the College of Mount St. Vincent and the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem. She is the author of On Women and Judaism: A View from Tradition, How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household and Black Bread: Poems, After the Holocaust.

17 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration FOUR-DAY SUMMER RETREATS Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi was ordained at the Lubavitcher Yeshiva, and received his PhD at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. Reb Zalman ordains rabbis through the ALEPH Rabbinate Program and is the founder of the Spiritual Eldering Institute. He was recently the “Holder of the Chair of World Wisdom” at Naropa University.

Rabbi Tirzah Firestone is a Jungian therapist, author and spiritual leader of Congregation Nevei Kodesh in Boulder, Colorado. She received rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi in 1992. Her books include With Roots In Heaven and The Receiving: Reclaiming Jewish Women’s Wisdom.

Rabbi Arthur Green is Rector of the Hebrew College Rabbinical School and Irving Brudnick Professor of Jewish Thought. He has been studying and teaching Jewish mysticism and theology for nearly half a century. Much of his life has been devoted to thinking about rabbinic education and the role of rabbis.

Rabbi Shaya Isenberg teaches Jewish studies and comparative mysticism at the University of Florida. He is co-founder and co-director of UF’s Center for Spirituality and Health and serves as Rabbi for P’nai Or Gainesville.

He also serves as the director of studies for the Aleph Smicha Program.

Judaism of the 21st Century: Paradigms and Practices for the Global Age June 16 – 19, 2008 Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi (By Video-Conference), Rabbi Arthur Green, Rabbi Tirzah Firestone and Rabbi Shaya Isenberg Co-sponsored by Oraita: Institute for Continuing Rabbinic Education of Hebrew College

For Rabbis and Rabbinical Students This program will allow rabbis and rabbinical students to grapple with some of the awesome challenges and opportunities we face as we enter the 21st century. Our ever-expanding global community, the new vistas and potential dangers of modern technologies, and the previously silenced voices of women, other cultures and the earth itself, are demanding original paradigms and innovative theologies. What will be the kabbalah and the halakhah of the 21st century? A faculty of worldrenowned teachers and visionaries will offer their wisdom and guidance as we re-read our textual sources to empower us to create a Judaism of the 21st Century.

Faculty will work with both rabbi and rabbinical student tracks in classes, beit midrash text study and discussions. Each day will include dedicated time for rabbis and rabbinical students to meet separately and reflect on the plenary sessions as they relate to their own lives and careers. Rabbis will have the opportunity to share their experiences and to work with colleagues and faculty on specific applications for the rabbinate, while rabbinical students will meet as a group with faculty to discuss issues relevant to their rabbinic studies. The rabbinic track includes continued learning with these outstanding teachers as well as with each other for eight additional weeks through online video and audio presentations, hevruta study and discussions.

Acceptance to the Rabbinic Track is via application only, which is available at www.hebrewcollege.edu/oraita and at www.isabellafreedman.org.

Reduced Rates for Rabbinical Students: Thanks to significant scholarship funding from the Lasko Foundation, the total cost of this workshop for rabbinical students, including program fee, room and board, is $100.

Program Fee for Rabbis: $450 For Room and Board Fees for Rabbis, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/globalage

18 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

TorahTrek: Spiritual Wilderness Retreat

Enneagram and Kabbalah: Understanding Unique Expression of the Divine Image

June 16 – 19, 2008 Rabbi Mike Comins

June 16 – 19, 2008 Rabbi Avruhm Addison and Hannah Nathans

Does your soul come alive in the natural world?

Join this journey of inner and outer exploration in Isabella Freedman’s backcountry. With the heightened awareness of the Sacred that wilderness evokes, we invite God’s presence into our journey through blessings, meditative walking, Torah study, mindfulness exercises and traditional and contemplative prayer.

Participants will pitch tents at a TorahTrek base camp at Isabella Freedman and take day hikes into the wild.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 (Camping Option Only) For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/torahtrek Rabbi Mike Comins is the founder of TorahTrek Spiritual Wilderness Adventures (www.torahtrek.com) and the author of A Wild Faith: Jewish Ways into Wilderness, Wilderness Ways into Judaism (www.awildfaith.com). A yeshivatrained, Israeli-ordained Reform Rabbi and licensed Israeli desert guide, Mike also holds an M.A. in Jewish Education from Hebrew University.

The Enneagram is an age-old system that maps personality types and helps reveal our individual paths to psycho-spiritual transformation.

When refracted through the lens of Kabbalah — our Jewish mystical tradition — the Enneagram offers a profound understanding of ourselves, others and the deep motives that underlie our interactions. Through classical text study, small group exercises and contemplative practice, this class will explore why our good intentions don’t always materialize, how to solve relationship problems in personal, family, communal and professional settings, how to deepen our connections to the Divine and each other, and what unique contribution each of us can make to tikkun olam — the repair of our broken world.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit www.isabellafreedman.org/enneagram Rabbi Howard Avruhm Addison teaches Humanities and Religion at Temple University and is a founder of the Lev Shomea Institute for Training Jewish Spiritual Directors. Certified as an Enneagram teacher by Helen Palmer and David Daniels, he is the author of The Enneagram and Kabbalah.

Hannah Nathans is a management consultant, spiritual director, coach and teacher of Jewish subjects. She is studying Hebrew and participating in the academic component of a rabbinic training program. She is the author of The Enneagram at Work.

19 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration FOUR-DAY SUMMER RETREATS Rabbi Shaya Isenberg teaches Jewish studies and comparative mysticism at the University of Florida where he is past Chair of the Religion Department. He is co-founder and co-director of UF’s Center for Spirituality and Health and serves as Rabbi for P’nai Or Gainesville. Shaya is also a faculty member and serves as a director of studies for the Aleph Rabbinical Smicha Program.

Bahira Sugarman, a traditional Reiki Master Teacher, was ordained as a spiritual guide by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and has been celebrated as an Eyshet Hazon (Woman of Vision). She combines psychotherapy with healing work in private practice. Licensed as a clinical social worker, a marriage and family therapist and a massage therapist, Bahira also teaches T’ai Chi Chuan.

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi was ordained at the Lubavitcher Yeshiva, and received his PhD at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. Reb Zalman ordains rabbis through the ALEPH Rabbinate Program and is the founder of the Spiritual Eldering Institute. He was recently the “Holder of the Chair of World Wisdom” at Naropa University.

The Joys (and Oys) of Sage-ing June 19 – 22, 2008 Rabbi Shaya Isenberg and Bahira Sugarman with a special teleconference appearance by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi Co-sponsored by the ALEPH Sage-ing Project Learn to turn life’s difficult lessons into blessings. The Aleph Sageing ProcessTM — developed out of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s paradigm-shifting vision for growing older — is a deeply ecumenical process that benefits people of all ages. Participants will gain experience with the transformations of consciousness that are the fruits of spiritual eldering, passing through a gateway from “age-ing” to “sage-ing.” Rather than back into old-age with fear and avoidance, learn how to harvest the wisdom of life experiences to enrich the present moment, face mortality and repair relationships, and develop a regenerative spirit that will help you take an active leadership role in society.

Course credit for ALEPH smicha students may be available for this class. This workshop may serve as a prerequisite course for the Sage-ing® Mentorship certification program and the Guild’s Leadership certification programs.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/sageing

20 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

FOUR DAY SUMMER RETREATS

Uncertainty, Freewill and Your Unique Role in Tikkun Olam August 4 – 7, 2008 David Friedman Lurianic Kabbalah teaches that each individual has a unique role in tikkun olam — the repair of the world. Not only are we meant to bring ourselves to tikkun, or healing, but we each have a unique and important part to play in how the entire universe comes to tikkun. This course will explore how uncertainty is related to freewill, and whether it is possible for us to know the answers to questions such as “Why is there evil in the world?” and “Why are there righteous people who have such difficult lives?” Investigate these profound issues through the writings of the great 18th Century kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and the great 20th Century kabbalist Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohen Kook.

Bringing God Out of Hiding June 19 – 22, 2008 Rabbi Alan Lew

“Indeed, God is in this place and I did not know it!”

– genesis Although we might often be oblivious to it, the Divine Presence is embedded in the constant unfolding of our lives, in the world around us and in our breath, bodies and souls.

This workshop will use meditation, breathing techniques, the contemplation of nature and the observance of Shabbat to bring the Presence of God out of hiding and into our awareness.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit www.isabellafreedman.org/hiding Rabbi Alan Lew is the founder and co-director of Makor Or, a Jewish meditation center in San Francisco. He is the author of Be Still and Get Going. Since retiring from Congregation Beth Sholom of San Francisco three years ago, Rabbi Lew has traveled widely, teaching and giving workshops about Jewish meditation.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/tikkun David Friedman has been creating art and teaching in Tzfat, Israel for close to thirty years. Recently, he has been involved in setting up the International Center for Tzfat Kabbalah and A.M.I. – Artists and Musicians for Israel. A selection of David’s art and teachings can be seen at www.kosmic-kabbalah.com.

MORE SUMMER PROGRAMS Open Our Hearts To You: A Women’s Silent Mindfulness Retreat June 26 – 29, 2008 Rabbi Sheila Weinberg and Rabbi Rachel Cowan For a full description of this Women’s Retreat and other Meditation Retreats, see pages 38 – 39.

Family Farm Day with ADAMAH Sunday, July 20, 2008 ADAMAH Staff and Fellows For more information about this one-day program and other organic farming programs, see pages 48 – 52.

21 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration FOUR-DAY SUMMER RETREATS

Theater of the Talmud: Encountering Essential Dramatic Tensions In Our Lives August 4 – 7, 2008 Dr. Ruth Calderon The Babylonian Talmud, known as the reservoir of Hebrew law, is an important source of dramatic stories and legends. Become acquainted with the colorful gallery of heroic figures, drama and suspense that molded the spiritual world of our Sages and gave us entry into the seldomdisplayed “Theatre of the Talmud.” We will focus on the tensions between Torment and Love through the story of Rabbi Akiva, Passion and Loyalty with Rav Chiya Bar Ashi, and Life and Death in Spiritual Legacies.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/theater Ruth Calderon is the founder and head of Alma College. In 1989, Ruth founded and headed the “Elul” Bet Midrash, which had the unique distinction of offering Jewish studies on the basis of equality for men and women, and religious and non-religious scholars.

She is the author of The Market, the Home, the Heart, a book that offers a personal homiletic reading of Talmudic legends.

Beyond Laughter Through Tears: The Power of Jewish Humor August 7 – 10, 2008 Rabbi Moshe Waldoks This course will explore the history of Jewish humor as well as its sources in — and uses to change — tradition. What is the redemptive power of humor in the midst of suffering? Going beyond stereotypes, participants will delve into the psychological and spiritual dimensions of Jewish humor, as well as its linguistic and textual foundations. The 25th anniversary edition of The Big Book of Jewish Humor will serve as our text.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/hahaha Reb Moshe Waldoks is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Zion, an independent Jewish congregation in Brookline, MA. He is the co-editor of The Big Book of Jewish Humor, now in its 25th anniversary edition. Reb Moshe completed his doctorate in Jewish Intellectual History at Brandeis University and was granted smicha by Rabbis Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Arthur Green and Everett Gendler.

MORE SUMMER PROGRAMS Family Farm Day with ADAMAH Sunday, August 10, 2008 ADAMAH Staff and Fellows For more information about this one-day program and other organic farming programs, see pages 48 – 52.

22 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

FOUR DAY SUMMER RETREATS

Chanting For a Vision August 4 – 7, 2008 Rabbi Shefa Gold This is the week of Shabbat Chazon — the Sabbath of Vision. Each year, during the week that precedes Tisha B’Av — the holy day that commemorates the destruction of the Temple — we are invited to enter the truth of our vision, the strength of which will see us through times of destruction and the beauty of which will plant in us the seeds of renewal.

In this workshop, we will study the visions of Isaiah and seek our own visions to give us the courage and inspiration to face difficult challenges, opening us to a deeper Joy. Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/vision

The Visionary’s Shabbat August 7 – 10, 2008 Rabbi Shefa Gold Honoring, sharing and refining our own visions through meditation, chant and celebration, we will open to the power of Tisha B’Av — the holy day that both mourns the destruction of the Temple and marks the birth of Messianic consciousness. In the rarified air of Shabbat Chazon, this course will explore the question: How can our greatest hope be birthed from the moment of our most tragic devastation?

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/visionshabbat Rabbi Shefa Gold is a leader in ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. She received ordination from both the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. She is the director of C-DEEP, The Center for Devotional, Energy and Ecstatic Practice in Jemez Springs, New Mexico. She is the author of Torah Journeys: The Inner Path to the Promised Land.

23 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration FOUR-DAY SUMMER RETREATS

Discovering God Through Kabbalah August 11 – 14, 2008 Daniel and Hana Matt This course will explore the themes of God and Creation by studying texts of the Kabbalah and engaging in spiritual practices. Themes include Ein Sof (the infinity of God), the Ten Sefirot (divine qualities), Shekhinah (the feminine aspect of God), Ayin (divine nothingness) and Isaac Luria’s account of Creation. Texts will include selections from the Zohar, Spanish Kabbalah and Luria, and will be studied in Hebrew and English, though knowledge of Hebrew is not required. It is recommended that participants acquire Daniel Matt’s The Essential Kabbalah prior to this course.

Order ahead of time at the Isabella Freedman Bookstore by calling (860) 824-3007.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/discovering

Daniel Matt is one of the world’s leading scholars of Kabbalah and the Zohar. He has published numerous books, including The Essential Kabbalah and God and the Big Bang: Discovering Harmony between Science and Spirituality.

His multi-volume translation of the Zohar (The Zohar: Pritzker Edition) has been called “a monumental contribution to the history of Jewish thought.”

Hana Matt is a teacher of Jewish Spirituality and a Spiritual Director. She is completing her book Jewish Spiritual Practices and Spiritual Direction Based on Kabbalah and Hasidism, which includes teachings on transforming depression, anxiety, addictive patterns and relationship problems.

She teaches classes in Kabbalah, Jewish Mysticism, Jewish Meditation and World Religions at schools throughout the country.

24 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Torah, Meditation and Raising the Sparks Through Kabbalah August 14 – 17, 2008 Daniel and Hana Matt How does the Kabbalah transform the meaning of Torah? What are its techniques of meditation? How can we find God in the material world, where we aim to “raise the sparks?” Explore these questions with Daniel and Hana Matt as we study teachings of the Kabbalah and engage in spiritual practices to deepen our lives. Texts will include selections from the Zohar, Spanish Kabbalah and Luria, and will be studied in Hebrew and English, though knowledge of Hebrew is not required. It is recommended that participants acquire Daniel Matt’s The Essential Kabbalah prior to this course. Order in advance at the Isabella Freedman Bookstore by calling (860) 824-3007.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/sparks

Kabbalah as a Spiritual Practice

From the Roots Above: An Introduction to Meta-Judaism

August 11 – 14, 2008 Rabbi DovBer Pinson

August 14 – 17, 2008 Rabbi Moshe Aharon (Miles Krassen) and Hazzan Richard Kaplan

Explore some of the basic Kabbalistic practices and tools for awakening and living a conscious, mindful existence. Participants will be guided through practices that take one from emptying the mind of thought to filling the mind with elevated thoughts, from immersing in silence to opening oneself up in song, and from inwarddirected meditation to outward-directed prayer.

We will draw upon readings from the Zohar, the School of Nachmanides, R. Avraham Abulafiah, R. Issac Luria, the Baal Shem Tov, the Magid and the Peasetzner Rebbe. Hebrew is not required; texts will be read and translated. A space for a Traditional minyan with be made available each morning.

The powerful mystical text Sefer Kol Demamah Dakah (Ultra Subtle Sound Current) offers a new revelation of Divine Light that enables its receivers to perceive a non-dual understanding of Torah that has never before been revealed. Reb Moshe Aharon will lead us in a contemplative inquiry into the understanding of this “Meta-Judaism,” while Hazzan Richard Kaplan will help us move beyond a purely intellectual experience through the devequt niggun, a contemplative musical meditation without words. In this class, we will learn to pray two of these exquisite musical masterpieces, and study the traditional mystical teachings that underpin and support their expression.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/pinson Rabbi DovBer Pinson, Rosh Yeshiva of the IYYUN Yeshiva and head of the IYYUN center, is an internationally acclaimed speaker, a renowned scholar, author and thinker and a beloved spiritual teacher. Through his books and lectures, he has touched and inspired the lives of thousands.

Rabbi Pinson’s published works include Reincarnation & Judaism: The Journey of the Soul, Inner Rhythms: The Kabbalah of Music, Meditation & Judaism: Exploring Meditative Paths, and Toward the Infinite.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/rootsabove Rabbi Moshe Aharon (aka Miles Krassen) is Rabbi of Gishmey Brachah: an Evolving Jewish Circle for Integrating Body, Mind, and Heart as well as a Professor of Religious Studies at Naropa.

A founding member of the Va’ad (academic board) of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal’s Rabbinic Program, Reb Moshe Aharon currently serves on ALEPH’s Spiritual Advisory Council.

Hazzan Richard Kaplan is serving his eleventh year at Conservative Temple Beth Abraham in Oakland, CA, and at the Jewish Renewal Kabbalat Shabbat Shir haShirim Minyan in Berkeley. A concert artist, teacher, composer, musicologist and pianist, his third CD is due to be released early in 2008. His website is www.kaplanmusic.com.

25 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration FOUR-DAY SUMMER RETREATS

Teachers and Friends, Lovers and Adversaries: The Holiness of Relationship in Jewish Mystical Teachings August 18 – 21, 2008 Rabbi Elliot Ginsburg Co-sponsored by ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal Jewish traditions have developed a rich vocabulary for encountering the divine while simultaneously realizing the inter-connectedness of all life. This course will explore the world of relation in four dimensions, beginning with rabbinic and hasidic teachings on friendship as a spiritual practice; moving to sources on the role of Teacher or Mentor in one’s spiritual growth; exploring the vocabulary of loving intimacy developed in the Song of Songs; and concluding with the challenge of discovering the face of the divine in all human beings — even adversaries. Study will be anchored in text drawn particularly from rabbinic, kabbalistic and hasidic sources, and in spiritual practices that you can “take home.”

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/relationship

Holy Drumming August 14 – 17, 2008 Akiva Wharton This course is for individuals who want to learn the basics of how to play drums and other percussion instruments. Learn which rhythms go with which prayers, and how to drum along with others without getting off-beat or “messing things up.” The class will culminate by leading the rest of the community in a joyful Shabbat drum-jam and Malava Malka dance party on Saturday night. Bring your drum and instruments and share the joy!

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/drumming Akiva Wharton has been a popular drumming teacher at Elat Chayyim retreats for years. He accompanies a virtual who’s-who of Jewish artists including Shefa Gold, Storahtelling, Craig Taubman, Yossi Piamenta, Gad Elbaz and Alberto Mizrachi.

Elliot K. Ginsburg is professor of Jewish Thought and Mysticism at the University of Michigan and rabbi of the Pardes Hannah minyan. He is the author of two books on the mystical celebration of the Sabbath, and is currently writing about the presence of Shabbat during the week and on the olfactory imagination in Judaism.

MORE SUMMER PROGRAMS Farm and River Day for Young Adults (20s and 30s) Sunday, August 17, 2008 Adam Berman and Shamu Sadeh For more information about this one-day program and other environmental programs, see pages 48 – 55.

A Taste of ADAMAH August 18 – 21, 2008 Shamu Sadeh, Adam Berman and Rabbi Jill Hammer For more information about this and other ADAMAH programs, see pages 49 – 50.

26 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Parenting: A Spiritual Practice August 18 – 21, 2008 Rabbis Victor and Nadya Gross Children come into this world bearing wisdom gained in lifetimes lived before and the memory of God breathing life into them once again.

Their greatest gift to us is the reminder to open our eyes to the unlimited potential and purity of the universe; our greatest gift to them is to overcome our controlling need to shape them in our image. The spiritual practice of parenting seeks to create a safe, loving and supportive environment where these young beings can grow in conscious partnership with their Divine intention. When we learn to parent in this way, our homes are defined by Love, Authenticity and Meaning. Learn this practice, sourced in our rabbinic and mystical tradition, and find new joy and purpose in your relationships with your children.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/parenting Rabbis Victor and Nadya Gross are co-presidents of Ruach Ha Aretz, a Project of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal and co-rabbis of Pardes Levavot, a Jewish Renewal Congregation in Boulder, CO. Victor and Nadya received Joint Rabbinic Ordination from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi in recognition of their unique paradigm of spiritual partnering.

Days are Coming: Meta-Judaism and a Deep Exploration of the Messianic Age August 18 – 21, 2008 Rabbi Moshe Aharon (Miles Krassen) and Hazzan Richard Kaplan Co-sponsored by ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal Our sages are in general agreement that no one would really want to live during the period of extreme suffering and destruction that our Prophets predicted would precede the Messianic Age. Many of the current signs of social and environmental crisis suggest that we are rapidly approaching those final days.

What is the real meaning of the days “that are coming,” and how can a deeper understanding of this phenomenon inform our goals and choices? Participants will be guided through an exploration into what “Meta Judaism” says about how the messianic age can inform our spiritual practices and the awareness we need to meet today’s global challenges.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/messiah

27 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration BNAI MITZVAH FAMILY CAMP

Bnai Mitzvah Family Camp August 18 – 24, 2008 Educators and performers from Jewish Milestones and Storahtelling, two innovative organizations that celebrate Jewish life for new generations, will offer a dynamic and multi-faceted program geared towards adults, teens and their younger siblings. The core programmatic component is based on Storahtelling’s trademarked methodology of dramatic translation and interpretation of Torah, in which families engage in a variety of creative modalities that culminate in a re-imagined, participant-driven Torah service on Shabbat.

– Engage your entire family in a meaningful experience of Jewish life with a particular emphasis on the teachings found in the Torah.

– Explore the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ritual in the context of your family’s unique relationship to Judaism and Jewish values.

– Enable teens to establish a deeper personal connection to this rite of passage.

– Provide your family with strategies to address changing roles and responsibilities, and questions of moral and faith development that accompany the transition into adolescence.

– Explore issues of spirituality and identity that often emerge for the parents themselves when a child prepares for a bar or bat mitzvah.

– Connect with other families who are involved in the same process at the same time and with whom you can share strategies, stories and good times.

There will also be ample time to enjoy the outdoors and the facilities of the retreat center, including yoga classes, a ropes course, craft activities, nature programs and much more. Programmatic options specifically geared toward younger siblings are available.

The Bnai Mitzvah Family Camp is made possible through a grant from the the UJA-Federation of New York.

For more information about the content of the program contact Julie Batz at julie@jewishmilestones.org.

Co-sponsored by Jewish Milestones and Storahtelling

Program Fees Adults: $295 Children: $125 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/bnaimitzvah

28 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Julie Batz, a co-founder and Director of Programs for Jewish Milestones, also serves as a cantorial soloist at the Coastside Jewish Community in Half Moon Bay, California. Julie helps to prepare both traditional-age and adult b’nai mitzvah, and facilitates other Jewish lifecycle rituals. Before pursuing her cantorial work, Julie was a business consultant specializing in organization development.

Rachel Brodie, a Jewish educator who specializes in adult and family education, is the co-founder and Executive Director of Jewish Milestones. She teaches Jewish literature, history and ethics at a wide variety of San Francisco Bay Area institutions, serves as a scholar-in-residence at synagogues and other Jewish organizations across the country, and facilitates a wide range of Jewish lifecycle rituals including many bnai mitzvah.

Amichai Lau-Lavie is the Founder and Executive Director of Storahtelling. He is an Israeli-born teacher of Judaic Literature, described as “one of the most interesting thinkers in the Jewish world” by the NY Jewish Week.

Amichai is a member of the Synagogue 3000 Leadership Network, a member of the advisory council for the Six Points Fellowship and a consultant to the Reboot Network.

Sarah Sokolic is Storahtelling’s Associate Executive Director. A professional actress with credits Off-Broadway and in film and television, Sarah has spent more than 15 years as a corporate trainer and Jewish educator. She has worked as a B’nai Mitzvah tutor and ritual facilitator for more than 50 families and serves on the Board of Camp Ramah in the Berkshires.

Treat your family to a unique retreat in preparation for your child’s upcoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah. When a son or daughter officially begins the journey into adulthood it greatly impacts the whole family — parents, siblings, relatives and friends. We invite families of children becoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah between November 2008 and October 2009 to spend a week together before the school year begins to explore this significant rite of passage through creative arts, experiences in nature, Torah study and peer group discussions.

29 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration FOUR-DAY SUMMER RETREATS

Creating Wild and Inspired Jewish Music August 21 – 24, 2008 Basya Schechter

Embodied Worlds: Yoga and Movement Prayer August 21 – 24, 2008 Jodi Falk As we are made in the image of the Divine, so too we create through divine inspiration. Learn how yoga, moving meditation and creative and authentic movement can help elucidate sacred texts, prayers and parshiot. We will explore the body’s own “holy writings” and wisdom, both of which can bring us into a greater connection with the Divine. In addition to experiencing the power of movement-prayer, we will learn how movement can be broken down into smaller elements that can be brought into prayer contexts for others. This course is for all those wishing to embody their prayers, as well as rabbis and lay leaders who want to learn how to embody their leadership.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/embodied Jodi Falk has performed and taught dance and yoga throughout the world for over twenty years. Jodi has an M.F.A. from Temple University and is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and Laban/ Bartenieff Movement Analyst. Jodi is on the faculty of Lesley University, which sends her around the country to teach public school teachers and administrators how to bring movement into their classrooms.

MORE SUMMER PROGRAMS Extending the Harvest: Artisanal Methods of Food Preservation Sunday, August 24, 2008 Joshua Rosenstein For more information about this special one-day program, see page 52.

30 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

This workshop is for musicians who want to generate inspired raw material, refine a creative path or emerge with a roadmap for a new musical project. Participants will explore new genres of music, rhythms and exotic scales, and learn about different instruments and writing exercises. Singer-songwriters who write in English will be encouraged to explore new territory and to emerge with fresh ways of looking at spiritual songwriting.

Instrumentalists will explore new directions as they learn how to notice and improvise on their natural motifs as a springboard toward a personal compositional style.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/music Basya Schechter is the founder of the Neo-Hasidic world music band, Pharaoh’s Daughter, integrating ancient and modern Jewish experience, and Askenazi and Sephardic musical traditions. Her music mines her religious background for liturgical and biblical gems, fusing them with inspirations from contemporary culture as well as her travels around Africa and the Middle East. Basya’s albums include: Daddy’s Pockets, Out of the Reeds, Exile and Queen’s Dominion.

FOUR-DAY SUMMER RETREATS

2007 photo contest winner:

Risa Strauss Capture the spirit of Isabella Freedman and enter to win our 2008 Photo Contest. See www.isabellafreedman. org/photocontest for contest rules and prize information.

Cultivating Relationships: A Weekend for Jewish Singles August 21 – 24, 2008 Rosalie Eisen and Rabbi Efraim Eisen Enjoy the last days of summer with self-discovery and fun! In our culture, it is rare to find a place where like-minded people can meet and have fun without the common dating games. Basherte has cultivated this atmosphere for many years as a comfortable, no pressure, playful container where it is easy to be yourself and get to know other great people. In this workshop, you will learn practical tools to unlock Jewish teachings on love as you experience the mystical aspects of connection through a joyful celebration of Shabbat. To meet your soulmate, you must meet your soul.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.Isabellafreedman.org/singles Rosalie (Raziel) Eisen, M.E.d, is a Professional Coach, Executive Director of Basherte, and Soul Memory Discovery Facilitator. Rosalie brings a special warmth, compassion and sensitivity to her coaching, creation of Jewish women’s ritual and facilitation of more than 150 workshops and retreats across the U.S., Canada and Israel.

Rabbi Efraim Eisen, co-founder of Basherte, currently serves as Rabbi of Temple Israel in Greenfield, MA. He previously served the college congregations at the University of Oregon, Vassar and Mt. Holyoke Colleges. Efraim has practiced as a licensed MFCT (Marriage, Family, and Child Therapist) for twenty-five years, and is also well known for his music and joy.

31 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration FOUR-DAY SUMMER RETREATS

Kabbalistic Mussar to Transform Relationships August 25 – 28, 2008 Alan Morinis

Hebrew Ulpan: An Essential Gate Into Hebrew Language August 25 – 28, 2008 Tova Weitzman Immerse yourself in Hebrew through conversation, song, story and movement. Dynamic in structure and relaxed in atmosphere, this ulpan will introduce you to the fundamentals of both modern and liturgical Hebrew. After this four day immersion, students will feel more confident and comfortable engaging in the language. While prior knowledge of Hebrew is not required, basic familiarity with the Hebrew aleph-bet is highly recommended.

Program fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/hebrew Tova Weitzman grew up in Israel. She taught at the University of Alberta, Canada, and at SUNY New Paltz. She currently teaches Hebrew and Israeli literature at Vassar College. Her research interests include modern Israeli and Palestinian literatures and Jewish poetry of Islamic Spain.

MORE SUMMER PROGRAMS Global Climate Change Leadership Seminar August 25 – 28 Adam Berman, Tom Wessels, Rachel Jacoby Rosenfield and others Co-sponsored by Hazon and the Teva Learning Center For more information about this special program for Jewish educators and community leaders, see page 53.

32 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

The people with whom we are closest are often part of the most important and problematic relationships in our lives. In his “Tomer Devorah,” Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, a great Kabbalist of the 16th Century, offers lessons that can help us transform these relationships.

He tells us which qualities we need to cultivate in order to turn our relationships with partners, children or parents into the loving, fulfilling connections we seek. His teachings also show us how to bring these relationships into service for our own spiritual growth. The course will equip you with tools to take home, where you can continue the work of transformation that we will begin together.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/mussar Alan Morinis is an active interpreter of the teachings and practices of the nearly-lost Jewish spiritual discipline of the Mussar tradition.

He gives regular lectures and workshops and directs distancelearning programs. His doctoral thesis was published by Oxford University Press as Pilgrimage in the Hindu Tradition and his books include a guide to Mussar practice entitled Everyday Holiness: The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar.

Journeys into Oblivion: Ancient Jewish Wisdom for the End of Times

If Talmud Study is So Much Fun, How Can I Join the Party?

August 25 – 28, 2008 Rabbi Gershon Winkler and Ravi Miriam Maron

August 25 – 28, 2008 Arthur Kurzweil

Did you know that the proverbial “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” is based on early Jewish prophecies? Find out what the Jewish tradition says about the quickening of time and events that we are experiencing in this era and learn how to deal with the fast-paced momentum of this very tense and exciting period of human evolution and history. Join two brazen mavericks of contemporary Judaism for spirited chant, illuminating wisdom, deep belly-humor and entrancing movement. We’ll take a wild ride across the open-ended plains of Midrash, the slippery slopes of Talmud, the rocky ridges of Torah, the deep canyons of Tanakh and the endless wilderness of Kabbalah. Explore teachings of old that address the new and help us to better cope with the ups and downs of everyday life in these unusual times...and beyond.

The Talmudic sages were not squeamish about life: they were interested in the pleasures of sex, the struggles with honesty, the purpose of suffering, good jokes, how to transform your existence and the journey of the soul.

Participants do not need any experience or foreign language skills for this class — only an open mind, a sense of humor and a desire to study Talmud. The main focus will be on the women of the Talmud — both some who are named and some who are not. Find out why our ancestors spent much of their lives with this extraordinary spiritual document. And join the club.

Program fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/journeys Rabbi Gershon Winkler is the author of fourteen books and a pioneer in the research and dissemination of Jewish shamanic wisdom. He is also the founder and executive director of Walking Stick Foundation (www.walkingstick.org), dedicated to the recovery of aboriginal Judaism. Ordained in Jerusalem by the late Kabbalist Rabbi Eliezer Benseon, Gershon renders user-friendly the lesser-promulgated wisdom of Jewish mystery wisdom.

Ravi Miriam Maron, R.N., M.A. is a spiritual healer and mentor in private practice who conducts training programs on Kabbalistic and Jewish shamanic healing modalities across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Israel. A prolific singer/songwriter of Jewish healing and mystical songs and chants, Miriam has garnered interdenominational acclaim from across the globe for her music. Samples from her concerts and seven albums can be heard at www.miriamscyberwell.com.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/talmud Arthur Kurzweil spends much of his time studying Talmud, performing magic, teaching and writing. His books include On the Road with Rabbi Steinsaltz, Kabbalah for Dummies, From Generation to Generation and The Torah for Dummies.

33 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration FALL & WINTER PROGRAMS

Fifth Annual Carlebach Conference: The Way of the Baal Shem Tov November 28 – 30, 2008 Rabbi Naftali Citron and many others

MORE FALL AND WINTER PROGRAMS ADAMAH: The Jewish Environmental Fellowship Fall Session: September 7 – December 7, 2008 For more information, see page 49.

Co-sponsored by the Carlebach Shul Join Rabbi Citron and other leading teachers from the worldwide Carlebach community for wisdom teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism. Explore and engage in the Baal Shem Tov’s philosophy and practices of meditation, song, storytelling and joyful Shabbat services.

Program Fee: $125 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/carlebach Rabbi Naftali Citron is the rabbi at the Carlebach Shul. Reb Naftali’s approach to Judaism is infused with a joyful spirituality in the service of G-d and inspired by the legacy of his late grandfather, Reb Eli Chaim Carlebach, z”l, and his late greatuncle, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, z”l.

Seventeenth Annual Jewish Men’s Retreat October 24 – 26, 2008 Shawn Zevit and others This annual retreat celebrates masculinity through dynamic and engaging Shabbat prayer, contemplative practice, Jewish learning, music, dance, play and sacred community-building. The weekend will honor the tapestry of past experiences and re-weave a way of being for the future. This retreat is made up of an intergenerational group of men, and welcomes all men from across the spectrums of observance level, Jewish background or sexual orientation.

Program Fee: $125 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/mens Rabbi Shawn Zevit serves as a consultant for numerous organizations in the areas of spiritual life, leadership, social justice, community building, money and values, creativity and Jewish men’s issues. He is the Director of Outreach and Tikkun Olam for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation. He performs traditional and new music that is available on his CDs. See www.RabbiZevit.com.

34 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Awakening To What Is: Winter Meditation Retreat December 21 – 28, 2008 Rabbi David Cooper, Shoshana Cooper and Eliezer Sobel For more information, see page 37.

For more information about the following Two-Year Training Institutes see pages 40 – 47.

Yoga and Jewish Spirituality Teacher Training Institute Week Four: December 15 – 21, 2008 Diane Bloomfield and Rabbi Myriam Klotz Elat Chayyim Advanced Meditation Training Program (ECAMP) Week Four: December 28, 2008 – January 4, 2009 Rabbi Jeff Roth, Rabbi Joanna Katz, Rabbi Alan Lew and Norman Fischer Lev Shomea: Training Spiritual Directors in the Jewish Tradition Week Two: January 12 – 18, 2009 Dr. Barbara Eve Breitman, Rabbi Avruhm Addison, Rabbi Zari Weiss, Ann Kline and Julie Leavitt Jewish Arts Institute: Integration Week Four: January 12 – 18, 2009 Danny Maseng and Rick Chess Kohenet Training Intensive: Women of the Life -Force: Finding Spirit, Sustinance and Creativity Week Two: January 12 – 18, 2009 Rabbi Jill Hammer, Holly Taya Shere and Shoshana Jedwab Davennen Leadership Training Institute Week Two: February 18 – 23, 2009 Rabbi Marcia Prager and Rabbi Shawn Zevit with Cantor Jack Kessler and Daniel Sheff

HIGH HOLIDAYS

Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur

Third Annual SukkahFest

September 29 – October 2, 2008 October 8 – 9, 2008

October 13 – 16, 2008

Welcome the New Year with inspiring services, deep Torah discussions and a variety of alternative programming including yoga and meditation, guided nature walks, farm tours, canoeing, late night song sessions and much more.

Celebrate Sukkot like you’ve never imagined.

Spend this glorious harvest festival with a community of peers surrounded by the peak colors of fall foliage. Spend three days learning with leading Jewish scholars, dining and singing in our lakeside sukkah, practicing yoga and meditation and soaking in the hot tub.

Lend a hand on our four-acre organic farm, hike the Appalachian Trail or canoe on the Housatonic River.

Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur services and Torah study will reflect a multi-denominational egalitarian style. Services will follow the traditional structure of the liturgy, but will also include meditation, chanting and musical instruments.

Children are welcome and there will be children’s programming available during specific times. At all other times, parents must supervise their children.

OUR MOST POPULAR RETREAT OF 2007!

Daily yoga classes will be taught.

Program Fee: $150 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61

Rosh Hashana Program Fees Adults: $175 Children: $85

For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/sukkahfest

Yom Kippur Program Fees Adults: $110 Children: $50 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/highholidays

High Holiday Retreats fill up quickly. Please book your reservations in advance and check our website for more information.

35 Register by phone 800-398-2630

The Values that Count: Building Pluralistic Jewish Community in the 21st Century

BY RABBI ARTHUR GREEN

“What kind of Jew are you?”

As a child, my answer to this question was better spelled out by what kind of Jew I knew I was not. I knew I wasn’t Reform, because my family had been to a cousin’s Bar Mitzvah in a Reform Temple and we were duly scandalized by the lack of male headgear and all the rest. I didn’t think I was Orthodox, because unlike the one Orthodox kid in my public school class, I still turned on lights and answered the phone on the Sabbath. And even though I was educated within the institutions of the Conservative movement, that label didn’t seem to fit. What kind of Jew was I? I was Jewish in the very natural way that urban Jewish kids — grandchildren of Eastern European immigrants — were Jews in the 1940s and 50s. My Jewish identity was ethnic and trans-denominational. My essential loyalties were to the entire Jewish people and our shared heritage.

As I became involved in Jewish academia and leadership, I was still trying to understand whether I was an insider or an outsider to the tradition. Scholar or believer? Or could one be both? I craved passion more than I did conformity, and I opted for intimacy with God over normative adherence to Jewish law. I was increasingly attracted to Jewish mysticism as my spiritual language, and that only added to my alienation from those who were setting the tone of denominational labels, which were all about law and observance. I was never much interested in knowing what a particular person observed — whether he would drive to Shabbat dinner or only to shul, or whether she ate fish out or only salads.

As I grew into a committed pluralist, however, I became concerned that the ideology of pluralism not forcibly vacate all other ideologies. When I worked to create a new transdenominational rabbinic training program, I examined several difficult questions: To what values, other than pluralism and diversity, is this school committed? Can a transdenominational program educate rabbis to “stand for something?”

What we stand for at Hebrew College, and what the Jewish community can stand for together, is klal yisrael — the unity and wholeness of the Jewish people. The shared values of klal yisrael — a love of learning, a deep commitment to spiritual growth and a life lived by good deeds — allow the Jewish people to meet across denominational lines.

In our trans-denominational bet midrash, or study room, individuals sit alongside others who disagree with them on almost every issue imaginable. Where better to learn about how to respect and listen deeply to someone different than by sitting

36 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

across the table engaged in the ancient Jewish tradition of study? How better to sharpen your own understanding, hone your own point of view, than by looking at the sources and discussing them openly, even arguing about them, in a mixed and diverse group of fellow students, where opinions and readings range across a wide spectrum? Our Talmudic sages used to speak about “doing battle” with one another over the meaning of Torah. But once the argument was over, the “warriors” again saw one another as friends and fellow-seekers.

Complementing our shared love of learning is a deep commitment to avodah — the growth and development of our spiritual lives. Each person needs to find his or her own way toward a meaningful life of prayer, toward thinking about God, and toward hewing out a deep inner well of empathy and caring. Old techniques are welcome, as are new interpretations or readings, as long as they serve to open the heart and to make true prayer more accessible.

There is little denominational difference between Jews when it comes to what are called mitzvot beyn adam le-havero — the good deeds we do toward our fellow humans. We all believe in reaching out to the poor, the sick and the needy. We care about the elderly and the disabled, and want to help. Respect and affection for one another come to outweigh the differences between our chosen prayer books or specific practices.

It has always been said that among two Jews there are three opinions. These days Jews are likely to have different educational experiences, Jewish childhood memories, views of the law, religious beliefs and sexual orientations, not to mention opinions about identity and practice. Our challenge today is to find unity within our diversity.

A significant part of this endeavor lies in our seeing ourselves as an open, informal, diverse and welcoming community. All the rest is commentary.

Rabbi Arthur Green is a Founder and the Rector of the Hebrew College Rabbinical School and the Irving Brudnick Professor of Jewish Thought. He has been studying and teaching Jewish mysticism and theology for nearly half a century. Much of his life has been devoted to thinking about rabbinic education and the role of rabbis, both in carrying forth the legacy of the Jewish past and in shaping the Jewish future.

Art is co-leading a retreat for Rabbis and Rabbinical students June 16 – 19.

For more information, please see page 18.

37 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration MEDITATION RETREATS

Contemplative practice is a powerful method for inviting Jewish spirituality into our lives. Choose from a range of four-day and weeklong meditation retreats. Take a break from the busy everyday to spend meditative time in a beautiful lakeside setting where you will learn how to awaken your spirit and quiet your mind.

Open Our Hearts To You: A Women’s Silent Mindfulness Retreat June 26 – 29, 2008 Rabbi Sheila Weinberg and Rabbi Rachel Cowan Co-sponsored by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality You are invited to a silent gathering of Jewish women using the tools of deep silence, the cultivation of attention through mindfulness, teachings from the Torah, and the practices of chanting and yoga. Participants will form a community-of-support as we journey into the truth of the present moment, allowing us to open our hearts more deeply toward ourselves, toward spirit in our lives and toward our unique path of service and healing. Discover what connects us to each other as well as to the profound stories of our people. All women are welcome regardless of experience with meditation.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/womensretreat Sheila Peltz Weinberg is a Reconstructionist-trained rabbi who has served as an educator, activist and congregational rabbi. Rabbi Weinberg has studied mindfulness for the past 17 years and has introduced meditation into the Jewish world in multiple settings. She is a founder and the Outreach Director of The Institute for Jewish Spirituality (www.ijs-online. org), a training program for rabbis, cantors, Jewish educators and lay people.

Rabbi Rachel Cowan is the Executive Director of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. She received her ordination from Hebrew Union College — Jewish Institute of Religion in 1989. Rabbi Cowan served as the Program Director for Jewish Life at the Nathan Cummings Foundation. Her work has been included in Moment, Sh’ma and anthologies including Illness and Health in the Jewish Tradition: Writings from the Bible to Today.

38 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Rabbi David Cooper is the author of many books, including God is a Verb and Ecstatic Kabbalah. He has published a number of audio-sets, including Kabbalah Meditation, The Mystical Kabbalah and The Holy Chariot. Rabbi Cooper has led workshops and retreats in the US, Israel, Holland, Poland, New Zealand and Australia. His teachings offer a Jewish perspective that is complemented by the wisdom of other schools including Sufism, Zen and Tibetan Buddhism.

Shoshana Cooper is an artist, Tea Ceremony teacher, meditation instructor, composer and former nursing instructor. Shoshana has become a leader in the growing popularity of Jewish Meditation.

She and her husband David taught at the Jewish Renewal Kallah for twelve years and they lived in the Old City of Jerusalem for the previous eight years.

Eliezer Sobel is a musician and the author of Wild Heart Dancing and Minyan: Ten Jewish Men in a World that is Heartbroken, winner of the Peter Taylor Prize. His latest book is The 99th Monkey: A Spiritual Journalist’s Misadventures with Gurus, Messiahs, Sex, Psychedelics & Other Consciousness-Raising Experiments.

MORE MEDITATION PROGRAMS Elat Chayyim Advanced Meditation Training Program (ECAMP) Week Three: June 22 – 29, 2008

Awareness: Awakening Today, Everyday – Contemplative Practices In Stillness and Motion June 22 – 29, 2008 Rabbi David Cooper, Shoshana Cooper and Eliezer Sobel This silent retreat emphasizes an awareness practice that will liberate the mind, open the heart and lead to awakening and transformation.

Participants will be guided through levels of contemplative inquiry as we explore the true nature of wisdom and compassion. The course includes a dance component that will introduce and embody the empty stillness that exists at the center of all movement — a metaphor for meditation in action. This is the first time this kind of retreat is being offered. No special skills are required; just bring your willingness to allow the mind/ body to relax and simply be open to whatever arises.

Program Fee: By Donation Only For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/awareness

Awakening To What Is: Winter Meditation Retreat December 21 – 28, 2008 Rabbi David Cooper, Shoshana Cooper and Eliezer Sobel Whether you are a beginning or advanced student of meditation, deepen your moment-to-moment awareness in the “friendly” silence at this longtime popular retreat. Enjoy peace of mind and awaken to the boundless nature of “being present” through silent sitting, chanting, walking meditations, insight dialogue and inquiry, and wisdom teachings from Zoharic, Hasidic, Zen and Dzogchen sources.

Program Fee: By Donation Only For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/cooper

For more information about this and other training institutes, see pages 40 – 47.

39 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration TWO-YEAR TRAINING INSTITUTES

Our two-year training institutes provide rewarding opportunities to deepen your studies in a particular area of Jewish learning and spirituality. The rhythm of the retreats — one in winter and one in spring/summer, over the course of two years — allows ample time to hone your skills and develop lasting friendships in a tight-knit community. Several new training institutes are beginning in 2008.

40 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

TWO-YEAR TRAINING INSTITUTES

Jewish Arts Institute: Jewish Identity and Ensemble Theatre-Making Week Three: June 16 – 22, 2008 Danny Maseng, Aaron Davidman and Yosefa Briant Co-sponsored by Zeek Join a community of artists and Jewish professionals dedicated to advancing the evolution of Jewish arts education in this country and abroad. The Jewish Arts Institute (JAI) offers instruction in effective, integrated teaching methodologies that utilize the arts as a way to make Jewish learning more compelling, relevant and fun. Designed to give artists, teaching professionals and novice practitioners the tools to successfully integrate their art with their Jewish identities and spiritual journeys, the interdisciplinary curriculum includes music, theater, visual arts and creative writing.

JAI’s participant cohort will form a national network of leaders in the arts and arts education within the Jewish Community. A list-serve, blog and other virtual community building technologies will support participant collaboration and connection between retreats and after the institute is completed.

The third week of JAI, which is open to new participants, focuses on Jewish identity as it is lived within story. Using found and generated texts, participants will explore the theatrical vocabulary of ensemble storytelling. Movement and vocal improvisation will support the work.

Sense of play, poetry of the body and spontaneity all are important elements in ensemble theatre-making. Text will be a point of departure, and then we’ll move beyond intellectual interpretation to discover what meaning may lie beneath it and how the dynamics of the group can bring forward the unexpected. Great theatre is meaningful and is made up of surprises! The workshop will be a working environment where meaning and surprises can flourish. The exploration will be challenging, fun and rooted in the community that we will build throughout the week.

JAI is an intensive four-week program conducted over the course of two years. Each weeklong retreat combines rigorous study, artistic exploration and community building. Unlike other ECCJS institutes participants of JAI only have to commit to one retreat at a time. Week Four: Integration will be held January 12 – 18, 2009.

Danny Maseng is the director and lead teacher of the Jewish Arts Institute. A playwright, actor, singer and composer, he has served as evaluator of New American Plays/OperaMusical Theater for the National Endowment for the Arts and has been the director of the Spielberg Fellowship for the Foundation for Jewish Camping. Danny was also artistic director of the Brandeis-Bardin Institute in California, a center for Jewish culture and learning.

Aaron Davidman is the director of the critically acclaimed Traveling Jewish Theatre, based in San Francisco. His work integrates creative movement with midrashic text creation.

Josefa Briant teaches an innovative form of movement that helps people connect to their soul and express their divine spirit in a Jewish context. Josefa has danced with Merce Cunningham, Maggie Black and Israel’s renowned Bat Sheva Dance Company. Josefa teaches at University of North Carolina and Brandeis-Bardin Institute.

Dr. Richard Chess is a core faculty member of JAI. He is the author of two volumes of poetry, the director of the Creative Writing Program at the University of North CarolinaAsheville and head of the UNCA Center for Jewish Studies.

JAI is made possible through a grant from the Mazer Family Fund of the UJA-Federation of New York.

Significant scholarships are available for tuition, room and board.

For more information, contact the registrar at (800) 398-2630 x307.

Program Fee: $500 per week For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information about The Jewish Arts Institute in general, as well as specific information about Week Three: Jewish Identity and Ensemble Theatre-Making, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/jewisharts.

41 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration TWO-YEAR TRAINING INSTITUTES

Kohenet: A New Vision of Jewish Women’s Spiritual Leadership Week One: June 16 – 22, 2008 Rabbi Jill Hammer, Holly Taya Shere and Shoshana Jedwab NEW TWO-YEAR INSTITUTE BEGINNING!

“Studying text, integrated with women’s other ways of knowing, has helped me find places in Judaism where I can fully engage as a woman.”

– kohenet participant The Kohenet Training Intensive seeks to revitalize the connection between Judaism and the Divine Feminine by helping women reclaim the ancient role of the kohenet — the priestess or sacred servant who facilitates holy Jewish experiences. Kohenet trains women to exercise their spiritual power in a distinctly feminine way as the needs of Jews, women and the planet as a whole continue to emerge and evolve.

Kohenet supports Jewish women on their journeys as individuals and as communal leaders. Participants study traditional texts — Torah, Talmud, Kabbalah and Near Eastern myths — in ways that call forth Shechinah, the indwelling feminine Presence. Kohenet trainees also explore practices that have been passed down by generations of Israelite and Jewish women, including birthing amulets, dreamwork and the celebration of women’s holidays.

Each of the four weeklong Kohenet retreats during the initial two-year training program is organized around thirteen netivot — paths that correspond to archetypes such as Wise Woman, Mother, Shamaness, Priestess, Prophetess, Midwife and Matriarch. By weaving these netivot throughout prayer, sacred chant and experiential learning, participants learn to create and lead powerful rituals.

Week 1: June 16 – 22, 2008

Women of Beginnings: Telling Our Stories, Dancing our Journeys Week 2: January 12 – 18, 2009

Women of the Life-Force: Finding Spirit, Sustenance and Creativity Week 3: Summer 2009

Women of Strength and Vision: Making Boundaries, Becoming Vessels Week 4: Winter 2009 – 2010

Women Weaving Together: Integration and Initiation

42 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

During the program, each participant works on a long-term project that will deepen and express her unique gifts as a Jewish woman. Kohenet participants also engage in monthly phone calls to check in with each other and faculty, learn about the Jewish holiday cycle and cultivate a spiritual practice at home. At the end of the two-year program, participants receive initiation into the Kohenet tradition. Participants who complete the initial two-year training have the option to continue with advanced study.

Program Fee: $500 per week For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/kohenet Rabbi Jill Hammer is a writer, educator, ritualist and midrashist.

She is the author of The Jewish Book of Days: A Companion for All Seasons and Sisters at Sinai: New Tales of Biblical Women, as well as many essays, stories and poems. She is the director of Tel Shemesh, a website and community celebrating earth-based Jewish traditions. She currently serves as an instructor at the Academy of Jewish Religion.

Holly Taya Shere, a co-founder of the Kohenet Institute, is a folklorist, ritual artist and educator committed to reclaiming and innovating embodied and earth-honoring models of Jewish women’s spiritual leadership. She holds a rabbinic pulpit in Washington, DC, and serves as Spiritual Leader of the Olney Kehila Jewish Congregation.

Shoshana Jedwab, Kohenet’s ritual drummer, is the Jewish Studies Coordinator at the A.J. Heschel Middle School in New York City and the founding facilitator of the Makom Drum Circle. Shoshana is a percussionist and performance artist trained in bibliodrama and psychodrama.

TWO-YEAR TRAINING INSTITUTES

Elat Chayyim Advanced Meditation Training Program (ECAMP) Week Three: June 22 – 29, 2008 Rabbi Jeff Roth, Rabbi Joanna Katz, Rabbi Alan Lew and Norman Fischer Our minds can be preoccupied with spiraling thoughts and stories about identity, memories of our past and hopes or fears for the future. The Jewish sages refer to this small mind state as mochin de’katnut, where we get caught up in our selfish needs and act unwisely and unkindly toward ourselves and others. The mindfulness practices taught in the ECAMP program help you to move beyond a small mind reality into an expanded awareness of mochin de’gadlut — big mind. From this expansive mind state, which is a natural capacity for all human beings, we can experience the holy interconnected reality that underlies all of being, opening the heart to compassion and gaining the motivation to make a real difference in the world. ECAMP aims to apply and integrate these teachings into our everyday lives.

This program is also open to alumni of past two-year meditation programs, including MLT, JMAT and ECAMP. The fourth week of ECAMP will be held from December 28, 2008 through January 4, 2009.

Program Fee: $300 per week (New registration open to past alumni only) For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/ecamp Rabbi Jeff Roth is a co-founder of Elat Chayyim, where he served as Executive Director and Spiritual Director for thirteen years. He is an experienced meditation teacher and the facilitator of over 60 Jewish meditation retreats, having led six two-year training programs in meditation.

Rabbi Joanna Katz, a co-founder of Elat Chayyim, has taught meditation for seven years. A graduate of Spirit Rock’s Dedicated Practitioner Program and a student of Sylvia Boorstein, Joanna is the Jewish Chaplain at Taconic Correctional Facility.

Rabbi Alan Lew is the founder and co-director of Makor Or, a Jewish meditation center in San Francisco. He is the author of Be Still and Get Going. Since retiring from Congregation Beth Sholom of San Francisco three years ago, Rabbi Lew has traveled widely, teaching and giving workshops about Jewish meditation.

Norman Fischer is a Zen priest, author, teacher, poet and former co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center. He is a co-founder of Makor Or and the founder of the Everyday Zen Foundation.

Norman leads Jewish meditation sessions around the country.

43 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration TWO-YEAR TRAINING INSTITUTES

Sh’ma: A New Rendition by Marcia Falk Hear, O Israel— The divine abounds everywhere and dwells in everything; the many are One. Loving life and its mysterious source with all our heart and all our spirit, all our senses and strength, we take upon ourselves and into ourselves these promises: to care for the earth and those who live upon it, to pursue justice and peace, to love kindness and compassion.

We will teach this to our children throughout the passage of the day— as we dwell in our homes and as we go on our journeys, from the time we rise until we fall asleep.

And may our actions be faithful to our words that our children’s children may live to know: Truth and kindness have embraced, peace and justice have kissed and are one.

From The Book of Blessings: New Jewish Prayers for Daily Life, the Sabbath, and the New Moon Festival Copyright© 1996 Marcia Lee Falk Used with permission of the author. www.marciafalk.com

44 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Dr. Barbara Eve Breitman, DMin trains spiritual directors and teaches Pastoral Counseling at RRC. A psychotherapist and teacher, Barbara is a Shalem Institute certified Fellow in Spiritual Direction and co-editor, with Addison, of the book Jewish Spiritual Direction. Bobbi has been designated a Mashpia Ruchani by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi.

Rabbi Howard Avruhm Addison, PhD, teaches Humanities and Religion at Temple University. He is certified as an Enneagram teacher

by Helen Palmer and as a Fellow in Contemplative Group Leadership by the Shalem Institute. Ordained by JTS, Avruhm has authored several books on Kabbalah, the Enneagram and interfaith traditions of Spiritual Guidance.

Rabbi Zari M. Weiss was ordained

by HUC-JIR and trained at the Mercy Center in California. Zari is a contributing author to Jewish Spiritual Direction and Tending The Holy. She chairs the CCAR’s Committee on Rabbinic Spirituality and has served as Co-President of the Women’s Rabbinic Network.

Ann Kline, a long-time spiritual director, author and hospice chaplain, facilitates, teaches and promotes group spiritual direction. A contributing author to Jewish Spiritual Direction and The Lived Experience of Group Spiritual Direction, Ann has led workshops and retreats for the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Direction.

Julie Leavitt is an innovator in combining Authentic Movement and Jewish Spiritual Direction. She is a psychotherapist and mashpia to rabbinical students at Boston’s Hebrew College and teaches dance and creative movement at Leslie College. A contributing author to Jewish Spiritual Direction, Julie also choreographed and wrote A Midrash for Dina and Lilith.

Lev Shomea: Training Spiritual Directors in the Jewish Tradition Week One: August 4 – 10, 2008 Dr. Barbara Eve Breitman, Rabbi Avruhm Addison, Rabbi Zari Weiss, Ann Kline and Julie Leavitt NEW TWO-YEAR INSTITUTE BEGINNING! Spiritual directors offer companionship and reflection in the exploration of relationships with the Holy. They help individuals to expand awareness of the sacred dimensions that underlie both the ordinary and extraordinary events of life. Through reflection, practice and dialogue, spiritual directors support individuals as they cultivate their inner lives and deepen their connections with other people, and with the ongoing miracle of creation.

Lev Shomea is a unique two-year training program for lay and professional Jewish spiritual leaders who seek vocational growth and personal transformation. As members of an evolving spiritual community, participants will engage in text study, prayer and various forms of spiritual practice and experiential learning. Areas of study include contemplative psychology, practices such as holy listening and discernment, and attention to boundaries, ethics and phases of the spiritual journey.

Lev Shomea faculty members will help participants build their skills as spiritual directors for one-on-one interactions as well as in group settings at synagogues and other Jewish Institutions. The curriculum includes diverse modalities — contemplative movement, dance, chant, poetry and visual arts — and directed reading and writing of reflection papers.

Participants will have ongoing contact with the instructors between retreats, one-on-one supervision or participation in a peer supervision group and regular contact with a spiritual “buddy.” Participants will also receive and offer spiritual direction in their own home communities.

In partnership with the Graduate Theological Foundation in South Bend, IN, Lev Shomea offers participants who already possess a Master’s Degree the option to earn a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Jewish Spiritual Direction. For further information concerning GTF requirements and fees contact Luann Falkowski, Bursar, Graduate Theological Foundation, gtfed@sbcglobal.net, (800) 423-5983.

Week One: August 4 – 10, 2008 Week Two: January 12 – 18, 2009 Week Three: Summer 2009 Week Four: Winter 2010 Program Fee: $725 per week For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/levshomea

45 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Jewish Learning, Spirituality & Celebration TWO-YEAR TRAINING INSTITUTES

Yoga and Jewish Spirituality Teacher Training Institute Week Three: August 4 – 10, 2008 Diane Bloomfield and Rabbi Myriam Klotz This eighteen-month transformational program provides instruction and certification for those who want to deepen and integrate their own teaching of hatha yoga and Judaism. The course of study includes four one-week retreats that began in June, 2007, as well as interim periods for home-based study, teaching and practice in consultation with program instructors.

Graduates of this institute will be able to teach their students to access the depths of Jewish spirituality through the practice of hatha yoga and the wisdom and power of the body. The fourth week of this in-progress training institute will be held December 15 – 21, 2008.

A NEW YOGA COHORT WILL BEGIN IN DECEMBER 2009.

For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/yoga Diane Bloomfield has been developing Torah Yoga in Israel, Europe and North America since 1990. Diane is the founder of the Torah Yoga Association, a certified Introductory Level One Iyengar yoga teacher and a Phoenix Rising Yoga therapist. She is the author of Torah Yoga: Experiencing Jewish Wisdom through Classic Postures and has spent the past twenty years learning Torah in Jerusalem, where she lives with her husband and daughter.

Rabbi Myriam Klotz is a certified yoga teacher, spiritual director and Phoenix Rising Yoga therapist. She is the Director of Yoga and Embodied Practices at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Myriam has written about embodiment and Jewish spiritual life in many venues, and her recordings include Preparing the Heart: Yoga for Jewish Spiritual Practice. She teaches and provides mentoring to teachers of this work nationally.

46 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

TWO-YEAR TRAINING INSTITUTES

Davennen Leadership Training Institute (DLTI) Week One: August 11 – 17, 2008 Rabbi Marcia Prager and Rabbi Shawn Zevit with Cantor Jack Kessler and Daniel Sheff NEW TWO-YEAR INSTITUTE BEGINNING! Learn how to deepen the quality of Jewish communal prayer so that it activates the body, touches the heart, engages the mind and nourishes spiritual growth and insight. The Davennen Leadership Training Institute offers coaching in the high art of leadership of public ritual and prayer.

– Examine liturgical sources and the inner structure of services, with a special emphasis on Shabbat.

– Study the evolution, practice and meaning of Jewish prayer as you learn to balance structure with spontaneity.

– Work with group energetics and practice advanced skills in the inspiring use of personal presence.

– Learn to use your whole self – voice, body and gesture – to increase your comfort with an expanded range of leadership styles, enabling you to segue smoothly from the spoken word into song, prayer or movement.

– Participate in special labs for traditional skills in Torah-leynen, nusah ha-t’fillah and divrei Torah.

DLTI has trained over 170 participants from every denomination, including a wide range of professional and lay leaders.

Week 1: August 11 – 17, 2008 Week 2: February 18 – 23, 2009 Week 3: August 3 – 9, 2009 Week 4: February 10 – 15, 2010 Program Fee: $500 per week For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/dlti Rabbi Marcia Prager is a Reconstructionist/Jewish Renewal teacher, storyteller, artist and therapist. She is the author of The Path of Blessing and the creator of The Weekday Amidah in Guided Imagery, a deck of 20 cards that use guided meditations for the transformative blessings of this ancient prayer practice.

See www.RabbiMarciaPrager.com.

Rabbi Shawn Zevit serves as a consultant for numerous organizations in the areas of spiritual life, leadership, social justice, community building, money and values, creativity and Jewish men’s issues. He is the Director of Outreach and Tikkun Olam for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation. He performs traditional and new music that is available on his CDs. See www.RabbiZevit.com.

47 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Organic Farming & Environmental Education

At Isabella Freedman, we believe that environmental stewardship is a primary ethical obligation. With our planet’s ability to support life diminishing, a great change in our stewardship of the earth is required more now than ever before. Yet in the face of overwhelming need, we often feel helpless to make a difference. At Isabella Freedman, we remind ourselves that our actions matter, and we offer retreat programs that give participants the knowledge, skills and confidence to be active agents for tikkun olam (healing the world) inside and outside the Jewish community. All of our environmental programs are deeply rooted in Judaism, a tradition intricately connected to nature’s rhythms and grounded in the value that all life is sacred.

48 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

ADAMAH

ADAMAH: The Jewish Environmental Fellowship Summer Session: May 25 – September 1, 2008 Fall Session: September 7 – December 7, 2008 ADAMAH is a three-month leadership-training program for Jewish young adults — ages 20 to 29 — that integrates organic farming, sustainable living, Jewish learning, teaching and contemplative spiritual practice. Fellows spend much of their time learning and practicing sustainable agriculture and animal husbandry on the four-acre ADAMAH farm and in small gardens throughout the retreat center. Fellows also participate in leadership training, community living and ecological and Jewish learning seminars with visiting faculty.

Applications for 2008 ADAMAH fellowships are accepted on a rolling basis. The 2008 program can accommodate 14 Summer Fellows and 14 Fall Fellows. The fee for the Fellowship is $500 per season. Scholarship funding is available.

To learn more about ADAMAH and to download an application, please visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/adamah or contact Shamu Sadeh at adamah@isabellafreedman.org.

“My sense of Jewish identity has taken root and flowered. This was my first experience living in a Jewish community. My sense of purpose and place has been nurtured, supported, challenged, strengthened and clarified.”

– eden pearlstein

“My Jewish identity has grown from being no more than an idea to actually manifesting itself in my life. I gained so much understanding of Judaism that I actually understand what it means (to me) to be Jewish. This is perhaps the biggest shift of my life. I feel like I belong to a community.”

– megan jensen 49 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Organic Farming & Environmental Education ADAMAH

A Taste of ADAMAH August 18 – 21, 2008 Shamu Sadeh, Adam Berman and Rabbi Jill Hammer Join us for a taste of the ADAMAH program. Spend four days digging in the Jewish tradition and in the soil. The class will balance study, work with our hands, song and ritual – all aimed at restoring Jewish ecological wisdom. Learn to brew biodiesel fuel and grow organic vegetables on Isabella Freedman’s four-acre farm. Milk goats, make cheese and study our ancestral agricultural and earth-based heritage. During this week of the new moon of Elul, discover how the process of spiritual return is connected to the renewal of the ground. Participants will join Isabella Freedman’s ADAMAH Fellows in prayer, work in the field, new moon celebration and study sessions. We will end the program with a celebration of our gratitude for the land.

For more information about ADAMAH, see page 49.

Program Fee: $300 Children (13 and under accompanied by adult): $150 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/tasteadamah

Family Farm Days with ADAMAH Sunday, July 20, 2008 Sunday, August 10, 2008 ADAMAH Staff and Fellows Join us for a day of family-friendly activities: petting the goats, harvesting organic vegetables, collecting fresh eggs, making dill pickles and goat cheese, and swimming in the pool.

Your kids will learn with the young Jewish farmers of the ADAMAH community and play on our organic farm. Harvest tomatoes, taste fresh goat cheese and go home with your own jar of ADAMAH Dill Pickles. Parents with children of all ages are welcome! Lunch included. Optional afternoon canoe trip on the Housatonic River.

10:00 am to 4:00 pm Program Fee: $65 adult, $25 child Canoe Trip: $35 per person For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/farmday

50 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Dr. Shamu Sadeh, the ADAMAH Fellowship Program Director, is an environmental studies instructor, Jewish educator, writer, organic gardener and wilderness guide. He has taught environmental studies, ecology, and Judaic Studies at Portland State University, Berkshire Community College, Southern Vermont College and the Wild Rockies Field Institute.

Adam Berman has been at Isabella Freedman since 2002.

Prior to becoming Executive Director, Adam served as the Director of the Teva Learning Center, a program created at Isabella Freedman in 1994. He teaches widely on issues related to Judaism, ecology and leadership and founded the ADAMAH Fellowship at Isabella Freedman in 2003. He holds an M.B.A from the University of California at Berkeley.

Rabbi Jill Hammer is a writer, educator, ritualist and midrashist.

She is the author of The Jewish Book of Days: A Companion for All Seasons and Sisters at Sinai: New Tales of Biblical Women, as well as many essays, stories and poems. She is the director of Tel Shemesh, a website and community celebrating earthbased Jewish traditions. She currently serves as an instructor at the Academy of Jewish Religion.

WORKSHOPS IN AND OF THE FIELDS

Remaking Eden: A Practical and Spiritual Introduction to Ecological Garden Design April 6 – 10, 2008 Dave Jacke Were Adam and Eve the first and last gardeners to enjoy the fruits of the land without backbreaking labor? We understand the expulsion from Eden to mean we must sweat to bring forth food from the earth. Yet new developments in science and philosophy may allow us to recreate Eden on rooftops, in backyards and neighborhoods, and even here at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center.

Applying ecological principles to landscape design offers the potential to gather our sustenance with minimal maintenance while regenerating healthy ecosystems. In this workshop you will learn how to design and establish a “forest garden” of fruits, nuts, berries, perennial and annual vegetables, herbs and mushrooms. Help design Isabella Freedman’s “Garden of Eden” on adjacent newly-acquired farmland while we explore elements of the inner landscape cultivated by ecological garden design.

Last year our four-acre organic farm yielded over 30,000 pounds of produce, most of which we served in our dining room. At least 10% of our annual harvest is donated to local soup kitchens. As a visitor to Isabella Freedman, you will have many opportunities to learn about Jewish farming. You are invited to work with the ADAMAH fellows in the farm from spring through fall. After every retreat during the growing season, we hold farmers markets where guests can purchase a variety of seasonal delights as well as our own branded label of pickled (live-culture food) products. In addition, this year we are offering a series of new programs that bring you into the fields for a day, a week or a whole season.

Program Fee: $350 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/permaculture Dave Jacke has been a renowned permaculture landscape designer for over 20 years and is the primary author of the landmark two-volume book Edible Forest Gardens. Dave teaches, consults, designs, builds and plants landscapes, homes, farms and communities across the world. Dave holds an M.A. in Landscape Design and has run his own design firm, Dynamics Ecological Design, since 1984.

51 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Organic Farming & Environmental Education WORKSHOPS IN AND OF THE FIELDS

Farm and River Day for Young Adults (20s and 30s) Sunday, August 17, 2008

Extending the Harvest: Artisanal Methods of Food Preservation

Adam Berman and Shamu Sadeh

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Have you ever wanted to bite into a tomato fresh off the vine, experience a day in the life of a farmer or float your way down the idyllic Housatonic River? Join a group of adventurous young adults in their 20s and 30s for this one-day program, where you’ll learn how to harvest organic peppers and salad greens and make live-culture, lacto-fermented pickles.

Spend the morning in the fields with an inspiring community of young Jewish farmers, and refresh yourself in the river during the afternoon.

Lunch Included!

Joshua Rosenstein

10:00 am to 5:00 pm Program Fee: $50 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/riverday Dr. Shamu Sadeh, the ADAMAH Fellowship Program Director, is an environmental studies instructor, Jewish educator, writer, organic gardener and wilderness guide. He has taught environmental studies, ecology, and Judaic Studies at Portland State University, Berkshire Community College, Southern Vermont College and the Wild Rockies Field Institute.

Adam Berman has been at Isabella Freedman since 2002.

Prior to becoming Executive Director, Adam served as the Director of the Teva Learning Center, a program created at Isabella Freedman in 1994. He teaches widely on issues related to Judaism, ecology and leadership and founded the ADAMAH Fellowship at Isabella Freedman in 2003. He holds an M.B.A from the University of California at Berkeley.

52 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Learn the secrets behind the ADAMAH Dills that our guests have been raving about! During this new one-day workshop we’ll show you how to transform fresh produce into delicious and nutritious foods that nourish us through the winter months. Taste a variety of preserved gourmet foods, harvest fresh produce on our four-acre organic farm and learn about a variety of food preservation methods, including canning, drying, freezing and pickling. The workshop will focus on lacto-fermentation, the traditional method for making dill pickles, sauerkraut and kim chi. Lunch and take-home treats are included.

10:00 am to 4:00 pm Program Fee: $95 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/pickling Joshua Rosenstein is the mensch behind ADAMAH’s burgeoning value-added product business.

He has been the Lead Pickler and ADAMAH Kitchen Manager for the past year.

WORKSHOPS IN AND OF THE FIELDS

Global Climate Change Leadership Seminar August 25 – 28 Adam Berman, Tom Wessels, Rachel Jacoby Rosenfield and others Co-sponsored by Hazon and the Teva Learning Center

“God led Adam around the Garden of Eden. And God said to Adam: ‘See My works, how good and praiseworthy they are?! All that I have created, I made for you. But be mindful then that you do not spoil and destroy My world – for if you do, there will be no one after you to repair it.’”

– midrash qohelet rabbah 7:13; ca. 8th century c.e.

For Jewish Educators and Community Leaders The Jewish imperative of tikkun olam — to repair the world — implores us to respond as a community to the devastating effects of global climate change. Our dependence on fossil fuels is transforming the planet and life on it. The Earth has already warmed and there is now more carbon pollution in the atmosphere than at any point in the last 650,000 years. Without significant action to reduce carbon emissions within the next decade, scientists predict that the consequences will be severe and potentially irreversible.

Join leading educators, scientists and policy makers for an in-depth exploration of the scientific, political, ecological and spiritual/ethical dimensions of global climate change. This seminar is designed for Jewish educators and community leaders who wish to become agents of change and models for action within the Jewish community. No scientific or global warming background is needed. Participants will gain a deep understanding of the issues and take home an educational toolkit that can be used to teach and inspire on the topic of global climate change.

Please register early as this special seminar is limited to twenty participants.

Program Fee: $300 For Room and Board Fees, see page 61 For more information, visit us at www.isabellafreedman.org/climatechange See previous page for information about Adam Berman.

Tom Wessels is the Founding Director of the Master’s Program in Conservation Biology at Antioch University New England. He is a terrestrial ecologist who has spent over thirty years leading nationwide workshops on forest, desert and alpine ecosystems, geomorphology, evolutionary ecology, and the interface between landscape and culture. Tom is as an ecological consultant to the Rain Forest Alliance’s SmartWood Green Certification Program.

His books include: Reading the Forested Landscape, The Granite Landscape, Untamed Vermont and The Myth of Progress: Toward a Sustainable Future.

Rachel Jacoby Rosenfield launched a Greening Initiative at the Riverdale YM-YWHA where she serves as the Director for Program Development and Jewish Life. An award winning teacher who developed Jewish service-learning curricula for Spark: Partnership for Service in the areas of public health and literacy, Rachel also serves on the advisory board for Hazon’s food curriculum “Min Ha’aretz.”

53 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Organic Farming & Environmental Education TEVA LEARNING CENTER

The Teva Learning Center exists to renew the ecological wisdom inherent in Judaism and to provide a unique Jewish lens through which to view some of the crucial environmental issues in our world today.

Isabella Freedman has been Teva’s fall home since its founding in 1994.

Since then, over 16,000 students from Jewish day schools, synagogues and Hebrew schools throughout New England, New York and New Jersey have participated in its dynamic experiential programs, which combine ecology, Jewish environmental ethics, community building and environmental activism. Teva is a program of Surprise Lake Camp. To learn more about the Teva Learning Center or to book a program for your next school, synagogue, youth group, scholar in-residence program or family retreat, please contact Teva at (212) 807-6376 or visit www.tevacenter.org.

Teva Learning Center Professional Development Seminar June 2 – 5, 2008 at Surprise Lake Camp If you’re interested in Jewish education, environmental sustainability, camping, gardening or just plain having fun, take advantage of this innovative professional development opportunity. Leading Torah scholars, scientists, educators and activists will teach you the skills you need to bring excitement and vibrancy to a myriad of formal and informal Jewish educational settings. No previous environmental knowledge is necessary.

This program takes place at Surprise Lake Camp in Cold Spring, NY. To register, please contact the Teva Learning Center directly at (212) 807-6376 or by email at teva@tevacenter.org.

54 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

HAZON

Hazon New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride August 29 – September 1, 2008 Camp Kinder Ring in Hopewell Junction, New York The eighth annual Hazon NY Bike Ride begins with a memorable Shabbat retreat at Camp Kinder Ring in Hopewell Junction, New York. Join ADAMAH fellows, Teva Learning Center educators and staff from Isabella Freedman during this extraordinary weekend of learning, hiking, yoga and discussions about current environmental challenges. More than 300 riders then make the 120-mile, two-day journey to New York City. The weekend and the Ride bring together Jews and non-Jews of all ages, from across the denominational spectrum to study, play and celebrate together.

The Ride also raises thousands of dollars for environmental projects in the United States and Israel.

Hazon works to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community as a step toward building a healthier and more sustainable world for all. For more information, visit www.hazon.org.

Third Annual Hazon Food Conference December 25 – 28, 2008 San Francisco Bay Area Jewish food traditions are rich and ancient. From the finer points of kashrut to the synchronicity of the Jewish holidays and their agricultural seasons, food is at the very core of Judaism. Isabella Freedman is proud to co-sponsor the Hazon Food Conference which brings together educators, rabbis, farmers, nutritionists, chefs, home cooks, food writers and families who share a passion for learning about and celebrating food. Experience inspiring lectures and discussions, hands-on cooking sessions, family-family activities, an inclusive Shabbat and Chanukah celebration and delicious, consciously prepared food. Now in its third year, this conference is at the forefront of an emerging national movement that explores the intersection of Jewish life and contemporary food issues, and we invite you to become a part of it.

For more information, contact Judith at judith@hazon.org, call (212) 644-2332 or visit www.hazon.org.

55 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Baby Boomers & Senior Adults Isabella Freedman is proud to continue its 51-year tradition of serving the spiritual and communal needs of baby boomers and senior adults. This year we are offering a ten-day Passover Program, four weeklong Elderhostels and our popular two-week Summer Vacations.

Passover Program April 18 – 28, 2008 Why cook, clean and kasher when you can focus instead on the celebration and spirituality of the Passover festival? Enjoy a rich, Kosher-for-Passover program in a community of peers, all 55 years of age and older.

In addition to our wonderful Seders, you’ll enjoy fabulous activities: lectures and performances by local and nationally renowned entertainers, arts and crafts, Israeli dancing and boating on our lake. Prayer services are Orthodox with a mechitza. During your stay, you may also participate in trips to local points of interest such as the charming town of Kent, Connecticut, and the Norman Rockwell Museum.

Transportation in air-conditioned buses provided at no cost from New York City.

To register call (800) 398-2630.

PASSOVER PRICES FOR ROOM AND BOARD Double Occupancy with Shared Bath Elm, Kaufman, Daisy

$940

Single Occupancy with Shared Bath Brown

$959

Double Occupancy with Semi-Private Bath Maple, Blue Heron, Cedar $1,040 Traditional Double Occupancy with Private Bath Pine $1,259 Single Occupancy with Shared Bath Elm, Kaufman, Daisy

$1,255

Deluxe Double Occupancy with Private Bath May, Scheuer $1,449 Single Occupancy with Semi-Private Bath Maple, Blue Heron, Cedar $1,499 Premium Double Occupancy with Private Bath Weinberg $1,549 Single Occupancy with Private Bath Pine 56 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

$1,639

Two-Week Summer Vacations Trip A: July 7 – July 20, 2008 Trip B: July 21 – August 3, 2008 Youthfulness is ageless when you are passionate about life! For over fifty years our Senior Summer Vacations have been winning rave reviews and repeat attendance among Jewish adults ages 55 and older.

Stroll down a country lane. Listen to classical music under the stars at Tanglewood. Celebrate Shabbat as the sun sets over the Berkshire mountains. Explore your creative side with arts during the day and live entertainment at night.

Or simply relax with friends for games in the lounge and conversations in the gazebo. These programs promise fun, connection, enriching Jewish experiences and a whole lot more.

There is never a dull moment at Isabella Freedman. On any given day, there are dozens of ways to spend your time.

Join us this summer and enjoy: – Trips to Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Music Mountain, the Norman Rockwell Museum and other cultural attractions – Seminars in Jewish history, literature, theater, music, humor and more – Shabbat services and Jewish learning experiences in our glass-walled synagogue – Live entertainment, folk dancing, arts and crafts, computer classes and bridge lessons – Fitness center, exercise classes and water aerobics – Boating and fishing in our private lake and swimming in our heated pool – Getting to know other guests, faculty and staff in a warm and welcoming environment – Traditional Orthodox prayer services and kosher food supervised by the Hartford Kashrut Commission SENIOR ADULT SUMMER VACATION PRICE CHART FOR TRIPS A AND B Standard

Semi-Private

Private

Deluxe

Premium

Double Occupancy

$815

$870

$985

$1095

$1325

Single Occupancy

$940

$1095

$1350

$1699

$1995

To register call (800) 398-2630.

Transportation in air-conditioned buses is provided at no cost from New York City.

57 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Baby Boomers & Senior Adults ELTERHOSTELS FOR JEWISH LEARNING Elderhostels at Isabella Freedman are exciting journeys into Jewish life and culture. Each of our four Elderhostel courses features three different lecture series over a five- or six-day period. Programs are kept small (30 – 60 people) so you can develop warm and personal relationships with the lecturers and other participants. Elderhostels are offered in summer and fall.

When you’re not attending a lecture, you can enjoy Isabella Freedman’s beautiful grounds and activities or visit the Berkshire’s numerous cultural and natural attractions. A varied program of professional entertainment is also offered each evening.

All rooms are double occupancy with private bath. Upgrade to single occupancy is available for an additional charge. Register by calling (877) 426-8056 or visiting www.elderhostel. org. Please refer to the appropriate course number when registering.

Elderhostel Week One Course #14782 June 1 – 5, 2008

Untold Stories in Jewish History Andree Brooks Learn about the cradle of Jewish life in Europe; the incredible story of Dona Gracia Nasi — a prominent 16th century woman banker; the lost Jewish settlement in the Amazon rainforest; the birth of Ashkenaz; and the first Jews in the Americas.

Great American Songmakers: Blues, Ragtime and Tin Pan Alley Laura Wetzler This concert/lecture series focuses on the music, artistry, lives and legacies of great American songmakers such as W.C. Handy, Scott Joplin, Eubie Blake, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Duke Ellington.

Into the Mystic: Uncovering the World of Jewish Mystical Thought Yitzhak Buxbaum Take a journey into the depths of Jewish mysticism and esoteric thought and their role in the development of Judaism and Jewish practices.

Elderhostel Week Two Course #16409 June 29 – July 3, 2008

Secrets of the Talmud Arthur Kurzweil The Talmud contains wisdom and insight on every topic imaginable. In this humorous, quick-paced, eye-opening course, enter the world of the Talmud and participate in this quintessential Jewish learning experience.

Life on the Lower East Side Ken Libo Explore the Lower East Side in its heyday, where half a million people spoke Yiddish, the Jewish clothing industry thrived, the streets were filled with vibrant newspapers, theater and culture, and the old world met the new.

Hitmakers in Hollywood Laura Wetzler Explore great songs from classic American films and celebrate their creators: Berlin, Gershwin, Kern, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Hamlish, Bacharach, the Bergmans, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and others.

58 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Elderhostel Week Three Course #15082 September 1 – 5, 2008

Yiddish Humor in American Culture Ken Libo From Bialystok to Broadway, Jews have left their mark on American English with hundreds of Yiddish words and expressions. Learn how Yiddish language and culture have influenced America’s entertainment industry in motion pictures, popular music, radio/TV, theatre and comedy.

Society and Jewish Wisdom Abraham Gittelson Judaism has a moral and ethical approach to almost every contemporary issue. We will consider areas such as cloning and stem cell research, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the individual and the community/government, immigration and others.

Fabulous Showbiz Divas Laura Wetzler Explore the artistry, life and legacy of four of America’s most famous and influential Jewish performers: Fannie Brice, Sophie Tucker, Barbra Streisand and Bette Midler. Learn what made them stars of American entertainment.

Elderhostel Week Four Course #16657 September 8 – 12, 2008

From the Shtetl to the Condominium Abraham Gittelson Eastern European immigration to the United States heralded a transformation in American Jewry, which became defined by the quest to live in two cultures. Trace the road from Ellis Island to the sweat shops, learn how anti-Semitism gave way to Jewish stars on the stage and screen, and find out how new religious forms were created to support Israel.

A Legacy of Laughter in the Jewish Literary Tradition Gloria Goldreich Find out how the Jewish legacy of laughter enabled a beleaguered people to keep their problems in perspective. Emphasis will be placed on the pedagogic aspects of Jewish humor and the lessons intrinsic to jokes and anecdotes.

Great Persons and Periods in Jewish History Sheldon Horowitz Take a journey back into Judaism’s history. Explore 19th century France, the early Zionist movement, the birth of the Israel Defense Forces and the dynamic immigrant society of the Lower East Side. Examine the complex personalities of Chaim Weizmann, Zeev Jabotinsky, Abraham Cahan, Madeleine Levy and others who helped change the course of Jewish history.

59 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Guest Information & Registration To register for all programs, please visit www.isabellafreedman.org/ registration or call (800) 398-2630. The information below applies to registration for all Isabella Freedman retreats except programs for senior adults. For senior program registration information, please see pages 56 – 59.

Accommodations and Rates To calculate the cost of your stay, add the tuition (indicated with course description) and your room and meals fee (see chart). We offer a variety of housing accommodations that enable individuals with a wide range of financial capabilities to participate in our programs.

Rooms are available as single, double or triple occupancy, with private, shared or hall bathrooms. Bed options include queen, twin or bunk beds and many rooms have beautiful lake views. All rooms are simply decorated in country style without modern multi-media distractions.

Tenting is another overnight option, but you must provide your own equipment. Showers and bathrooms will be available for tenters.

Commuters who live in the area and will not be sleeping at the center pay a daily commuter’s fee, which covers meals and full access to site amenities during your program.

Deluxe rooms have private bathrooms and entrances. Single and double occupancy rooms have queen-sized beds and triple occupancy rooms have twin beds. Handicap accessible rooms are available. Call for more information.

Plus rooms have private bathrooms. A limited number of queen-sized beds are available for a $15/night surcharge. Call for availability.

Standard rooms share a bathroom with one other room. A limited number of queen-sized beds are available for a $15/night surcharge.

Call for availability.

Economy rooms have twin beds and a shared bathroom in the hall.

Dormitory rooms with bunk beds are either triple or quadruple occupancy with shared bathrooms in the hall. Campers supply their own tents and equipment. The commuter fee includes all meals and snacks, use of the facility and its amenities, and participation in any open programming provided, such as prayer, meditation or yoga.

There is no charge for infants and children under three. Children ages 3 – 17 are welcome to share a room with at least one parent or guardian per room.

60 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

2008 ROOM AND BOARD RATES Rates are for all programs except Baby Boomer and Senior Adult Programs.

Rates are per person and include all meals. For double or triple occupancy, you may either request a roommate, or be matched with one by our staff.

Single Night

Two Nights

Three Nights

Six Nights

Weeklong Meditation Retreats

Training Institutes

Single Occupancy Double Occupancy Triple Occupancy

$280.00 170.00 115.00

$560.00 340.00 230.00

$750.00 450.00 315.00

$1500.00 810.00 570.00

$1690.00 915.00 645.00

$1875.00 1015.00 715.00

Single Occupancy Double Occupancy Triple Occupancy

$240.00 145.00 95.00

$480.00 290.00 190.00

$615.00 375.00 255.00

$1230.00 750.00 510.00

$1385.00 845.00 575.00

$1540.00 940.00 640.00

Single Occupancy Double Occupancy

$200.00 120.00

$400.00 240.00

$510.00 315.00

$1020.00 630.00

$1150.00 710.00

$1275.00 790.00

Single Occupancy Double Occupancy

$155.00 95.00

$310.00 190.00

$390.00 240.00

$780.00 480.00

$880.00 540.00

$975.00 600.00

Dormitory Camper Commuter

$80.00 70.00 60.00

$160.00 140.00 120.00

$210.00 195.00 165.00

$420.00 360.00 270.00

$475.00 405.00 305.00

$525.00 450.00 340.00

Children

$45.00

$90.00

$120.00

$240.00

Room and board rates for Senior Adult Passover Seder, Two-Week Summer Vacations and Elderhostels can be found on pages 56 – 57.

61 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Guest Information & Registration What’s Included?

Meals

Prices include room, meals, yoga classes and use of all of our facilities during the duration of your stay. All rates are per person. Pre-registration is required for all visits.

Meals begin with dinner upon your arrival through closing brunch or lunch on the last day of your program. Isabella Freedman serves a variety of healthy, delicious Glatt Kosher meals that are prepared only with the highest-quality ingredients. During the harvest season (June through October) much of our produce comes from our four-acre organic farm. All meals have a vegetarian option and all meat served is organic and free-range. Ingredients for all dishes are labeled at each meal for those with food allergies or special needs. If you have any additional questions about your dietary needs, please contact the registrar at (800) 398-2630 well in advance of your retreat.

Payment Options We have several payment options to accommodate your needs: 1. Pay the full amount at the time of registration.

2. Pay 50% upon registration and the remaining 50% within 48 hours of the first day of the retreat.

3. Pay 50% upon registration and the remaining 50% over a four-month period leading up to the retreat.

Cancellation Policy Payments made will be refunded in full (less a $75 processing fee) if you cancel more than 30 days prior to a retreat for which you are registered.

If you cancel within 30 days or less, a non-refundable credit (less a $75 processing fee) will be held for one year from the date of issue. This credit is non-transferable. No credit or refund is available if you cancel less than 24 hours prior to or on the workshop’s arrival day, if you do not show up, or if you leave a retreat early for any reason.

Isabella Freedman reserves the right to cancel any program at any time.

In the event of such cancellation, you will be given a complete refund.

A full transportation refund is available if you cancel at least 3 days (72 hours) in advance. No transportation refund is available with less than 3 days notice.

Financial Aid We strive to make our programs affordable to everyone. We provide limited scholarship funding of up to 40% of room and board fees for those in extreme financial need. Financial aid is only available for dormitory rooms with hall baths and economy rooms for couples and families. Financial aid is available by application at www.isabellafreedman.org/financialaid. Please note that financial aid requests must be received at least three weeks prior to the retreat.

Student Aid Up to 75% scholarship on room and board fees is available for graduate students in rabbinical school, cantorial school or in Master’s degree programs in Jewish Studies. Funding is provided by the Lasko Foundation.

To apply for a scholarship, please visit www.isabellafreedman.org/lasko.

62 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Children’s Program Give children the gift of a joyous and engaging Jewish experience. Children ages 4 – 14 receive a balance of creative learning, arts, environmental and organic farming education, sports and outdoor activities. Educators are trained to provide an emotionally safe environment to form a respectful and vibrant children’s community. Two or three age-groups are formed based on the number of children at each formal program. For more information, please contact our registrar at (800) 398-2630.

Babysitting for children ages 1 – 4 is available for $15/hour for one child and $20/hour for two children. Please call (800) 398-2630 at least three weeks in advance.

Children’s program dates and fees June 16 – 22, 2008 August 4 – 28, 2008 $200 per child per three-night retreat $350 per child for six nights

Arrival and Departure

Emergency Messages

Check-In: Registration is between 4 pm and 7 pm on the first day of your retreat. Please do not arrive earlier than 4 pm, as rooms are not guaranteed to be ready. Please let us know if you will be a late check-in.

Emergency messages may be left for you at (800) 398-2630. Messages left after 10 pm will be heard the next morning at 9 am Please use this number for emergencies only.

Arrival dinner is usually held at 6 pm for weekday retreats, and at 7:30 pm or 8 pm on Shabbat. Guest orientation sessions are held either before or after dinner, information for which will be posted upon arrival.

Check-out: We request that all departing guests vacate their rooms by 9 am so that we may prepare for incoming participants. Programs are typically over between 11 am and 2 pm on the final day, and include either a lunch or brunch. The specific details and times for your retreat will be included in your confirmation letter.

What to Bring?

We provide alarm clocks, bedding, soap and towels, though you might want to bring a beach towel if you plan to use the hot tub or swim in the pool or lake (in season only). Bathing suits are required at all times.

A Few Requests Silence We practice silence from wakeup through breakfast during Elat Chayyim retreats and at ALL times during meditation retreats.

Scent-free Environment Some of our guests are sensitive and/or allergic to scented products. Please use unscented products while on retreat. Some products are available in our bookstore.

We provide cushions for meditation, but we suggest that during meditation retreats you bring your own cushion or backrest. We recommend packing hiking footwear, comfortable yoga clothing, a flashlight and inclement weather gear for all seasons. Ritual wear for services (kippot, tallisim, tefillin, etc.) is optional. Many people wear white on Shabbat and holidays. Prayer books are provided, though you may choose to bring your own.

The Isabella Freedman Bookstore The bookstore is a resource center for the exploration of Jewish spirituality, learning and culture. Along with books and inspirational music, you will find beautiful hand-woven kippot, tallisim, jewelry and other hand-made crafts. The store also carries a limited supply of scent-free toiletry products if you forget yours. For questions call (860) 824-3007 or visit the store on-line at: www.isabellafreedman.org/store.

Internet and Phone Access Wireless internet access is available in our main building. Phone service is provided, but calling cards are required. Most cell phones do not work in our area. Please come with your own calling card or purchase one in our bookstore.

Joyful Service Joyful service is a wonderful way to give back to our community. We are always in need of helping hands in the kitchen, dining room and housekeeping. Please sign up at the registration table when you arrive.

63 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Seasonal Staff: Transformation Through Service At Isabella Freedman each job is an essential stitch in the fabric of our daily operations.

We refer to our approach to work as avodah, which means “joyful service,” and we encourage our staff members to bring joyfulness, self-examination and personal growth to the work environment.

We have made it a priority to create an environment that enables our staff members to discover and develop their own talents in the context of their work. Our emphasis on empowering every individual, in every position, to be efficient, proactive and professional is a vital part of Isabella Freedman’s larger vision of repairing the world. Experience the self-transformative power of learning to live in intentional community with creativity, harmony and humor as you form lasting bonds with your colleagues.

Seasonal 2008 Staff Positions Isabella Freedman is currently seeking to fill live-in spring, summer, fall and winter positions, including kitchen support, program support, registration, dining hall support, children’s programs, retreat management, shuttle-driving, life-guarding and computer instruction. All positions require strong communication skills, professional appearance, teamwork and flexibility.

Who Should Apply?

If you are enthusiastic about the work of Isabella Freedman, responsible and want to share your gifts with our community we would welcome your application. Isabella Freedman hires staff members 18 years and older of any gender, national origin, race, sexual orientation and spiritual belief. To learn more and to apply please visit: www.isabellafreedman.org/jobs.

Work Schedule: 36 hours per week, five days per week. You may be asked to work on some Shabbats, though you will not be asked to violate any Shabbat work laws.

64 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Length of Stay Spring Season: April 28 – June 2 Full Summer Season: June 2 – August 29 Half Summer Season: June 2 – July 20 or July 20 – August 29 Fall Season: Sept 1 – October 31 Winter Season: Nov 1 – Dec 15

Housing We provide housing in one of our staff houses. Seasonal staff share rooms with one or two other people and share a bath with up to four other staff members. Kitchens are available in most staff housing. During the summer, some staff members are housed in rustic cabins with no running water. Please indicate your preference in your application.

Meals We provide three meals per day, with high quality vegetarian options always available. Much of our food comes from our own organic farm.

Seasonal Staff Benefits Yoga and/or meditation classes are available five days per week on most weeks. There are also ongoing opportunities to learn about organic farming and take classes with the ADAMAH fellows. When not working, seasonal staff members may participate in Isabella Freedman teachings, concerts, dances, campfires and other retreat events as announced during the season. Seasonal staff members receive a discount at our bookstore and may use our hot tub, pool, tennis and basketball courts, boats, library, fitness room, hiking trails and free wireless internet in the main building. (Limited shared computer access is available.) Seasonal staff may take one Isabella Freedman workshop (up to four days long) for free for each six-week season worked during in-house program seasons.

Stipend Spring, Fall, Winter and Half Summer seasons: $50 per week, plus gratuities Full Summer season: $65 per week, plus gratuities Staff members who are with us for the entire 2008 calendar year will receive full health care benefits one month after their start date.

All staff are required to abide by the Isabella Freedman Community Guidelines, available on-line at isabellafreedman.org/jobs.

Renting Isabella Freedman

Looking for a place to host your organizational retreat or personal affair?

Let Isabella Freedman be your host and enjoy all that our facility has to offer (see pages 4 – 5). As an additional service, our retreat coordinator can help you create your ideal retreat program by taking advantage of our network of specialists, educators, entertainers and rabbis. Let us enhance your retreat through arts, music, environmental education, a ropes course, yoga or meditation, text study, prayer services and much more. For a complete list of program options, please visit our website.

For rates and availability, contact Adam Berman at (860) 824-5991 or by email at rentals@isabellafreedman.org.

The following organizations have held retreats at Isabella Freedman in recent years: American Jewish World Service Amherst Early Music Anshe Chesed Bais Chana International Basherte B’nai Jeshurun B’nai Tzedek Board of Jewish Education The Bronfman Youth Fellowship Congregation Agudath Sholom, Stamford, CT Congregation Beth Simchat Torah Congregation B’Nai Jeshurun Congregation Dorshei Tzedek Dorot Foundation Green Zionists Hazon Harold Grinspoon Foundation Hebrew High School of New England Hebrew High School of West Hartford Hebrew Institute of White Plains Hillel Foundation of Cambridge – Harvard Hillel Hillel of New York Indian Neck Folk Festival Conservative Synagogue of Jamaica Estates

Isralight Jewish Coalition for Service Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst Jewish Funders Network Jewish Funds for Justice Jewish Multiracial Network Jewish Theological Seminary Kahilat Hadar Kane Street Synagogue Maimonides School, Brookline, MA Mayanot The Meaningful Life Center The Nation of the Ancient One Nesiya Institute New Hyde Park Synagogue Orangetown Jewish Center Panim: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values Pleasantville Community Synagogue, NY Ramaz School Reconstructionist Federation of New England Robert M. Beren Academy – Houston Rockwood Leadership Program Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy

Sid Jacobson JCC Society for the Advancement of Judaism Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union, West Orange Solomon Schechter High School, NY, NY Solomon Schechter of Long Island The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life Synagogue Consulting Services Temple Emunah Temple Israel of Great Neck Youth House Teva Learning Center United Synagogue Youth United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism – United Synagogue Youth Upper West Side JCC United Jewish Appeal – Federation of Jewish Philanthropies UJA – Federation of New York Woodbury Jewish Federation World Zionist Organization – American Section YCT Rabbinical School Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Young Israel of New Hyde Park 92nd St YMCA

65 Register by phone 800-398-2630

We thank the following individuals and foundations for their generous support during the 2007 calendar year.

PILLAR: $100,000 and Above Myron Kaplan and Annette Hollander UJA Federation of New York DIRECTOR: $50,000 to $99,000 Dorot Foundation Rita and Aaron Berman LEADER: $25,000 to $49,999 Sarah Allen and Marty Friedman Nathan Cummings Foundation Judith Dack Harold Grinspoon Foundation Hazon Roni Posner and Jeri Berc Laura and Peter Rothschild Richard and Betsy Shuster SUSTAINER: $10,000 to $24,999 Elisabeth and Blair Axel Adam Berman Dana and Warren Cohn Enid and Alexander Fisher Alice Gottesman and Laurence Zuckerman Harold Grinspoon and Diane Troderman Lasko Foundation Rita Poretsky Foundation Amanda and Michael Salzhauer Helen and David Samuels Sharon Strassfeld Weaver Family Foundation CORNERSTONE: $5,000 to $9,999 Marilyn M. Alper Nancy Bluestone Handwerger Lynne Iser and Mordechai Liebling Shari and Harold Levy Nalith Foundation Michelle Ores and Charles Schorin Mindelle and Ira Pierce Carol and Harry Saal Nigel Savage Judith and Charles Weinberg BENEFACTOR: $2,500 to $4,999 Adina Allen Wendy and Mark Biderman Paul and Joanne Egerman Adriaan and Sam Finnerman Katja Goldman and Michael Sonnenfeldt Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation Liz and Saul Kaiserman Lynn and Jules Kroll

66 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Leni and Peter May Amy Paulin and Ira Schuman Penny and Claudio Pincus Robert Reid Mark Russo Elizabeth Scheuer and Peter Joseph Surprise Lake Camp Swirnow Charitable Foundation Nina and Gary Wexler PATRON: $1,000 to $2,499 Susan Raskin Abrams Carole Balin and Michael Gertzman Phyllis and Franklin Bass Lisa and Barry Bergman David Berman Susan Bernstein Robert Bernstein Phyllis Bieri and Marco Veissid Elizabeth Bodner Neal Borovitz and Ann Appelbaum Peter Bregman and Eleanor Harison Bregman Tom Brodie Barbara Brody Bonnie and Clive Chajet Beth Cohen Kelly and Drew Cohen David A. Cooper Alisa and Daniel Doctoroff Mark Dorf Faith Ann and Howard Drucker Tamar and William Earnest Susan and Stuart Ellman Francine and Lawrence Fabian Emerson Fawkes Rhonda Feiman Lois Felder Greg Feldman and Melanie Shorin Susan and Alan Finkelstein Mark Finkelstein and Janet Penn Eugene Fleishman and Judith Elkin Marcie Gilsio-Spatz Phyllis and Gerry Golden Dorian Goldman and Marvin Israelow Joan and Arthur Goldstein Joseph Hofheimer David Ingber Nina and Steven Iser Ruth and Jay Jacobson Ed Joyce and Linda Gerstel Shayndel and Cliff Kahn Harriet and David Kaufman Joel Kazis and Sara Nathan Helen and Martin Kimmel Aron Kressel and Lois Arenson

Linda and Jake Kriger Lynn and Jules Kroll Susan and Alan Leavitt Carolyn and Michael Levine Jeffrey Levine Dedee and Stephen Lovell Martin Manley Susan and Morris Mark Kathy and Joe Mele Rachel Melzer and Shayne Robinson Beth Goldberg Nash and Josh Nash Leni and Robert Newman Kara and Ray Niederhoffer Sue Ostfield Bruce Phillips and Judy Kaye Anita and Stuart Plotkin Joseph Ravitch Lisa Wolfe Karen and Charlie Roemer Rob Rosen and Dale Atkins Marjorie and Stuart Ross Robert Salomon Jonathan Schachter and Rhonda Rosenheck Susan and Bruce Schlechter Bob Schloss and Emily Sack Rachel Schneider and Ben Marks Marlene and Edward Shufro Stuart Silberstein Julie Smith Ellen and Lawrence Sosnow Judith Stern Peck Sharon Stills Mark Tecotzky Roberta Tisch Robyn and Mark Tsesarsky Michael Weisberg Vicki and Ron Weller Marie and Ari Weller Seymour Zises Schwarz Family Foundation Trust SUPPORTER: Up to $999 Roger and Virginia Aaron Moshekhay and Zina Abdurochmanov Pinhas Abitbol Nancy Abraham Marsha and Simon Abramson Howard Addison Peggy Adler Alison Adler Neale Albert Gail Albert Daniel Alder and Rebecca Kryspin Natalie Alexander David Alexander Mark and Nelly Altenburger

Joel Alter Marilyn Altman Jonas Zev Amberger Sandy Anceleitz Mollie Andron Matia Rania Angelou Dorothy Ansel Carol Anshien Marla and Eric Antebi Julia Appel Deena Aranoff Estelle Ardel Carmen Arick Yale Auerbach Nigel Austin Linda Aziz-Zadeh Selma Babitz Ingrid Backman Glenn Baker Roland Bara Ellie Barbarash Miriam Baroff Rebecca Baron Joel Bauer Patricia and Martin Baumhoff Dennis Beck-Berman Reuben Beinstock Zvi Bellin Adam Bender Karen Berelowitz Estelle Berger Adam and Margaret Berger Alvin Berk Lester Berkowitz Peter Berkowsky Joshua Berman Sara and David Berman Phyllis Berman Marjorie and David Bernard Alma Berne Sarah Binder Karen Binney Beth Blackmare Irma and Jon Blauner Sally Blazar Miriam and Isaac Blech Andrew Bleckner Eileen and Alan Bleyer Ray and Paul Bloom Michael and Shelley Bloomfield Diane Bloomfield Linda Blum and Jeremy Merrin Marion Blumenthal and Steven M. Cohen Hendi Bogart Tina and Jeffrey Bolton Cindy and Ralph Bovitz

Renee Brant Stephanie Braun Barbara Breitman and Howard Addison Vicki Breman Anne Brener Jeanne Brennan Joan and Israel Brenner Sue Brent Matus Breslaw Deborah Brin K. David Brody Bev and Larry Broman Minna Brombera Audrey Brooks and Steven Crownie Liora Brosbe Robert Brown Shoshana Brown Esther Brownstein Nick and Judy Bunzl Peter Burack and Marjorie Becker Joni Burg Elaine Burn Barbara Burney Jeffrey Cahn and Lili Schad Dan Caligor and Anne Ebersman Linda and Richard Cantor Joel Caplan Saul Carliner Victoria Carmona Sandra and Robert Carroll Karen and Timothy Carter Dvora and Abba Caspi Wendye Chaitin Neal Cheskis Charles Chita Yat Sandra Choukroun Ellen and Casey Cogut Sheri Cohen Rhonda Cohen Nancy Cohen Mildred Cohen Bernard Cohen Dan M. Cohen Martin and Judith Cohen Mike Comins Joan Cooke Faith Cookler Marlene Cooper Howard Corman Steve Cramer and Bonnie MacWhinney-Cramer Meryl Crean Darryl Crystal Jacqueline Cully Sue Curtis Jordan Dale Ruth Dalphin Aaron Daniels Lorri and Andy Danzig Rachel Daugherty Ruth and Mark David Alice and Mort Davidson Anthony Davis

Nan and Richard Davis Jewel Davis Eric Davis Dean DeCrisce Ed DeMosquita Yigal Deutscher Adam Diamond Marie Dieringer Rabbi Fred Dobb Anny Dobrejcer Renata Dobryn Linda Jo Doctor and Elliot Ginsburg Herman, Robert, and Helen Doft Samarrah and Michael Dolich Judy Dornstreich Dena Drasin Barbara Drosnin Norma Dubin Anne Dublin Stalina Dudarenko Bari Dworken Phyllis Eckstein Rabbi Judith Edelstein and Jim Meier Scott Edelstein and Ariella Tilsen Susan Eisen Joseph Eisenbach Ellen and Richard Eisenberg Stephen Eisner Leslie Elias Sandra Eliyahu Cheri Ellowitz Fred Endelman Amy Engelman Aliza Erber Robert Esformes Rosalie Esposito Eleanor Ettinger Tanya Farber Gladys Feigenbaum Miriam Feiner Julie Feinland Shir Yaakov Feinstein-Feit Betty Feldman Esther and Ted Feldman Richard Feldstein Millie and Alan Fell George Felleman Rayzl and Richard Feuer Joyce Finks Tirzah Firestone Joy Fish David Fisher and Pearl Beck Maurice and Ettie Fisher Michael Fisher Brenda Fishkin Larry and Shain Fishman Susan Fleischmann Nancy Fleishman Rachel Fletcher Linda Flower Gross Diane and Duncan Forbes Stanley Forster Michael Fox

David and Dee-Ann Fox Carol Fox Prescott Abraham (Avi) Fox Rosen Maxine Fraade David Frankel and Sandy Kummerer Paula Freedman and Jeffrey Marker Judy Freedman Susan Freiband Diane Fried Ilona Fried Corey Friedlander Florence and David Friedman Kenneth Friedman David Friedman Fay Friedman Stuart Friedman Dayle Friedman and David Ferleger Sharon Friedman Leslie Lauf and Yuri Friman Thomas Froncek Mordechai Fuchs Yael Fuchs Avital Furlager Joy Gallon Wendy Galson Richard Gans Migdalia Gaston Hollis and Ari Gauss Mary and Everett Gendler Aviva Gerber Florence Gerringer Mildred Gersh Renee Gerson Judy and Neal Gersten Chana Getter Ingrid Gherson Jane and Ron Gibbs Therese Gibrat Annie Gilbert Renee Gilodo Joseph Gindi Merle and Barry Ginsburg Deborah Ginsburg Gary Givental Richard Gladstein Saul Gladstone Rose Glasner Betty Glatt Jerry and Henrietta Gliklich Jeremy Goldberg Paul and Susan Goldberg Nechama Goldberg Rick and Hilary Goldberg Zelig Golden Judy and Phil Goldman Lynne Goldman Rae Goldman Katja Goldman Sam Goldman Gisele and Hector Goldman Neil Goldsman and Roberta Valente Jennifer Goldstein Denne Goldstein Rose Goldstein

Frances Gottfried Owen Gottlieb Hadar Grabel Roger, Regina, Daniel and Olivia Gradess Marilyn Greenberg and Paula Feinstein Gypsy Jill Greenberg Jeff Greenberg Joseph Greenberg Fay Greenberg Judy Greenfeld Mark Greenfield Michelle and Paul Grobman Marjorie Grodin Rachel Gross Susan and David Gross Joel Grossman Alan Grossman Eugene Grozinger Nicole Grunfeld Cynthia Guile Sue Gurland and Mark Wasserman Sharon Gutterman Lorence Gutterman Rose Hader Sally Hagel Sunny and Mike Halperin Lisa Halperin Belle Halpern Naftali Hanau Bernice Harris Deborah and Ed Harris Helaine and Marty Hausman Sylvia Havran and Michael Field Genia Hay Laura and Gordon Hegfield Pablo Henderson Claudia Herman De Herman Christine Hess Noa Heyman Moshe Thomas Heyn Michael Hirschhorn and Jimena Martinez Ruth and Bernard Hoberman Lisa Hoff Anne Hoffman Shirlee Hoffman Jinks Hoffmann Seena Hollander Judith Hollander Gertrude and Itshak Holtz Aliza Holtz Daniel Horowitz Rae Horton Lawrence Horwitz Eli Houseman Rivka Hozinsky Virginia and Tom Hughes Susanne and Steven Hurowitz Naomi Hyman Gertrude and Arnold Hyman Matthew Immergut

67 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Seth Izen Jill Jacob Tamar Jacobowitz Irene Jacobs Lhea Jacobs Daria Jacobs-Velde David Jaffe Marisa James Elizabeth Jameson Rae and Richard Janvey Fran and Irwin Jasper Barbara Jazzo Gabriel and Ana Joanes Meryl Joblin Allison Johnson Timothy Jolly Judy Josephs Meredith Joy Nancy Kahn Judy and Carl Keiserman Lana Kalickstein Beatrice Kallus Beverly Kalter Gerald Kaplan Lily Kaplan Carol Kaplan-Gardner Jane Kasov Shelly Kassen Kuniko Katz Sheila Katz Daniel Katz Margot and Bruno Katz Amy Katz Martin Samuel and Adele Katzman Flora Kaufman Josh Kazam Bernice Kern Lawrence Kessler Barbara Kessler Moshe Kessler Daniel Kestin Louis Kieran Vera Kisfalvi Margie Klein Ruth Kletnick Bill Klinger Kelly Koby Boris Kofman Irene Korenfield Yala Korwin Dale Kramer Yaacov Kravitz Nellie Krentzman Suri Krieger Dana Kroll Zoe Carol Kron Michael Kronenberg Paul Kuttner Paul Laffal Judith Landsman Amy Lavine Adam Lavitt Kenneth Lawrence Esther Lazarson

68 Register online www.isabellafreedman.org

Marc Leager Judy and Marty Lebson Cheryl Lehman Chaia Lehrer Patti Leiner Caroline Leis Shirley Leos David and Sharon Lerman Alan and Ilene Lerman David Lerner Carlen Lesser David Lester Erika Levin Hazel Levin Shirley Levin Rachel Levine Michael Levine Barbara Levine Mark Levine Risa Levine Denise and Jeffrey Levine Sheri Levson Jill Levy and Matthew Silverman Grace Levy Miryam Levy Vivian Levy Suzanne Levy John Levy Anne Levy Steven Lewis Jeff Lewis Judy Lewis and Ed Aboudi Avi Lewittes and Lara Prince Daniel Liben Joshua J Lichtman Eric Lieb Leah Lieberman Phyllis Lieberman Betty and Seymour Liebowitz Ruth Lindenbaum Nancy Lipman Laura Lippman Sacha Litman Ellie Lobovits Sarah Loewenberger and Steven Lichtenstaedter Florence London Tami Machnai Claire Madia Maggie Mailer Rachel Makleff Howard Malach Sabrina Malach David Malchman Jermey Manela Emily and Sam Mann Greg Manoff Florence Manson Jordana and David Manzano Susan Marcus Frederique Marglin Elaine Margolis Laura Markowitz Myron Maron

Chris Marshall Herbert Marx Ann Massion Gustine Matt Tom Mauskopf and Amy Udell-Mauskopf Aliza Mazor Michael Meketon Cheryl and Michael Meltzer Melvin Metelits Jay Michaelson Edith Milchen Cindy Miller Art Miller Hal Miller-Jacobs Erica Mintzer Susan Mitrani Knapp Aitan Mizrahi Aaron and Helene Morris Nahariyah Mosenkis Rita and Nathan Moser Leonard Moskowitz Lydia Moss Jude Moverman Ziva Moyal and Peter Wengert Letty Munz Alon Nashman Ruth and Edgar Nathan Kay Nathanson Bennett Neiman Marci Nemtzow Robert Neufeld Carol and Mel Newman Karen Nieuwland Evelyn Nissen Mollie Nogue Janet Raphael Novins Paul Nussbaum Charles and Deirdre Oehrtmann Eli Ofek and Barbara Berger Ida Okun Peter Oppenheimer Celia Ores Susan Orovitz “Harry Osborn�

Martin Ostrow Jack Ovitz Barbara and Harvey Paris Rebecca Parker Jeremy Parnes Rubin and Helene Partel Emilie Passow Shuli Passow Seth Patner Jeanette Perkins Zelda and Martin Perlman Diane Perlman Aviva Perlo Joan Peterdi Arlene Pierce Beverly Pincus Craig Platt Barbara Plumb Otilia Plungyan

Mary Porcino Hope and Frederick Pracht Sharon and Jeffrey Prager Gerald Preis Ruth Prussin Ron Rabin Barbara Raicek Dana Sipos Randor Theodora Read Andrew Reamer Diane Reibel Leonard Reid Steven Reiner Henna and Steve Reiter David Rendsburg Carole Resnick and Debra Gertz Brady Richards Jon Richer Stephanie and Michael Riesel Shelley Rivlin Eric Robbins Nancy and Mark Roberts Ian Roblee-Hertzmark Susan Rodgin Kelly Roman and Robyn Rubenstein Deliah Rosel Jeffrey Roseman Jill and Robert Rosen Abby Rosen Brenda Rosen Ariel Rosen Dale Rosen Moishe Rosenberg Helen Rosenblum Ruth Rosenblum Rhonda Rosenheck Julie Rosenheim Moos Herbert Rosenkrantz Lisa Rosenstein and Liz Solovay Annie Rosenthal Sadie Rosenthal-Roberts Anne Rosenzweig Elinor Ross Bill Ross Edna Ross William Roth Jordan Roth and Richie Jackson Abby Rothschild Judith Rothstein Helen Rothstein Judy Royster Janice Rubin Jessica Rubin Jack and Leslie Rubin Oren Rudavsky and Judy Katz Alice Rudnick Steven Rudnitzky Robyn and Karen Rudolf Jane and Richard Rudy Raymond Russo Jon Russo Richard Ruth and Jim North Rebeca Rydel

Jaime and Shamu Sadeh Linda and Howard Sadinsky Roberta and Sy Saffran Sarah Safrin Ira Salman Phyllis Saltzman Daniella Salzman Susan and Sam Samelson Richard Samuels Steven Samuels Ruth Hirsh and Steve Samuels Doris and Mike Saranga William Savedoff and Anne-Marie Smith Jean and Les Schachter Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Eve Ilsen Elaine and Robert Scharf Mrs. Ronnie Scharfman and Dr. Joseph Youngerman James Schatz Phyllis Scheer Martin and Joan Scherk Jerry Schindelheim Joel Schipper Mark Suresh Schlanger Donald Schlenger Sara Schley Douglas Schloss Hal Schnee Lori Schneide Rosalie Schneider Hannah Schneiderman Peter Schoenfeld Robert Schram Joshua Schulman and Nili Simhai Sara Schultz Batyah Schuman Jordan Schuster Gregg Schwartz Ida and Eugene Schwartz Marvin Schwartz Joseph David Schwartz Charles Segal Doug Seiden Andrew Seidman and Dina Markson Audrey Seidman Elyse Seidner Joseph Julie Seltzer Harriet Serchuk Gary Sevitsky Terry Sexton Stephen Shaffer Hyim Shafner Benjamin and Sara Shalva Seth Shames Baruch Shapiro Fran Shapiro Rachael Shapiro Stanley Shapiro and Margaret Lenzi Howard Sharfstein Dan Shaw Elizabeth Shedlin Daniel Sheff

Patti Sheinman Holly Taya Shere Andrew Shiller Catherine and Rony Shimony Jack Shinder Tamuz Shiran Sara Shostak Lauren Shpall Andy Shugerman Sylvia Shunfenthal Maria and Arkadii Shutin Yael Shy Marcia Siegel Mark Siegel Wendy Siegel Sandra and Jerrad Seigel Reggie Silberberg Phyllis Silberger Naomi Silberstein Marcelle Silman June Silver Gloria Silverman Sam Silverman Allan Silverstein Daniel Silverstein Jessica Simkovic Irene Simon Rose Simstein Steven Singer Harriet and Andy Singer Paul Sireci Eric Sklar Leesa Sklover Filgate David and Barbara Slivnick Elaine Sloves Sofya Smolyar Stacy Snyder Eliezer Sobel and Shari Cordon Glenn Soberman David Solis-Cohen and Carole Baker Beatrice Solomon Marlene Solomon David Solomon Eugene Sotiresen Barbara Spector Bob Sperling Allen Spivack Peter Sprung Lisa Statland Jacob Staub Arthur Stein Sarah Stein Jay Steinberg Zina Steinberg Ahouva Steinhaus and Albert Goldschmidt Amy and Michael Sternberg Judit Sternberg Kaya Stern-Kaufman LJ Stewart Linda Stocknoff Sylvia Stoltz Rachael Stone Mariola Strahlberg

Leona Strassberg-Steiner Amy Streusand Yosefa Strouss Allison Stupka Barbara Sussman Marilyn Swerdlin Sheldon Taback Cheryl Tarash Tara Tayyabkhan and Scott Spitzer Lauren Tepper Marcia Thaler Ariella Tilsen Janet Tobacman Herb Tobin Pois Topal Michael and Valentina Traitel Sylvia Travis Emily Trepp Ellen Triebwasser Jane Trigere and Kenneth Schoen Terry Tsiolis Lois Tucker Jeff Tucker Andrea and Peter Turner Jacob Twardowski Patricia Pickman and Mitchell Udell Yael Van Drooge Marilyn Van Praag Catharina van Wijk Dalia and Itzhak Vardy Jonathan Vatner Hara Viner Laurie and Stephen Vogel Minnie Wachtel Elizabeth Walach Marvin Waldman Howard Walkes Roberta Wall Alexandra Wall Daniel Walsh Linda and Marty Wasserstein Rebecca Weaver Lee Wecker and John Boudreau Susan Wehle Jean Weinberg Sheila Weinberg Alon Weinberg Rita and Marc Weingarten Sanford and Cathy Weinger Saul Weinstein Harry Weinstein Yaakov Weintraub Jane and Jack Weiselberg Ruth and Jonas Weiser Tobie Weisman Leah Weisman Michael Weiss Bob Weissberg and Mishka Luft Laurie Weissler Alan Weissman Cheryl Welt Fred Werner Ronnie Weyl Akiva Wharton

Joe Wielgosz Ethelind Wiener Arnold and Audrey Wile Rosanna Williams Julianna Winsor Rachel Wohl Carl Woolf Judith Wouk William Yelles Ginny and Roy Young Jack Zaffos Zak Zaidman Lillian Zaiger Anna Zajac Leon Zeeberg Bronya and Ilya Zeillin Julie Zelman Shawn Zevit Joel Ziff Muriel Zimmering Ethel Ziskin Estelle Zucker Audrey Zucker Bernard Zucker Susan and Mel Zwillenberg

69 Register by phone 800-398-2630

Board of Directors Sharon Strassfeld President

Roni Posner Vice President

Nigel Savage Vice President

Michael Salzhauer cover and principal photography by:

Shir Yaakov Feinstein-Feit photography by:

Courtney Bent, Danya Bader-Natal, Kate Russell Jones, Sheila Yocheved Katz, Len Kurzweil, Jonathan Schachter, Risa Strauss, Jackie Topol, Ari Weller, Marie Weller and John Welsh catalog design by:

Andrea Stranger

Peter Bregman Warren Cohn Enid Fisher Eugene Fleishman Marty Friedman Evan Friedman

Secretary

Lynne Iser

Rachel Schneider

Saul Kaiserman

Treasurer

Sara Nathan Laura Rothschild Mark Russo Helen Samuels Richard Shuster

Staff Adam Berman Executive Director

Shivanter Singh Executive Chef

Shamu Sadeh ADAMAH Director

Amy Hannes Program Director

Julie Seltzer Baker

Ari Weller Associate Director Elat Chayyim Director

Adam Sher Pot Washer/Kitchen Support

Josh Rosenstein ADAMAH Value-Added Products Manager

Michelle Ores Development Director Heidi Jacquier Development Associate Rosalie Bouchard Business Manager Tara Tayyabkhan Registrar Aiden Keilty Operations/HR Director Miki Raver Director of Senior Programs Doreen Yohananov Administrative Director, Senior Programs

Tonia Moody Dining Hall/Housekeeping Director Jeff Savoy Maintenance Director Ross Coco Maintenance Assistant Vlastik Valasek Rental Retreat Coordinator Tamuz Shiran Elat Chayyim Retreat Manager Lee Moore Elat Chayyim Summer Program Director Ahron Lerman Office Manager

Anna Stevenson ADAMAH Farm Manager Megan Jensen ADAMAH Greenhouse Manager Aviva Gerber ADAMAH Farm Apprentice Ben Rosenthal Special Projects Aitan Mizrahi Goatherd Yosh Shulman Information Technology Officer Olga Permitina Program Assistant Ben Appelle Bookstore Manager Shir Yaakov Feinstein-Feit Design Consultant

116 Johnson Road Falls Village, CT 06031 (800) 398-2630

New York Connecticut

84

Long Island Sound

Bridgeport

Hartford

95

90

395

Worcester

New London

Springfield

High Holiday retreats fill up weeks in advance. Register today!

Rosh Hashanah

90

September 29 – October 2

Yom Kippur October 8 – 9

SukkahFest

95

Massachusetts

October 13 – 16

er

Poughkeepsie

Hudson Riv

Mt. Vernon

NY State Thruway

Isabella Freedman is located just two hours from New York City, three hours from Boston and one hour from the Bradley International Airport in Hartford. Shuttle service is available from the airport and from the Wassaic train station, the last stop on the Metro-North Harlem Line from New York City. Please visit our website for driving directions: www.isabellafreedman.org.