Ritualwell Open House – September 7th

Hosted by Hila Ratzabi & Adva Chattler

Explore Ritualwell’s online learning offerings at our open house days! Enjoy a taste of our faculty’s inspiring teachings with short, 30-minute sessions. Free and open to all.

Open House sessions schedule:

11:00 a.m. EDT, Hila Ratzabi: “Writing the Earth’s Torah”
Now more than ever we need to give voice to the Earth’s cry for protection and reverence. Join poet Hila Ratzabi in exploring a few texts from the Psalms and Kabbalah that will serve as our inspiration for writing our own environmental prayers and poems. No writing experience necessary!

11:30 a.m. EDT, Sonia Gordon-Walinsky: “An Artistic Interpretation of the Name Pasuk”
Discover the tradition of the “name pasuk” (name verse)—a medieval minhag (custom) that Rashi refers to as an “ancient remedy”—and how artist Sonia Gordon-Walinsky is transforming it into an expression of personal connection to Torah/Tanakh.

12:00 p.m. EDT, Cathy Cohen: “Ekphrasis: The Poet” 
Marc Chagall painted Half-Past Three (The Poet) in 1911 after leaving Russia and settling in Paris among the community of artists and poets. This painting of his friend, the poet Alexander Mazin, conveys energy and emotion as well as a variety of intriguing symbols. It’s a perfect springboard for us to explore the relationship between painter and poet, between visual art and written text. We will write our own ekphrastic poems based on the painting.

12:30 p.m. EDT, Rabbi Haviva Ner-David: “Finding Hope in Israel/Palestine”
Join rabbi and author Haviva Ner-David to hear about some of what is happening in Israel/Palestine that offers glimmers of hope: stories you don’t tend to hear in the mainstream media. She will share about her ongoing activity as part of a growing Arab-Jewish movement working together to build a shared equal and just society through deep listening, acknowledging one another’s narratives, healing collective trauma, and joint grassroots activism to build a better future for all in Israel/Palestine.

1:00 p.m. EDT, Mike Brown: “Planning Your Jewish Garden”
What makes a “Jewish garden”? Some plants will help transport you to different times and places; others will entice your senses with aromas, tastes, and beauty, while providing fruits and vegetables for Jewish holidays. This session will prepare you to “hit the ground running” in the spring with tips on preparing your Jewish garden. In honor of the upcoming Jewish New Year, we will also discuss ways to help bees by patronizing local beekeepers and planting flowers, shrubs, and trees that nourish bees.

1:30 p.m. EDT – ADVOT Info session
Curious about ADVOT@Ritualwell, our year-long cohort for ritual innovators, poets, and liturgists? Hop into an info session to ask your questions and learn more about this dynamic, online, Jewish creative community!