BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Ritualwell - ECPv6.13.2.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://ritualwell.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Ritualwell REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20240310T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20241103T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241107T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241107T133000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20240726T155116Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241014T135943Z UID:25970-1730980800-1730986200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Compassionate Ink: Promoting Caregivers' Well-being through Writing DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, November 7\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n \n\nRitualwell is proud to partner again with Sharsheret during Caregivers’ Awareness Month for poetry\, prose\, and writing surrounding the caregiving experience. Focused on healing and support from the stress of this difficult role\, we will find refuge in expressing our emotions through writing. During our time together there will be an opportunity for everyone to begin writing something personally meaningful and healing through our writing prompts. This session will focus on writing and ritual as a means of healing\, which has been studied as an effective way to heal from both physical and emotional trauma. There will be time for sharing your own new writing from the session\, something that you have already written before\, or come to listen to others.\n \nNo previous writing experience necessary–our focus is on the power of expressing personal stories. This session is open to all\, no matter who you are supporting\, or why they may need support. Please feel free to invite friends\, loved ones\, and anyone you think will need this kind of support.\n\n \nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n \n\nMelissa K. Rosen\, two-time cancer survivor\, current caregiver\, and a member of the ADVOT writing community. She is the Director of Training and Education at Sharsheret: The Jewish Breast and Ovarian Cancer Community.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/compassionate-ink-promoting-caregivers-wellbeing-through-writing/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/CompassionateInk_MelissaRosen_Nov2024-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241114T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241114T150000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20241031T190003Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241101T150341Z UID:28509-1731592800-1731596400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Braided Together: 'Take Challah' Ritual in Community DESCRIPTION:Wednesdays\, November 14 and December 12\, 2024\n2:00-3:00 p.m. EST  \n\nWhen was the last time you came together with friends or family to prepare a meal? Perhaps to bake bread? Picture everyone gathered around a table\, crafting beautifully braided dough with delightful aromas\, sharing stories filled with laughter and even a few tears. The warmth of connection and belonging\, not just from the oven\, has been lacking in our lives as we’ve drifted away from our Jewish communities and intimate family circles due to various life circumstances. However\, it doesn’t have to remain this way\, especially with technology supporting us.\n\n\n\nJoin Adva Chattler for a monthly gathering to explore the ritual of “Taking Challah”: the tradition of blessing the dough of our challah before baking it. Aside from the ritual\, we will learn a new braiding and decorating technique each month.  Our time together will be sprinkled with song\, chant\, storytelling  and more\, as we braid our challahs together. Recipe\, step-by-step guide and more resources will be shared in advance. \n\n\n\n\n\nAdva Chattler is an Israeli-Mizrahi Jew\, born and raised in Be’er-Sheva\, Israel. She loves to create meaningful experiences through her cooking and baking that prompt sharing stories\, teachings and rituals about Judaism\, Israel and Mizrahi Jewish cultures and heritage. Her rituals\, prayers and poems were published on Ritualwell. Adva is passionate about bringing people together in ways that spark relationship building and connecting to others on a deeper level\, both in the challenging and ever-changing world of online gatherings\, and in person. She holds a MA in conflict Resolution and Management from Ben Gurion University of the Negev and BA in Public Administration and Management from Sapir College in Sderot\, Israel\, and a Makhloket Matters Fellow for Jewish Professionals by the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies. With her experience in teaching and curriculum building\, she support facilitators and presenters for Ritualwell and Reconstructing Judaism and encourage them to bring not only their best self\, but best practices and tools for successful teaching online. Adva is also a mother and a foodie who lives in Del Rio\, Tx.\, with her husband\, three daughters and two dogs. \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/braided-together-take-challah-ritual-in-community/2024-11-14/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free,Monthly program ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/Braided-together-.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241204T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241204T140000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20241118T212834Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241127T010726Z UID:28688-1733317200-1733320800@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Capturing Your (Grand)Child's Stories DESCRIPTION:December 4\, 2024\n1:00-2:00 p.m. EST\n\n \nSo often\, we experience meaningful moments with our children or grandchildren that we’d like to capture–or have special stories from our own childhood that we hope to share with the next generation. Dr. Barry Mann has crafted a delightful children’s book\, Miri and her Drum Set\, inspired by a real-life adventure with his young grandchild. Miri and her Drum Set explores both the miracle of Hanukkah and also ways to unite people across religions and cultures.\n \nJoin us for an engaging conversation about Dr. Mann’s journey of transforming a personal story into a published book. Whether your goal is to publish or simply to create a family keepsake story\, discover an effective process to outline and breathe life into your narratives. This event is perfectly timed for those looking to create and share a story that could make a memorable Hanukkah gift for the family.\n \n\nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nBarry Mann is a retired surgeon and currently System Medical Director for Health Equity in the Main Line Health System of suburban Philadelphia where he served as Chief Academic Officer and director of the surgical residency training program. Dr. Mann has received numerous prestigious awards for his work in medical education including the Distinguished Teacher of Medicine Award from the American Association for Medical Colleges and the Distinguished Educator Award from the Association for Surgical Education. While professor of surgery at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia\, he co-authored five medical textbooks including SURGERY—A Competency Based Companion. His interest in Hebrew and Arabic led him to write Dreams of Peace\, A Dual Language Primer for Learning Hebrew and Arabic in 2015. Miri and her Drum Set is his first children’s book and is based on a true story of kindness he experienced with his grandson Ezra at the Lime Ridge Mall in Ontario\, Canada.\n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/capturing-your-grandchilds-stories/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/Capturing-Your-GrandChilds-Stories-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241212T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241212T150000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20241031T190003Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241101T150341Z UID:28512-1734012000-1734015600@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Braided Together: 'Take Challah' Ritual in Community DESCRIPTION:Wednesdays\, November 14 and December 12\, 2024\n2:00-3:00 p.m. EST  \n\nWhen was the last time you came together with friends or family to prepare a meal? Perhaps to bake bread? Picture everyone gathered around a table\, crafting beautifully braided dough with delightful aromas\, sharing stories filled with laughter and even a few tears. The warmth of connection and belonging\, not just from the oven\, has been lacking in our lives as we’ve drifted away from our Jewish communities and intimate family circles due to various life circumstances. However\, it doesn’t have to remain this way\, especially with technology supporting us.\n\n\n\nJoin Adva Chattler for a monthly gathering to explore the ritual of “Taking Challah”: the tradition of blessing the dough of our challah before baking it. Aside from the ritual\, we will learn a new braiding and decorating technique each month.  Our time together will be sprinkled with song\, chant\, storytelling  and more\, as we braid our challahs together. Recipe\, step-by-step guide and more resources will be shared in advance. \n\n\n\n\n\nAdva Chattler is an Israeli-Mizrahi Jew\, born and raised in Be’er-Sheva\, Israel. She loves to create meaningful experiences through her cooking and baking that prompt sharing stories\, teachings and rituals about Judaism\, Israel and Mizrahi Jewish cultures and heritage. Her rituals\, prayers and poems were published on Ritualwell. Adva is passionate about bringing people together in ways that spark relationship building and connecting to others on a deeper level\, both in the challenging and ever-changing world of online gatherings\, and in person. She holds a MA in conflict Resolution and Management from Ben Gurion University of the Negev and BA in Public Administration and Management from Sapir College in Sderot\, Israel\, and a Makhloket Matters Fellow for Jewish Professionals by the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies. With her experience in teaching and curriculum building\, she support facilitators and presenters for Ritualwell and Reconstructing Judaism and encourage them to bring not only their best self\, but best practices and tools for successful teaching online. Adva is also a mother and a foodie who lives in Del Rio\, Tx.\, with her husband\, three daughters and two dogs. \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/braided-together-take-challah-ritual-in-community/2024-12-12/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free,Monthly program ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/Braided-together-.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250102T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250102T140000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20241203T162335Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241203T162335Z UID:28838-1735822800-1735826400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Nia into the NEW Year DESCRIPTION:January 2\, 2025\n1:00-2:00 p.m. EST\n \nStart 2025 in active movement and flow of you body and creativity through the practice of Nia!\n \nJoin the Ritualwell community and Nia instructor Janice Steinberg (who is also one of our Advot members) to engage your body\, spirit and creativity through Nia movement followed by prompts for reflection and writing. No experience needed.\n \nNia is based on the philosophy that everyone can enhance their potential for a healthy\, meaningful life by engaging their senses and listening compassionately to their bodies. While it is adaptable to individual needs and abilities\, its core principle is finding your body’s joy of movement\, whether that’s swaying gently in a chair or dancing. Nia is low-impact and designed to be done barefoot. But it’s fine to wear tennis or jazz-dance shoes if that’s best for you. What you’ll need is a clear space so you have room to move\, or\, if you choose to stay seated that will work\, too.\n \nHave writing materials at hand. You may want art materials\, as well.\n \n\nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n \nJanice Steinberg (she/her) holds a Black Belt in the Nia dance-fitness practice and has been teaching for 15 years\, including events for Ritualwell. She is the author of the novel The Tin Horse (Random House) and a five-book mystery series published by Berkley.\n \n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/nia-into-the-new-year/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Nia_Janice_Jan2025-RAW.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250212T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250212T133000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20241216T200357Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250205T125121Z UID:28976-1739361600-1739367000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Creating Your Own Meaningful Tu B’Shvat Rituals DESCRIPTION:February 12\, 2025\, \n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n \nRituals serve not only as a source of comfort but also as a means to honor our history and cultivate our own legacies. Inspired by the birth of her son on the birthday of the trees\, Wendy A. Horwitz\, author of Milkweed and Honey Cake: A Memoir in Ritual Moments\, was inspired to imagine Tu B’shvat as a time to deepen her personal ties to the earth\, trees\, and Jewish wisdom through creative rituals. In this Ritualwell event\, Wendy will guide us in exploring narratives and engaging in discussion aimed at helping us revitalize our personal Tu B’Shvat rituals. Reflect on your connections to this Jewish celebration of nature and discover new ideas to create your own meaningful Tu B’Shvat rituals.\n \n\nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n \nWendy A. Horwitz is the author of Milkweed and Honey Cake: A Memoir in Ritual Moments. Her essays have been published in The Philadelphia Inquirer\, Afterimage\, Neurology (Humanities Section)\, Jewish Literary Journal\, Intrepid Times\, and McClatchy-Tribune News Service\, among others. Originally trained as a pediatric psychologist\, she lives in Philadelphia\, where she teaches writing and health humanities.\n \n\n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/creating-your-own-meaningful-tu-bshvat-rituals/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Tu-Bishvat-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250325T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250325T130000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20250217T185624Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250219T175325Z UID:29763-1742904000-1742907600@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:To Laugh: Using Humor to Survive Jewish History DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, March 25\, 2025 \n12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT\n \n\nJoin Emmy-winning TV comedy writer and bestselling author (Marvel’s Look Out for the Little Guy) Rob Kutner as he shares his new book\, The Jews: 5\,000 Years and Counting —a comedic survey of all of Jewish history\, plus jokes! Kutner will read from his book and then lead participants in writing exercises designed to harness humor to disarm a menacing world.\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n \n\nRob Kutner has won 5 Emmys\, a Peabody\, a TCA\, and a Grammy writing for such shows as TBS’ “CONAN” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart\, and co-created the fact-based comedy TV show “Gander.” Rob’s other TV writing includes “Teen Titans Go!” “Ben10” “Angry Birds: Summer Madness” and HBO’s “Dennis Miller Live.” He has also written material for the Oscars\, Emmys\, Writers’ Guild Awards\, MTV Movie Awards\, Guys’ Choice Awards\, and two White House Correspondents’ Dinners. He has developed kids’ and adult animated series for Warner Brothers and SyFy.\n\nRob is the author of the satirical end-of-times bestseller Apocalypse How: Turn the End Times into the Best of Times! and the Amazon Kindle e-bestseller/Audible audiobook The Future According to Me. He is also the creator of the graphic novel “Shrinkage” for Farrago Comics. He has published humor and feature pieces for the New Yorker\, New York Times\, Esquire\, Huffington Post\, McSweeney’s\, and the Weekly Forward. Learn more about Rob here. \n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/to-laugh-using-humor-to-survive-jewish-history/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/Holding-Each-Other-Oct-21.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250411 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250412 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20250305T171708Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250407T145016Z UID:29895-1744329600-1744415999@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Why is This Year's Seder Different? DESCRIPTION: \nRitualwell has created a  new collection of curated Passover resources: Why is this Seder Different? Questions\, Readings & Conversation Starters for a Challenging Year. This printable PDF will be delivered electronically and is accessible online.\n \n\nWhen you purchase the supplement\, you will also have access to our event recording: \n\nEngage with Rabbi Mira Wasserman in a conversation with Ritualwell’s Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer\, focusing on text study\, an interactive discussion\, and reflective writing about how the Passover seder can offer a sense of order amidst chaos.\n\n \nRabbi Mira Beth Wasserman\, Ph.D. is RRC’s interim vice president for academic affairs.work as a rabbi and scholar bridges Talmud study\, community building and the pursuit of social justice. In the classroom\, she explores the history and cultures of diverse ancient Jewish communities while fusing immersion in classical text with new critical methods and theory. Wasserman’s background in the congregational rabbinate helps her bring a practical orientation to her teaching and scholarship. She is Rabbi Emerita of Congregation Beth Shalom in Bloomington\, Ind.\, where she served for over a decade.\n \n \n\nGabrielle Ariella Kaplan-Mayer is Ritualwell’s Director of Virtual Content and Programs. She is an author\, educator and spiritual director whose work focuses on spirituality\, creativity and disability. Gabrielle is currently working on a memoir about the power of intuition and ongoing conversations with her ancestors. She writes a Substack newsletter called “Journey With The Seasons\,” a weekly practice of meditative reading with creative self-expression prompts. \nGabrielle holds a BFA in theater and creative writing from Emerson College and an MA in Jewish Studies from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/why-is-this-years-seder-different/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/Why-is-This-Years-Seder-Different-RAW-e1742245105337.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250428T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250428T141500 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20250404T202859Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250408T134254Z UID:30271-1745845200-1745849700@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:MALACHIM\, Renewed: A Community Art Project DESCRIPTION:Create art. Create ritual. Create community.  \nSubmit your visual art. Be part of the creation of the new MALACHIM (Jewish Angel Cards) Set\, MALACHIM Messages of Blessing Cards: Ritualwell Community Edition.  \nThe tradition of MALACHIM (literally: messages or angels) began in a circle of friends in Jerusalem in 1989. They sang the beloved song Shalom Aleichem to honor the beginning of Shabbat\, noting that the words of the song welcome the “messengers/angels of peace\,” which are said to frequent the homes of those who bring in Shabbat (Talmud\, Tractate Shabbat\, 119a). Deborah Eisenbach-Budner created a set of MALACHIM to accompany the singing. These cards came to be known as Jewish Angel Cards; her hand-made sets found homes throughout the world. Several thousand printed sets\, now called MALACHIM Messages of Blessing\, have made their way into personal and communal rituals as well as Shabbat\, Rosh Hodesh\, and holiday tables as this folk tradition grows.   \nNow\, MALACHIM will evolve again as a collective process\, including you!     \nWe are creating a MALACHIM set that incorporates original art made by Ritualwell community members. Each of the MALACHIM will be made from a original photo/work of art. On the margins of the art will be a word in Hebrew\, transliteration\, and English.   \nOur timeline: \n\nOn Monday April 28 at 1pm EST\, Ritualwell will host a virtual launch event to invite artists to learn more about this community art project and its logistics. There will be a word bank provided; artists will be invited to submit up to 5 pieces for consideration by June 4.   \nOn Monday June 30 at 5pm EST\, Ritualwell will host a virtual unveiling gallery event for the artists and community members to share the artwork selected for the card deck. Artists will have a chance to share about their reflections from the process of art making for this project.  \nThe cards will become available for sale August 1\, in time for Elul and the Jewish New Year.  \n\n\nRegistrants commit to: \nJoin the April 28th virtual event and submit 3-5 pieces of artwork. 36 or 54 pieces will be chosen\, depending on submissions. Registrants will receive a free set of the new MALACHIM and will be credited on the physical insert and online description.   \nWe are lucky to have such a creative and inspiring network of artists at Ritualwell\, and we hope you will join us at the April 28 launch event and submit your art for consideration!  \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/malachim-renewed-a-community-art-project/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250617T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250617T133000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20250424T155546Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250609T155138Z UID:30414-1750161600-1750167000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Writing Postcards From the Heart DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, June 17\, 2025 \n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n \n\n\nWrite your own postcards to a loved one\, to your younger self\, to an artist you love\, or to even to G-d in this interactive writing workshop with Poet and Professor Lisa Grunberger. Jewish thought has much to teach us about anger and compassion. For example\, Rebbe Nachman taught that the best antidote for one’s anger is a compassionate heart. In Hebrew\, the word for “compassion” (rachamim)\, shares the same root as the words for “womb” (rechem) and for “tomorrow” (machar).\n \nWriting is cathartic\, a ritual that helps us process complex emotions like grief and anger. You are encouraged to bring photos of people\, alive or not\, you might want to write postcards to so their energy is close. We will have time to share our spontaneous postcard writing with each other; you will be surprised at the creative writing that emerges with these short postcard-writing exercises. A postcard can spark the first lines of a novel\, a song\, or even heal a relationship. Discover how writing from the emotional “place” of pain\, love\, curiosity\, anger\, or grief can create a bridge to heal.\n\n\n\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n\n\nPushcart nominee and Temple University English Professor Lisa Grunberger is a first-generation American writer. Her award-winning poetry book\, I am dirty (Moonstone Press)\, and Born Knowing (Finishing Line Press)\, are lyrical reflections on life as a woman\, a mother\, and a daughter of Holocaust survivors.  Her book\, Yiddish Yoga: Ruthie’s Adventures in Love\, Loss and the Lotus Position (Harper Collins)\, about a widowed grandmother who does yoga to help her grieve\, is currently being adapted as a musical. Almost Pregnant\, her play about infertility and assisted reproductive technologies\, is published by Next Stage Press. \nHer poetry book\, Mercy Wombs\, was the finalist in Settlement House American Poetry Prize for first-generation poets. She is a widely published poet whose work has appeared in The New York Times\, The Paterson Literary Review\, Mudfish\, The Drunken Boat\, Bridges: A Jewish Feminist Journal\, Philadelphia Poets\, Paroles des Jour\, Dialogi\, Crab Orchard Review\, Mom Egg Review\, The Baffler\, and Fine Linen Press. Her poems have been translated into Hebrew\, Slovenian\, Russian\, Spanish and Yiddish. \n\n  \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/writing-postcards-from-the-heart/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Writing-Postcards-From-the-Heart.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250624T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250624T133000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040240 CREATED:20250506T135444Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T122158Z UID:30562-1750766400-1750771800@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:The Creative Fire of Folklore DESCRIPTION: \nTuesday\, June 24\, 2025\n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n \nIn this generative poetry event\, we’ll chart ways to use your family or community’s sayings in poems that explore how the past informs the present. Come prepared to have fun\, while trying your hand at techniques for folding both folklore and imagery into poetry that’s at once individual and universal. Together\, we’ll play with writing exercises and discuss published work. By the end of class\, you’ll have a draft that you can shape for further development.\n \nNo previous poetry experience is required–this event is inclusive of everyone’s background and lived experiences.\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nSusan Comninos is a widely published writer and author of a recent book of poems\, “Out of Nowhere” (Stephen F. Austin Univ. Press/Texas A&M\, 2022). Her individual poems\, often on Jewish themes\, have appeared in the Harvard Review Online\, Rattle\, The Common\, Prairie Schooner and North American Review\, among others. She’s taught writing to undergraduates at Siena College\, The College of St. Rose and SUNY Albany\, as well as to adults in the community. She is currently at work on a second collection of poems\, called “Wild Joy of Receiving.” She lives in upstate New York. \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-creative-fire-of-folklore/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/The-Creative-Fire-of-Folklore-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250626T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250626T203000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20250513T160346Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T144650Z UID:30666-1750964400-1750969800@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Advot End-of-Year Celebration and Poetry Reading DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, June 26\, 2025\n7-8:30 p.m. EDT\n \n\n\n\nJoin us to celebrate the contributions of our Advot@Ritualwell members and the unveiling of our fourth anthology showcasing their creations. Advot@Ritualwell serves as an online community for Jewish writers to learn\, connect\, and collaborate\, providing a platform for mutual support in what can often be a solitary journey. Members bring their diverse backgrounds and expertise to share\, co-create\, and inspire one another. This event is their opportunity to showcase their work to you. Show your support by attending! Registrants will receive a 15% discount on their purchase of the anthology. \n\n\n\nThe members of our ADVOT community include: Elliott batTzedek\, Elizabeth Caplun\, Rabbi Nachshon Carmi\, Alex Carter\, Cathleen Cohen\, Muriel Dance\, Batya Diamond\, Elisa Friedlander\, Rabbi Dayle Friedman\, Ona Gritz\, Ziva Harmatz\, Marc Jacobs\, Ann Kanter\, Judith Kerman\, Chelsea Levinson\, Rabbi Janet Madden\, Beverly Pincus\, SJ Schlossman\, Gail Simmons\, Janice Steinberg\, Julie Stone\, Cantor Keren Webber\, Tiferet Welch and McKenzie Wren.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/advot-end-of-year-celebration-and-poetry-reading-2/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:ADVOT,Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Advot-EOY-Celebratation-2025-Raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250908T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250908T140000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20250819T163253Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250826T154047Z UID:31859-1757336400-1757340000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Expanding the Field: A DIY Rosh Hashanah Journey DESCRIPTION:September 8\, 2025\n1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT\n \n\n\nJoin Rabbi Aya Baron and Sarah Chandler (Kohenet Shamirah Bechirah) for a creative journey into Expanding the Field: A DIY Rosh Hashanah Companion\, Ayin Press’s zine-style guide to the New Year. Together\, we’ll explore interactive journaling\, earth-based ritual\, poetic reflection\, and imaginative prompts inspired by the mystical Four Worlds. From hitbodedut (personal prayer) to tashlich\, simanim\, and shofar practice\, Aya and Sarah invite you to co-create Rosh Hashanah rituals that feel both rooted and personal. \nThis session will share sample activities and open conversation about Aya and Sarah’s creative process. Whether you’re seeking spiritual nourishment\, fresh ritual\, or new ways into the season\, you’ll find a welcoming space to reflect\, reimagine\, and connect with the Days of Awe. \n\n\nNote: This program includes sample exercises from the new zine; to purchase a printed copy or download\, visit Ayin’s website.\n\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nRabbi Aya Baron (she/her) creates and offers earth-based Jewish programs\, educational consultation\, and life cycle ritual support. Ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College\, she also holds a B.A. in Contemplative Education from Brown University\, an M.A. in Jewish studies focusing on feminist and folkloric interpretations of rabbinic literature from the Graduate Theological Union and a certifcate from the California School of Herbal Studies. Aya lives on Lenni-Lenape land in Philadelphia and collaborates with Shamir Collective to create earth based Jewish practice guides.\n \n \n \n \n \nSarah Chandler (she/her) aka Kohenet Shamirah is a Brooklyn-based Jewish educator\, artist\, activist\, healer\, and poet. She teaches\, writes and consults on issues related to Judaism\, earth-based spiritual practice\, respectful workplaces\, mindfulness\, and farming. An ordained Kohenet with the Hebrew Priestess Institute and a trainer for “Taamod: Stand Up!”\, she is also is an advanced student of Kabbalistic dream work at The School of Images. Previously\, Sarah served as the Director of Romemu Yeshiva\, Chief Compassion Officer of Jewish Initiative for Animals\, and Director of Earth Based Spiritual Practices at Hazon’s Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center. Currently\, she is the CEO of Shamir Collective\, as a coach and consultant to high profile artists and authors to launch new music and books\, as well as lead trainer for Soft as a Rock: Public Speaking for Sensitive Souls.\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/expanding-the-field-a-diy-rosh-hashanah-journey/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/Expanding-the-field-2025.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T130000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20250708T183139Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250826T133841Z UID:31237-1758110400-1758114000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:On Being Jewish Now: A Reading & Writing Experience DESCRIPTION: \nSeptember 17\, 2025\n12-1 p.m. ET \n \nSince October 7\, our world has shifted in ways that touch every part of our lives. Many of us are asking: How do we navigate—and even flourish—in this moment? Where can we turn for wisdom\, connection\, and hope?\n \n\nIn her new anthology\, On Being Jewish Now\, writer\, podcaster\, and publisher Zibby Owens brings together leading Jewish voices in a heartfelt\, humorous\, and deeply moving collection of essays.\n \nJoin Zibby in conversation with Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer of Ritualwell as they explore what it means to be Jewish right now—how our questions\, traditions\, worries\, and hopes shape our lives and connect us to one another. You’ll be invited into a guided generative writing session to reflect on your own relationship to Jewishness in this moment.\n \nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n  \nZibby Owens is the founder of Zibby Media which includes the award-winning daily podcast Totally Booked with Zibby\, Zibby Publishing in New York\, and Zibby’s Bookshop in Santa Monica CA. She is the author of six books including the USA Today bestsellers Blank: A Novel and On Being Jewish Now: Reflections from Authors and Advocates. Follow her on Substack and Instagram @zibbyowens where she tells it like it is. \n  \n\n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/on-being-jewish-now-a-reading-writing-experience/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/On-Being-Jewish-Now-Gabby-with-Zibby-Owens-RAW.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251006T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251006T130000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20250925T165245Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250929T183401Z UID:32361-1759752000-1759755600@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:A Day of Memory: A Holding Each Other Memorial for October 7 DESCRIPTION:Monday\, October 6\, 2025\n12-1:00 p.m. EDT\n \n\nNow more than ever\, we need each other.\n \nOur community meets every Monday for “Holding Each Other\,” a 15-minute online minyan\, but on October 6\, we’ll gather for a special hour of grieving\, praying and sharing.\n \n\nOur guest facilitator will be Rabbi Yehudit Werchow\, who will guide us through poetry\, prayers and prompts for creative expression\, reflection and sharing.\n \n\nThis event will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n \n \n\n \n\nRabbi Yehudit Werchow was born in Argentina and raised in Israel. She earned a B.A. in Political Science and Literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an M.A. in Religious Education from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York\, where she was later ordained at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem.\nYehudit has held senior leadership roles across global Jewish organizations. She served as Director of Israel Engagement for the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) in North America\, as the Jewish Agency’s Senior Shlicha to the Reform Movement in both North America and the UK\, and as Director of Education for MASA. Throughout her career\, she has championed innovative approaches to Israel education\, strengthening connections across communities and generations.\n\n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/a-day-of-memory-a-holding-each-other-memorial-for-october-7/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Holding-Each-Other-25-26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251125T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251125T133000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20251017T155200Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251120T214854Z UID:32545-1764072000-1764077400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Balancing Gratitude and Grief: A Pre-Thanksgiving Writing Ritual DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, November 25\, 2025\n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n \n\n\nAs Thanksgiving approaches\, many of us hold both gratitude and grief—love for what we have and longing for what’s been lost. In this special session\, we’ll explore how Jewish tradition honors both emotions and how we can give voice to them through poetry\, prayer\, and ritual.\n \nJoin Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer\, Ritualwell’s Director of Virtual Content and Programs\, for a reflective and creative gathering that invites you to bring your full heart to the holiday. You’ll be guided to create your own words and rituals that bring sacred awareness to your Thanksgiving table—and to everyday moments of gratitude and remembrance.\n\n\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n\n \n\nGabrielle Ariella Kaplan-Mayer is Ritualwell’s Director of Virtual Content and Programs. She is a spiritual director\, author and educator whose work focuses on spirituality\, creativity and disability. Her personal essays have been featured in Tablet\, Shondaland\, NBCThink\, Wisdom Daily\, WHYY and many other publications and she has published several nonfiction books as well as plays for children. Gabrielle is currently working on a memoir about the power of intuition and ongoing conversations with her ancestors. She writes a Substack newsletter called “Journey With The Seasons\,” a weekly practice of meditative reading with creative self-expression prompts. Gabrielle holds a BFA in theater and creative writing from Emerson College and an MA in Jewish Studies from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. \n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/balancing-gratitude-and-grief-a-pre-thanksgiving-writing-ritual/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/Gabby_ThanksgivingGratitude_Nov2024-RAW.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260202T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260202T130000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20251215T174042Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251215T182307Z UID:33301-1770033600-1770037200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Oneg Shabbat: A New Table Companion DESCRIPTION:Monday\, February 2\, 2026 \n12-1:00 p.m. EST\n \n\nYou are invited into a rich\, behind-the-scenes exploration of Oneg Shabbat: A Sabbath Evening Table Companion\, the new publication edited by Rabbis Sandy Sasso and Jeffrey Schein and published by The Mordecai Kaplan Center for Jewish Peoplehood. \nIn this event\, Sandy and Jeff will open the creative curtain and share the inspirations\, questions\, and intentions that shaped this beautiful volume. You’ll discover the many ways the Companion can enrich your own Shabbat practice—whether used personally\, with family and friends\, or as a resource for community gatherings. \nYou’ll also hear directly from several contributors—an artist\, a poet\, and a musician—who will speak about the creative sparks behind their work and how Shabbat shaped their offerings. Together\, we’ll explore the new digital resource and the pathways it opens for meaningful\, accessible celebration. \nThis session is designed for anyone who creates\, curates\, or simply loves contemporary Jewish liturgy—all who turn to Ritualwell for inspiration and connection. You’ll leave with fresh ideas\, creative insight\, and new ways to bring Shabbat joyfully to your table and community. \nRabbi Sandy Sasso is the author of the nationally acclaimed children’s books. Her children’s book\, The Shemah in the Mezuzah won the 2012 National Jewish Book Award for Best Illustrated Children’s Book. She is the recipient of an Indiana Author’s Award. In 2018 she received the Indiana Author’s Award for Best Regional Author.\n\n \n \n \n \n \nJeffrey Schein is the past Executive and current Senior Consultant for Jewish Education of the Mordecai Kaplan Center for Jewish Peoplehood. He has been a leading figure in Reconstuctionist Jewish Education the past fifty years and is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (1977). He has authored 50 articles and a dozen books used in the education of Rabbis and Jewish educators.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/oneg-shabbat-a-new-table-companion/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/Before-I-Go-Ethical-Wills-2025-raw-5.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260215T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260215T133000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20251215T212432Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T182317Z UID:33353-1771156800-1771162200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Drawing from Torah: A Generative Jewish Poetry Workshop DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, February 15th\, 2026 \n12-1:30 p.m. EST \n \n\nHow do poets weave Jewish imagery\, Torah stories\, and sacred language into their work in ways that feel alive and authentic? And how might you do the same in your own poetry?\n \nThis generative poetry workshop invites you to explore Jewish themes through reading\, writing\, and conversation. Together\, we’ll read poems by writers such as John Keats\, Sharon Olds\, Dan Pagis\, Yehoshua November\, Marie Howe\, and Lucille Clifton—poets who draw on the Hebrew Bible and other Jewish texts to shape their work. We’ll look closely at how these writers transform ancient stories and symbols into powerful\, contemporary poems.\n \nYou’ll be guided through writing prompts inspired by these texts and poems\, with a special focus on moments from the Torah that spark imagination\, memory\, and meaning. During the session\, you’ll have time to write\, share your work (as you feel comfortable)\, and receive thoughtful\, supportive feedback.\n \nThis workshop is open to anyone interested in reading and writing poetry with Jewish themes—whether you’re an experienced poet or just beginning\, and whether your connection to Jewish texts is deep\, curious\, or newly forming.\n\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nDr. Eve Grubin is the author of the book of poems Boat of Letters (Four Way Books). She is also the author of Morning Prayer (Sheep Meadow Press)\, The House of Our First Loving (Rack Press) and Grief Dialogue (Rack Press). Eve holds a PhD on the poetics of reticence\, and she is a lecturer at NYU London and a tutor at the Poetry School.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/drawing-from-torah-a-generative-jewish-poetry-workshop/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260223T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260223T133000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20251222T180236Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260218T132408Z UID:33369-1771848000-1771853400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Exploring Disability Torah: Text\, Reflection\, and Creative Voice DESCRIPTION:Monday\, February 23\, 2026 \n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n \n\nJoin Ritualwell and the Disability Torah Project for a powerful\, inclusive gathering exploring disability\, Jewish text\, and creative expression. We’ll hear from Mat Wilson\, Founder and Director of the Disability Torah Project\, and a dynamic panel of writers including Dr. Amanda Mbuvi and rabbinical students Raphael Morris and Nora Chernov\, working at the crossroads of disability and Torah wisdom\, then move into a guided text-study session designed to invite your own reflection and writing.\n \nThrough a short writing prompt\, you’ll have the chance to respond to what you’ve read and experienced\, exploring how disability Torah can deepen our communal conversations\, spiritual imagination\, and sense of connection.\n \nThis event welcomes everyone—whether you identify as disabled or nondisabled\, whether you’re a seasoned text-studier or new to it. Come ready to listen\, reflect\, and write in a space of curiosity\, care\, and shared meaning-making.\n\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n\n \n\n \nMat Wilson (he/him) enjoys board and video games\, road trips big and small\, and any opportunity to be in the water. They discovered a love for Torah study through the art of source sheet creation and are currently expanding their written reflections through the Disability Torah Project. Outside of their free time\, Mat is a student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and is pursuing a Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania.\n\n \n \nAmanda Beckenstein Mbuvi\, Ph.D.\, is a scholar and teacher with expertise in Tanakh\, ethics\, and multifaith studies\, and a special interest in the way stories shape communal identity. In addition to serving as the director of the Center for Jewish Ethics\, she also helps students with disabilities get the accommodations they need to participate in the RRC learning community. Mbuvi is passionate about dynamic\, inclusive Jewish communities that cultivate what she likes to call “blessed interdependence.” In addition to numerous scholarly articles\, she is author of the 2016 book\, Belonging in Genesis: Biblical Israel and the Politics of Identity Formation\, published by Baylor University Press.\n \n\n \nNora Chernov (she/her) is a student at the Reconstructist Rabbinical College where she serves as the Advanced Intern for Community Life and assists in the RRC Beit Midrash. Nora is a passionate student and teacher of text\, especially all things Talmud. When not at RRC she can be found going on long drives listening to podcasts and playing all manner of board games.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \nRaphael Morris (he/they) is an AuDHD rabbinical student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. He feels privileged to be part of an intellectual tradition where his preferred modes of cognition\, learning\, and communication are not just tolerated but actively valued. In his spare time\, he enjoys wiki walking\, TTRPGs\, Talmud\, long rambling conversations and anything else tangential.\n\n \n\n\n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/exploring-disability-torah-text-reflection-and-creative-voice/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Disability-Torah-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260224T150000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260205T195934Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260223T203110Z UID:34030-1771941600-1771945200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Uncovering Feminine Strength and Wisdom DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, February 24\, 2026\n2-3:00 p.m. \nWe invite you to join us and sample our upcoming Immersion\, Sarah and Hagar: Uncovering Feminine Strength and Wisdom in community. Join poet Tzivia and Ritualwell’s Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer for an interactive conversation on Sarah\, Hagar\, and feminine wisdom\, followed by a creative writing prompt and time for sharing what we uncover. Consider it an opening doorway—if you’re drawn in\, the full series awaits. \nTo join us\, register here. \n\n \nTzivia Gover is the author of ‘Dreaming on the Page: Tap into Your Midnight Mind to Supercharge Your Writing‘\, and other books about dreams\, writing\, and everyday joy. She is the creator of ‘The Life of H: Sarah\, Reimagined’ an online poetry project. The founder of 350 Dreamers\, an online international community dreaming for global healing in this time of climate crisis\, Tzivia is a board member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams and a past Director at the Institute for Dream Studies. Tzivia is a Certified Dreamwork Professional and a Certified Proprioceptive Writing Instructor. She has her MFA in writing from Columbia University\, and has taught in college and community settings domestically and abroad. Learn more at www.thirdhousemoon.com and https://tziviagover.substack.com. \nGabrielle Ariella Kaplan-Mayer is Ritualwell’s Director of Virtual Content and Programs. She is an author and educator whose work focuses on spirituality\, creativity and disability. Her personal essays have been featured in Tablet\, Shondaland\, NBCThink\, Wisdom Daily\, WHYY and many other publications and she has published several nonfiction books as well as plays for children. Gabrielle is currently working on a memoir about the power of intuition and ongoing conversations with her ancestors. She writes a Substack newsletter called “Journey With The Seasons\,” a weekly practice of meditative reading with creative self-expression prompts. Gabrielle holds a BFA in theater and creative writing from Emerson College and an MA in Jewish Studies from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/uncovering-feminine-strength-and-wisdom/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/TziviaGover_Sarah_FebMar2024-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260317T200000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260317T213000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260122T163050Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260122T163050Z UID:33794-1773777600-1773783000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Poems of Freedom: A Reading & Writing Experience DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, March 17\, 2026\n8-9:30 p.m. EST\n \n\nPrepare for Passover—the festival of liberation—through poetry\, reflection\, and creative expression. Join Ritualwell and the Philly Yetzirah Regional Chapter for a special reading\, sharing poems inspired by themes of freedom\, liberation\, and the Passover story.\n \nAfter the reading\, you’ll be invited into a generative writing experience with a guided prompt designed to help you begin crafting your own poems of freedom. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or simply curious\, you’ll have space to write\, reflect\, and explore what liberation means in your own life and in our collective moment. Featured poets are Cathleen Cohen\, Henry Israeli\, Lynn Levin and Maya Pindyck.\n \nThis event is a beautiful way to enter the Passover mindset—through listening\, creativity\, and shared inspiration. All are welcome; no prior writing experience is necessary.\n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n\nCathleen Cohen was the 2019 Poet Laureate of Montgomery County\, PA. She created the We the Poets program for children from diverse cultural and faith communities (www.theartwell.org). Currently she teaches poetry and painting through local venues\, including Ritualwell\, Or Zarua\, Cerulean Arts Gallery and Kol Tzedek. Her poems appear in literary journals and four collections: Camera Obscura (2017\, Moonstone Press)\, Etching the Ghost (2021\, Atmosphere Press) and Sparks and Disperses (2021\, Cornerstone Press) and Murmurations (2024\, Moonstone Press). Three of her poems were nominated for Pushcart Prizes. Her artwork is available through Cerulean Arts Gallery (https://ceruleanarts.com/pages/cathleen-cohen).\n\n\n\n\n \nHenry Israeli is the author of four poetry collections\, most recently Our Age of Anxiety (White Pine Poetry Prize: 2019)\, and god’s breath hovering across the waters\, (Four Way Books: 2016)\, and as editor\, Lords of Misrule: 20 Years of Saturnalia Books (Saturnalia: 2022). His next collection\, Between the Trees (or the Lonely Nowhere) will be published by Four Way Books in 2028. He is also the translator of three critically acclaimed books by Albanian poet Luljeta Lleshanaku. His poetry has appeared in numerous journals including American Poetry Review\, Boston Review\, Plume\, and The Harvard Review\, as well as several anthologies including Best American Poetry 2025. He is Director of Jewish Studies\, Drexel University; Director of Drexel Writing Festival; and Teaching Professor\, Drexel University.\n \n\nLynn Levin is a poet and writer. She is the author of nine books\, most recently the short story collection House Parties (2023) and the poetry collection The Minor Virtues (2020). Her work has appeared in Boulevard\, Plume\, Smartish Pace\, Southwest Review\, Kerem\, Shofar\, Nashim\, Jewish Fiction Journal\, and several anthologies including The Bloomsbury Anthology of Contemporary Jewish American Poetry\, The Torah: A Women’s Commentary\, and Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania. She teaches at Drexel University and for many years taught creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania. Her website is lynnlevinpoet.com.\n \n \n\n \nMaya Pindyck’s third book of poems\, Impossible Belonging (2023)\, won the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry and was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. Her poems have recently appeared or are forthcoming in American Poetry Review\, Ploughshares\, Plume\, GRANTA (Hebrew edition)\, Beloit Poetry Journal\, and Seneca Review. A recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship\, Maya is an associate professor and director of Writing at Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia\, and co-author of the educational textbook A Poetry Pedagogy for Teachers (2022). She grew up in Boston and Tel Aviv. Her website is mayapindyck.com.\n\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/poems-of-freedom-a-reading-writing-experience/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/Poems-of-Freedom-A-Reading-Writing-Experience-.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260413T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260601T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260331T120919Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T120919Z UID:34594-1776067200-1780333200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Holding Each Other DESCRIPTION:Every Monday\, 12-12:15 p.m. EDT\n \nNow more than ever\, we need each other.\n \n\nEvery Monday\, join “Holding Each Other\,” a 15-minute online minyan\, facilitated by a leading Ritualwell contributor.  Together\, we’ll recite Mourners’ Kaddish and Mi Shebeirach\, the prayer for healing. To foster our spiritual resilience\, we’ll engage with a brief creative meditation.\n \nWeekly\, gather your strength and provide support to others.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/holding-each-other-2/2026-04-13/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Holding-Each-Other-25-26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260420T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260608T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260331T120919Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T120919Z UID:34596-1776672000-1780938000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Holding Each Other DESCRIPTION:Every Monday\, 12-12:15 p.m. EDT\n \nNow more than ever\, we need each other.\n \n\nEvery Monday\, join “Holding Each Other\,” a 15-minute online minyan\, facilitated by a leading Ritualwell contributor.  Together\, we’ll recite Mourners’ Kaddish and Mi Shebeirach\, the prayer for healing. To foster our spiritual resilience\, we’ll engage with a brief creative meditation.\n \nWeekly\, gather your strength and provide support to others.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/holding-each-other-2/2026-04-20/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Holding-Each-Other-25-26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260427T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260615T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260331T120919Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T120919Z UID:34597-1777276800-1781542800@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Holding Each Other DESCRIPTION:Every Monday\, 12-12:15 p.m. EDT\n \nNow more than ever\, we need each other.\n \n\nEvery Monday\, join “Holding Each Other\,” a 15-minute online minyan\, facilitated by a leading Ritualwell contributor.  Together\, we’ll recite Mourners’ Kaddish and Mi Shebeirach\, the prayer for healing. To foster our spiritual resilience\, we’ll engage with a brief creative meditation.\n \nWeekly\, gather your strength and provide support to others.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/holding-each-other-2/2026-04-27/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Holding-Each-Other-25-26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260427T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260427T140000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260305T160206Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T195047Z UID:34279-1777294800-1777298400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:The Art of the Unexpected: A House Parties Reading DESCRIPTION:April 27\, 2026 \n1-2:00 p.m.\n \nJoin us for an intimate book talk and reading with Lynn Levin\, acclaimed poet\, writer\, and author of the celebrated short story collection House Parties. In this special Ritualwell gathering\, Lynn will read from her vividly imagined\, witty\, and deeply humane stories that traverse everyday moments\, unexpected predicaments\, and unforgettable characters.\n \nWith her poet’s eye and storyteller’s heart\, she invites us into narratives that are both surprising and resonant\, ranging from the comic and absurd to the quietly profound. Whether you write\, read\, or simply love great storytelling\, come be inspired by Lynn’s craft\, engage with her work\, and explore what makes these stories linger in the mind long after the last page.\n \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \n\nLynn Levin is a poet and writer. She is the author of nine books\, most recently the short story collection House Parties (2023) and the poetry collection The Minor Virtues (2020). Her work has appeared in Boulevard\, Plume\, Smartish Pace\, Southwest Review\, Kerem\, Shofar\, Nashim\, Jewish Fiction Journal\, and several anthologies including The Bloomsbury Anthology of Contemporary Jewish American Poetry\, The Torah: A Women’s Commentary\, and Keystone Poetry: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania. She teaches at Drexel University and for many years taught creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania. Her website is lynnlevinpoet.com.\n \n\n\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-art-of-the-unexpected-a-house-parties-reading/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Springsummer-Immersion-graphics-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260504T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260622T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260331T120919Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T120919Z UID:34598-1777881600-1782147600@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Holding Each Other DESCRIPTION:Every Monday\, 12-12:15 p.m. EDT\n \nNow more than ever\, we need each other.\n \n\nEvery Monday\, join “Holding Each Other\,” a 15-minute online minyan\, facilitated by a leading Ritualwell contributor.  Together\, we’ll recite Mourners’ Kaddish and Mi Shebeirach\, the prayer for healing. To foster our spiritual resilience\, we’ll engage with a brief creative meditation.\n \nWeekly\, gather your strength and provide support to others.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/holding-each-other-2/2026-05-04/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Holding-Each-Other-25-26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260511T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260629T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260331T120919Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T120919Z UID:34599-1778486400-1782752400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Holding Each Other DESCRIPTION:Every Monday\, 12-12:15 p.m. EDT\n \nNow more than ever\, we need each other.\n \n\nEvery Monday\, join “Holding Each Other\,” a 15-minute online minyan\, facilitated by a leading Ritualwell contributor.  Together\, we’ll recite Mourners’ Kaddish and Mi Shebeirach\, the prayer for healing. To foster our spiritual resilience\, we’ll engage with a brief creative meditation.\n \nWeekly\, gather your strength and provide support to others.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/holding-each-other-2/2026-05-11/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Holding-Each-Other-25-26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260518T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260706T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260331T120919Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T120919Z UID:34600-1779091200-1783357200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Holding Each Other DESCRIPTION:Every Monday\, 12-12:15 p.m. EDT\n \nNow more than ever\, we need each other.\n \n\nEvery Monday\, join “Holding Each Other\,” a 15-minute online minyan\, facilitated by a leading Ritualwell contributor.  Together\, we’ll recite Mourners’ Kaddish and Mi Shebeirach\, the prayer for healing. To foster our spiritual resilience\, we’ll engage with a brief creative meditation.\n \nWeekly\, gather your strength and provide support to others.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/holding-each-other-2/2026-05-18/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Holding-Each-Other-25-26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260525T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260713T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260331T120919Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T120919Z UID:34601-1779696000-1783962000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Holding Each Other DESCRIPTION:Every Monday\, 12-12:15 p.m. EDT\n \nNow more than ever\, we need each other.\n \n\nEvery Monday\, join “Holding Each Other\,” a 15-minute online minyan\, facilitated by a leading Ritualwell contributor.  Together\, we’ll recite Mourners’ Kaddish and Mi Shebeirach\, the prayer for healing. To foster our spiritual resilience\, we’ll engage with a brief creative meditation.\n \nWeekly\, gather your strength and provide support to others.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/holding-each-other-2/2026-05-25/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Holding-Each-Other-25-26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260601T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260720T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T040241 CREATED:20260331T120919Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T120919Z UID:34602-1780300800-1784566800@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Holding Each Other DESCRIPTION:Every Monday\, 12-12:15 p.m. EDT\n \nNow more than ever\, we need each other.\n \n\nEvery Monday\, join “Holding Each Other\,” a 15-minute online minyan\, facilitated by a leading Ritualwell contributor.  Together\, we’ll recite Mourners’ Kaddish and Mi Shebeirach\, the prayer for healing. To foster our spiritual resilience\, we’ll engage with a brief creative meditation.\n \nWeekly\, gather your strength and provide support to others.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/holding-each-other-2/2026-06-01/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Holding-Each-Other-25-26.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR