BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Ritualwell - ECPv6.15.19//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:20210314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20211107T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20220313T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20221106T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20230312T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20231105T060000
END:STANDARD
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
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240108T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240108T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20231128T161129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231229T140200Z
UID:22378-1704715200-1704720600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Writing Poetry in the Shadow of War
DESCRIPTION:At all times but especially in a time of war and grief\, we need literature to remind us of what it means to be human\, what justice demands\, where our struggles and conflicts\, our strengths and hopes reside.In this Ritualwell event\, we will see how other poets have responded to disasters and conflicts Jews have faced and are facing. We will see how poets including Marcela Sulak and Bob Hicok are responding to the Israel-Hamas War and the resurgence in antisemitism and also look at poetry from the Holocaust. In between these readings and discussions of the poems\, you will write your own poems based on prompts that will help you shape your thoughts. This experience is all about finding a way through poetry to express ourselves in this critical time. \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\, her debut collection of short stories House Parties (2023). Widely published as a poet\, Levin’s five poetry collections include The Minor Virtues (2020); Miss Plastique (2013)\, a Next Generation Indie Book Awards finalist in poetry; Fair Creatures of an Hour (2009)\, a Next Generation Indie Book Awards finalist in poetry; Imaginarium (2005)\, a finalist for Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award; and A Few Questions about Paradise (2000). She is co-author\, with Valerie Fox\, of Poems for the Writing: Prompts for Poets (2019\, 2013)\, a Next Generation Indie Book Awards finalist in writing/publishing. She is the translator\, from the Spanish\, of Birds on the Kiswar Tree (2014)\, poems by the Peruvian Andean poet Odi Gonzales. Levin is also the producer/director of the 2017 video documentary Life on the Napo River: A Glimpse of the Ecuadoran Amazon\, Its People\, and Their Traditions. \nShe lives in Bucks County\, Pennsylvania and teaches English and creative writing at Drexel University\, where she received the Adjunct Award for Teaching Excellence. For many years\, she taught creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/writing-poetry-in-the-shadow-of-war/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Lynn-Levin-by-Melina-Meshako-edit-11Nov22.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231207T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231207T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20230805T140058Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231117T143145Z
UID:19399-1701950400-1701955800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Light the World: Dancing in Community for Hanukkah
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, December 7\, 2023 \n12 – 1:30 p.m. EST  \n \nEvery person must know and understand\nThat a candle burns deep within them\,\nAnd their candle is unlike their friend’s\nAnd no person without a candle exists.\nAnd every person must know and understand\nThat they must strive to uncover\nThe light of the candle publicly\nAnd light it into a great torch\nAnd light the whole world\n–Rav Abraham Isaac Kook \nIn this FREE session\, we’ll welcome Hanukkah through the Nia movement practice. We’ll bring the light of community into the world to music by Matisyahu\, Erran Baron Cohen\, Divahn\, Noa\, and Balkan Beat Box\, followed by prompts for reflection and writing. \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. 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 stomping up a sweat. \nWhat you’ll need \n\nClear a space so you have room to move. However\, Nia can also be done seated.\nNia 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.\nHave writing materials at hand. You may want art materials\, as well.\n\nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n  \nJanice Steinberg (she/her) holds a Black Belt in the Nia dance-fitness practice and has been teaching for 15 years. Last spring\, she offered an Omer Nia program through 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 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/light-the-world-a-nia-dance-party-for-hanukkah/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/hand-holding-string-lights-on-beach-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231102T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231102T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20230805T160135Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230823T151028Z
UID:19393-1698926400-1698931800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Writing Our Aging Selves
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, November 2\, 2023 \n12-1:30 p.m. EDT \nThere are so many new things to pray about as we age! Our memory\, skin\, mobility\, and hair color have all changed\, developed\, and evolved slowly and noticeably. We accumulate wisdom and peel away shame\, caring less about what the world thinks of us and more about what we think about ourselves and the changing world around us. Join instructor Trish Arlin to design your own prayers and rituals of gratitude\, worry\, anger and hope for the life that is unfolding before you. Write\, reflect and share your creative self with the Ritualwell community in this free\, open for all session. No prior writing experience is required. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nTrisha Arlin is a liturgist\, writer\, performer\, and student of prayer in Brooklyn\, NY. She has served as a liturgist\, scholar\, and artist in residence and taught for venues including the National Havurah Committee’s Summer Institute\, Ritualwell.org\, Haggadot.com\, and for synagogues around the country. She is a builder of Bayit’s Liturgical Arts project. Trisha received a BA in Theater from Antioch College in 1975 and an MFA in Film (Screenwriting) in 1997 from Columbia University. In 2009/2010\, Trisha was an Arts Fellow at the Drisha Institute. In 2011\, she graduated from the sixth cohort of the Davennen Leadership Training Institute (DLTI). Trisha’s liturgy has been used in services\, for ritual occasions\, and at venues of many denominations nationwide. She is the author of Place Yourself: Words of Poetry and Intention (a collection of liturgy and kavannot). Her work has appeared in a variety of journals\, siddurim\, and collections of liturgy and can be found online at TrishaArlin.com\, Ritualwell.org\, and opensiddur.org.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/writing-our-aging-selves/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/TrishaArlin_WritingOurAgingSelves_Nov2023_raw.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231026T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231026T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20230805T140021Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230823T165230Z
UID:19503-1698321600-1698327000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Brit Beyond Milah: Exploring Baby-Welcoming Rituals
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, October 26\, 2023 \n12-1:30 p.m. EDT \nJoin us for a fascinating discussion of baby-welcoming rituals. How might we sanctify and honor the traditional brit (covenant) in ways that offer alternatives to traditional milah (circumcision)? What would it look like to welcome baby boys into the covenant without circumcision? Together we will explore issues involved in deciding to circumcise or not to circumcise\, including personal experiences around this decision and alternative rituals to circumcision. Ritualwell welcomes the variety of opinions shared by the speakers and supports an open discussion. We seek not to endorse any particular view on this topic but to provide support and a welcoming space for the evolving traditions of the Jewish communities around us. We invite the audience to take part in a facilitated Q&A and to be inspired to create personal rituals that support their own Jewish life and expression. Rabbi Elyse Wechterman will share her views and journey as a mother and Rabbi; Max DuBoff and Lisa Braver Moss will describe the founding and activities of the organization Bruchim: Opting Out of Circumcision; and Rabbi Haviva Ner-David will discuss her experience navigating and helping spiritual companion clients make a decision\, as well as her latest novel\, To Die in Secret\, which explores this decision as well. All sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nRabbi Elyse Wechterman is the CEO of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. She has taught at the college and adult level in many settings and worked broadly with children and families with special needs to create inclusive communities for Jews of all abilities and backgrounds. She also previously worked for the national Reconstructionist movement as Director of Congregational Services and consulted with congregations throughout the movement on governance\, growth\, decision making and other congregational issues. Her article\, “A Plea for Inclusion\,” arguing for the welcoming and inclusion of families questioning or opting-out of brit milah in Jewish communities\, was published in The Covenant of Circumcision: New Perspective on an Ancient Jewish Rite (edited by Elizabeth Wymer Mark) in 2004. Her Brit Atifayh (Covenant of Wrapping) on Ritualwell has been widely used since its creation in 1995. \n  \n  \nMax DuBoff is a PhD candidate in Philosophy and Classics at Yale University researching various topics in philosophical bioethics. As Director of Education for Bruchim\, Max helps create resources in a variety of media to facilitate engagement with Jewish perspectives on circumcision. Max is the lead author of the recent paper “B’rit Shalom: A Jewish Ritual Alternative to Newborn Male Circumcision\,” published in a special issue of the International Journal of Impotence Research on child genital cutting. Max is passionate about the intersection between Jewish law and practice and bioethics. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nRabbi Dr. Haviva Ner-David is a rabbi and writer. She is the rabbinic founder of Shmaya: A Mikveh for Mind\, Body\, and Soul\, the only mikveh in Israel open to all to immerse as they choose. Ordained as both a rabbi and an interfaith minister\, certified as a spiritual companion (with a specialty in dreamwork)\, and holding a doctorate on mikveh from Bar Ilan University\, she offers mikveh guidance and spiritual companioning for individuals and couples and mikveh workshops and talks for groups. She is the author of three spiritual journey memoirs\, two novels\, and the first and only children’s book on mikveh. She lives in Israel on Kibbutz Hannaton\, is the mother of seven children\, a teacher and lives with FSHD\, a genetic muscular disease\, which has been her biggest life challenge. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nLisa Braver Moss is President and co-founder of Bruchim\, a nonprofit that helps find welcoming Jewish communities for families opting out of circumcision. She is the author of several books including The Measure of His Grief (Notim Press\, 2010)\, the first novel to tackle the Jewish circumcision conundrum. Her first essay on this topic appeared in a 1990 issue of Tikkun; since that time\, she has published dozens of articles about Jewish circumcision. Additionally\, Lisa is co-author of Celebrating Brit Shalom (Notim Press\, 2015)\, the first-ever book of ceremonies and music for Jewish families seeking alternatives to the traditional bris. Born in Berkeley\, California\, Lisa still lives in the area with her husband\, with whom she has two grown sons and two young grandsons.\n\n \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/brit-beyond-milah-exploring-baby-welcoming-rituals/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/black-and-white-photo-of-newborn-baby-feet-standing-in-open-adult-hands-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231026T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231026T123000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20231019T162357Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231020T193838Z
UID:21751-1698321600-1698323400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Ritualwell Community Event: Holding Each Other with Rabbi Annie Lewis
DESCRIPTION:Take time to pause and pen with the Ritualwell community on Thursday\, October 26 at 12-12:30 p.m. \nWe’re all holding many emotions and concerns that change day by day\, hour by hour. Poetry\, prayer and creative expression can bring comfort and provide us with support. \nTogether we will say the Mi Sheberach for healing and Kaddish for the fallen\, and pray for the captives.\nBring pen and paper–Rabbi Annie Lewis will lead us in an expressive prompt.\nPour out your feelings in words\, images\, doodles or whatever works best for you. \nWe look forward to seeing you. Invite a friend or loved one who might appreciate this comforting space. \nRegistration through Zoom. \nRabbi Annie Lewis was ordained from The Jewish Theological Seminary in 2012\, received a master’s degree in Jewish women’s and gender studies and was awarded a Wexner Graduate Fellowship. She served as Assistant Rabbi of Germantown Jewish Centre from 2012-2016.  Rabbi Lewis has served as a visiting rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel in Gulfport\, Mississippi and has led community organizing trainings with JOIN for Justice. Annie studied linguistic anthropology at Brown University and at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She fell in love with Judaism at Camp Ramah in the Poconos\, delved into Torah at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem and spent a year as a madricha (counselor) for the Conservative Movement’s Nativ College Leadership program in Israel.  Rabbi Lewis has been in training as a couples and family therapist and brings this relationship toolkit to supporting people through life transitions and to officiating at life cycle events. She is a singer\, poet and performance artist with roots in the Storahtelling ritual theater company. Her writing has been published by Ritualwell\, Lilith and Kveller. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband\, Rabbi Yosef Goldman\, and their children\, Zohar Lieba and Shir Emet.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/ritualwell-community-event-holding-each-other-israel-on-our-hearts-2/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/raw.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231019T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231019T123000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20231016T223126Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231016T223731Z
UID:21679-1697716800-1697718600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Ritualwell Community Event: Holding Each Other: Israel on our Hearts
DESCRIPTION:Take time to pause and pen with the Ritualwell community this Thursday\, October 19 at 12-12:30 p.m. \nWe’re all holding many emotions and concerns that change day by day\, hour by hour. Poetry\, prayer and creative expression can bring comfort and provide us with support. \nTogether we will say the Mi Sheberach for healing and Kaddish for the fallen\, and pray for the captives.\nBring pen and paper–poet Cathleen Cohen will lead us in an expressive prompt.\nPour out your feelings in words\, images\, doodles or whatever works best for you. \nWe look forward to seeing you. Invite a friend or loved one who might appreciate this comforting space. \nRegistration through Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMsdeGtrjwrGNQMObJ6Y8-MJfI3Sakj_2qW
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/ritualwell-community-event-holding-each-other-israel-on-our-hearts/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/raw.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230516T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230516T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20220817T221443Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230127T004707Z
UID:11586-1684238400-1684243800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:What My Hands Tell: Exploring Ekphrasis
DESCRIPTION:“My heart cannot bear to say what my hands tell.” —Maxine Silverman \nA certain alchemy happens when different art forms speak to each other\, which is known as ekphrasis. Poems that respond to visual art offer new avenues into expressing what the heart wants to say. In this session we will examine artwork and poems in relationship as they challenge and illuminate each other. We will explore ekphrastic poems and visual art from a variety of Jewish creatives (e.g.\, Maxine Silverman\, Celia Dropkin) to inspire our own writing. \nCathleen Cohen was the 2019 Poet Laureate of Montgomery County\, PA. A painter and teacher\, she founded the We the Poets program at ArtWell\, an arts education non-profit in Philadelphia. Her poems appear in journals such as Apiary\, Baltimore Review\, Cagibi\, East Coast Ink\, 6ix\, North of Oxford\, One Art\, Passager\, Philadelphia Stories\, Rockvale Review and Rogue Agent. Camera Obscura (chapbook\, Moonstone Press)\, appeared in 2017 and Etching the Ghost (Atmosphere Press) in 2021. She received the Interfaith Relations Award from the Montgomery County PA Human Rights Commission and the Public Service Award from National Association of Poetry Therapy. Her paintings are on view at Cerulean Arts Gallery (ceruleanarts.com). \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. A suggested $18 donation has been added to the ticket. If you are unable to donate\, you may remove that suggested amount from the ticket. Please consider donating if you’re able\, to help us continue to offer free programs like this one.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/what-my-hands-tell-exploring-ekphrasis/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230515T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230515T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20220824T163041Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230127T001842Z
UID:13975-1684152000-1684157400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Borrowed Language: The Cento and the Piyyut
DESCRIPTION:As Jewish writers\, we inherit an ocean of text with which to be in relationship. How can we make creative use of our lineage as People of the Book and play with the language we’ve been given? In this generative workshop\, we will explore two poetic forms of ancient origins: the Cento (Latin for patchwork) and the Piyyut (Hebrew for storytelling\, a liturgical poem)\, which both borrow heavily\, sometimes entirely\, from pre-existing textual materials in order to create something new. We’ll read classical and contemporary examples of these forms and explore what they share. Participants will be guided through writing exercises\, leaving with at least one new poem draft of their own. \nMónica Gomery is a rabbi and poet. Her work explores queerness\, diaspora\, ancestry\, theology\, and cultivating courageous hearts. Her second poetry collection\, Might Kindred\, won the 2021 Prairie Schooner Raz-Shumaker Book Prize and is forthcoming from the University of Nebraska Press\, fall 2022. She is the author of the poetry collection Here is the Night and the Night on the Road and the chapbook Of Darkness and Tumbling. Mónica serves as a rabbi at Kol Tzedek Synagogue and on the faculty of SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva and is also a co-founder of Let My People Sing! \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. A suggested $18 donation has been added to the ticket. If you are unable to donate\, you may remove that suggested amount from the ticket. Please consider donating if you’re able\, to help us continue to offer free programs like this one.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/borrowed-language-the-cento-and-the-piyyut/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230512T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230512T130000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20230317T013357Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230317T013719Z
UID:17572-1683892800-1683896400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Gathering Waters: Mikveh Ritual Creation Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Water is an ancient source of healing and transformation in Jewish tradition. In the past few decades\, the ritual of mikveh immersion has been reimagined to include more and more voices and experiences\, particularly that of women and LGBTQ individuals. A collaboration between Mayyim Hayyim’s Rising Tide Open Waters Mikveh Network and Ritualwell\, join us for a special workshop on creating mikveh rituals. We’ll dive into Jewish sources on mikveh and look at examples of innovative contemporary rituals. We will then be invited to create our own mikveh rituals\, to workshop them in a small group\, and to share. This workshop is ideal for those who serve as mikveh guides or anyone looking to create their own\, personal mikveh ritual or to help others in that process. \n \nHila Ratzabi is director of virtual content and programs at Ritualwell.org. She has been with Ritualwell since 2015\, shepherding the publication of hundreds of poems\, prayers and rituals and creating innovative online programming. Born in Rehovot\, Israel\, and raised in Queens\, Ny.\, Ratzabi is a poet\, writer\, editor and writing coach. She is the author of a book of poetry\, There Are Still Woods (June Road Press\, 2022). She holds a BA in English/Creative Writing from Barnard College\, a BA in Jewish Philosophy from the Jewish Theological Seminary (Double Degree Program\, 2003)\, and an MFA in Poetry from Sarah Lawrence College (2007). Her poetry is published in a variety of literary journals and in The Bloomsbury Anthology of Contemporary Jewish American Poetry. She lives in Oak Park\, Il.\, outside Chicago\, with her husband and two children. Learn more at http://www.hilaratzabi.com/. \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. A suggested $18 donation has been added to the ticket. If you are unable to donate\, you may remove that suggested amount from the ticket. Please consider donating if you’re able\, to help us continue to offer free programs like this one. \nMayyim Hayyim is a 21st century creation\, a mikveh rooted in ancient tradition\, reinvented to serve the Jewish community of today. Mayyim Hayyim is a resource for learning\, spiritual discovery\, and creativity where women\, men\, and people of all genders and ages can celebrate milestones like weddings and b’nai mitzvah; where conversion to Judaism is accorded the honor and dignity it deserves; where survivors of trauma\, illness or loss find solace; and where those who immerse monthly can explore the ritual on their own terms. Mayyim Hayyim is a fountain of creativity that\, since its opening in 2004\, inspired new liturgies and curricula\, publications\, music\, artwork\, and plays. \nThe mission of the Rising Tide Open Waters Mikveh Network is to inspire\, strengthen and support communities that embrace an open\, inclusive and welcoming approach to ritual immersion as a way to mark life transitions. \nRitualwell is the most extensive online resource that curates original Jewish rituals for Jews and fellow seekers. We publish rituals\, ceremonies\, prayers and poems to mark sacred moments in Jewish life. Through creating and sharing rituals\, hosting Ritualwell Immersions (online learning experiences) and curating an online Judaica shop\, Ritualwell fosters a supportive environment for Jewish creativity\, spiritual growth and discovery.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/gathering-waters-mikveh-ritual-creation-workshop/
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/Gathering-Waters-Mikveh-Ritual-Creation-Workshop-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230511T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230511T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20230126T191003Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230127T001430Z
UID:16738-1683806400-1683811800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Creating Jewish Liturgy for Juneteenth
DESCRIPTION:May 11 & 18\, 2023\, 12:00–1:30 p.m. EST \nJoin us for a two-part workshop inviting people of all backgrounds\, but specifically Black (and Jewish) individuals and allies\, to give voice to the significance of Juneteenth through writing. In the first session\, we will spend time working in havruta (in pairs) or alone to create prayers\, poems\, liturgy\, or songs that engage meaningfully with the day. In the second session\, we will come together to share our final pieces and reflect on the process of writing for Juneteenth. \nThis workshop is an opportunity to honor and celebrate the liberation of enslaved African Americans in the United States\, and to give voice to the experiences and perspectives of Black individuals. All levels of writing experience are welcome. We hope you will join us in this meaningful and creative exploration of Juneteenth. \n \nRabbi Sandra Lawson (she/her) is the Inaugural Director of Racial Diversity\, Equity\, and Inclusion at Reconstructing Judaism and one of the first African American\, queer\, female rabbis. In 2020\, the Forward named Lawson to its “Forward 50\,” proclaiming her a “truth teller.” Prior to joining Reconstructing Judaism\, Lawson served as the Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life and the Senior Jewish Educator at Hillel at Elon University in North Carolina. She is also the founder of Kol Hapanim – All Faces – an inclusive Jewish community that is relevant\, accessible\, and rooted in tradition\, where all who come are welcomed\, and diversity is embraced. She has also served as the investigative researcher for the Anti-Defamation League’s Southeast Region\, becoming the go-to person when law enforcement in the South needed information on hate groups. Lawson lives in North Carolina with her wife Susan and three “fur babies”: Izzy\, Bridget and Simon. \nThe sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer these two sessions for free. A suggested $36 donation has been added to the ticket. If you are unable to donate\, you may remove that suggested amount from the ticket. Please consider donating if you’re able\, to help us continue to offer free programs like this one.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/creating-liturgy-for-juneteenth/2023-05-11/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/Creating-Liturgy-for-Juneteenth-raw-image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230503T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230503T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20220817T221443Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230127T000427Z
UID:11585-1683115200-1683120600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:The Access Code: Naming God and Opening to Prayer
DESCRIPTION:The first line of the traditional liturgical prayer is the petikhah (the opening)\, where we name and describe the One we will be in holy conversation with and then state the basic premise of the prayer. Traditionally\, we gain access to God by praying to Adonai\, Melekh HaOlam\, the “Lord\, King of the Universe\,” but we can call God by any name\, gendered or not\, hierarchical or not\, depending of who or what we need to pray to or for. In this session\, we will explore the petikhah and how to use it to create our own prayers. \nTrisha Arlin is a liturgist\, writer\, performer\, and student of prayer in Brooklyn\, NY. She has served as a liturgist\, scholar\, and artist in residence and taught for venues including the National Havurah Committee’s Summer Institute\, Ritualwell.org\, Haggadot.com\, and for synagogues around the country. She is a builder of Bayit’s Liturgical Arts project. Trisha received a BA in Theater from Antioch College in 1975 and an MFA in Film (Screenwriting) in 1997 from Columbia University. In 2009/2010\, Trisha was an Arts Fellow at the Drisha Institute. In 2011\, she graduated from the sixth cohort of the Davennen Leadership Training Institute (DLTI). Trisha’s liturgy has been used in services\, for ritual occasions\, and at venues of many denominations nationwide. She is the author of Place Yourself: Words of Poetry and Intention (a collection of liturgy and kavannot). Her work has appeared in a variety of journals\, siddurim\, and collections of liturgy and can be found online at TrishaArlin.com\, Ritualwell.org\, and opensiddur.org. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. A suggested $18 donation has been added to the ticket. If you are unable to donate\, you may remove that suggested amount from the ticket. Please consider donating if you’re able\, to help us continue to offer free programs like this one.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-access-code-naming-god-and-opening-to-prayer/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230328T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230328T120000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20220817T221429Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230316T152344Z
UID:11580-1680004800-1680004800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:How to Write Trauma Without Retraumatizing Yourself
DESCRIPTION:Writing about trauma can help organize thoughts\, regulate emotions\, encourage us to reach out for support\, and enable us to discover meaning. But revisiting trauma on the page can be triggering. We will talk about how to write about traumatic experiences without retraumatizing ourselves or overwhelming our readers and what keeps writers grounded and writing. \nEllen Blum Barish is the author of the spiritual memoir Seven Springs (Shanti Arts\, 2021)\, the essay collection Views from the Home Office Window (Adams Street Publishing\, 2007)\, and a contributor to Chicago Storytellers From Stage to Page (Chicago Story Press\, 2020). You can find her personal essays in Tablet\, Lilith\, Brevity’s Blog\, Full Grown People\, Literary Mama\, and The Chicago Tribune and hear them on Chicago Public Radio. She founded the literary publication Thread\, which earned four notables in Best American Essays. Ellen has taught writing at Northwestern University\, Chicago-area synagogues\, and writer’s studios\, including Story Studio Chicago and Lighthouse Lit Fest. She works privately with writers on essay collections and memoir. \nThis session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. A suggested $18 donation has been added to the ticket. If you are unable to donate\, you may remove that suggested amount from the ticket. Please consider donating if you’re able\, to help us continue to offer free programs like this one.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/how-to-write-trauma-without-retraumatizing-yourself/
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230222T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230222T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20220907T174747Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230207T193232Z
UID:15026-1677067200-1677072600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:The Thinking Heart: Facing our Fears with the Wisdom of Etty Hillesum
DESCRIPTION:“Let me be the thinking heart of these barracks.” – Etty Hillesum \nThese powerful words were written from within Camp Westerbork\, a transit camp in the Netherlands\, by one of the most extraordinary writers during the Holocaust. Etty Hillesum was murdered in Auschwitz in 1943 at the age of 29. The diaries that she wrote in the last two years of her life are a document full of love\, spirituality\, compassion\, and trust in life. With Hillesum as our inspiration\, we will challenge ourselves to tap into our own “thinking hearts”: to face our feelings with awareness\, to see the “other” without animosity\, hatred\, or bitterness. We will explore how Hillesum’s teachings can support the healing of individuals and nations. We will ask: What does it mean to be the thinking heart in times ruled by violence and fear? How can we connect with the power of our hearts? What is the guidance of my thinking heart? The session will include meditation\, writing exercises\, and group sharing. \nDina Awwad-Srour and Emma Sham-ba Ayalon are passionate women and peace workers who work for social change and global healing. Dina (Palestinian) is a lecturer and a writer on issues of women’s empowerment and sexuality. Emma Sham-Ba (Israeli) is a rabbi\, poet\, and artist. They created the Etty Hillesum Cards in three languages (English\, Hebrew\, and Arabic) in order to share the inspiration of Hillesum’s writings with others. \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. A suggested $18 donation has been added to the ticket. If you are unable to donate\, you may remove that suggested amount from the ticket. Please consider donating if you’re able\, to help us continue to offer free programs like this one.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-thinking-heart-facing-our-fears-with-the-wisdom-of-etty-hillesum/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/The-Thinking-Heart-Square-Social-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230207T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230207T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051546
CREATED:20220817T220227Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230126T215205Z
UID:11576-1675771200-1675776600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Jewish Art as Prayer: A Guided Art Session
DESCRIPTION:Jewish artists over the centuries have used art as a form of prayer. In this interactive session\, we’ll learn about the evolution of Jewish art and begin a new piece of art of your own. Participants are encouraged to bring in an image of their favorite piece of Jewish art that will become part of our discussion. We will close by sketching a piece inspired by an aspect of Judaism that is meaningful to us. Together we’ll learn about the rich history of Jewish art\, engage with others interested in incorporating art into spiritual practice\, and create in a supportive environment. Participants are welcome to use the medium of art most comfortable for them (written/vocal/visual/movement\, etc.). No art experience necessary. Bring your enthusiasm to try something new! \nAyeola Omolara Kaplan (she/her) is a Black\, Queer\, and Jewish artist. Through depicting the intersections of identity\, class\, and spirituality\, Ayeola hopes to meaningfully contribute to the growing body of revolutionary art. Her work features electrifying\, surrealist imagery\, created to celebrate the empowerment of oppressed people. In her experience\, art is equally a spiritual and political medium. Art is the language that Ayeola uses to fully reclaim the power within herself. She hopes that through sharing her work\, she is able to help spread joy and inspire folks to live truthfully and committed to building a world where we can all experience peace\, freedom\, and equity. \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. A suggested $18 donation has been added to the ticket. If you are unable to donate\, you may remove that suggested amount from the ticket. Please consider donating if you’re able\, to help us continue to offer free programs like this one.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/jewish-art-as-prayer-a-guided-art-session/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Jewish-Art-as-Prayer-Feb-7-ForWeb-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230126T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230126T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051547
CREATED:20220817T220227Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230109T152250Z
UID:11575-1674734400-1674739800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Survival of the Word: Poetry for International Holocaust Remembrance Day
DESCRIPTION:Many of us have heard of Paul Celan and his haunting poem of the Holocaust\, “Death Fugue”: “Black milk of daybreak\, we drink you at night…” In preparation for International Holocaust Remembrance Day\, we’ll learn about some of Celan’s contemporaries: Nelly Sachs\, Bertolt Brecht\, Dan Paris\, Abba Kovner\, Primo Levi\, Ida Fink\, Abraham Sutzkever and many more\, who wrote about one of the darkest moments in history. We will explore a bit about these poets’ biographies\, how they survived the Holocaust\, where they settled\, the languages they wrote in\, and sample their powerful poetry. \nRachel Neve-Midbar is a poet and essayist. Her first full-length poetry collection\, Salaam of Birds\, was chosen by Dorothy Barresi for the Patricia Bibby First Book Prize and was published by Tebot Bach in January 2020. She is also the author of the 2014 chapbook\, What the Light Reveals. Her work has appeared in many journals and anthologies. A current Ph.D. candidate at the University of Southern California\, Rachel is also editor of Stained: An Anthology of Writing about Menstruation for the AuntFlo2020 Project. More at rachelnevemidbar.com. \n  \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. Please consider adding a donation to Ritualwell to help us continue to offer free programs like this one!
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/survival-of-the-word-poetry-for-international-holocaust-remembrance-day/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Survival-of-the-Word-Jan26-ForWeb.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230118T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230118T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051547
CREATED:20220817T220211Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221111T173557Z
UID:11572-1674043200-1674048600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Wonder and Awe: Poetry as Play and Inquiry
DESCRIPTION:Poets are lovers of language play: riffing with lyricism and idiosyncratic phrases to describe a thought\, creating eccentric rhythms and sound patterns\, using different types of speech\, or blending references from sources as disparate as the Bible to pop culture. A poet’s writing practice is cultivated by a sense of the wonder often found in child’s play—trying out new possibilities with language and seeing how it can be shaped differently to share our individual experiences. In this session\, we will look at poets who engage with the creative fire and dance of language play as a tool to make serious inquiries about the world around us. We will read the work of Jewish poets Samuel Ace\, Rosebud Ben-Oni\, and Erika Meitner. We will experiment with writing our own short poems that involve play and thoughtfulness. \nLeslie Contreras Schwartz is a multi-genre writer\, a 2021 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow\, and was the 2019–2021 Houston Poet Laureate. She is the author of four collections of poetry\, including Black Dove / Paloma Negra (FlowerSong Press\, 2020)\, a finalist for the Helen C. Smith Memorial Award for 2020 Best Book of Poetry from the Texas Institute of Letters; Fuego (St. Julian Press\, 2016); and Nightbloom & Cenote (SJP\, 2018)\, a semi-finalist for the 2017 Tupelo Press Dorset Prize\, judged by Ilya Kaminsky. Her poet laureate community projects include Writing and Mindfulness: Creative Writing Exercises\, a free e-book on mindfulness and writing\, and the poetry film IT’S A MASK IT’S A VIRUS IT’S A KNEE\, a collective\, communal poetry film composed of poems written by Houstonians about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is currently a faculty member at Alma College’s MFA low-residency program in creative writing. For more about her work\, visit lesliecschwartz.com. \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. Please consider adding a donation to Ritualwell to help us continue to offer free programs like this one!
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/wonder-and-awe-poetry-as-play-and-inquiry/
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Wonder-and-Awe-Jan23-ForWeb.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20221221T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20221221T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051547
CREATED:20220817T220210Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221111T173311Z
UID:11568-1671624000-1671629400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Dreaming Against the Current: Exploring Spiritual Modalities
DESCRIPTION:In this session\, we will explore some of Rabbi Haviva’s favorite spiritual companioning modalities\, including dreamwork\, nature soul work\, and inner child work. She will read excerpts from her new memoir\, Dreaming Against the Current: A Rabbi’s Soul Journey\, as examples of the modalities at work\, and participants will be given prompts to begin to do some of that work themselves. There will be time for sharing as well. Participants are encouraged to come prepared with a pencil and notebook for journaling as well as an image from a dream\, a significant childhood event you feel changed your life in some way\, and a favorite animal\, tree\, or any other aspect of nature. \nRabbi Dr. Haviva Ner-David is the rabbinic founder of Shmaya: A Mikveh for Mind\, Body\, and Soul\, the only mikveh in Israel open to all to immerse as they choose. Ordained as both a rabbi and an interfaith minister\, certified as a spiritual companion (with a specialty in dream work)\, and with a doctorate on mikveh from Bar Ilan University\, she offers mikveh guidance and spiritual companioning for individuals and couples\, as well as mikveh workshops and classes for groups. Rabbi Haviva is the author of three spiritual journey memoirs and a novel. Her most recent memoir\, Dreaming Against the Current: A Rabbi’s Soul Journey\, is about her journey into interspirituality and dreamwork. Her two previous spiritual journey memoirs are titled: Chanah’s Voice: A Rabbi Wrestles with Gender\, Commandment\, and the Women’s Rituals of Baking\, Bathing\, and Brightening\, and Life on the Fringes: A Feminist Journey Towards Traditional Rabbinic Ordination\, a runner up for the National Jewish Book Council Awards. Hope Valley\, her debut novel\, is about the friendship between a Palestinian and a Jewish woman in Galilee\, where Haviva lives. She is also the mother of seven and lives with FSHD\, a form of muscular dystrophy\, which has been one of her greatest teachers. \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. Please consider adding a donation to Ritualwell to help us continue to offer free programs like this one!
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/dreaming-against-the-current-exploring-spiritual-modalities/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Dreaming-Against-the-Current-Exploring-Spiritual-Modalities-Dec22-ForWeb.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20221219T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20221219T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051547
CREATED:20220817T220209Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221111T173216Z
UID:11567-1671451200-1671456600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Healing Through Writing: For Cancer Survivors and Those Facing Illness
DESCRIPTION:Cancer\, like other forms of serious illness\, is not simply a physical experience\, but also emotional and spiritual. In order to heal from a cancer experience\, we must address all three aspects. The physical healing is directed by our healthcare teams. There are many ways to heal emotionally and spiritually\, but we often find ourselves navigating this on our own. Luckily\, there are many ways we can enhance our healing. 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. Led by Melissa K. Rosen\, two-time cancer survivor\, a member of ADVOT’s first cohort\, and the Director of Training and Education at Sharsheret: The Jewish Breast and Ovarian Cancer Community. This program is open to all who have been impacted by illness. \nMelissa K. Rosen\, Sharsheret’s Director of Training and Education\, holds a master’s degree in Jewish Communal Service from Brandeis University and has been working in the non-profit sector for over 30 years. Her professional experience includes informal education and programming\, advocacy\, and community outreach. Melissa has facilitated unique and lasting connections among organizations in the diverse American Jewish community. Melissa oversees community education throughout the country\, training health care professionals\, Jewish professionals\, and Sharsheret’s volunteers. She also manages Sharsheret’s Community Partnerships. Herself a two-time cancer survivor\, Melissa has used writing as a healing technique. She is passionate about the Jewish community and cancer support and advocacy. \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. Please consider adding a donation to Ritualwell to help us continue to offer free programs like this one!
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/healing-through-writing-for-cancer-survivors-and-those-facing-illness/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Healing-Through-Writing-For-Cancer-Survivors-and-Those-Facing-Illness-Dec22-ForWeb.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20221213T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20221213T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051547
CREATED:20220819T030516Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221111T172922Z
UID:12450-1670932800-1670938200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:This Little Light of Mine: 8 Mindful Rituals for Hanukkah
DESCRIPTION:During Hanukkah\, at the heart of winter\, we enact a ritual that teaches us to grow in our light. Starting with a single flickering flame\, the festival of lights concludes with a glorious fully lit menorah\, visible through the window\, shining from within and out to the world. How can we allow this ritual to transform us? Join Dr. Mira Neshama Weil for a session dedicated to shining our light within and without. Through reflecting on the meaning of the festival\, meditating\, and learning rituals for our menorah lighting each night\, we will prepare for Hanukkah with purpose and presence and make each day of lighting the menorah a truly meaningful\, transformative practice. The session comprises text study\, guided meditation\, ritual learning and time for questions and sharings. People of all backgrounds are welcome. \nDr. Mira Neshama Weil is a Paris-born scholar and teacher of Jewish spirituality and meditation. A post-doctoral fellow (Hebrew University of Jerusalem/Oxford University) working on contemporary Jewish spirituality\, a certified Jewish Experiential Educator (Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies/Yesod European Fellows)\, a Certified Mindfulness Instructor (Mindfulness Training Institute)\, a Certified Jewish Mindfulness Teacher (Institute for Jewish Spirituality)\, and a Certified Vinyasa-Ashtanga Yoga teacher (RYT 200h at Sira Yoga)\, she teaches Torah and Jewish meditation internationally for institutions such as Or HaLev\, Applied Jewish Spirituality\, the Romemu Yeshiva\, IJS\, Moishe House\, and more. She lives in Tel Aviv with her husband Matan and their dog Nissim\, and when she’s not busy learning or teaching about Jewish spirituality\, she works on growing her illustration portfolio and her guitar and Hebrew chanting\, while experimenting to bake the perfect challah. \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nWe are happy to offer this session for free. Please consider adding a donation to Ritualwell to help us continue to offer free programs like this one!
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/this-little-light-of-mine-8-mindful-rituals-for-hanukkah/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/This-Little-Light-of-Mine-8-Mindful-Rituals-for-Hanukkah-Dec22-ForWeb.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220922T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220922T163000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051547
CREATED:20220817T220143Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220823T185504Z
UID:11558-1663858800-1663864200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Creating New Jewish Liturgy: A Talk with Dr. Marcia Falk
DESCRIPTION:Dr. Marcia Falk is one of the foremothers of the Jewish feminist movement and an innovator of Jewish liturgy and poetry. Join us for a special opportunity to hear her speak about her process creating new liturgy\, including how and why she began the project that ultimately led to her books The Book of Blessings and The Days Between. She’ll discuss how her work evolved over time and she’ll delve into the relationship between theology and liturgy\, with specific emphasis on feminist perspectives. The session will include a Q & A. \nDr. Marcia Falk is widely known in the Jewish world for her poetic re-creations of Hebrew and English liturgy from an inclusive\, nonpatriarchal perspective. Her bilingual prayer book\, The Book of Blessings: New Jewish Prayers for Daily Life\, the Sabbath\, and the New Moon Holiday\, originally published in 1996 and released in a 20th-anniversary edition by the CCAR Press\, is considered a classic of modern Jewish liturgy and is used today by congregations in North America\, Europe\, and Israel\, as well as by individuals. The Book of Blessings has been praised by distinguished author Cynthia Ozick\, who wrote\, “Marcia Falk’s work on Hebrew blessings is as beautiful as it is innovative\,” and by liturgy scholar Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman\, who called it “a liturgical and literary masterpiece.” Learn more at https://www.marciafalk.com/. \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/creating-new-jewish-liturgy-a-talk-with-dr-marcia-falk/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Creating-New-Jewish-Liturgy-A-Talk-with-Dr.-Marcia-Falk-ForWeb.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220921T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220921T140000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051547
CREATED:20220822T171809Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220915T044511Z
UID:13401-1663758000-1663768800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Ritualwell Open House – September 21st
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by Hila Ratzabi & Adva Chattler \nExplore 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. \nOpen House sessions schedule: \n11:00 a.m. EDT\, Ellen Blum Barish: “Leaving a Legacy by Letter”\nThe letter has deep roots in Judaism. After his exile from Spain\, medieval Jewish rabbi Nachmanides (the Ramban) sent a letter to his son offering his blueprint for an ethical life. We will read Ramban’s letter as well as other literary letters to get a feel for how values and beliefs have been expressed and passed along to others. You will leave with writing prompts to help you explore your core values that may find articulation via letter. \n  \n \n11:30 a.m. EDT – ADVOT Info session\nCurious 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! \n  \n12:00 p.m. EDT\, Rachel Neve-Midbar: “Restoring the Soul: Entering the World of the Psalms”\nThe Torah offers us a vision of the world as it is and the world as we hope it might be. This is nowhere better exemplified than in the 150 poems written by a most imperfect man: David\, King of Israel. Enter the world of this gorgeous poetry that marries our flawed world with our hopes and dreams of a world beyond our own. \n  \n1:00 p.m. EDT\, Alden Solovy: “Song at the Sea: A Liturgy for the Ages”\nExplore the liturgical layers of Shirat Ha-Yam\, the Song at the Sea\, sung in triumph by the Israelites after crossing the Red Sea. Using both text study and guided visualization\, poet and liturgist Alden Solovy will guide us on our own journey to find meaning in this ancient song and to find writing prompts woven throughout the text. \n  \n2:00 p.m. EDT\, Sivan Rotholz: “Why Feminist Torah Matters”\nWhat is feminist Torah? Who writes it? Who reads it? And how does our Jewish experience open up when we re-encounter our sacred texts through a feminist lens? Join gynocentric Torah scholar and student rabbi Sivan Rotholz as we take a dip into the world of feminist Torah and discover\, together\, some of its treasures. \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/ritualwell-open-house-september-21st/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Free,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Open-House-Sept-7-ForWeb.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220914T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220914T140000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051547
CREATED:20220822T170146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220909T214125Z
UID:13376-1663153200-1663164000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Ritualwell Open House – September 14th
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by Hila Ratzabi & Adva Chattler \nExplore 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. \nOpen House sessions schedule: \n11:00 a.m. EDT\, Leslie Contreras Schwartz: “Poetry as Prayer: Writing the Personal through Invocation”\nPoetry can be a conduit to exploring how our own lives connect to a sense of the Divine. We will explore how poets can examine the personal using aspects of prayer in their work. We will study poems that act as prayer or relate to prayer by Jewish writers\, and take home a prompt to start our own personal prayer-poem. \n  \n11:30 a.m. EDT\, Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein: “Returning to our Deepest Selves: Lessons on Teshuvah from Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook”\nTeshuvah is sometimes understood as “repentance\,” but a more accurate translation would be “return.” Join us to explore perhaps its most important aspect: the journey of returning to our most authentic selves. Together\, we will learn and reflect upon our responses to heart-opening teachings about teshuvah from the great twentieth-century poet and mystic\, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. \n  \n12:00 p.m. EDT\, Trisha Arlin: “Truth and the Talking Donkey” \nWhat is truth telling? In parashat Balak\, it’s a talking donkey (and his passenger)\, and these days\, in shul\, sometimes it can be the liturgist and the poet. We will examine the relationship between truth and prayer\, and ask: What does a good talking donkey need to be their best self? \n  \n  \n \n12:30 p.m. EDT\, ADVOT Info session\nCurious 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! \n  \n1:00 p.m. EDT\, Amy Gottlieb: “A Taste of Story Magic: Short Story / Life Story”\nHow can a very short story contain the magnitude of a life story? We’ll dip into a brief short story by Grace Paley\, dissect its magic tricks\, and talk about how time is an invisible thread running through all good fiction. At the end of the session\, I’ll offer an inspiring prompt for sketching a short story / life story of your own.\n \n  \n2:00 p.m. EDT\, Ayeola Omolara Kaplan: “Dreaming up Olam Shalem: Creating a World that is Whole”\nExplore the creative relationship between Jewish spirituality and the practice of using art to build a holy society with Ayeola Omolara Kaplan\, a Black\, Queer\, and Jewish artist. Our conversation will inspire a collaborative artwork that Ayeola will begin sketching during the session and share with participants the following week. This experience will model a playful way to engage in Jewish spirituality that you can practice whenever you need to recharge your sense of hope and possibility. The collaborative art piece will serve as a reminder of the divine world we aspire to create together. \nThese sessions will not be recorded.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/ritualwell-open-house-september-14th/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free,Other Events,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Open-House-Sept-7-ForWeb.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220907T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220907T140000
DTSTAMP:20260502T051547
CREATED:20220822T164623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220824T164803Z
UID:13352-1662548400-1662559200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Ritualwell Open House – September 7th
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by Hila Ratzabi & Adva Chattler \nExplore 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. \nOpen House sessions schedule: \n11:00 a.m. EDT\, Hila Ratzabi: “Writing the Earth’s Torah”\nNow 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! \n  \n11:30 a.m. EDT\, Sonia Gordon-Walinsky: “An Artistic Interpretation of the Name Pasuk”\nDiscover 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. \n  \n12:00 p.m. EDT\, Cathy Cohen: “Ekphrasis: The Poet” \nMarc 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. \n12:30 p.m. EDT\, Rabbi Haviva Ner-David: “Finding Hope in Israel/Palestine”\nJoin 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. \n1:00 p.m. EDT\, Mike Brown: “Planning Your Jewish Garden”\nWhat 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. \n \n1:30 p.m. EDT – ADVOT Info session\nCurious 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! \n 
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/ritualwell-open-house-september-7th/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free,Other Events,Standalone session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/Open-House-Sept-7-ForWeb.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR