BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Ritualwell - ECPv6.13.2.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Ritualwell 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: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 END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240501T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240501T143000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133926 CREATED:20240122T163547Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240226T142656Z UID:23075-1714568400-1714573800@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Judaism Through The Kaleidoscope: Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook DESCRIPTION:Wednesdays\, May 1\, 8\, 15\, 22\, 29 and June 5\, 2024 \n1-2:30 p.m. EDT\n$250 \nRabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1865 – 1935) was the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of pre-state Israel\, a profound poet\, and a giant of both mysticism and Jewish law. He was a radical thinker\, writer and activist who provoked much opposition during his lifetime from conservative leaders of Ultra-Orthodox communities. \nRabbi Kook saw the Divine spark in everything and viewed all events as part of an evolutionary process towards a redeemed and unified world. His writings contain beautiful and insightful gems on subjects such as: freedom as the key foundation of Judaism; our relationship with our bodies; pluralism\, tolerance and polarization; the many layers of our multiple identities; particularism and universalism; the narratives of our own lives and of all of human history. Together\, we will explore his rich\, beautiful writings and use them as opportunities for spiritual practice\, including creative writing and guided embodied exercises. \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 \nDaniel Raphael Silverstein is a rabbi\, educator\, meditation teacher and MC/poet. He lives in Israel with his family\, where he directs Applied Jewish Spirituality (https://www.appliedjewishspirituality.org/)\, an online portal which makes the transformative spiritual wisdom of our tradition accessible to all who seek it. Daniel is an accredited teacher of Jewish Mindfulness Meditation and regularly teaches classes and retreats. He was born and raised in London and received a BA from the University of Cambridge and an MA from Warwick University. After receiving semikha from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School\, he served as Director of Jewish Life and Learning for Hillel of Stanford University in Palo Alto\, CA. Daniel has performed and facilitated all over the world as a spoken word artist\, MC\, and creative educator\, and the Jewish Week selected him as one of their “36 Under 36” young innovators reshaping the Jewish community. Daniel is a cofounder of Lines of Faith\, a Muslim-Jewish hip hop and poetry collective that uses performances and workshops to challenge prejudice and build meaningful bonds between communities.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/judaism-through-the-kaleidoscope-rabbi-abraham-isaac-kook/2024-05-01/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/DanielRS_RavKook_MayJune2024-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240418T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240418T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231220T144002Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240415T210132Z UID:22655-1713441600-1713447000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:The Jewish Approach to Conflict Transformation DESCRIPTION:Thursdays\, April 4\, 11\, 18 and May 2\, 9\, 16\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n$250 for six sessions \nThe lengths to which some of us will go to avoid conflict are extreme\, but what if we flipped the script on conflict? What if we understood conflict as an invitation to embrace difficult aspects of ourselves and others in order to grow? Conflict transformation theory says that conflict is actually not the problem\, rather it is how we respond to conflict that creates the most difficulty. The good news is that we always have a choice in how we respond. \nEven better news is that Jewish tradition is a storehouse of wisdom and practical application on how to navigate the world of conflict and how we respond to it\, from sources in the Torah and from how our rabbinic sages model of conflict transformation. In this Ritualwell Immersion\, we will explore what conflict transformation might look like for the Jewish community in our times. Using parts of the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies Center for Conflict Resolution “Constructive Conflict” curriculum\, we will navigate both ancient and modern approaches to conflict and rebuild our own conflict toolboxes applicable in contexts from the interpersonal\, intercommunal\, to the international realms. Together\, we will imagine a Jewish community that knows how to show up in disagreement\, even when it gets hard. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nRabbi Ezra Weinberg is a shaliach tzibur\, officiant and Jewish educator dedicated to creating connection and community. He is a native Philadelphian and holds an MA in Conflict Transformation. Reb Ezra officiates weddings and Bnai Mitzvot and teaches a University course called\, “One G-d\, Three Paths” alongside a priest and imam. He currently works with individuals and families within the Jewish community and founded ReVoice\, a network of resources for Jewish going through divorce.  He shares: “The work that I do is inspired by my own divorce as well as my experience as a child of high conflict divorce. A big part of my mission is to offer support in Jewish contexts when divorce radically changes a family’s path. However\, I also want to change the conversation around divorce within the Jewish community today so that it is no longer taboo to get divorced or talk about divorce.”\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \nThis Immersion is happening in partnership with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. \n\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-jewish-approach-to-conflict-transformation/2024-04-18/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/EzraWeinberg_ConflictTransformatoin_AprilMay2024-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240417T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240417T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20240404T191423Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240408T172028Z UID:24108-1713358800-1713362400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Moses\, A Stranger Among Us: A Conversation with Rabbi Maurice Harris DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, April 17\, 2024 \n1-2:00 p.m. EDT\n \nIn his book\, Moses: A Stranger among Us\, Rabbi Maurice Harris leads us to look beyond familiar and popular portrayals of Moses so that we can discover the Moses whose lesser-known attributes and experiences provide us with surprisingly fresh ethical and spiritual guidance. You may have seen Rabbi Harris sharing his perspective about Moses on Netflix’s new docudrama series\, Testament: The Story of Moses.\n\n \nNow\, you have an opportunity to ask your questions about this complex prophet with Rabbi Harris himself! Join us for a conversation between Ritualwell’s Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer and Rabbi Harris\, focused on understanding Moses through traditional religious interpretations\, academic Bible scholarship\, psychological and sociological analysis\, feminist readings\, and more. Participants will have the chance to ask questions\, join the conversation and write your own creative midrash about Moses’ legacy.\n \nWe’ll draw names of everyone who joins us and raffle off two autographed copies of Moses: A Stranger among Us! \n \nThe 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\nOrdained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2003\, Rabbi Maurice Harris is Associate Director for Thriving Communities and Israel Affairs Specialist at Reconstructing Judaism. Previously\, Maurice served as Associate Rabbi and Head of School at Temple Beth Israel in Eugene\, OR. Maurice is the author of three books: Moses: A Stranger Among Us (2012)\, Leviticus: You Have No Idea (2013)\, and The Forgotten Sage: Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah and the Birth of Judaism as We Know It (2019)\, all from Cascade Books. He blogs at theaccidentalrabbi.substack.com.\n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/moses-a-stranger-among-us-a-conversation-with-rabbi-maurice-harris/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/Moses-A-Stranger-Among-Us.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240411T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240411T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231220T144002Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240415T210131Z UID:22654-1712836800-1712842200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:The Jewish Approach to Conflict Transformation DESCRIPTION:Thursdays\, April 4\, 11\, 18 and May 2\, 9\, 16\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n$250 for six sessions \nThe lengths to which some of us will go to avoid conflict are extreme\, but what if we flipped the script on conflict? What if we understood conflict as an invitation to embrace difficult aspects of ourselves and others in order to grow? Conflict transformation theory says that conflict is actually not the problem\, rather it is how we respond to conflict that creates the most difficulty. The good news is that we always have a choice in how we respond. \nEven better news is that Jewish tradition is a storehouse of wisdom and practical application on how to navigate the world of conflict and how we respond to it\, from sources in the Torah and from how our rabbinic sages model of conflict transformation. In this Ritualwell Immersion\, we will explore what conflict transformation might look like for the Jewish community in our times. Using parts of the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies Center for Conflict Resolution “Constructive Conflict” curriculum\, we will navigate both ancient and modern approaches to conflict and rebuild our own conflict toolboxes applicable in contexts from the interpersonal\, intercommunal\, to the international realms. Together\, we will imagine a Jewish community that knows how to show up in disagreement\, even when it gets hard. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nRabbi Ezra Weinberg is a shaliach tzibur\, officiant and Jewish educator dedicated to creating connection and community. He is a native Philadelphian and holds an MA in Conflict Transformation. Reb Ezra officiates weddings and Bnai Mitzvot and teaches a University course called\, “One G-d\, Three Paths” alongside a priest and imam. He currently works with individuals and families within the Jewish community and founded ReVoice\, a network of resources for Jewish going through divorce.  He shares: “The work that I do is inspired by my own divorce as well as my experience as a child of high conflict divorce. A big part of my mission is to offer support in Jewish contexts when divorce radically changes a family’s path. However\, I also want to change the conversation around divorce within the Jewish community today so that it is no longer taboo to get divorced or talk about divorce.”\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \nThis Immersion is happening in partnership with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. \n\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-jewish-approach-to-conflict-transformation/2024-04-11/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/EzraWeinberg_ConflictTransformatoin_AprilMay2024-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240410T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240410T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20240130T204244Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240328T201438Z UID:23220-1712750400-1712755800@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:This is My Jewish Heart DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, April 10\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n \n\n“But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart\, that I may multiply My signs and marvels in the land of Egypt” –Exodus 7:3\n \nIt is now known that trauma is stored in the body and that the heart\, in particular holds onto grief\, sadness\, shame and ancestral loss. No other biblical story focuses more on the heart than the provocative story of Va’eira when Pharoah’s heart is hardened against the plight of the Jewish people as we suffer and fight for freedom from slavery. Poet\, performer\, and holistic health coach Corie Feiner will lead a discussion on this parsha\, our relationship to our own hearts\, and introduce a guided poetry writing exercise where we will write the stories of our hearts and make our way from a narrow place of anxiety and pain towards inner and outer liberation. Included in this workshop will be breathwork\, movement\, and supplemental text from the poet\, Dorriane Laux. Seasoned writers and those new to writing are welcome to join.\n \nThe 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 \nCorie Feiner is the Poet Laureate Emeritus of Bucks County\, PA and an award-winning poet\, performer and educator called “wonderful” by The New York Times and “absorbing” by Backstage Magazine. She is the author of the poetry book\, Radishes into Roses and the children’s book Who Was Born at Home. Dedicated to embodied Judaism\, she has been commissioned to perform her inspiring\nJewish poetry and psalms for synagogues and peace organizations across the world. For the past ten years she has been a dedicated homebirthing\, homeschooling\, cook from scratch tiger mama\, whose latest project\, A Poem for Every Pose arose out of her at-home yoga practice and her belief that inner strength and inner peace are essential for creating a more peaceful world. You can learn more about Corie and and her current projects by subscribing to her Substack at: https://coriefeiner.substack.com\n \n\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/this-is-my-jewish-heart/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240404T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240404T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231220T144002Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240415T210130Z UID:22650-1712232000-1712237400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:The Jewish Approach to Conflict Transformation DESCRIPTION:Thursdays\, April 4\, 11\, 18 and May 2\, 9\, 16\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EDT\n$250 for six sessions \nThe lengths to which some of us will go to avoid conflict are extreme\, but what if we flipped the script on conflict? What if we understood conflict as an invitation to embrace difficult aspects of ourselves and others in order to grow? Conflict transformation theory says that conflict is actually not the problem\, rather it is how we respond to conflict that creates the most difficulty. The good news is that we always have a choice in how we respond. \nEven better news is that Jewish tradition is a storehouse of wisdom and practical application on how to navigate the world of conflict and how we respond to it\, from sources in the Torah and from how our rabbinic sages model of conflict transformation. In this Ritualwell Immersion\, we will explore what conflict transformation might look like for the Jewish community in our times. Using parts of the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies Center for Conflict Resolution “Constructive Conflict” curriculum\, we will navigate both ancient and modern approaches to conflict and rebuild our own conflict toolboxes applicable in contexts from the interpersonal\, intercommunal\, to the international realms. Together\, we will imagine a Jewish community that knows how to show up in disagreement\, even when it gets hard. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\n \nRabbi Ezra Weinberg is a shaliach tzibur\, officiant and Jewish educator dedicated to creating connection and community. He is a native Philadelphian and holds an MA in Conflict Transformation. Reb Ezra officiates weddings and Bnai Mitzvot and teaches a University course called\, “One G-d\, Three Paths” alongside a priest and imam. He currently works with individuals and families within the Jewish community and founded ReVoice\, a network of resources for Jewish going through divorce.  He shares: “The work that I do is inspired by my own divorce as well as my experience as a child of high conflict divorce. A big part of my mission is to offer support in Jewish contexts when divorce radically changes a family’s path. However\, I also want to change the conversation around divorce within the Jewish community today so that it is no longer taboo to get divorced or talk about divorce.”\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \nThis Immersion is happening in partnership with the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. \n\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-jewish-approach-to-conflict-transformation/2024-04-04/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/EzraWeinberg_ConflictTransformatoin_AprilMay2024-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240314T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240314T143000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20240212T202954Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240213T162014Z UID:23333-1710421200-1710426600@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Behind the Mask: A Creative Exploration of the Characters in the Purim Story DESCRIPTION:Thursdays\, March 14 and 21\, 2024\n1-2:30 p.m. EDT \nWe each carry inside of us both the hero and the villain. One of the things that makes writing effective is the willingness of the writer to step into the voice of a character who we might not “identify” with. This is the way we build empathy\, both on the page and in our lives. \nThere is pshat\, the literal text of the Torah\, and drash\, the interpretation. So much of our understanding of Judaism and the Torah comes from the exploration of drash. In this workshop\, we will use the persona form—a kind of drash—where the writer takes on the mask or voice of a character who is clearly not them. We will try on the voices of multiple characters in the Purim Story and beyond. Gaining inspiration from texts by Patricia Smith\, Margaret Atwood\, and others to inspire us to move beyond writing from the personal “I” and see what we can discover about the Purim stories and their meaning for our own lives when we put on the mask and write. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n  \nElana Bell is a poet\, sound practitioner and creative guide. She facilitates artistic rituals and processes that support individuals and groups in accessing their authentic voice and alchemizing raw experience and emotion into artistic expression. Elana is the author of Mother Country (BOA Editions 2020)\, poems about fertility\, motherhood\, and mental illness. Elana’s debut collection of poetry\, Eyes\, Stones (LSU Press 2012)\, was selected by Fanny Howe as the winner of the 2011 Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of American Poets and brings her complex heritage as the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors to consider the difficult question of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In addition to leading her own embodied Creative Fire workshops\, Elana teaches poetry to actors at the Juilliard School and sings with the Resistance Revival Chorus\, a group of women activists and musicians committed to bringing joy and song to the resistance movement. She is also the founder of the Mother Artist Salon\, a community dedicated to supporting mothers in their artistic practice. www.elanabell.com \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/behind-the-mask-a-creative-exploration-of-the-characters-in-the-purim-story/2024-03-14/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/02/ElanaBell_BehindtheMask_Purim2024-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240229T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240229T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231221T151137Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231221T151137Z UID:22843-1709208000-1709213400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Finding Our Place in the Stories of the Hebrew Matriarch: Sarah DESCRIPTION:Thursdays\, February 29 and March 7\, 14\, 21\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n$180\n \n\n“The Kabbalah teaches that all the characters of the Torah are within ourselves.” \n—Miki Raver\, ‘Listen to Her Voice: Women of the Hebrew Bible’\n \nIt might seem that to gain the full stories of the matriarchs of the Hebrew Bible we need to read between the lines. But there is much to discover and explore within the texts themselves where hints and information are hiding in plain sight. In this 4-week workshop author\, poet\, and Certified Dreamwork Professional Tzivia Gover will share what she learned about Sarah when she used poetry and imagination to move beyond seeing her merely as an adjunct to Abraham and Isaac\, and instead as a powerful woman\, prophet\, and priestess in her own right. In this Immersion we will  learn how reclaiming the stories of Sarah and the Hebrew matriarchs through poetic writing can empower us to know ourselves more fully—and access the gifts of wisdom\, healing\, and joy that are our universal birthright.\n \nTzivia will invite participants to reconsider key passages from Genesis\, beginning with the first Hebrew matriarch\, using interpretive tools including:\n\nPaRDeS\, the Kabbalistic method of interpretation that explores what is said explicitly\, as well as hints\, questions\, and secret meanings;\nDreamwork methods for unlocking the information transmitted through archetypes\, symbolism and story; and\nLiterary analysis.\n\nWe’ll also use guided visualization\, writing prompts\, and exercises based on those techniques\, and participants will be invited to write poems and stories of their own. This workshop is appropriate for everyone\, whether you consider yourself a writer or not\, and no matter what your level of Jewish education or experience.\n \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 \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.\n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/finding-our-place-in-the-stories-of-the-hebrew-matriarch-sarah/2024-02-29/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions 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:20240229T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240229T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231219T151359Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240229T153539Z UID:22622-1709208000-1709213400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Jewish Coming-of-Age Stories: Writing the Younger You DESCRIPTION:Thursdays\, February 8\, 15\, 22\, 29\, 2024 \n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n$180 for four sessions \nAll of us have our coming-of-age stories: events we experienced as children\, teens\, and young adults. Your experiences may be humorous and pleasantly nostalgic. They may be profound or disturbing. This four-session immersion will give you a chance to tell the stories of the younger you in poetry and micro memoir.\n \nWe will begin each session by reading and discussing some representative poems and micro memoir pieces of one or several paragraphs\, written by various writers\, both Jewish and not. Then\, using prompts and thematic suggestions\, you will be invited to write the stories of the younger you–perhaps about school days\, starter jobs\, life-cycle events\, family times and holidays\, foods\, spiritual awakenings\, relationships\, and anything else. Some of your writing might center on being Jewish\, but that is not required. We will have time during each session to share and appreciate each other’s work. Writers of any level of experience are welcome.\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 \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. \n  \n \n \n \n \n   URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/jewish-coming-of-age-stories-writing-the-younger-you-2024-02-29/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/LynnLevin_JewishComingofAgeStories_Feb2024-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240214T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240214T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20230805T140036Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240109T181300Z UID:20195-1707912000-1707917400@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Mussar As a Generative Practice for Art and Poetry DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, February 14\, 21\, 28 and March 6\, 2024 \n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n$180 for four sessions \nMussar is a spiritual practice based on centuries-old teachings and texts which we still find valuable today. Its wholehearted approach to leading an ethical life is inspiring and creative. As a Mussar learner\, Cathleen Cohen uses poetry and visual art to deepen an understanding of Torah\, mitzvot and spirituality through encounters with others. In this 4-week Immersion\, you are invited to use writing and visual artmaking to touch on Mussar themes like middot (character traits) and heshbon ha’nefesh\, (“accounting of the soul”)\, and open a conversation between yourselves and the characteristics you aspire to master. No prior experience writing poetry\, creating visual art or studying Mussar is needed! \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n  \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). URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/mussar-as-a-generative-practice-for-art-and-poetry/2024-02-14/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/woman-painting-near-a-sign-that-says-i-dont-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240213T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240213T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231219T224810Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231221T205605Z UID:22630-1707825600-1707831000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Disability Wisdom and Knowing Ourselves Whole DESCRIPTION:Tuesday\, February 13\, 2024 \n12-1:30 p.m. EST \nIn recognition of Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month and our ongoing commitment to disability inclusion and advocacy\, we are delighted to bring the Ritualwell community the opportunity for learning and reflection with scholar and activist Rabbi Julia Watts Belser. In this session\, Rabbi Belser will lead us in interactive text study with a spiritual focus. We’ll begin by grappling with questions about reimagining the nexus of disability\, beauty\, and belonging—and then explore micro practices for loving our own bones. What tiny gestures and small reorientations might we use to nourish and sustain ourselves and each other\, as we navigate an ableist world? \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nRabbi Julia Watts Belser (she/her) is a scholar\, spiritual teacher\, and longtime activist for disability\, LGBTQ\, and gender justice. She is a professor of Jewish Studies in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Georgetown University and core faculty in Georgetown’s Disability Studies Program. She’s also an avid wheelchair hiker\, a devoted gardener\, and a lover of wild places.  Her latest book is Loving Our Own Bones: Disability Wisdom and the Spiritual Subversiveness of Knowing Ourselves Whole. \n  \n  \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/disability-wisdom-and-knowing-ourselves-whole/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/RabbiJuliaWattsBelser_DisabilityWisdon_Feb2-24-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240208T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240208T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231219T151357Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231219T151357Z UID:22617-1707393600-1707399000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Jewish Coming-of-Age Stories: Writing the Younger You DESCRIPTION:Thursdays\, February 8\, 15\, 22\, 29\, 2024 \n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n$180 for four sessions \nAll of us have our coming-of-age stories: events we experienced as children\, teens\, and young adults. Your experiences may be humorous and pleasantly nostalgic. They may be profound or disturbing. This four-session immersion will give you a chance to tell the stories of the younger you in poetry and micro memoir.\n \nWe will begin each session by reading and discussing some representative poems and micro memoir pieces of one or several paragraphs\, written by various writers\, both Jewish and not. Then\, using prompts and thematic suggestions\, you will be invited to write the stories of the younger you–perhaps about school days\, starter jobs\, life-cycle events\, family times and holidays\, foods\, spiritual awakenings\, relationships\, and anything else. Some of your writing might center on being Jewish\, but that is not required. We will have time during each session to share and appreciate each other’s work. Writers of any level of experience are welcome.\nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \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. \n  \n \n \n \n \n   URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/jewish-coming-of-age-stories-writing-the-younger-you/2024-02-08/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/LynnLevin_JewishComingofAgeStories_Feb2024-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240201T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240201T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231221T151320Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231221T151320Z UID:22828-1706788800-1706794200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:The Golden Shovel: Digging in Text for New Meaning DESCRIPTION:Thursday February 1\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n \nTo receive the spiritual impact of our traditional texts\, sometimes we need to turn the words upside down and inside out. In this workshop\, we will use poetic forms and techniques to bypass the logical brain and discover new levels of meaning and insight in verses from the Torah. Join Tzivia Gover in this generative workshop and learn to create a Golden Shovel poem—with a twist. The poems that results\, like a shirt that’s been turned inside out\, will reveal new patterns beneath the familiar ones.\nNo previous experience writing poetry is necessary! You will receive step-by-step guidance and support as you learn inventive ways to approach and adapt this poetic form. You can bring 1-3 verses to work with\, or use the ones that will be provided. Everyone is welcome\, whether you consider yourself a poet or not\, and no matter your familiarity with traditional texts.\n \nThe session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.\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.\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/the-golden-shovel-digging-in-text-for-new-meaning/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/TziviaGover_TheGoldenShovel_Feb2024-Raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240131T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240131T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20230805T140033Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240115T223421Z UID:20262-1706702400-1706707800@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Hidden Moments of Holiness: Finding Sacred Potential in the Everyday DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, January 31\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EST\nFree \nSecular ritual is a precious part of our social and communal fabric. Starting or ending work meetings\, welcoming a new neighbor\, that perfect cup of coffee in the quiet of morning before anyone else is awake: all are moments waiting for rituals of their own. Join Rabbi Cantor Hillary Chorny for an exploration of ritual that lifts up the otherwise-overlooked moments in our lives. Drawing on the work of the ritual lab at the Stanford Design School\, we’ll explore the core elements that define these rituals and identify other “missed moments” that beg for attention.\n \nIn this generative session you will have the opportunity to build and launch new personal or communal rituals and to share them with the Ritualwell community. Participants with any background or level of Jewish literacy and ritual crafting are welcome.\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 \nRabbi Cantor Hillary Chorny is the Cantor at Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles\, California. She completed her cantorial investiture\, rabbinical ordination\, and a Masterʼs degree in Sacred Music at the Jewish Theological Seminary before joining the staff of Temple Beth Am in August\, 2014. For several years\, Hillary has co-produced the Sacred Sounds Unbound concert series with burgeoning Jewish music artists and the Kol Tefilla conference on prayer experiences with United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Hillary is an instructor for first year students at the Ziegler School of Rabbinical Studies. She is an avid writer and is currently enrolled in UCLA’s extension program for a certificate in creative nonfiction writing. A graduate of Harvard Divinity School’s Professional & Lifelong Learning Program\, Hillary is committed to the ongoing study and proliferation of ritual in Jewish community and beyond. She currently serves as one of the vice-presidents of the Cantors Assembly\, the largest professional body of cantors in the world. She and her husband\, Rabbi Daniel Chorny\, met in Israel and continue to enjoy learning together with their two children\, Ella and Yossi.\n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/hidden-moments-of-holiness-finding-sacred-potential-in-the-everyday/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/person-reading-a-book-with-cup-of-coffee-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240125T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240125T143000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231219T225142Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231219T225142Z UID:22731-1706187600-1706193000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Choosing Joy: The Teachings of Rebbe Nachman DESCRIPTION:Thursdays\, January 25 and February 1\, 8\, 15\, 22\, 29\, 2024 \n1-2:30 p.m. EST\n$250 for six sessions\n \nRebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772 – 1810) founded a specific stream of Chasidism that was once tiny\, and has somehow become an influential force throughout the Jewish world. The psychological insight\, poetic beauty and spiritual power of his teachings have touched many seekers. Together\, we will explore who he was\, how his ideas spread\, and some of his key themes\, in theory and practice. These include: the transformative power of music and song; our power and responsibility to shape ourselves and our world; how our thoughts affect our reality; the struggle to be joyful; the practice of praying in our own words (Hitbodedut); and maintaining resilience and equanimity throughout the challenges of life.\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 \n\nDaniel Raphael Silverstein is a rabbi\, educator\, meditation teacher and MC/poet. He lives in Israel with his family\, where he directs Applied Jewish Spirituality\, an online portal which makes the transformative spiritual wisdom of our tradition accessible to all who seek it. Daniel is an accredited teacher of Jewish Mindfulness Meditation and regularly teaches classes and retreats. He was born and raised in London and received a BA from the University of Cambridge and an MA from Warwick University. After receiving semikha from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School\, he served as Director of Jewish Life and Learning for Hillel of Stanford University in Palo Alto\, CA. Daniel has performed and facilitated all over the world as a spoken word artist\, MC\, and creative educator\, and the Jewish Week selected him as one of their “36 Under 36” young innovators reshaping the Jewish community. Daniel is a cofounder of Lines of Faith\, a Muslim-Jewish hip hop and poetry collective that uses performances and workshops to challenge prejudice and build meaningful bonds between communities.\n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/choosing-joy-the-teachings-of-rebbe-nachman/2024-01-25/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/RabbiDanielRaphaelSilverstein_SpiritualRevolutionariesRebbeNachman_JanFeb2024-raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240122T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240122T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20230809T160343Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230823T165038Z UID:20557-1705924800-1705930200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:God Cafe: The Immersion DESCRIPTION:Mondays\, January 22\, 29 and February 5\, 12\, 19\, 26\, 2024\n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n$250 for six sessions \nWho is God? What do we talk about when we talk about God? For six weeks\, we will discuss God/divinity as a concept\, exploring what God means to each of us and learn about the variety of approaches to God in Jewish tradition. This will be an opportunity to explore a topic often not discussed and to build community around our questions and insights. Learning will include reflection on our own experiences\, listening to the stories of others and diving into a variety of texts. Rabbi Sarah began this project while she was in rabbinical school through the support of the Auerbach Grants for Rabbinic Innovation. The project began with 1:1 phone conversations and evolved into an entire cohort series\, in Jewish and multi-faith settings. All are welcome to join\, whether this is something you rarely think about or it’s your favorite thing to explore. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n  \nRabbi Sarah Brammer-Shlay graduated from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in May 2022. She serves as the Interim Dean of Religious Life/Chaplain and Rabbi at Grinnell College in Iowa. She loves the diversity of her work with students\, supporting them to figure out who they are\, who they want to be and how Judaism plays a role in that pursuit. While in rabbinical school\, she created The God Cafe Project with the goal of creating space for people to explore moments of Divine connection and grappling. At the core of her identity as a Jewish leader and community organizer is the desire for people to get out of isolation and into connection. She has more than 15 years of community organizing experience in a variety of fields including\, but not limited to\, Israel/Palestine\, labor\, feminism\, workers’ rights and health care. Sarah was a co-founder of IfNotNow and has served in various leadership roles with the Center for Jewish Nonviolence as well. URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/god-cafe-the-immersion/2024-01-22/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/man-and-woman-talking-over-coffee-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240111T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240328T123000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231025T201303Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240321T230909Z UID:21844-1704974400-1711629000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Holding Each Other DESCRIPTION:Two is better than one…for should they fall one can lift the other.\n–Ecclesiastes 9-10\nWe are here. We’re in this challenging time together. \nRitualwell invites you for a weekly meeting time where we will lift each other up with prayer\, song and creative prompts. Join us every Thursday from 12-12:30pm EST \nBring pen and paper– each week a different poet/liturgist will lead us in an expressive prompt. Pour out your feelings in words\, images\, doodles or whatever works best for you. We look forward to seeing you. Invite a friend or loved one who might appreciate this comforting space. \nUpcoming Date: March 28th \nGuest speaker: Tiferet Welch \n \n  \nTiferet Welch is a poet whose work is inspired by kabbalah. She writes: “My poetry is\, I hope\, steeped in modern Jewish mysticism and draws on the arc of Torah and deeply felt personal experience to create a sensuous and sensual swirl of living in and through the four worlds\, especially in the time of the pandemic\, the death of my mother\, and sadly\, post October 7th. Exploring the parshiot by way of the sages\, drawing out the kaballistic essence\, mining the subterranean allusions of the Hebrew letters and binding them all within the personal\, the poems form a chronicle of this liminal time.” \n  \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/holding-each-other-israel-on-our-heart/2024-01-11/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free 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:20240108T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240108T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 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:20240102T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240102T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20230805T140038Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231222T160814Z UID:20043-1704196800-1704202200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Creative Midrash: Beyond Talmudic Texts DESCRIPTION:Tuesdays\, January 2\, 9\, 16\, 23\, 30 and February 6\, 2024 \n12-1:30 p.m. EST\n$250 \nTalmudic narratives are filled with distinctive characters\, strange plots\, and enigmatic silences. These stories provide a treasure trove for creative writers. For example\, when Moses sits in the back of Rabbi Akiva’s classroom and doesn’t recognize his own teachings\, how might we imagine Moses’s sense of dissonance? If we transpose the emotional core of this scene to another setting\, what story would we conjure? In each class\, we’ll explore a specific Talmudic text with a lens on character\, images\, narrative twists\, and unspoken qualities that pique our curiosity. We’ll then pivot to a generative session in which we write from prompts related to our text study. Be prepared to surprise yourself on the page as you uncover fresh possibilities in your writing practice. This generative workshop is suitable for creative writers of all levels as well as readers seeking to engage imaginatively with Jewish texts. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n  \nAmy Gottlieb‘s debut novel The Beautiful Possible was a finalist for the 2017 Harold U. Ribalow Prize\, a 2016 National Jewish Book Award and the Edward Lewis Wallant Award. Her fiction and poetry have been published in Other Voices\, Lilith\, Puerto del Sol\, Ilanot Review\, On Being\, Zeek\, Storyscape\, The Bloomsbury Anthology of Contemporary Jewish American Poetry\, and elsewhere. She has received a Literary Fellowship and Residency from the Bronx Council on the Arts and an Arts Fellowship from the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education. Amy is a graduate of Clark University and the University of Chicago. She lives with her family on the edge of the Hudson River in New York City. URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/creative-midrash-beyond-talmudic-texts/2024-01-02/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/woman-in-gown-and-crown-with-flying-books-arouond-her-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231214T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231214T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20230805T140040Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230823T151839Z UID:19197-1702555200-1702560600@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Reclaiming the Hebrew Goddess and Writing Her Anew DESCRIPTION:Thursdays\, December 14\, 21\, 28\, 2023 and January 4\, 11\, 18\, 2024 \n12-1:30 p.m. EST \nIf the Hebrew goddess could whisper to you\, she might say\, “They tried to bury us. They didn’t know that we were seeds.” For thousands of years before patriarchal monotheism took hold\, our ancestors worshipped the divine feminine. In this six-part Ritualwell Immersion\, we will take a deep dive into the legacy of the Hebrew goddess\, from her ancient biblical and Near Eastern roots\, to her demise at the hands of our prophets and scribes and to her manifestations in Judaism today. Through thoughtful reflection and inspired creative writing with guided writing prompts\, discover where her secrets are hidden and reclaim her for your own\, for the earth\, and for the generations to come. Join gynocentric Torah scholar\, creative writing professor\, and student rabbi Sivan Rotholz as we harvest the bounty of the divine feminine in Jewish tradition. This is the second installment of a previous Ritualwell Immersion. This second Immersion will introduce all-new materials. New explorers and returning students alike are most welcome. No previous creative writing experience or knowledge of the goddess required. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n  \nSivan Rotholz is a professor of gynocentric Torah and creative writing. She has taught at Brooklyn College\, Tel Aviv University\, Columbia/Barnard Hillel\, Moishe House and elsewhere\, and has shared her Torah in synagogues and living rooms across the globe. Her writing has appeared in the Jewish Journal\, 929\, and Ritualwell\, among other publications. She is the Education Director for Achayot – Jewish Women Writers and is pursuing rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. \n  \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/reclaiming-the-hebrew-goddess-and-writing-her-anew/2023-12-14/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/woman-standing-in-lake-with-flower-crown-and-lit-candle-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231207T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231207T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 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:20231128T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231128T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20230806T140004Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230823T151531Z UID:19318-1701172800-1701178200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Soulwork: Exploring Our Depths DESCRIPTION:Tuesdays\, November 28\, December 5\, 12\, 19\, 2023 \n12-1:30 p.m. EST \n \n“From the depths I call to you!” — Psalm 130\n\n \nIn the busyness of our lives\, how often do we set aside time to explore our own depths? To listen to our souls? With a taste of four soulwork modalities based on a Gestalt approach – dreamwork\, inner child work\, nature soulwork\, and Soul Collage© – we will take the time for that introspection. Each week\, we will explore one modality. You will delve into your own inner world and share your insights in soulwork chevruta dyads and in the group meetings. Our inquiry will be framed in a Jewish-spiritual context\, with a short text study at the start of each meeting.\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 \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 — Dreaming Against the Current; A Rabbi’s Soul Journey; and 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\, which was a runner up for the National Jewish Book Council Awards; as well as two novels: Hope Valley and To Die in Secret; and the first and only children’s book on mikveh: Yonah and the Mikveh Fish. 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  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/soulwork-exploring-our-depths/2023-11-28/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/person-running-on-beach-with-blue-sky-reflected-in-water-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231113T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231113T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20230805T140059Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230823T151358Z UID:20180-1699876800-1699882200@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Mussar Poetry: Writing Toward the Other DESCRIPTION:Mondays\, Nov. 13\, 20\, 27 and Dec. 4\, 11\, 18 \n12- 1:30 p.m. EDT\n$250 for six sessions\n \nMuriel Ruckeyser wrote that the task of poetry is to help us see ourselves “as a person moving toward other persons\, or a person moving away from other persons\, or a person moving against other persons….in great poetry you feel a source speaking to another source.” In this spirit\, one might say that all poetry\, at least all great poetry\, is Mussar poetry. Mussar is a historical tradition within Judaism which asks us how we might become more awake to the needs of the other. Mussar poetry\, then\, might be poetry that interrupts its own habitual self-absorption\, that takes risks\, that listens. \nIn this six-session Immersion\, we will look at poems that not just describe but embody encounter itself\, such as poetry written by people we might think of as ‘other’ and poetry in which the poem itself directly speaks to the reader. Poets covered will include Paul Celan\, Marina Tsvetaeva\, Osip Mandelstam\, Naomi Shihab Nye\, Ilya Kaminsky\, Ariana Reines\, and more. The course will prioritize a workshop component. We will be writing poetry – including poems in dialogue with the above poets and in response to particular prompts – all designed to take us out of our familiar styles and stances. We will be writing inside and outside of class time and sharing work during each session. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n  \nRabbi Joshua Boettiger is the Rosh Yeshiva at the Center for Contemporary Mussar and has taught Mussar for the past decade. He is the Jewish Chaplain at Bard College\, where he also teaches\, including the recent course\, “The History of Jewish Poetry” (Spring 2023). Joshua has an MFA in Poetry from Pacific University and his work has appeared in The Southern Review\, december\, Willow Springs\, Image\, and elsewhere. Joshua was ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 2006. He is a Rabbis Without Borders fellow\, and regularly teaches Jewish Meditation in different contexts\, including retreat settings. \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/mussar-poetry-writing-toward-the-other/2023-11-13/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/three-womens-hands-touching-on-wood-table-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231102T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231102T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 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:20260403T133927 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:20260403T133927 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:20231023T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231023T130000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20231004T201428Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231016T173817Z UID:21350-1698062400-1698066000@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Verses of Resilience: Poetry & Ritual From the Path of Cancer DESCRIPTION:October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Ritualwell\, along with our partner Sharsheret\, a Jewish breast and ovarian cancer community\, invites you to join us for an hour of poetry\, prose\, and ritual relating to any aspect of the cancer (or other illness) experience. \n\nCome with a piece that you have already written or come to hear others share their stories. We will create the opportunity for everyone to begin writing something personally meaningful and healing through our writing prompts. No previous writing experience necessary–our focus is on the power of expressing personal stories. This session is open to all; please feel free to invite friends\, loved ones and those who have provided support.\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 \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.\n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/verses-of-resilience-poetry-ritual-from-the-path-of-cancer/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Event,Free ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Verses-of-Resilience-Large-Raw.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231019T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231019T123000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 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:20231018T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231018T133000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20230805T140052Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230823T165243Z UID:19212-1697630400-1697635800@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Honoring Heirloom through Words: Writing to Discover & Declutter DESCRIPTION:Wednesdays\, October 18\, 25 and November 1\, 8\, 2023\n12-1:30 p.m. Eastern \nWhat stories do the objects in your home tell? Are they all heirlooms\, or do some hold sentimental value for small – maybe even silly – reasons? In this Ritualwell Immersion\, you will be invited to explore the stories these objects might tell and to use them to help discern what you want to hold onto and what things could be better used by others. Join decluttering coach Gari Julius Weilbacher and writer Ellen Blum Barish as they help shine a new light on the objects in your home. Gari will provide decluttering strategies using the wisdom of the Jewish calendar and the energy of the new year. Ellen will show us how we can deepen our understanding of our ‘object relationships’ through the power of writing memoir. Join us for this four-week Immersion to bring clarity and cohesion to your home and heart. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \n  \n\n \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. \n\n  \n  \n  \nAs an Empowerment Coach\, Gari Julius Weilbacher knows that we all benefit when we are freed from the “stuff” holding us back. Her clients have launched nonprofit organizations\, opened businesses\, published books\, established faith communities\, tamed time\, solidified work/life equilibrium and increased professional satisfaction. You can learn more and schedule a complimentary coaching conversation at WildBrookCoaching.com.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/honoring-heirloom-through-words-writing-to-discover-declutter/2023-10-18/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/antique-typewriter-with-other-memorabilia-sm-scaled.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231016T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231016T143000 DTSTAMP:20260403T133927 CREATED:20230805T140030Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230823T151147Z UID:19259-1697461200-1697466600@ritualwell.org SUMMARY:Spiritual Revolutionaries: The Ba'al Shem Tov DESCRIPTION:Mondays\, October 16\, 23\, 30\, November 6\, 20\, 27\, 2023 \n1-2:30 p.m. Eastern \nR’ Yisroel ben Eliezer (c. 1700 – 1760)\, known as the Ba’al Shem Tov (Master of the Good Name) or Besht\, was a mystic\, healer and teacher who lived in the Ukraine and founded the Hasidic movement\, a spiritual revival movement that has changed the face of Judaism and the world. Hasidism was fiercely rejected by the rabbinic institutions where it emerged but has long since become an indispensable part of the mainstream. Together\, we will explore who the Besht was and some of his radical innovations\, teachings and practices. These include the sacredness of the body; cultivating resilience\, self-awareness and joy; and seeing and appreciating the Divine spark in everything we encounter and experience. In each session\, we will move from text study\, to sharing our reflections on the texts\, to practical exercises arising from the texts. These exercises will include a creative practice in response to prompts\, reflecting with another participant on specific questions\, guided meditations and explorations of our inner landscape. \nAll sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nDaniel Raphael Silverstein is a rabbi\, educator\, meditation teacher and MC/poet. He lives in Israel with his family\, where he directs Applied Jewish Spirituality\, an online portal which makes the transformative spiritual wisdom of our tradition accessible to all who seek it. Daniel is an accredited teacher of Jewish Mindfulness Meditation and regularly teaches classes and retreats. He was born and raised in London and received a BA from the University of Cambridge and an MA from Warwick University. After receiving semikha from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School\, he served as Director of Jewish Life and Learning for Hillel of Stanford University in Palo Alto\, CA. Daniel has performed and facilitated all over the world as a spoken word artist\, MC\, and creative educator\, and the Jewish Week selected him as one of their “36 Under 36” young innovators reshaping the Jewish community. Daniel is a cofounder of Lines of Faith\, a Muslim-Jewish hip hop and poetry collective that uses performances and workshops to challenge prejudice and build meaningful bonds between communities. URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/spiritual-revolutionaries-the-baal-shem-tov/2023-10-16/ LOCATION:Zoom CATEGORIES:Immersions ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ritualwell.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/06/person-leaping-in-front-of-tree-at-dawn-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR