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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240102T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240102T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231214T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231214T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231207T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231207T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231128T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231128T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231113T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231113T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231102T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231102T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231026T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231026T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231026T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231026T123000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231023T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231023T130000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231019T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231019T123000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231018T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231018T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231016T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231016T143000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231011T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231011T124500
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20231010T143140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231010T143221Z
UID:21493-1697025600-1697028300@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Holding Each Other: Israel on Our Hearts
DESCRIPTION:Gather with the Ritualwell community for reading\, prayer and meditation. Hear the voices of Alden Solovy\, Rabbi Haviva Ner-David\, Sivan Rotholz and Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein. Together we will say Mi Sheberach for healing and Kaddish for the fallen\, and pray for the captives. \nRegistration through Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rd-6vqzMsGtcB1HbAjZ3lo286SW7gQw62
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/holding-each-other-israel-on-our-hearts/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Event,Free
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231003T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231003T130000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20230907T185553Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230907T200439Z
UID:21197-1696334400-1696338000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Let's Get to Know Advot@Ritualwell
DESCRIPTION:You are invited to an informational session to learn more about Advot@Ritualwell.\n \nAdvot is an online creative community of Jewish ritual innovators\, poets and liturgists who meet regularly to share work\, support\, and empower each other and learn together. Whether a beginner or seasoned writer\, Advot@Ritualwell welcomes you wherever you are in your writing journey.\n \nNow in its third year\, Advot can support you in creating and innovating Jewish ritual\, poetry and liturgy; as well as exploring fiction\, prose\, song and memoir writing.\n \nMeet the Advot facilitators: Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer and Adva Chattler. Gabrielle\, an award-winning author\, will lead a writing exercise to give you a tiny taste of Advot. Adva\, a founder of Advot\, will answer all the questions you might have.\n \nThis event is free to all who are interested in joining Advot @Ritualwell. Advot begins on Oct. 20. The early-bird price is being extended until Oct. 4.\n\n \n\nGabrielle Ariella Kaplan-Mayer is an author and educator whose work focuses on spirituality\, creativity and disability. Her personal essays have been featured in Tablet\, Shondaland\, NBCThink\, Wisdom Daily\, WHYY and many other publications and she has published several nonfiction books as well as plays for children. Gabrielle is currently working on a memoir about the power of intuition and ongoing conversations with her ancestors. She writes a Substack newsletter called “Journey With The Seasons\,” a weekly practice of meditative reading with creative self-expression prompts. Gabrielle holds a BFA in theater and creative writing from Emerson College and an MA in Jewish Studies from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. For the last 12 years\, she has held various positions at Jewish Learning Venture —an organization based in the Philadelphia suburbs — and has also been part of the education staff at Congregation Mishkan Shalom\, in Philly proper\, where she’s been a member for 25 years. She is the proud recipient of the 2022 Covenant Award and currently edits the Jewish Disability Inclusion News. Gabrielle’s family includes husband Fred\, kids George (20) and Jeremy (18) and fur baby Odin (a Saluki rescued from Qatar). She lives in Elkins Park\, PA.   \n  \nAdva Chattler is an Israeli-Mizrahi Jew\, born and raised in Be’er-Sheva\, Israel. She loves to create meaningful experiences through her cooking and baking that prompt sharing stories\, teachings and rituals about Judaism\, Israel and Mizrahi Jewish cultures and heritage. Her rituals\, prayers and poems were published on Ritualwell. Adva is passionate about bringing people together in ways that spark relationship building and connecting to others on a deeper level\, both in the challenging and ever-changing world of online gatherings\, and in person. She holds a MA in conflict Resolution and Management from Ben Gurion University of the Negev and BA in Public Administration and Management from Sapir College in Sderot\, Israel. With her experience in teaching and curriculum building\, she support facilitators and presenters for Ritualwell and Reconstructing Judaism and encourage them to bring not only their best self\, but best practices and tools for successful teaching online. Adva is also a mother and a foodie who lives in Del Rio\, Tx.\, with her husband\, two daughters and two dogs.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/lets-get-to-know-advotritualwell/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:ADVOT,Free
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230905T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230905T131500
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20230713T120008Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230808T134103Z
UID:19108-1693915200-1693919700@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Change Through Acceptance: the Hasidic Notion of Teshuvah
DESCRIPTION:Tuesdays\, September 5\, 12\, 19\, 2023 \n12-1:15 p.m. EDT \nEach High Holidays we are asked to engage in the challenging process of Teshuvah/change or repentance. The classic rabbinic notion of Teshuvah could be summed up as “Just say no!\,” suggesting that\, faced with the temptation to do something wrong\, you should stop yourself. Hasidism suggests a different path\, suggesting you acknowledge and accept that you have made mistakes and then seek to transform yourself to align with your vision of who you deeply want to be. In this three session program\, we will explore the Hasidic notion of change through the study of texts and discussion. \nNo previous background required. All sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nRabbi Michael Strassfeld was one of the editors of the Jewish Catalog (1973)\, a guide to do-it-yourself Judaism that sold over 300\,000 copies. He authored The Jewish Holidays (1985)\, co-authored A Night of Questions: A Passover Haggadah (1999) with his wife Rabbi Joy Levitt\, and authored A Book of Life: Embracing Judaism as a Spiritual Practice (2002). His newest book\, Judaism Disrupted: A Spiritual Manifesto for the 21st century published by Ben Yehuda Press\, has been published on the 50th anniversary of the Jewish Catalog. He is the rabbi emeritus of the SAJ (Society for the Advancement of Judaism).
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/change-through-acceptance-the-hasidic-notion-of-teshuvah-2/2023-09-05/
LOCATION:Zoom
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230823T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230823T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20220909T151243Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230808T134034Z
UID:15093-1692792000-1692797400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Weaving Water: Recreating Jewish Water-based Rituals
DESCRIPTION:August 23\, 30\, September 6\, 13\, 20\, 27\, 2023  \n12-1:30 p.m. EDT  \nHow can ritual-weaving support us in bridging the gap between our own lives and our spiritual ancestors’ relationships with water? Explore how the Jewish calendar and our holiday cycle are built on the flow of water. Together\, we will track the role of water throughout the Torah and how ancient Israelites’ relationship with rain evolved to influence modern Jewish rituals. We will cover cycles of rain in the Middle East\, mikveh and other forms of purification through water\, lesser known Jewish water rituals\, water in liturgy\, embodied practices related to water\, and more. In each session\, we will study primary texts\, reflect on how these texts speak to our lives and needs today\, and be invited to design our own rituals in response. All sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience. \nSarah Chandler aka Kohenet Shamirah is a Brooklyn-based Jewish educator\, artist\, activist\, healer\, and poet. She has been teaching Jewish eco-ritual weaving for over 15 years. She holds a M.A. in Jewish Education and a M.A. in Hebrew Bible from the Jewish Theological Seminary\, and a certificate in Non-Profit Management and Jewish Communal Leadership from Columbia University. She teaches\, writes and consults on a national level on issues related to Judaism\, earth-based spiritual practice\, mindfulness\, dreamwork\, and farming. Sarah’s chapter in “The Sacred Earth” (CCAR Press\, June 2023) focused on Jewish water spirituality. She is also the Liturgist in Residence at National Havurah Committee’s 2023 Summer Institute. An advanced student of Kabbalistic dream work at The School of Images\, Sarah is the founder and lead trainer for “Soft as a Rock: Public Speaking for Sensitive Souls.” \nAll sessions 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/weaving-water-recreating-jewish-water-based-rituals/2023-08-23/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Immersions
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230629T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230629T200000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20230509T165745Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230602T140236Z
UID:18203-1688065200-1688068800@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:ADVOT End-of-year Celebration
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate the end of our second year of ADVOT@Ritualwell\, our cohort of ritual innovators\, poets and liturgists. Members of our community will read work created this year and we’ll celebrate the publication of our second annual anthology Like a Tree By Water. \nPurchase the ADVOT anthology\, Like a Tree By Water. \nADVOT@Ritualwell is an online creative community of ritual innovators\, poets\, and liturgists who meet regularly to share work and support and empower each other to create and innovate Jewish ritual\, poetry\, and liturgy. Launched in 2021\, ADVOT means “ripples” in Hebrew. RIPL (pronounced “ripple”) is the acronym of “Ritual Innovators\, Poets\, Liturgists.” \nThank you to Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah for supporting ADVOT. \nThis event will be recorded and sent to registrants. \nWe are happy to offer this event 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. \nBy registering for a Ritualwell program you will be automatically added to our e-newsletter. You may unsubscribe at any time.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/advot-celebration/
CATEGORIES:ADVOT,Event,Free
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230615T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230615T153000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20220817T221402Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230602T203431Z
UID:11588-1686837600-1686843000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Learning to Say “We”: Writing Identity
DESCRIPTION:June 15\, 22\, 29\, July 6\, 2023\n2:00–3:30 p.m. EST \nWe often talk about identity as though it were something we have always been and absolutely are. But identity is not fixed: it is a way of understanding ourselves that relates us to others. Identities can be temporary as name-tags and enduring as monuments; singular as snowflakes and (think of Whitman’s “Song of Myself”) encompassing as oceans. We can think of our identities as a collage\, or pointillist painting\, or an ongoing story\, or as the intersection of the histories that led to us and the social systems that surround us. American Jews\, in particular\, have no choice but to navigate multiple ways of identifying ourselves—as Jews\, as Americans\, as members of a racially stratified society\, as targets and beneficiaries of oppression\, as inheritors of and rebels against millennia of Jewish cultures and traditions. In this immersion\, we will reflect and expand on our personal experiences of identity\, using writing exercises and in-depth discussions to think about\, challenge\, discover\, explore\, and experiment with different ways to identify ourselves\, to consider how those ways connect us to and separate us from others\, and how they represent and misrepresent aspects of who we are. \nJoy Ladin is the author of twelve books\, including the National Jewish Book Award–winning revised second edition of The Book of Anna (EOAGH\, 2021); The Soul of the Stranger: Reading God and Torah from a Transgender Perspective (Brandeis UP)\, a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and Triangle Award; Through the Door of Life: A Jewish Journey between Genders\, a finalist for a National Jewish Book Award and winner of a Forward Fives Award; and ten books of poetry\, including Shekhinah Speaks; Fireworks in the Graveyard (Headmistress Press); Psalms; Forward Fives–award winner Coming to Life; and two Lambda Literary Award finalists\, Transmigration and Impersonation. She has been awarded a National Endowment for the Arts writing fellowship\, a Fulbright Scholarship\, an American Council of Learned Societies Research Fellowship\, and two Hadassah Brandeis Institute Research fellowships\, among other honors. She holds a Ph.D. in American Literature from Princeton University\, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst)\, and a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College. \nAll sessions 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/learning-to-say-we-writing-identity/2023-06-15/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Immersions
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230606T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230606T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20220817T221402Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230517T142323Z
UID:11589-1686052800-1686058200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Tongues Shaped Like Harps: Experimenting with Poetry and Visual Art
DESCRIPTION:June 6\, 13\, 20\, 27\, 2023\n12:00–1:30 p.m. EDT \n“Pray in the tongues / that are shaped like harps” \n—From “Versöhnung” (Reconciliation)\, by Else Lasker-Schüler \nPoetry and visual art have a long history of inspiring each other. The German-Jewish poet Else Lasker-Schüler\, quoted above\, was influenced by Franz Marc and other Expressionist painters\, and her work\, in turn\, influenced other artists. In this immersion\, we’ll look at connections between a variety of Jewish poets and artists\, like Marc Chagall and Alexander Mazin\, and John O’Hara and Mike Goldberg. We’ll also look at creatives who work across different media\, like Jean Arp\, Tristan Tzara\, Marcia Falk\, and Maya Pindyck. These works will inspire our own experiments in writing ekphrastic poetry (poetry that responds to other art forms). We will also deepen our writing through simple exercises in drawing\, watercolor painting\, and collage. By playing with different media\, we will see how writing and art can open up new avenues of creativity in conversation with each other. All are welcome\, regardless of experience in writing poetry or artmaking. \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). \nAll sessions 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/tongues-shaped-like-harps-experimenting-with-poetry-and-visual-art/2023-06-06/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Immersions
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230524T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230524T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20220817T220255Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230517T141441Z
UID:11587-1684929600-1684935000@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Liturgy Writing for Prayer Leaders
DESCRIPTION:May 24\, 31\, June 7\, 14\, 21\, 28\, 2023\n12:00–1:30 p.m. EDT \nLiturgy may be poetry\, but is a poem necessarily liturgy? What turns a piece of writing into liturgy\, something you can use during a prayer service? In this immersion\, you will learn criteria and techniques to transform your poems and prayers into liturgy. In each session\, we will discuss a topic you might need to address during a prayer service or event; then you will be prompted to write your personal take on it\, as a first step toward creating your own liturgy. This immersion is for prayer leaders who have some experience writing prayers and want to receive feedback and hone their skills as liturgists in a supportive environment. \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.
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/liturgy-writing-for-prayer-leaders/2023-05-24/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Immersions
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230516T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230516T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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:20260403T165055
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:20260403T165055
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:20260403T165055
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
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230503T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230503T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230420T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230420T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20220817T220253Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230517T141921Z
UID:11584-1681992000-1681997400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Reclaiming the Hebrew Goddess & Writing Her Anew
DESCRIPTION:April 20\, 27\, May 4\, 11\, 18\, June 1\, 2023\n12:00–1:30 p.m. EST \nFor thousands of years before patriarchal monotheism took hold\, our ancestors worshipped the Divine Feminine. In this 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\, from her reemergence in mystical Judaism to her manifestations in Judaism today. Discover where her secrets are hidden and reclaim her for your own\, for the earth\, and for the generations to come. We will engage in thoughtful reflection and inspired creative writing with guided writing prompts. Join gynocentric Torah scholar\, creative writing professor\, and student rabbi Sivan Rotholz as we harvest the bounty of the Divine Feminine in Jewish tradition. No previous creative writing experience or knowledge of the goddess required. \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  \nAll sessions 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/reclaiming-the-hebrew-goddess-writing-her-anew/2023-04-20/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Immersions
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230419T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230419T150000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20220824T180141Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220824T180141Z
UID:14151-1681912800-1681916400@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:ADVOT@Ritualwell Studio sessions - Spring semester
DESCRIPTION:Join in for a time to create and connect!
URL:https://ritualwell.org/event/advotritualwell-studio-sessions-spring-semester/2023-04-19/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:ADVOT,Monthly program
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230418T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230418T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20220817T221429Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221121T135433Z
UID:11582-1681819200-1681824600@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:From Brokenness to Healing: Making Meaning through Memoir
DESCRIPTION:April 18\, 25\, May 2\, 9\, 16\, 23\, 2023\n12:00–1:30 p.m. EST \nHow can we make meaning from returning to a challenging or traumatic life experience on the page? What does it mean to write from the scar rather than the wound? And how can we find a spiritual lens in which to frame our trauma? In this six-week workshop\, we will focus on the definition of trauma\, how returning to it can help heal\, how writing structure and pacing can help contain it\, and how we can revision ourselves before and after. There will be opportunities to share work and receive feedback from the instructor on works in progress. \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. \nAll sessions 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/from-brokenness-to-healing-making-meaning-through-memoir/2023-04-18/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Immersions
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230417T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230417T133000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
CREATED:20220817T220228Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230106T185456Z
UID:11581-1681732800-1681738200@ritualwell.org
SUMMARY:Recognizing the Good: Writing Jewish Prayers and Poems of Gratitude
DESCRIPTION:April 17\, 24\, May 1\, 8\, 15\, 22\, 2023\n12:00–1:30 p.m. EST \nJudaism offers many opportunities to express gratitude\, from the morning blessing Modeh Ani to Shabbat and holidays. To inspire poetic and liturgical writing\, join us for a deep dive into the Jewish language of gratitude – hakarat hatov. Among our explorations: gratitude as a spiritual practice; hidden meanings in the language of gratitude; language that undermines gratitude; and the connection between prayer and gratitude. We’ll learn together and write from the heart. \n \nAlden Solovy spreads joy and excitement for prayer. An American Israeli liturgist\, lyricist\, poet\, author\, and educator\, Alden is the Liturgist-in-Residence for the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Alden teaches prayer and spirituality throughout the world. Based in Jerusalem\, his six solo books include These Words: Poetic Midrash on the Langauge of Torah\,This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day\, This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings\, and This Precious Life: Encountering the Divine with Poetry and Prayer\, all published by CCAR Press. A regular contributor to Ritualwell and a member of the Ritualwell Immersion faculty\, his work is anthologized in more than 20 other volumes across the religious spectrum. Alden also contributes regularly to RavBlog\, ReformJudaism.org\, and the Times of Israel. He’s a three-time winner of the Peter Lisagor Award for Exemplary Journalism. Alden made aliyah to Jerusalem in 2012. See his work at www.tobendlight.com. Alden can be reached at alden@tobendlight.com. \n  \nAll sessions 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/recognizing-the-good-writing-jewish-prayers-and-poems-of-gratitude/2023-04-17/
CATEGORIES:Immersions
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230328T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230328T120000
DTSTAMP:20260403T165055
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
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