Developing a Contemplative Practice

July 26 - August 1, 2010

Co-sponsored by the
Jewish Meditation Center of Brooklyn

Would you like to be able to slow down and find that quiet, still place in the routine of your daily life? This course — conveniently set up as a series of elective workshops — will give you the tools to do just that, whether you are new to or familiar with meditation and contemplative practice.

We’ve assembled a diverse faculty to help you explore the many aspects of contemplative practice. Each day, you’ll be able to choose from several 1 ½ hour workshops, some led by one teacher and some led in collaboration between two or more teachers. If you have a favorite teacher or want to delve deeply into one particular topic, you may choose to spend the whole week learning with one teacher, or deepening your knowledge in one area. Or, if you want to broaden your knowledge in several areas, feel free to learn with many teachers, about many topics.

A final workshop schedule will be available at the retreat so that you can plan your week according to what you want to learn, at your own pace. The faculty bios below include a list of topics that each teacher will cover as part of their workshops.

Teachers and Topics

Yofiyah (Susan Deikman), MFA, is the founder of Hebrew or Kabbalistic Kirtan, an ecstatic kabbalistic practice based on the chanting of sacred Hebrew texts and Names of God. She is also the creator of Vocal Discovery, a unique method for personal transformation and community building, using the power of sound and song; and the Tone Deaf Choir, helping self-defined non-singers learn to sing. A leader in the international Music for People organization, Yofiyah uses her skills as a voice teacher, artist, and improvisational musician to create a safe, welcoming, and spiritually challenging environment for finding and freeing your authentic voice. During this retreat, Yofiyah will share her kirtan-inspired chanting.

Chazzan Micha’el Esformes travels widely, offering music, mystic and meditation workshops, performing in concert, celebrating renewal worship services and ceremonies, and engaging the ecumenical and spiritual direction conversations. In his workshops, Micha’el will explore the birth of sound from silence, the intimate breath, the moment of chant, the resonance of sounding, toning up in good company and adventuring in simple improv. His classes offer a feast for the ear, an exploratorium for the voice and a haven for the soul.

Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Kiener is the director of the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network and rabbi of Congregation Pnai Or of Central Connecticut. Andrea is the biological mom of four and the foster mom of a family member. She is the translator of Conscious Community by Reb Kalanymous Kalman Shapira and has written books about teaching both prayer and communication skills in Hebrew school settings. Andrea is a cancer survivor and a divorcee; she is making lemonade. Andrea's workshops during this week will focus on everyday Jewish contemplative practices.

Rabbi Jonah Chanan Steinberg, PhD. is an associate dean of the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College. He received his doctorate from the Religion Department of Columbia University, and has taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies of the American Jewish University, and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. He also received the New Scholar Award from the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion. Featuring early rabbinic texts on spiritual exploration, Rabbi Steinberg's sessions will offer the home-base of a Beit Midrash (a study hall, or "house of searching"), accessible to all, in which we will cultivate shared learning (havruta) as a mindful, spiritual pursuit. The sessions will provide an undercurrent of ancient concepts, teachings and narratives that can help inform and deepen contemplative practice.

Alison Laichter is the co-founder and executive director of the Jewish Meditation Center of Brooklyn. Alison is a teacher, urban planner, community organizer and Brooklynite. She has practiced meditation extensively in the Himalayan and Santa Cruz mountains, studied with teachers at Chochmat Ha Lev Jewish Meditation Center in Berkeley, CA, Elat Chayyim in Accord, NY and Isabella Freedman in Falls Village, CT. She has taught religious school in Oakland and New York City, co-piloted a meditation and stress-management program in NYC public schools, and led meditation classes in Israel. Alison is a recipient of the Joshua Venture Group Dual Investment Program, a two-year fellowship for Jewish social entrepreneurs. She teaches regularly at JMC sits and events and has extensive experience teaching classes and facilitating workshops on meditation for students of all ages throughout the world. Alison's classes during this retreat will focus on integrating Jewish meditation into daily life and how to start and sustain a personal practice at home.

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Registration Information

The program fee for this retreat is $400. Fees are per person, and do not include the cost of Room and Board (below). We strive to make our programs affordable to everyone. For information about Financial Aid, please see below.

You will receive a confirmation email once you have registered and made a payment online or by phone. If you do not receive this email within 24 hours of registering, please call us at (800) 398-2630 ext. 4.

Room and Board

Our goal is to help you feel at home while on retreat. We provide you with comfortable accommodations in a beautiful, natural setting and three homemade meals prepared each day with your health and well-being in mind.

Room and board rates are per person and include housing, meals and full use of our facility. To calculate the cost of your stay, add the program fee above and your room and board rate below.

We offer a variety of housing accommodations that enable individuals with a wide range of financial capabilities to participate in our programs. All rooms are air-conditioned in the summer, heated in the winter, and simply decorated in a country style without modern multimedia distractions.

Rooms are available as single or double occupancy, with private, shared, or hall bathrooms. If you are coming alone and request a shared room, you will be paired with a roommate of the same gender. Please note, however, that some cabins and shared bathrooms may be co-ed.

For children's rates as well as commuting and tenting options, please see below.

Standard Plus Rooms: Weinberg, May

Standard plus rooms have private bathrooms and are available with either two queen-sized beds or three twin-sized beds.

Standard Plus Rooms	Six Nights
Single Occupancy	1560
Double Occupancy	960

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Standard Rooms: Scheuer, Pine, Cedar, Maple, Blue Heron

Standard rooms have either a private bathroom or a bathroom shared with one other room. Most standard rooms have twin-sized beds; queen-sized beds may be available on a limited basis.

Standard Rooms	Six Nights
Single Occupancy with Private Bath	1350
Single Occupancy with Shared Bath	1080
Double Occupancy with Private Bath	810
Double Occupancy with Shared Bath	660

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Economy Rooms: Elm, Kaufman

Economy rooms have twin-sized beds and a shared bathroom in the hall.

Economy Rooms	Six Nights
Single Occupancy	870
Double Occupancy	510

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Camping

Campers supply their own tents and equipment and have access to bathrooms and showers. Camping fee includes all meals and snacks, use of the facility and its amenities, and participation in any open programming provided, such as meditation, yoga or non-holiday prayer.

Camping Rates	Six Nights
Each Camper	390

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Commuter

The commuter fee includes all meals and snacks, use of the facility and its amenities, and participation in any open programming provided, such as such as meditation, yoga or non-holiday prayer.

Commuter Rates	Six Nights
Each Commuter	330

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Children's Rates

There is no charge for infants and children ages 3 and under. Children ages 4–17 must share a room with at least one parent or guardian. Young adults ages 18 and above must pay the regular rates.

Children's Rates	Six Nights
Each Child	390

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Financial Assistance

One of our core values is that our programs should be accessible to everyone. We provide limited financial aid for Room and Board fees. This financial support is only available for dormitory rooms with hall baths and economy rooms for couples and families. If you would like to request financial support, please complete the Application for Financial Aid. In your request, please consider that we have a limited pool of resources.

All requests must be received at least three weeks prior to the retreat.

Please note that we are not able to make any refunds in order to grant an aid request. If you choose to register prior to being awarded aid, and your remaining balance is less than the aid award, you will forfeit any award in excess of your outstanding balance.

Please support our ability to continue to provide financial aid by making a donation online or by calling 800.398.2630.

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Cancellation Policy

Payments made will be refunded in full (less a $50 processing fee) if you cancel more than 14 days prior to your arrival. If you cancel between 13 days and 72 hours prior to a retreat for which you have registered, a non-refundable, non-transferable credit (less a $50 processing fee) will be held for one year from the date of issue. No credit or refund is available if you cancel within 72 hours of a retreat or on the retreat arrival day, if you do not show up, or if you leave a retreat early for any reason.

Isabella Freedman reserves the right to cancel any program at any time. In the event of such a cancellation, you will receive a complete refund.

Inclement Weather: Isabella Freedman reserves the right to cancel a retreat due to inclement weather if, in its judgment, it will be unable to operate safely. In the event of such a cancellation, a full refund will be made to all registrants. In the event that the retreat proceeds as scheduled, no refund or credit will be available.

Shuttle and Transportation Fees: A full transportation refund is available if you cancel a transportation reservation at least 3 days (72 hours) in advance. No refund is available if less than 3 days notice is given.

Training Institutes: If you are participating in a two-year training institute and you miss or cancel one of the weeklong retreat sessions, your room and board fee will be refunded according to the policy above, but the program fee for a missed or cancelled retreat session is still due. Withdrawal is permitted only after the first retreat session. If you withdraw from a training institute after the first retreat session, or if you are asked by faculty to leave the institute, you will receive a full refund on your program fee for any remaining pre-paid retreats.

Travel Insurance: We recommend you contact your travel agent to purchase travel insurance in the event that you need to cancel or change your travel plans.

Exceptions: Exceptions to these policies may be available in the event of severe weather emergencies or the death of a close family member. To request a non-transferable credit for one of these reasons, please submit a written request to registrar@isabellafreedman.org no more than three days after the start of the event.