Awakening to What Is

Silent Meditation Retreat

December 19 - 26, 2010

Whether you are a beginning or advanced student of meditation, deepen your moment-to-moment awareness in the “friendly” silence at this longtime popular retreat. Enjoy peace of mind and awaken to the boundless nature of “being present” through silent sitting, chanting, walking meditations, insight dialogue and inquiry, and wisdom teaching from Zoharic, Hasidic, Zen and Dzogchen sources.

Teachers

Rabbi David Cooper is the author of many books, including The Handbook of Jewish Meditation Practices, God is a Verb and Ecstatic Kabbalah. He has also published a number of audio-sets, including Songs of Prayer and Silence, which he co-produced with his wife, Shoshana Cooper. Rabbi Cooper has led workshops and retreats in the US, Israel, Holland, Poland, New Zealand and Australia. His teachings offer a Jewish perspective that is complemented by the wisdom of other schools including Sufism, Zen and Tibetan Buddhism.

Shoshana Cooper is an artist, Tea Ceremony teacher, meditation instructor, composer and former nursing instructor. Shoshana has become a leader in the growing popularity of Jewish Meditation. She and her husband David taught at the Jewish Renewal Kallah for twelve years and they lived in the Old City of Jerusalem for the previous eight years. Together they produced the CD Songs of Prayer and Silence.

Eliezer Sobel is a certified teacher of the 5 Rhythms™, which he offers as part of the biannual meditation retreats with David and Shoshana Cooper. He is a musician and the author of Wild Heart Dancing, The 99th Monkey and Minyan: Ten Jewish Men in a World that is Heartbroken, winner of the Peter Taylor Prize for the Novel.

Registration Information

Program Fees

The program fee for this retreat is by donation.

Room and Board

Room and board includes housing, meals, evening activities, yoga, meditation and full use of our facility. All rooms are air-conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter. Adults fees apply to ages 18 and higher. Children's rates apply to ages 4 - 17. Rates are per person, and include all meals. For double or triple occupancy, you may either request a roommate, or be matched with one by our staff.

Economy Rooms: Daisy, Elm and Kaufman

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

Economy Rooms	Seven Nights
Triple Occupancy	476
Double Occupancy	595
Single Occupancy	1008

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

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

Standard Rooms	Seven Nights
Triple Occupancy with Private Bath	770
Double Occupancy with Shared Bath	770
Double Occupancy with Private Bath	945
Single Occupancy with Shared Bath	1260
Single Occupancy with Private Bath	1540

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Standard Plus Rooms: Weinberg

Our standard plus rooms have private bathrooms and queen-sized beds.

Standard Plus Rooms	Seven Nights
Double Occupancy	1050
Single Occupancy	1799

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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	Seven Nights
Each Camper	455

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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	Seven Nights
Each Commuter	315

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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	Seven Nights
Each Child	315

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Financial Assistance

We strive to make our programs affordable to everyone. We provide limited financial aid of up to 50% off 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. We are committed to helping you in any we can, and we ask you to help us help others by limiting your request to your genuine need.

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.

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 credit (less a $50 processing fee) will be held for one year from the date of issue. This credit is non-transferable. 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 cancellation, you will be given 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.