Program Options

Overview | Gathering Spaces | Accommodations | Dining
Program Options | Amenities | Surroundings

Isabella Freedman offers a wide variety of activities from which to choose. Our talented and dynamic staff can custom tailor any program for your retreat or special event. Sample programs are listed below. (Prices vary depending on the program, number of participants and length of activity.)

For more information, please contact David Weisberg at (800) 398-2630 ext 305 or by email at david@isabellafreedman.org.

Isabella Freedman Green Tour

From bamboo flooring to lightbulbs, from low flow toilets to solar panels, Isabella Freedman is a leading example of a green Jewish institution. Find out what we are doing (and what you can do) to lessen your carbon footprint.

Farm Tour

Bring your group down to the Sadeh, our five-acre vegetable field, to see where the vegetables begin! We can arrange a tour of the farm with our young Jewish farmers, who will introduce you to the wild and magical world of growing food in a Jewish context.

Barnyard Tour

We honor the biblical shepherds in our past as we practice tzar ba'alei chayim (kindness to animals) in our organic goat dairy. Meet our friendly herd, learn about the artisanal organic kosher goat cheese we make at Isabella Freedman and gain a new understanding of the historic similarities between Jews and goats!

Guided tour of our unique Jewish garden

Take a walk through our very own gan eden (Garden of Eden) with a naturalist who will explain the meaning and design of our special Jewish seed-saving garden.

Jewish Permaculture Tour

The Kaplan Family Farm is just a short walk from the Isabella Freedman campus. As you tour our organic fruit orchards, berry hedgerows, vegetable fields and compost-yard chickens, you will see how we are bringing the commandments in Genesis to life as we "till and tend" the land in ways that enable it to flourish for generations to come. Includes a special compost demonstration: Psalms teaches that “the stone that the builders overlooked will be the cornerstone of the third Temple.” We are turning ‘waste’ into valuable fertilizer for our fields — something you can learn to do in your own garden.

Service Learning on the Farm

Deepen your understanding of our food system and put your ecological values into action as you spend half a day lending a hand on our organic vegetable farm. Jewish tradition teaches us that we must work to repair the world: learn how we do this on our farm by using ecologically-restorative farming methods and cultivating a sense of awe and gratitude toward the natural world. No prior farm experience necessary.

Pickle-Making 101

At Isabella Freedman, we make organic kosher lacto-fermented products, including pickles and sauerkraut. Learn about the magic of fermentation as you follow the steps from cucumber to pickle. Participants will harvest and ferment their own jar of kosher dills (seasonal).

Goat Milking

We milk our herd of 14 does every morning and evening. Small groups of people can come watch, and even try their hand at this amazing process. Experience first-hand the partnership between people and goats, as we care for our herd and harvest delicious milk for our cheese making business.

Adamah Lectures

Many of the classes that are regularly taught in the Adamah Fellowship can be adapted for visiting groups. 90-minute lectures include topics such as Jewish learning, Ecology, Sustainable Agriculture, Permaculture, Eating Locally, Composting, Global Warming, Seed Saving, Food Preservation, Cheese Making, Cobb Oven, Bee Keeping, Leadership and Group Building, Meeting Facilitation, Active Listening and Non-Violent Communication.

Jewish Programming

Adjunct rabbis and other Jewish educators may be available to lead services, Torah discussions and other Jewish rituals. Please check for availability.