Torah Yoga:
Jewish Text Study and Iyengar Yoga

July 22 – 28, 2013

All-inclusive 6-night stay presented in partnership with the JCC in Manhattan

Experience the wonder of Torah study and the groundedness of yoga practice with Diane Bloomfield, whose teachings spring forth from her own deep learning in Jerusalem.

This 6-day course is part of an ongoing series of Torah Yoga retreats, each of which focuses on the teachings of a particular Torah master. Through the study of Jewish teachings and the practice of select yoga postures, we will dive into the inner world of body, mind, heart, and soul.

Each morning, Diane will lead a full Iyengar yoga practice that is integrated with a Jewish teaching. In each session, we will focus on a different family of thoughtfully sequenced yoga poses including standing poses, forward bends, baby back bends, and beginning inversions, so that throughout the week we will cover a wide and balanced range of poses. These yoga sessions are suitable for all levels of experience. Trained Torah Yoga assistants will be available to help individual students adapt the poses as needed.

Each afternoon, we will learn the Torah text from that morning's practice through classical shiurim (teacher-led Torah), group discussions, and traditional Jewish chevruta (study with a partner). Knowledge of Hebrew is not necessary because we will examine original Hebrew texts together with their English translations. At the end of each day, the afternoon Torah study sessions will be integrated back into a series of restorative yoga postures and breath work.

One of the most precious practices in the Jewish tradition is called Torah Lishma, the study of Torah for its own sake, with no other goal in mind. A primary goal of this course is for students to taste the sweetness of Torah Lishma. Adding yoga to Jewish learning adds a new and unique experiential dimension to Torah Lishma.

Whether they come as teachers, healers, rabbis, cantors, artists, therapists, dancers, or curious learners, students often leave a Torah Yoga retreat with a deep desire to share Torah Yoga with others as. Those who are already teaching Torah Yoga will find renewed inspiration and sources from the texts and translations brought to this retreat.

Requirements

No previous Torah study or yoga practice is required for participation in this retreat. All are welcome: newcomers to Torah Yoga, long-time practitioners, and alumni of the Yoga and Jewish Spirituality Teacher Training program.

Ongoing study and practice

After Torah Yoga retreats, students often continue their learning with Diane's weekly online course: Torah from Jerusalem. In addition, in response to the popularity of Diane's classes here and abroad, she is now planning a Torah Yoga retreat to be held in Israel in the spring of 2015. This special retreat will culminate Diane's current Torah Yoga series with the study of Rav Kook's teachings known as Torat Eretz Yisrael (The Torah of the Land of Israel).

Click here to see a sample daily schedule.

If you're new to Isabella Freedman, check out our Frequently Asked Questions for information about where we're located, arrival and departure times, what to bring, etc.

Diane Bloomfield is the the author of Torah Yoga: Experiencing Jewish Wisdom through Classic Postures. Diane lives in Jerusalem, where she teaches ongoing Torah and Torah Yoga classes, live and on the web. Diane has learned Torah since the mid-eighties in yeshivas and with private teachers. She is currently studying the works of Sfat Emet, The Maharal of Prague, The Piazetzner Rebbe, and Rav Kook. Diane is a certified Junior level Iyengar Instructor and a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist and has helped train new Torah Yoga teachers for the last 8 years. For more information, visit torahyoga.org.

Julie Emden will teach the 7 am Torah Yoga sessions, and will assist Diane during this workshop. Julie is a graduate of teaching certification programs in Iyengar-based yoga from the Advanced Studies Program at the Yoga Room in Berkeley; in Torah Yoga and in Dance Midrash from the Elat Chayyim Center for Jewish Spirituality; and in Movement-based Expressive Arts Education and Therapy from Tamalpa Institute. She directs the Embodied Learning Initiative at Jewish LearningWorks in San Francisco, teaches yoga with the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and co-facilitates Sacred Dance Circles in Berkeley, CA.

Arthur Kurzweil will be guest teaching during Torah Yoga. A teacher, writer, publisher, and performing magician, Arthur is the author of several books including On the Road with Rabbi Steinsaltz and Kabbalah for Dummies.

Shelley Levine is delighted to be a part of this Torah Yoga workshop, assisting Diane and offering the evening yoga sessions. She has practiced yoga for over 15 years and has taught for the past 6 years. She is a graduate of both the Yoga and Jewish Spirituality Teacher Training and a 300-hour Teacher Training in Montclair, NJ. She is currently enrolled in Gary Kraftsow's Viniyoga 500-hour Therapeutic Teacher Training. Shelley teaches yoga to veterans with chronic back pain and trauma and also teaches at the Jewish Meditation Center of Montclair, NJ, at Romemu in NYC, and has given workshops and taught in the Tri-state area and Israel. Prior to teaching yoga, she worked in health planning and as an advocate for the elderly.

Nancy Wolfson-Moche is a nourishment educator, counselor and writer guiding people in improving their health and well-being through making informed diet and lifestyle choices. She teaches food awareness and cooking workshops for adults and is a faculty member at the Jewish Journey Project at the JCC Manhattan. She has practiced yoga for over 30 years and is a graduate of the Yoga and Jewish Spirituality training.

Registration Information

Use Discount Code EARLY when you register by June 23rd and save $25.

All-inclusive rates start at $724 per person. Click the purple button to the right for information, rates, and to register online. Online registration is for full credit card payments only. If you would like to pay in installments, pay by check, or apply approved financial aid, please call 800.398.2630 x4. Please review our lodging options and rates prior to calling.

You will receive a confirmation email once you have registered and made a payment online or by phone. If you do not receive the confirmation email within 24 hours of registering, please call us at 800.398.2630 x4.

We strive to make our programs affordable to everyone. Click here for information about Financial Aid.