Jewish Yoga Teacher Training
With Diane Bloomfield and Rabbi Myriam Klotz
A new cohort of this institute will begin in February 2013. If you are already participating in the Jewish Yoga Teacher Training and would like to register for the final retreat being held February 15 - 20, 2012, click here.
For a taste of the Jewish Yoga Teacher Training, join Diane Bloomfield this summer for Torah Yoga, July 30 - August 5.
The Jewish Yoga Teacher Training is a transformational, eighteen month program that will provide instruction and certification for those who want to deepen and integrate their own teaching of yoga and Judaism.
The course of study includes four one-week retreat programs which begin Winter 2012, and interim periods for home-based study, teaching and practice in consultation with program instructors.
For those who find that working through our bodies with yoga can help open
the gates of spirituality within, and who seek to do so in a consciously Jewish
way, this program will provide tools to integrate yoga and Jewish spirituality
with depth and sustained focus.
Students will be guided throughout each facet of this program to grow as teachers
of both Judaism and of yoga. Most importantly, graduates of this program will
be able to teach a way for their students to access the depths of Jewish spirituality
through the wisdom and power of the physical body and the practice of hatha
yoga. In its primary focus on teaching a body-based approach to Jewish spirituality,
this program offers a unique training for those called to become teachers of
yoga and Jewish spirituality.
Diane Bloomfield is the the author of Torah Yoga: Experiencing Jewish Wisdom through Classic Postures, and the co-director, together with Rabbi Myriam Klotz, of the Jewish Yoga Teacher Training, co-sponsored with the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Diane lives in Jerusalem where she teaches ongoing Torah and Torah Yoga classes live and on the web. Diane has learned Torah since the early nineties in Yeshivas and with private Torah teachers. She is a certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor and a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist. She is also the director of the Torah Yoga Association.
Rabbi Myriam Klotz is a certified yoga teacher, teaching and studying Anusara, Iyengar and vinyasa methods, and a Phoenix Direction Yoga Therapist. She is the Director of Yoga and Lay Programs at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and a spiritual director at the Hebrew Union College and elsewhere. Myriam has written about embodiment and Jewish spiritual life in many venues, and her recordings include Preparing the Heart: Yoga for Jewish Spiritual Practice and In All Your Ways Know God: Beginning Yoga for Jewish Spiritual Practice.
When will we meet?
- Week 1: Winter 2013
- Week 2: Summer 2013
- Week 3: Winter 2013
- Week 4: Summer 2014
What will we study?
We focus on the aspects of Judaism that yoga teachers are most often called to explore when in Jewish settings:
- Jewish holy days
- the weekly Torah portion
- the Hebrew language
- Prayer
- Shabbat
- and more....
Each of these areas of study develops
Jewish literacy, providing a strong basis for
grounding yoga in a Jewish context.
In addition, we spend significant time learning
about middot, or inner qualities, that we will
want to embody as we teach. We reflect on
ourselves, understanding that cultivation of
the inner life and self-awareness are necessary
components of becoming a Jewish spiritual
teacher and leader.
We will address essential aspects of yoga
teaching and practice, and require regular and
rigorous study and practice both in one’s own
yoga practice, and in the art of teaching yoga.
How will we study?
Retreat Intensives
During each retreat, participants are immersed in yoga classes, partner work,
Torah learning, and we work progressively
towards more time teaching and leading
each other, with mentoring from instructors.
Between retreats, students work with
instructors to design a personalized plan
which includes regular yoga practice, Jewish
learning, partner study, and communication
and mentoring from the instructors.
Text study, Practice & Teaching
The interim periods are a core component
of this work: the integration of the essential
dimensions of learning take place upon
reflection and in regular practice. The retreat
intensives combined with the at-home
learning and involvement allow each person
to actualize their own synthesis of yoga and
Jewish spirituality — with integrity, depth,
and creativity.
Individualized Programs
Participants will receive guidance on
teaching Jewish spirituality through Jewish
yoga classes throughout this program.
Students will be encouraged and coached to
further their own growth in these areas, and
to create their own synthesis of yoga and
Jewish spirituality.
Who should apply?
This training program encourages those called to develop themselves as
teachers of an integrated practice of both Torah and yoga, to join and connect
with others who share that calling. Those with experience teaching yoga or Jewish
learning should apply. Those who hope to teach in these areas will also benefit from
the training. Diversity in approaches to both Judaism and yoga practice is honored.
Application forms will be posted in the Summer of 2009. All interested persons are
encouraged to apply and applications will be considered on an individual basis for
acceptance into the new cycle, scheduled to begin in the Summer of 2010.
How do I apply?
Please answer all of the questions on our online application
form.
Registration Information
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.
Economy Rooms: Daisy, Elm and Kaufman
Economy rooms have twin-sized beds and a shared bathroom in the hall.
| Economy Rooms |
Training Institute* |
| Double Occupancy |
570 |
| Single Occupancy |
866 |
*These rates include an Institute Administrative Fee.
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 |
Training Institute* |
Double Occupancy
with Shared Bath |
758 |
Double Occupancy
with Private Bath |
883 |
Single Occupancy
with Shared Bath |
1108 |
Single Occupancy
with Private Bath |
1308 |
*These rates include an Institute Administrative Fee.
Standard Plus Rooms: Weinberg
Our standard plus rooms have private bathrooms and queen-sized beds.
| Standard Plus Rooms |
Training Institute* |
| Double Occupancy |
1083 |
| Single Occupancy |
1618 |
*These rates include an Institute Administrative Fee.
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 |
Training Institute* |
| Each Commuter |
370 |
*These rates include an Institute Administrative Fee.
Financial Assistance
We strive to make our programs affordable to everyone. We provide limited scholarship funding of up to 30% of room and board fees for those in extreme financial need. 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 Room and Board Support. 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.
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.
