Jewish Learning Retreats

Sukkot is the most underappreciated holiday! The Jewish harvest festival compels us to have dinner parties with our friends outside and celebrate, what could be better? With practices to eat and sleep in the sukkah, how do we create space to connect with each other in this age of technology, which has the unintended consequence of making us feel isolated? What roles does technology play in our daily lives, both positive and negative? How does technology enable us to connect with others, or conversely, prevent us from creating deep human connection? You will leave this retreat empowered to create an intentional Sukkot experience for your community and more equipped to navigate the challenges that technology plays in our daily life and in Jewish communal life.

Have you ever wanted to spend Shabbat under the stars? This is your chance! With professional outdoor guides, we will venture into the wilderness of the Nantahala National Forest and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for an amazing weekend of hiking, river rafting, and exploring the Smoky Mountains. We will also explore the intersection of Judaism and the environment at this critical juncture in the health of our planet. Join us for an incredible Shabbat of a shared outdoor experience that you won't forget.

How can we better include communities that are underrepresented in Jewish spaces? These communities include but are not limited to people with disabilities, Jews of Color, Jews from one-Jewish-parent households, LGBTQ folks, those with differing religious observance or political views than ourselves, and the list goes on. We will explore the questions: Is it possible to create a truly pluralistic space, for all of these groups? What work has already been done in the Jewish community on including these groups, and how can we build off of it in the next decade and beyond? You will leave this retreat with actionable skills to make your community a more open space for all.

Shabbat: the most frequent holiday on the Jewish calendar. For many of us, Shabbat is also an opportunity to decompress/disconnect from our regular life: work, family, social and financial responsibilities, the list goes on. How do we balance the need to create community on Shabbat though meals, song and celebration with our simultaneous need to decompress? Using Marie Kondo’s philosophy of “Spark Joy” we will examine our own Shabbat practices and share ideas for enhancing them back in our home communities!

Retreatology is the premier training in the art of Jewish Retreat-Making. Participants (or “Retreatologists”) learn how to create a Jewish gathering for their friends and community from start to finish. From goal-setting to venue selection to experience design, we cover it all. We are looking for community builders, creatives, and people who dream big! Retreatologists are eligible for a grant of up to $5,000 to plan and execute the Jewish learning retreat they have always dreamed of creating. Whether it’s creative writing, Jewish mindfulness, Jewish food or Torah yoga, Retreatology and Moishe House are here to make it possible.

Home plays a central role in our lives, it is where we receive an understanding of who we are, why we are the way we are and how we differ from our Jewish-American or American peers. What are these unique features? How do they make us special? How can these shared values and common traditions make our community closer and stronger? These are just some of the questions we are going to explore. We want to hear your voices, discuss and research together some aspects of RSJ culture such as: material culture (what makes a Jewish home Jewish), storytelling (Jewish classical text, modern RSJ voices, stories from participants), common foods and holidays (the RSJ-take), music & songs, and RSJ folklore. Our retreat is going to be an exploration of Jewish topics, learning Jewish classical and modern texts, experiencing traditions (Shabbat/Havdalah) and having a great time together! Bring yourself and we will take care of the rest!

We exist in a precarious time for our environment and planet. What does Judaism say about our role as caretakers for our planet? Together we’ll use the models of environmentalism and permaculture as lenses through which we can make everyday decisions about our role in consumption culture, our carbon footprint, and our Jewish responsibility to heal and care for the planet. You’ll come home from this retreat with new and innovative ideas to bring your community together and get them outside!