Kallah broch. 05 - Aleph

Welcome to the 2011 ALEPH Kallah! 

About the Kallah Page 2 

Morning Classes Page 4 

Afternoon Classes Page 10 

Important Information Page 16 

Registration form 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Inside back cover 

About This Kallah — 

Or Chadash: Enrich, Inspire, and Brighten 

Your Jewish Path 

Every ALEPH Kallah aspires to this year’s vision of lighting 

your spiritual life afire and energizing your relationship with 

Judaism and with G!d. This year, as the urgency around 

healing the planet, finding new paths to peace, and being a 

beacon of joy and justice feels especially poignant, join us for a 

glorious week whose nourishment, insight and power we know 

you will draw upon for years to come. 

Who Comes to the Kallah 

Religious background and current practice run from a to z 

(assimilated to zealous!); singles, couples and families with and 

without children; GLBT and straight; healers, teachers, artists, 

authors, information technologists, mothers, judges, students, 

religious leaders, consultants, accountants, business owners, 

designers, fundraisers, and mediators and more. 

Everyone comes to the Kallah for a different reason: 

community; rediscovering Judaism; experiencing Jewish 

Renewal; a specific teacher; spirituality; 

learning in general; davvening 

(prayer); meeting a lifemate/ 

soulmate…the list goes on. 

Whatever YOUR reason, we hope 

that you join us at the Kallah. 

Davvenen (Prayer) Diverse 

morning and evening davvenen 

experiences are highlights of the 

week. Check out a creative and 

traditional minyan or choose a 

chant, meditation, yoga or other 

offering. If you are a rabbi or lay leader interested 

in leading davvenen, please contact Mark Novak by April 1 

(see box, page 15). 

University of Redlands 

Kallah Dining: Lechem HaNefesh— 

Bread for the Soul, Food for Life 

We will be treated to three daily meals from Redlands’s awardwinning 

dining services. They offer a delicious local, organic 

and kosher parve fish/dairy/vegetarian/ vegan menu. They are 

willing to accommodate most food allergies or other special 

dietary needs. (Please be sure to mark it in the space indicated 

on the registration form.) 

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Classes Morning and afternoon classes feature master 

teachers offering beginning, advanced and professional level 

courses. Select one morning course and one afternoon course 

for the week plus two alternates (in case the first choice is full) 

for each. Courses fill on a first-come, first-served basis. Some fill 

very quickly, so the earlier you register, the more likely you are 

to receive your first choice. 

Al Regel Achat: The Rebbe Is In Every afternoon after 

lunch and before the afternoon session we offer programming 

to provide information, advice or ideas about some aspect of 

ALEPH and Jewish Renewal. 

Choirs The musical sparks will be flying at the 2011 ALEPH 

Kallah! This year we have many and varied opportunities for 

music and song. We are fortunate to again welcome Chazzanit 

Linda Hirschhorn, and, our “Jospel”/Jewish Gospel Choir, led 

by Sharon Alexander. Please indicate your interest in any of 

these groups on the registration form. 

Cabaret & Evening Showcase The Cabaret and Evening 

Showcase always amaze us with the depth and breadth of 

creativity and brilliant talent at the Kallah. If you are in that 

number, look for the application on our website at 

www.aleph.org/kallah.htm. Please send your completed 

application in by April 15. Please contact Deb Barsel at 

dbarsel@gmail.com with any questions. 

Tikkun Olam Every year we pay more attention to how to 

give back to the community. When you arrive on campus look 

for information about our special project this year. 

Artist Shuk/Bookstore The Kallah 

Artist Shuk/Bookstore will be selling 

beautiful Judaic art as well as books, 

CDs, and DVDs all week. Artists, 

musicians, authors, and filmmakers 

contact Gayle Gale at kfpeace@aol.com. 

More information and application 

materials can be found on our website 

www.aleph.org/kallah.htm. Deadline is 

May 15. 

Healing Center Treat yourself to a massage therapist, 

acupuncturist, spiritual director and more! 

Healers can “earn and learn” while attending Kallah. For 

more information contact Lynda Danzig at 

lbdanzig@hotmail.com before May 1 (see box, page 15). 

Special Group Advocacy We work hard to make sure that 

everybody feels included and visible at the Kallah. We have 

identified four groups that warrant special attention and will 

have special advocates for: people in their 20s and early 

30s (Kesher), elders, the GLBT community, and those with a 

disability. Feel free to contact the advocates listed in the 

contact box on page 15).

Kids’ Kallah This year’s Kids’ Kallah will be directed again 

by Joanie Levine and Yehudah Winter of P’nai Or, Portland, 

along with returning and new talented staff. Multi-age groups 

from 5 to 12 will enjoy art, theater, singing, 

swimming and more. Kids will have their own 

opportunity to create community and to focus 

on the Kallah theme, and will culminate in an 

All-Ages Shabbat Davvenen and special theatrical 

performance, written and directed again by 

playwright Ezra LeBank. 

A toddler daycare program, (ages 1- 5) as 

well as evening babysitting will also be available. 

Please be sure to contact us if you have a 

child with special needs. We will do our best to 

plan so that everyone is a part of the group. 

We still have a few staff positions available. 

If you are experienced in working with children 

and are interested, please contact Joanie Levine 

(503-287-8737; jlevinehummingbird@yahoo.com). 

Please note: All children ages 

1-12 MUST be pre-registered for Kids’ Kallah by 

June 1. 

Kallah’s Bechira Teen Program After an incredibly 

successful first year in 2009, The Bechira Teen Program returns 

for ages 13 though 16. Teens will be guided through the 

wilderness to gain insight into their own life journeys through 

self-awareness and group building activities, Jewish teachings, 

and earth connection. We will spend four days on a camping 

trip, learning wild plant identification and usage, basketry, 

hiking, and campfire cooking. There will be together and 

separate male/female time as well as space for quietude and 

personal connection to nature. Teens will return to their 

families for Shabbat at Kallah. Bechira (choice) represents the 

conscious choices that each of us must make. As the outer 

natural world reveals our inner natures, teens will return with a 

renewed perspective on Judaism, the earth, and themselves. 

The Bechira Teen Leadership Development Program 

Bechira also offers a Leadership Development Program for 

older teens. Older teens and young adults, ages 17-21, will 

have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, and 

provide role modeling for the younger teens. This program has 

slots for Leaders-in-Training (LITs) who are excited about being 

part of a team and are comfortable with camping and the 

outdoors. Please email Sarai Shapiro (sarai510@gmail.com) by 

March 15 if you are interested in applying. 

The Kesher (Connection) Program 

Building Community, Empowering Young Leaders 

Young Adults are invited to participate in the Kesher program 

and attend a pre-Kallah Sunday intensive focused on this year's 

theme, Or Chadash — Enrich, Inspire, and Brighten Your 

Jewish Path. You will also have the opportunity to lead and 

participate in special peer designed programming in addition 

to regular activities throughout the Kallah. 

If you are between the ages of 20 and 34 and would like 

more information about Kesher, please contact Stacey 

Bhaerman at sbhaerman@gmail.com or at 917-553-1136. 

3 

Kesherites in their 20’s are also eligible to receive scholarship 

money. Applications for Kesher can be found on our website 

and are due May 1. 

Attention everyone! Our goal is to raise 

scholarship money (tuition and travel) for 

approximately 20 Kesherites. To make a 

donation to this program, you can include it 

directly on your registration form (see inside 

back page). Thank you! 

Auction ALEPH will be holding our fourth live 

and silent AUCTION at this Kallah! If you have 

an item you would like to donate, THANK 

YOU! Please contact Rivkah Walton at alephinfo@aleph.org 

to fill her in on the details. New 

books, CDs, DVDs, jewelry, Judaica, art, 

clothing, spiritual tools (amulets, incense, 

essential oils, candles, etc.) are all welcome! 

ABOUT ALEPH www.aleph.org 

ALEPH and Jewish Renewal are trans-denominational and 

inclusive, welcoming everyone with a Jewish soul. Our practice 

combines ancient and modern Jewish wisdom, integrating our 

devotional and mystical traditions with a progressive, 

egalitarian consciousness. 

ALEPH serves our growing spiritual community by 

• Supporting ALEPH-affiliated communities around the world 

• Providing a retreats through this Caravans, this Kallah, 

Ruach Ha Aretz (www.ruachhaaretz.com) and other special 

events 

• Initiating and participating in tikkun olam ventures in areas 

of concern to our members 

ALEPH serves spiritual seekers through 

• Hosting email announcement and discussion lists 

• The ALEPH Sage-ing Project 

• The Kesher program 

• The ALEPH Bet Midrash’s on line resources and conference 

call classes 

• C-DEEP, the Center for Devotional Energy and Ecstatic 

Practices (www.rabbishefagold.com) 

• Birthright/Taglit trips to Israel for 18-26 year olds 

• Adult Israel trips 

ALEPH serves spiritual leadership through 

• The ALEPH Rabbinic, Cantorial, Rabbinic Pastor and 

Hashpa’ah Programs (www.aleph.org/ordination.html) 

• OHALAH: The Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal 

(http://www.ohalah.org)

Special Pre-Kallah Conference: 

Enhance the Life of Your Community! 

(Exclusively for ALEPH Community Affiliates) 

TUITION: $100 (includes Sunday night dinner and lodging) 

If you are on the board or otherwise in the leadership 

cadre of an ALEPH Affiliated Community you won’t want 

to miss this opportunity to network, study, pray, celebrate 

and hone your skills and knowledge in areas like: building 

financial sustainability, activating and inspiring 

volunteers, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of 

your board, building a stronger youth presence in your 

community, building Jewish Renewal’s presence in your 

locale as you strengthen your congregation/havurah, 

working with the media and grappling with delicate 

issues. Those who register by May 1 will be surveyed and 

the agenda will reflect what YOU want it to be!! 

We'll meet in three sessions: Sunday afternoon from 2 

until 5 pm, Sunday evening from 7-9 pm and Monday 

morning, June 28 from 9 until 12 noon. There will be a 

mix of training led by ALEPH’s Executive Director (and 20 

year community organizing veteran) on topics of YOUR 

choice plus peer facilitated sessions where you can: lead a 

deep discussion on a hot topic, lead folks through an 

experience that has proven successful for your board or 

volunteers in building your community or train your 

colleagues on a technique that has transformed the life of 

your community. Prayer, chant, movement, blessing and 

silence will be woven throughout the conference. 

Please be sure to register by June 1 because 

the event will be cancelled if we get fewer than 8 

participants. 

M O R N I N G C L A S S E S 

A10 The Power of Intention 

Rabbi Shefa Gold 

(Sponsored by C-DEEP, Center for Devotional, Energy and Ecstatic 

Practice, an ALEPH Project) 

In this class, we’ll explore the Power of Intention through 

practices of chant, imagination, self-awareness and an 

examination of how thought influences the powers of 

presence, perception and creativity. We’ll unlock the treasures 

of Torah and liturgy, and learn how to use the sacred phrase to 

cultivate receptivity, generosity, compassion and courage as we 

walk the path of Service and Self-Realization. Along the way 

we’ll open up a dialogue with resistance, and develop strategies 

to evolve our spiritual practice. 

Rabbi Shefa Gold received her ordination both from the 

Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and from Rabbi Zalman 

Schachter-Shalomi. She is the director of C-DEEP, The Center for 

Devotional, Energy and Ecstatic Practice and author of Torah 

Journeys: The Inner Path to the Promised Land and In the 

Fever of Love: An Illumination of the Song of Songs. 

www.RabbiShefaGold.com 

A11 Or Penimi – The Light Within: Enriching and 

Enhancing the Use of Personal Narrative in Our 

Teaching 

Rabbi Dan Goldblatt and Charlie Varon 

(Sponsored by OHALAH, Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal, 

an ALEPH Project) 

As rabbis and teachers, we will tell a 

ADVANCED CLASS 

thousand stories in the course of our 

careers. These stories have the power to 

open hearts, deepen thought, shape community. There 

is an art to “receiving” the stories one tells, and a craft 

to shaping and presenting those personal stories. 

This workshop is a practicum in the art and craft 

of storytelling, led jointly by a rabbi and a playwright. 

Participants will develop three teachings that include 

personal stories. We will use a theatrical model of 

developing work in a creative, supportive setting to 

help each participant discover their unique storytelling 

artistry. Note: This class is intended to be 3 hours 

a day. 

Rabbi Dan Goldblatt has served Beth Chaim 

Congregation in Danville, California for the past 18 years. 

He was Artistic Director of Tzavta Jerusalem and was a 

director of film and theater in the Bay Area for more than a 

decade. www.bethchaim.com 

Award-winning playwright, performer and director 

Charlie Varon has also coached rabbis on their sermons 

and given divrei torah for his congregation. His play Rabbi Sam was 

named one of the 10 best plays of 2009 by the San Francisco 

Chronicle. www.charlievaron.com 

4 M O R N I N G C L A S S E S

A12 L’Shem Yichud: The Path of Relationship… 

One and One Makes Three 

Rabbi Nadya Gross & Rabbi Victor Gross 

(Sponsored by Ruach Ha Aretz, an ALEPH Project) 

Relationship is a metaphor for letting God in. According to our 

received wisdom tradition, God’s ultimate objective in creating 

the world was to be in relationship with Other, thus 

completing God’s Self; and for that to be possible, God had to 

contract Her Light to make room for the heavens and the earth 

and all its inhabitants. Thus, we learn that only in relationship 

can we achieve wholeness/oneness, and our task is to make 

room for the other to show up. Through sacred story, process 

and practical exercises, we will learn the how-to’s of Relationship 

as Spiritual Practice. 

Rabbis Nadya and Victor Gross have been sharing their 

life’s path for more than 37 years, working together to bring 

awareness and shine a new light on right relationship with God and 

God’s creation. Their unique partnership was recognized by Reb 

Zalman with a joint Rabbinic Ordination. www.ruachhaaretz.com 

A13 A New Light: Spiritual Ripening in All Our Years 

Rabbi Shaya Isenberg & Bahira Sugarman ALEPH Sage-ing ® 

Mentorship 

(Co-sponsored by the ALEPH Sage-ing ® Mentorship Program) 

The Sage-ing journey empowers us to 

discover the special kedushah/holiness of our 

life cycle. The class offers powerful contemplative 

tools for gathering and giving 

expression to the wisdom of our ripening 

lives. We teach specific skills and knowledge, 

which empower us to harvest the wisdom of 

our life experience to enrich the present 

moment; face our mortality and learn from 

it; mature in our relationships and in our 

communities; develop a regenerative spirit; 

and take active leadership roles in society. 

This intergenerational class entwines journal 

writing exercises, text study, interactive and 

individual meditations, and group sharing. 

This course serves as Part One of the 

ALEPH Sage-ing ® Mentorship Training 

Program. Also, course credit for 

ALEPH smicha students is available. 

Rabbi Shaya Isenberg, past chair of the Department of 

Religion at the University of Florida, teaches Jewish mysticism and 

comparative spirituality. He is co-founder and co-director of UF’s 

Center for Spirituality and Health. He serves as Rabbi for P’nai Or 

Gainesville and is faculty of the ALEPH Rabbinical and Spiritual 

Direction programs. 

Bahira Sugarman, a traditional Reiki Master, is ordained 

as a spiritual guide and has been celebrated as an Eyshet Hazon. 

Licensed as a clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, 

and a massage therapist, she teaches T’ai Chi Chuan and Reiki and 

has a private practice. 

Rabbi Shaya and Bahira are senior faculty emeritus of the 

Spiritual Eldering Institute and co-founders directing the ALEPH 

Sage-ing ® Project. www.ruachhaaretz.com 

M O R N I N G C L A S S E S 5 

A14 DEVEKUT: Mystical Union in the Teachings 

of the Ba’al Shem Tov 

Rabbi Burt Jacobson 

(Sponsored by the ALEPH Rabbinic Program; 

for smicha credit) 

INTERMEDIATE/ 


Devekut was the source and center of 

the Ba’al Shem’s spiritual power. His 

vision of the world filled with Divine glory flowed out of 

his experience of ecstatic union with the Divine. In this 

class a master teacher of the Besht will guide you through 

the methods of textual inquiry that will enable you to 

uncover the historic and the contemporary meaning of key 

Hasidic texts in Hebrew. You will discover new ways to 

connect the Besht’s teachings to your life and develop your 

skills at teaching Hasidic sources to adults. The course will 

blend niggun, meditation, lecture, hevruta study, lively 

discussion, and creative writing. Note: This class will meet 

for for an extra hour each day (3 hours/class). All 

students should be willing to work with original 

Hasidic texts without vowels in Hebrew. All 

students will receive materials to study in advance 

of the Kallah, and there will be followup requirements 

for receiving credit. 

Rabbi Burt Jacobson was a student of Abraham 

Joshua Heschel and Arthur Green. He is a student 

of the Ba’al Shem Tov and is completing a book 

that focuses on the identity, mission and message 

of the founder of Hasidism. 

A15 B’Chol Nafshecha B’Chol M’odecha – 

With All Your Breath, With All You Have In 

You: A Master Class in The Art of the 

Hazzan 

Hazzan Jack Kessler 

(Sponsored by the ALEPH Cantorial Program) 

Come join a voyage into the song of davennen: the 

blend of voice and modal melody that combine in 

the art of Jewish prayer. Use your voice and 

musical creativity to tap your inner sources of 

power and validation. Employing traditional 

nusach, the musical language of prayer, you will 

explore how the human voice becomes a channel for the 

Divine. 

This ‘master-class’ style course blends fun group vocal 

exercises and singing with individualized vocal coaching. 

Whether you are an advanced singer or a beginner who hopes 

to lead song and prayer with greater vocal clarity, this course 

can give you the kind of coaching you need. 

Hazzan Jack was ordained as a Cantor at JTS, and had a 

twenty-year congregational career. He earned a Master’s degree in 

voice from Boston Conservatory studied composition at Brandeis U. 

He directs the ALEPH Cantorial Program, and two touring 

ensembles: ATZILUT– CONCERTS FOR PEACE, and KLINGON 

KLEZMER.

A16 Reflecting the Holy: Enneagram, 

Kabbalah and the Higher Ideas 

Rabbi Howard Avruhm Addison and 

Hannah Nathans 

Tomer Devorah summons us to align ourselves 

with the Divine attributes. Yet how can we 

identify our disfiguring passions, then 

transform them into radiant manifestations of 

the Holy 

The Enneagram is a system of psychospiritual 

transformation which shares common 

roots with Kabbalah. It offers a profound 

understanding of ourselves and others, the 

passions underlying our motives and the corresponding 

Higher Ideas which our mystical 

tradition calls us to embody. Through classical 

textual study and group exercises, combined 

with contemplative and behavioral practice, 

we will explore how we can transform 

ourselves, deepen our relationships and reflect 

the Holy One. 

Rabbi Howard Avruhm Addison teaches Humanities 

and is a founding teacher of the Lev Shomea Institute for training 

Jewish Spiritual Directors. Certified as an Enneagram teacher, he is 

the author of The Enneagram and Kabbala and Cast in God’s 

Image as well as a co-editor of Jewish Spiritual Direction. 

www.Jewishspiritualdirection.com 

Hannah Nathans is an ALEPH rabbinic student currently 

completing a Masters in Hebrew and Jewish Studies. Founder of 

HaMakor, Centre for Jewish Spirituality and Tikkun: Psychospiritual 

and Transpersonal Development, she teaches Enneagram Professional 

Training Program and is the author of several books including 

The Enneagram at Work. www.hannahnathans.nl 

A17 Forming Light, Creating Darkness 

Karen Barad and Rabbi Fern Feldman 

Our tradition teaches that creation arose out of nothingness, 

and does so at every moment. Through our passions, 

intentions and actions, and through the very particles of our 

being, we participate in the ongoing conceiving and birthing 

of the universe. With texts from Torah, kabbalah, chassidut, 

and quantum physics, and with experiential practices, we will 

consider nondual, gender fluid paradigms for engaging in 

creation — in the integrating of immanent and transcendent, 

dark and light, giving and receiving. We will explore the ways 

in which all existence is alive. Led by a rabbi and a master 

teacher of quantum physics. 

Karen Barad, author of Meeting the Universe Halfway: 

Quantum Physics and the Entanglement of Matter and 

Meaning, is Professor of Feminist Studies, Philosophy, and History 

of Consciousness at University of California, Santa Cruz. She has a 

PhD in particle physics. 

Rabbi Fern Feldman has been exploring the sacred dark in 

Jewish tradition for many years. She works as a nurse practitioner, in 

addition to teaching, writing, making rituals and life cycle events, 

and providing spiritual counseling. 

A18 En~Light~ening the Body 

Rabbi Diane Elliot 

The ancient and 

BEGINNING/ 

INTERMEDIATE 

evocative Yotzer 

CLASS 

prayer from the 

shakharit (morning) liturgy 

will serve as our mystical map on a soulstretching 

journey into embodied prayer. 

Through guided movement and breath, 

dance and chant, we’ll encounter the 

text with our whole selves, inviting our 

bodies to become open channels and 

vessels for drawing down and spreading 

or chadash, the “new light,” of which 

the prayer so eloquently speaks. Weather 

permitting, we’ll spend part of each class 

moving outdoors. Re-inspire your prayer 

life, as you gain embodied prayer 

leadership skills! Adventurous, enspirited 

movers of all levels of experience are 

welcome. 

Rabbi Diane Elliot is a spiritual leader in the San Francisco 

Bay Area and the founder of Wholly Present, a center devoted to the 

development of embodied Judaism. Before her ordination she was an 

internationally-known dancer, choreographer, and teacher of Body- 

Mind Centering ® . www.whollypresent.org 

A19 TorahTrek Wilderness Torah Experience 

Zelig Golden and Toby Zelt 

Many of us experience a spiritual connection in wilderness, 

where Torah was given, where Elijah heard the “still, small 

voice.” B’eretz breisheit (the land of God’s pristine creation), we 

explore the connection between inner and outer geography, 

renewing the organic union between Jewish spirituality and 

wilderness. Daily program includes prayer, walking meditation, 

chant, study and other spiritual exercises while hiking in the 

beautiful mountains above (the heat of) Redlands. When the 

terrain and weather are suitable, each day’s practice culminates 

in safe and supervised hitbodedut—alone time for spiritual 

purpose—in the heart of the natural world. (Please note: 

enrollment limited to 20. An additional fee of $60 to 

cover 4 days of transportation must be paid at registration. 

Participants must be able to hike 5 miles, 

generally easy to moderate but occasional steep trails, 

at altitude.) 

Toby Zelt is Associate Director of TorahTrek: The Center for 

Jewish Wilderness Spirituality. An experiential Jewish educator, 

ropes course facilitator, and adventurer, she completed an M.A. in 

Jewish Education and M.A. in Jewish Studies at Towson University. 

www.TorahTrek.com 

Zelig Golden fosters earth-based Jewish community and spirituality 

as founding co-director of Wilderness Torah 

(www.wildernesstorah.org). Zelig is a leader of the Jewish Food 

Movement as a Hazon board member. He received Maggidic smicha 

in 2010 and teaches at Chochmat HaLev. 


A20 Sacred Storytelling: 

Letting the Sparks Lead the Way 

Devorah Gordon-Zaslow 

A22 “Rabbinic Id”: Unmasking the 

Hidden Beauty of Talmud 

Rabbi David Ingber 

Stories contain light, sending sparks into all four worlds with 

each telling. When a story calls to us, it can be a spirit guide to 

our next phase of personal growth. This class focuses on the 

Maggidic art of Jewish storytelling where the teller becomes a 

vessel for the story from the inside out. Participants will choose 

a story and explore its spiritual 

healing with visualization, drama, 

and movement. The combination 

of group, partner and individual 

activities will culminate in storytelling 

on the last day of class. Bring 

a short story to work on (or choose 

one at the class). 

Devorah Gordon-Zaslow has 

taught storytelling at Southern Oregon 

University for twenty years. Her performances 

as a storyteller and workshop 

presenter include the CAJE Conference 

and the National Storytelling Festival. 

Her CD, Return Again, features Jewish stories of healing and transformation. 

A21 Breaking Into and Out of Prison: 

Mattir Asurim, Freeing The Imprisoned 

Rabbi Moshe Raphael Halfon and Rev. Shayna Lester 

Why do some people live in Mitzrayim (“Constriction”) in the 

free world, while others find freedom even behind bars For 

four years, Reb Moshe and Rev. Shayna have guided Jewish 

inmates at the California Institution for Women to become 

“Women of Light” — “B’not Or.” We will share tools for 

teshuvah, tikkun and community-building in prisons, hospitals, 

hospice, recovery groups, and other “soul-prisons.” Through 

classical texts, stories, Mussar, films, memoirs of inmates, your 

sharing, and a field trip to our prison community, we will 

explore how helping others “get free on the inside” can free 

our own souls. Thursday’s session will be a half-day 

tour and meeting with inmates at the California 

Institution for Women, a minimum-security state 

prison. Please include an additional $20.00 fee for 

transportation to and from the prison. Also, you must 

be registered for this class at least 10 days before 

Kallah so you can be cleared to enter. 

Rev. Shayna Lester, MS, MFT is a Jewish Interfaith 

minister, Psychotherapist and Spiritual Director who serves as 

Volunteer Chaplain and Mussar teacher at the California Institution 

for Women. Shayna received s’micha from Reb Zalman in 2010 as 

a Gabbai ‘serving communal needs.’ 

Rabbi Moshe Raphael Halfon, M. Ed. Psy. is the Jewish 

chaplain at the California Institution for Women, where he leads 

“B’not Or” (Women of Light). He has played almost every position 

on the rabbi and cantor baseball team. www.moshehalfon.com 

M O R N I N G C L A S S E S 7 

This course will explore Talmudic stories as literary constructions, 

the obvious meanings of which often hide deeper 

subversive messages. We will learn to identify literary patterns, 

motifs, symbols, language, and structure, the presence of 

which point to an artful process of creative editing. 

Unmasking this hidden beauty will reveal 

the Divine face of the Shekhina embedded 

within these narratives. 

The stories include: The Ugly Sage, 

Tuesday the Rabbi Escaped, Let’s Face It: 

Your Original Face, Gettin’ Booted, Aher: 

the Demonized Other, Star Gazing, With 

All Your Heart, drawing from the Bavli 

Ta’anit, Bavli Gittin, Bavli Eiruvin, Bavli 

Avodah Zarah, Bavli Shabbat and Bavli 

B’rakhot. 

Rabbi David Ingber, 

Founder/Spiritual Director of Romemu 

(www.romemu.org), a center that offers 

Shabbat and holiday services infused with meditation and yoga, as 

well as a myriad of community groups, teachings, and events, 

designed to integrate body, mind and soul. 

A23 The Spirit of the Matter: 

Jewish Musical Shamanism 

Hazzan Richard Kaplan 

Throughout the millennia, visionaries, prophets and healers 

worldwide have used music as a pathway to heightened states 

of awareness. For many forward-looking philosophers, 

scientists and spiritual teachers, the attainment of and the 

wisdom drawn from these depths of consciousness are 

mandatory for the next, utterly critical evolutionary stages of 

both our species and the planet’s wounded eco-system. 

Riding on ancient “power words” and exquisite newparadigm 

teachings, we will lift our voices as we set out upon 

several inner journeys, with music from Eastern Europe, 

Turkey, Bukhara, Mongolia, and more. Sheet music provided. 

Hazzan Richard Kaplan serves Temple Beth Abraham in 

Oakland, CA and the Shir Hashirim Minyan in Berkeley. He travels 

widely offering concerts, workshops, and leading services. His CDs 

include The Hidden One, Life of the Worlds and Tuning The 

Soul. www.kaplanmusic.com 

A24 Talking with My Children and My Parents 

about Death: 18 Jewish Texts and Teachings 

I Study with My Family 

Arthur Kurzweil 

Despite the inevitability of death, discussions on the topic of 

death and dying remain a taboo for so many of us. In this class 

we will study eighteen Jewish texts (in English) that express the 

wisdom of the Sages on death and dying, and we will also 

discuss possible methods and strategies for getting these texts

and ideas on the table with our family members. Many of us 

are committed to making deliberate efforts to address 

important spiritual issues with our children and with our 

parents. In this class we will study our topic in an upbeat, 

joyful, open-minded way. 

Arthur Kurzweil is a teacher, writer, publisher and a 

member of The Society of American Magicians. His books include 

On the Road with Rabbi Steinsaltz, Pebbles of Wisdom, 

Kabbalah for Dummies, The Torah for Dummies, and From 

Generation to Generation. www.arthurkurzweil.com 

A25 Liturgical Song and Chant Writing: 

Sing unto HaShem a New Song 

Rev. Gabbai Eli Shirim Lester 

Become a Holy Song Writer. From “orphaned” phrases and 

passages in the Siddur, we will create new songs and chants. 

Come learn the process of bringing out the deeper meaning in 

the liturgy as we shine a creative light on overlooked parts of 

prayers and praises we recite all the time, but never give full 

attention to. Use your desire to create to bring life to the Sidur 

by opening your heart and allowing the Holy Spirit within you 

to manifest as a new song unto HaShem. Come learn this 

process and take it home to share with your own community. 

Ordained by Rabbi Zalman Schacter Shalomi as Reverend 

Gabbai Eli Shirim Lester in 2010, Eli returns to Kallah, a 

seasoned teacher and performer of Holy music. Eli is an accomplished 

musician, song writer, singer, arranger, choir director and a 

producer. 

A26 InterPlay the Mitzvah-Centered Way 

Rabbi Goldie Milgram and Cassandra Sagan 

Yearning for some deep fun 

Seeking more of the meaning and 

relevance of Judaism for every day 

living Reb Goldie’s research into 

the moving nuances of living a 

mitzvah-centered life in cahoots 

with Cassandra and InterPlay, a 

system of simple, improvisational 

forms, will help you to experience 

and express God — Within, 

Between and Beyond. Learning 

through the improv of holy goofing 

will include voice, movement, 

story, song, stillness, reflection, ukulele midrash and and more. 

For cultural creatives, kinesthetic learners, class clowns, 

introverts, talmidei chachamim, and Recovering Serious People. 

Rabbi Goldie Milgram, author of numerous works 

including Meaning & Mitzvah: Daily Practices for Reclaiming 

Judaism, travels internationally as a shaliach for Reb Zalman's 

principles and practices of renewing Judaism. She directs ReclaimingJudaism.org 

and also teaches for the ALEPH Ordination 

Programs. 

Cassandra Sagan is an InterPlay leader, Maggidah-intraining, 

poet/teacher, singer/songwriter, mosaic artist, and 

designated Leitz Kadosh who specializes in helping people of all ages 

tap into their creative brilliance. 

A27 The Kabbalah of Food, Love, 

Abundance and Healing 

Rabbi Leah Novick 

What does Jewish mystical tradition teach us about the issues 

in our lives that arise from modern lifestyles and concerns 

Although the Zohar (central text of Kabbalah) was transmitted 

at the end of the 13th century, and reflects its medieval 

context, it can be surprisingly futuristic in its approach to our 

life on this planet. In these classes we will explore the ways in 

which the wisdom of the mystics can continue to expand and 

deepen our search for balance, harmony, justice and higher 

consciousness while we are embodied. Music, Movement and 

Meditation will be part of our practice. 

Rabbi Leah Novick is a seasoned student and teacher of 

Zohar. Her workshops on The Tree of Life include guided imagery 

work which supports absorption of the mystical wisdom. 

She is the author of On the Wings of Shekhinah: Rediscovering 

Judaism’s Divine Feminine. 

A28 Heal Your Pain, Renew Your Spirit 

Jackie & Leon Olenick 

This team-led course will teach you to acquire skills to cope 

with grief, loss, and pain, plus a hands-on mixed-media “renew 

your spirit” art project. We will examine our day-to-day lives, 

our relationship to family, friends and the Holy One, find tools 

for self-spiritual care and learn to help others in distress. We 

will blend Jewish text, storytelling, art, meditation and 

Kabalistic insights within a four-worlds mode to enhance our 

connection to the sacred, and we will explore and express our 

feelings as we create art. Those “artistically challenged” and 

anyone facing illness/end of life 

challenges are welcome. 

Leon Olenick is a Board Certified 

Chaplain working in a hospice setting. He 

provides spiritual and end of life care for 

patients, families, and caregivers. He 

facilitates “Bikkur Cholim” (visiting the ill) 

training programs, bereavement groups and 

offers personal counseling. 

Jackie Olenick is an award-winning 

internationally known Judaic artist and teacher 

whose work has been inspired by the Jewish 

Renewal movement for the past 25 years. Her 

website is: www.jackieolenickart.com 

A29 Davvenen’ through the Worlds: 

A Master Class in Making Prayer Come Alive 

Rabbi Marcia Prager and Rabbi Shawn Israel Zevit 

Rabbis Prager and Zevit have guided over 250 rabbis, cantors, 

rabbinic pastors, students, and lay leaders through The Davvenen 

Leader’s Training Institute. 

Our class becomes a living laboratory for you to discover 

the deep inner structure of prayer and a range of leadership 

styles that use the best of who you are. Learn to tap the 

potential of your own personal presence; to use voice, body 


and gesture with comfort; to let melody create mood; and to 

shape phrasing so that your teaching also becomes prayer. 

Come explore how the practice of Jewish communal prayer 

can activate the body, touch the heart, engage the mind and 

nourish genuine spiritual growth. 

Rabbi Marcia Prager is Director and Dean of Ordination 

Programs for ALEPH and rabbi of P’nai Or, the Jewish Renewal 

Congregation of Philadelphia, PA. She is the author of The Path of 

Blessing and creator of the unique P’nai Or Siddurim for Shabbat 

and other innovative approaches to prayer and liturgy. 

www.marciaprager.com 

Rabbi Shawn Israel Zevit, (www.rabbizevit.com) is a 

spiritual and organizational leader, consultant, theater artist, 

author, recording artist of five CDs, teacher and performer. He works 

nationally for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation and is a 

mashpiah for the ALEPH Hashpa’ah Program. 

A30 Introduction to Jewish Meditation 

Rabbi Jeff Roth 

Jewish meditation greatly enhances clarity and 

balance in facing each moment of life. It fosters 

purification of the heart allowing deeper 

connections to oneself, to others, to the world 

and to the Divine Presence manifesting in each 

moment of Being. Through silent meditation and 

didactic presentations this course will familiarize 

and deepen one’s practice through a series of 

techniques that correspond to the fourfold way of 

Divine manifestation, deeply experiencing our 

own bodies and feelings. A blessing/prayer 

practice will cultivate an open heart. Every 

student will be offered individual sessions with 

the instructor outside normal class time. 

Rabbi Jeff Roth is the founder and director of The Awakened 

Heart Project for contemplative Judaism (awakenedheartproject.org) 

and past director of P’nai Or (now Aleph) and Elat Chayyim, the 

Jewish Retreat Center. He has led over 90 Jewish meditation retreats. 

A31 Getting into Holy Shape: Yoga and The Aleph-Bet 

Ida Unger 

Celebrate and elevate your physical self to more fully 

embody your divine nature. Stretch, strengthen and relax 

as we practice authentic yoga inspired by our ancient holy 

letters. The yoga poses and the holy Hebrew letters offer 

insight on all planes: physical, emotional, intellectual and 

spiritual. The Talmud teaches “letzareph et haotiot” — to 

reorder the holy letters, to refine our relationship to them, 

in order to access meditative states. The Aleph Bet are more 

than letters. The Hebrew word ot also means sign. Sign of 

what Come find out. Class is appropriate for all and 

includes Kabbalistic insights, yoga practice, breathing 

exercises, and deep relaxation. Bring a yoga mat. 

Ida Unger, M.Ed., Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor and 

student of Torah, has a lifelong passion for Torah and spiritual 

pursuits. A full time yoga teacher and practitioner of Iyengar 

Yoga, Ida connects her Jewish roots to her yogic wings, resulting 

in a deepening of both. www.kosheryoga.net 

A32 Freedom Journeys: The Tale of Exodus, Sinai, 

and Wilderness Across Millennia 

Rabbi Arthur Waskow 

Do these biblical stories speak to us today Does the rabbinic 

transformation of them enrich our understanding, not only in 

content but in process How do the stories speak if we bring 

our own generation’s consciousness shaped in part by the 

global ecological crisis, by feminism, by the experiments in 

nonviolent civil disobedience of the last 100 years, by seeing 

the festivals themselves as frameworks for social action We 

will use the midrashic essays in the new book by Waskow and 

Rabbi Phyllis Berman, Freedom Journeys (Jewish Lights), to spark 

discussion and new forms of celebration. 

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Founder (1983) and Director, The 

Shalom Center, www.theshalomcenter.org; co-founder (1993) of 

ALEPH; author, The Freedom Seder (1969), 

Interfaith Seder of the Earth (1969), Godwrestling 

— Round 2, Down-to-Earth 

Judaism; co-author, Freedom Journeys and 

The Tent of Abraham. 

A33 Roots and Branches: Shedding 

New Light on the Jewish Roots of 

Christianity 

Rabbi David Zaslow 

Time magazine cited the Re-Judaizing of 

Jesus as one of the “10 Ideas that are 

Changing the World.” This course will 

examine how this is so. Participants will 

learn the difference between the 

theological Jesus of the Church and the 

historical Jesus — a rabbi named Joshua who lived and was 

crucified because he was as a religious Jew. We’ll study the 

Jewish roots of the gospels, the Lord’s Prayer, and the 

Beatitudes in Misha and Jewish Bible. We’ll examine the roots 

of anti-Semitism, Replacement Theology, and the prophesies 

that Christians and Jews share about the future. 

Rabbi David Zaslow is leader of Havurah Shir Hadash in 

Ashland, Oregon and interim rabbi for P’nai Or Portland. He is the 

author of Renewal siddur Ivdu et Hashem B’simcha and Roots 

and Branches. He and his wife 

Devorah are the directors of a maggidic 

training program. 

www.havurahshirhadash.org 

M O R N I N G C L A S S E S 9

A F T E R N O O N C L A S S E S 

P10 Losing God, Finding God: 

Jewish Responses to Suffering 

Rabbi Laura Duhan Kaplan 

(Sponsored by the ALEPH Rabbinic Program; 

for smicha credit) 

In times of suffering, when God seems 

absent, how do we hold onto faith and find spiritual comfort 

A rich Jewish tradition explores this challenging spiritual 

question. Each time our people has experienced catastrophe, 

we have raised the question collectively. Our quest for answers 

has reshaped our theology and spirituality in radical ways 

across the centuries, and left a legacy of moving texts, from the 

biblical books of Job and Eicha to contemporary Torah from 

the Warsaw Ghetto. Explore traditional and personal answers 

to the problems of suffering and Divine justice through 

chevruta, drama, personal writing, text study, lecture, and 

discussion. NOTE: This class will meet for for an extra 

hour each day (3 hours/class). 

Rabbi Laura Duhan Kaplan is spiritual leader of Or 

Shalom Synagogue in Vancouver, a member of the Va’ad of the 

Aleph Rabbinic Program, and Professor Emerita of Philosophy at 

UNC Charlotte. http://tiny.cc/reblaura 

P11 Finding G!d in Illness 

Shulamit Kate Fagan 

(Sponsored by the ALEPH Hashpa’ah Program) 

INTERMEDIATE CLASS 

Yah! Hear my prayer! Let my pleading reach You! 

(psalm 102) 

Having a serious illness, whether chronic or acute, can 

lead us through places of light and darkness. Together, with 

my experience as a chaplain and cancer survivor, we will 

engage the seven most remarkable tools for moving through 

illness to enrichment. Practicing these most effective spiritual 

tools will help to bring support, peace, ease, and liberation to 

the difficult journey of illness. Whether you or someone you 

love is ill, you can empower yourself to face illness with skills 

that bring spiritual transformation to even this most difficult 

facet of life. 

Shulamit Kate 

Fagan, Rabbinic 

Chaplain, is the director of 

ALEPH’s Rabbinic Pastor 

program, a spiritual 

director, a hospital 

chaplain with over a 

decade of experience, a 

maggid (storyteller), a 

mother, a grandmother 

and a cancer survivor. 

Spiritualwell.com 

P12 Jewish Ritual Theater Revived: 

The Storahtelling Maven Method 

Caryn Aviv & Eli Herb 

Storahtelling bridges the gap between modern Jews and 

ancient Judaism by focusing on the essential building blocks of 

Jewish identity: the sacred stories we tell ourselves about who 

we are. Storahtelling methods restore the ancient tradition of 

the “Maven,” an all but forgotten Jewish professional. 

For over 1,500 years, the Maven functioned as a central 

feature of the Torah Service, serving as local storyteller and 

translator. Storahtelling reintroduces the Maven, incorporating 

translations, commentary, and contemporary relevance into 

Jewish ritual and Torah services. This course teaches the basics 

of the Maven method: innovative Torah translation, radical 

interpretation, and creative dramatization. 

Professor Caryn Aviv is a sociologist in the Program in 

Jewish Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She teaches 

and writes about modern Jewish culture, Israel Studies, and 

gender/sexuality in Judaism. She also directs Storahtelling Colorado. 

Maggid Eli Herb received smichah from Maggid Yitzhak 

Buxbaum, who received smichah from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and 

Reb Zalman Shachter-Shalomi. He holds a Masters of Theological 

Studies from the Iliff School of Theology. Eli is a Storahtelling 

“Maven-In-Training.” 

P13 God Only Loves What’s Real!: 

The Fiery Teachings of the Kotzker Rebbe 

Yitzhak Buxbaum 

Rabbi Menahem Mendel of Kotzk was one of the most fiery of 

the early hasidic rebbes. His radical devotion to truth and his 

opposition to everything phony made him sharp but not dull! 

His short and penetrating sayings, such as “God only loves 

what’s real!” and “If you have a soul you don’t need a watch” 

appeal to our generation by showing the stark beauty of holy 

gevurah (severity). Tart can be as delicious as sweet. We study 

from Hebrew texts (which will be translated) and discuss his 

piercing sayings and the stories told about him. 

Yitzhak Buxbaum is a mystic, a maggid, and an author of 

ten books, including Jewish Spiritual Practices and The Light and 

Fire of the Baal Shem Tov. He founded and directs the first ever 

program to train and ordain maggidim. 

P14 Making Prayer Real: Cultivating Your 

Personal Prayer Voice 

Rabbi Mike Comins 

This course concentrates on the spiritual dynamics of 

prayer: uncovering the holy desires and yearnings of 

the heart, putting heart into our words, putting heart 

into other people's words (the liturgy), and listening 

for a response. Based on the book and on-line course 

Making Prayer Real, the class includes video interviews 

with leading spiritual teachers on the challenges of 

Jewish prayer. Modalities include simple movement 

meditation, deep listening, chant, walking, writing, 

blessings practice, chevruta study and group 

10 A F T E R N O O N C L A S S E S

discussion. After cultivating our personal prayer voices, we 

then bring the sensitivity and skills of spontaneous prayer to 

traditional liturgy and the Siddur. 

Author, rabbi and Israeli desert guide Mike Comins is the 

founder of the TorahTrek Center for Jewish Wilderness Spirituality. 

He spiritual journey includes extensive training in mindfulness 

meditation, Chi Quong, solo wilderness retreats (Vision Quest), and 

Jewish sacred chant (www.MakingPrayerReal.com). 

P15 Sippur Nafshi: The Story of My Soul 

Judith Dack 

This art-making class will use Hebrew chant, meditation and 

journaling to cultivate The Creative Force within each of us as 

we unfold our own unique Soul Story Books, an art piece that 

tells our inner story. Join us in creating an enlivened intimate 

community of artists working on our individual projects as 

expressions of our souls’ wisdom and longings. You may also 

bring copies of your own personal photos, favorite texts and 

any other materials you may want to incorporate into your 

Soul Story Book. Everyone is welcome, no prior experience 

needed. Books, artist materials and embellishments 

will be provided for an additional $20.00 fee. 

At the age of 40, Judith Dack experienced a profound 

awakening through Jewish Renewal retreat. She taught yoga at Elat 

Chayyim for many summers, is Retreat Manager/Art Teacher for Kol 

Zimra, and serves on Aleph’s Board. Judith is an Artist/Designer 

residing in Woodstock, NY and Washington, DC. 

P16 Stories From Before Time: 

The Herstories of The Shechinah 

Ellen Kaufman Dosick 

We know our history. But where is our herstory Ancient 

Shechinah mythologies are 

incredibly powerful interwoven 

Jewish and Middle Eastern 

midrashim that tell of the 

complex relationships between 

Shechinah, Source, and 

Humankind. Each myth carries 

a woundedness, that expresses 

itself in our unbalanced relationships 

with God and each 

other. Each requires healing, so 

that we may continue to 

evolve. Immerse yourself in 

these epic tales that shape our 

world and our lives, and learn 

powerful processes that change 

these stories and enable a New World of Gan Eden. To change 

the story is to change the world! 

Ellen Kaufman Dosick, LCSW is a psychotherapist for 35 

years, the master practitioner/teacher of the spiritual psychotherapy, 

Soul Memory Discover; co-author of 20 Minute Kabbalah, and 

channels a bi-monthly Internet publication, The Cosmic Times: 

Spiritual News You Can Use. www.soulmemorydiscovery.com 

P17 The Mystical Meanings of the Mitzvot 

Mark Elber 

Judaism has traditionally been structured 

around the Mitzvot. Since ancient times, 

understanding their meanings and purposes 

has been central to living a conscious and embodied spiritual 

life. We will study kabbalistic and Chassidic texts on the inner 

meanings of the Mitzvot with an eye to clarifying and 

exploring our own relationship to them in the context of the 

new paradigm theologies of the 21st century. 

Mark Elber is the author of The Everything Kabbalah Book, 

a teacher of Jewish meditation, and a published poet, songwriter, and 

translator. He has studied Jewish mysticism in Yeshiva and Graduate 

level university settings in both Israel and the U.S. 

P18 Earth Based Torah: Developing a 

Jewish Shamanic Practice 

Rabbi Sarah Etz Alon 

The aboriginal, shamanic Hebrew mind is 

central to the Jewish experience. However, after 2,000 years of 

exile in other people's lands, this Hebrew way of being has 

been nearly destroyed within our culture. Like other 

indigenous peoples around the world, the Jewish people are 

beginning to recover our primary earth-centered ways of being 

— renewing and reviving our rich shamanic tradition. This 

course will delve into the ancient shamanic foundations of the 

Jewish wisdom tradition with a specific focus on helping participants 

develop a meaningful Jewish shamanic practice in 

their lives and their communities. 

Rabbi Sarah Etz Alon is the director of Eber-Lat Living 

Laboratory, dedicated to the re-integration of the Indigenous Hebrew 

Mind. Having lived several years in the wilderness, she is now 

Rabbi-in-residence at Havurah. www.eberlatlivinglab.org 

P19 Uri, Ori!/Awaken, My Light! 

Nur ala nur: Light upon Light! 

Ibrahim Farajajé and Rabbi Debra Kolodny 

INTERMEDIATE/ 


BEGINNING/ 

INTERMEDIATE 

CLASS 

Join us in a journey that pierces the heart and 

drinks from the radiant well of mystical Islam and 

Judaism. Read Qur’an and Torah texts on Avraham 

avinu/Ibrahim khalilullah (intimate Friend of 

HaShem) and explore Sufi, Zoharic and Hassidic 

commentaries. Soar on the wings of dhikr and 

Hebrew chant to embody our shared story/reality. 

Lift your soul, ascending to dvekut/merging/sufiyyat 

with the Divine Beloved through merkava and mi’raj 

meditations. Sample medieval teachings reflecting 

profound spiritual exploration across our traditions. Leave 

inspired to activate the Or Chadash/Nur ala nur we’ve tasted 

for inner and global peace, reconciliation and celebration. 

Rabbi Debra Kolodny is the Executive Director of ALEPH 

and spiritual leader of Pnei HaSadeh. She leads ritual, workshops, 

prayer services, meditations and retreats for individuals and hundreds. 

Daily prayer, meditation and tai ji make life a glorious adventure! 

Ibrahim Farajajé is a professor at the GTU in Berkeley, 

A F T E R N O O N C L A S S E S 11

California. He is also a Pir (shaykh) in the Chishti Sufi Order 

(Ajmer, India). Dreams: yoga, wilderness Torah/Qur’an, dancing 

with Reb Yisrael Odesser, Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, kirtan! 

Joining us will be Nessim-Isa Enver, a 15-year-old visiting 

musician at Chochmat HaLev in Berkeley, CA. He studies and 

performs Turkish Classical Music/Turkish Sufi Music/Turkish and 

Mizrahi Jewish music. 

P20 Jewish Remedies for Your 

Most Stressful Moments 

Leonard Felder 

On a day when time 

pressures, difficult people, 

or constant interruptions 

are testing your patience, 

there are some extremely 

effective Jewish 

mindfulness methods that 

can quickly help you recenter, 

re-energize, and refocus 

so that you can stay 

healthy and compassionate 

even when things get intense or frazzled. 

In this interactive and highly practical class, you will 

explore 8 specific Jewish remedies that can improve the way 

you, your loved ones, or your students deal with complex 

stressful situations and highly-challenging individuals. 

Whether you are new or experienced in Jewish meditation and 

mindfulness, you will enjoy learning and practicing these 

remarkable methods which come from sacred Jewish teachings. 

Len Felder, PhD is the award-winning author of 11 books, 

including When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People, The 

Ten Challenges, Seven Prayers That Can Change Your Life, and 

Here I Am: Using Jewish Spiritual Wisdom to Become More 

Present, Centered, and Available for Life. www.HereIAmRemedies.com 

P21 The Origins of Jewish Time 

Ron Feldman 

The Jewish calendar is a map to the sacred times of the earth 

and cosmos. But the “Hebrew calendar” in use today is only 

about 1,000 years old. By studying texts from the Bible, Dead 

Sea Scrolls, Mishnah, Talmud and Kabbalah we will learn about 

the history and concepts of Jewish time, and different views 

concerning the relationship between natural and sacred time. 

Topics will include: the invention of the seventh-day Sabbath; 

the mystical doctrines of the Second Temple priesthood’s 

Sabbatarian 364-day calendar; ancient conflicts between 

Essenes, Sadducees and Pharisees over observational and 

calculated calendars. 

Ron H. Feldman, PhD. has taught Jewish Studies at universities 

in the San Francisco Bay area and has published on Jewish 

politics, mysticism and time. His current research and writing 

focuses on the environmental perspectives of ancient Jewish 

calendars. 

P22 The Art and Passion of Hebrew Kirtan: Opening 

Your Heart through Music, Meditation and Study 

Rabbi Andrew Hahn (The Kirtan Rabbi) 

Hebrew Kirtan — inspired by a form of devotional prayer 

developed in India — is call-and-response, participatory chant 

where short, sacred phrases from the Jewish tradition are 

treated as powerful, universal meditations. It is at once contemplative, 

ecstatic and plain old fun. 

Join the ‘Kirtan Rabbi,’ Rabbi Andrew Hahn, for a deep 

immersion in this cutting-edge 

practice. We will chant a lot. And 

we'll discuss creating and leading 

chants, do easy meditation and voice 

exercises, and study related Jewish 

texts. You do not need to know any 

Hebrew or be a singer to enjoy this 

workshop. Culminates in a 

community-wide evening event. 

Andrew Hahn, the Kirtan Rabbi, is 

an artist-rabbi whose music unites 

celebration of Torah and song to inspire 

a renewed spiritual energy. A martial arts 

instructor with a Ph.D. in Jewish thought, he weaves meditation and 

learning into his chant playshops. http://KirtanRabbi.com 

P23 Bless and Dress My Soul in a Garment 

of Light: Creating a Tallit 

Elizheva Hurvich & Nishima Kaplan 

This workshop will combine prayer, discussion and meditation 

with hands-on creation of a prayer shawl. You will be guided 

to envision your own sacred, personal tallit — with colors, 

symbols, and/or words creating a garment for your spiritual 

connection. With fabric, paint, thread, and other materials, 

each student will design and create a tallit shaped by soul 

questions discovered on the journey, Hebrew chanting, and 

hevruta-style in-depth study of the Jewish prayers, symbols, and 

rituals of the tallit. This workshop culminates with the 

prayerful act of tying tzitzit. NOTE: Please include a 

materials fee of $50 with your registration. 

Artist/educator Elizheva Hurvich works in various media 

and modalities. A bright sprite, she chants, sings, and creates 

material objects (tallitot, huppot, books, dolls, and sculptures) 

drawing on Jewish wisdom. Her teaching and practice weave 

material culture with Torah, Talmud, prayer. www.elizheva.com 

Art-making is a spiritual path for Nishima Kaplan. Mother 

of three, she trained as a painter and focused on creating personalized 

Ketubot. She works with torn paper, sculpture, and fabric. Her 

teaching and practice include art-making, journaling, meditation, 

yoga, dance. www.nishima.com 


P24 How the Hindu and Buddhist Traditions Can 

Clarify Our Understanding of Jewish Practice: 

Revisiting Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed 

Jared Kass 

Jewish resilience includes the assimilation 

of scientific insights and spiritual 

understanding from “cultural 

collisions” with other philosophical 

and religious traditions. We will 

explore a classic text on spiritual 

maturation, Maimonides’ Guide of the 

Perplexed, utilizing Hindu and 

Buddhist perspectives to explicate this 

dense material. Four themes will be 

discussed: 

Class 1: Spiritual Maturation: Transformation 

of Awareness and Behavior; 

Class 2: Knowing God: The Architecture 

of the Human Mind; Class 3: 

Building Healthy, Just Community: 

On the Nature of Evil; Class 4: Transformational 

Leadership: Moral and Contemplative 

Dimensions. 

Sessions will include Jewish meditative chanting informed 

by Hindu and Buddhist practice. 

Jared Kass is a Professor in the Division of Counseling and 

Psychology at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing 

in the Psychology of Religion. He has conducted research for 

over 30 years on spiritual maturation, well-being, and social justice. 

P25 Growing a Heart of Blessing: Authentic 

Movement as a Form of Jewish Spiritual Direction 

Julie Leavitt 

After many years practicing and teaching Authentic Movement 

(movement meditation done with eyes closed in the presence 

of a compassionate witness) and Jewish Spiritual Direction, I 

am struck by the parallel processes of these two healing art 

forms. They each have gifts to give each other and share a 

profound practice sensing the movement (literal and 

metaphorical) of Divine Presence through our lives. This will 

be the work and play of our week together. We will embody 

the mystery, grounded practices, and deep listening of the 

Divine moving us in playful and prayerful ways. Prayer, song, 

silence, and sharing will be included. 

Julie Leavitt is an innovator in combining Authentic 

Movement and Jewish Spiritual Direction. A psychotherapist and 

mashpia, Julie also teaches dance therapy and creative movement at 

Lesley University. She is a contributing author to Jewish Spiritual 

Direction, and she wrote and choreographed “A Midrash for Dina.” 

P 26 The Direct Experience of Joy: 

18 Proven Ways in Judaism to Come to Simcha, Joy 

Hana Matt 

We will directly experience joy using 

these methods from Judaism, which have 

now been proven by modern scientific 

studies. These result in a pervasive, lasting 

joy which doesn’t depend on outer 

conditions. These also include methods 

for eliminating anxiety. These practices 

are from the Jewish mystical tradition, 

the Zohar, the major book of Kabbalah, 

Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav, the Baal Shem 

Tov, and Maimonides. Some of the 

modalities: music, niggunim, movement, 

texts, spiritual process, meditation, 4 

worlds. You’ll come out of this course 

with a rich tool-bag of effective, proven 

methods to use daily. An extensive packet 

will be given. 

Hana Matt is a teacher of Jewish 

Spirituality, World Religions and Spiritual Direction and a graduate 

of Theological Union and The Interfaith Chaplaincy Institute. She is 

a Jewish Spiritual Director, and Co-Director of The Spiritual 

Direction Training Program. She teaches Kabbalah and Zohar 

courses with her husband, Daniel Matt. 

P27 Initiation into Kabbalistic Meditation 

and Jewish Spiritual Healing 

Melinda (Mindy) Ribner 

A person can learn much with his head, but meditation allows 

for a person to receive so much more as well as internalize, 

integrate and embody this wisdom. This is a unique 

opportunity to be guided in a variety of kabbalistic meditative 

practices along with breathing and visualization techniques to 

receive and contain a higher spiritual vibration, learn to heal 

oneself and others, and receive direct insight into the answers 

to the deeper questions of life. Experience all the benefits of 

meditation and more within our own tradition! 

Melinda (Mindy) Ribner is director of Kabbalah of the 

Heart (www.kabbalahoftheheart.com) and Beit Miriam 

(www.Beitmiriam.org). Internationally known for her work in Jewish 

meditation and spiritual healing, she is the author of New Age 

Judaism, Kabbalah Month by Month, and Everyday Kabbalah. 

She is also a psychotherapist, spiritual guide and storyteller. 


P28 Body of Light Practice: 

Ten S’ferot and Sh’ma in Six Directions 

Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks 

Daily practice leads to the awakening of profound depth, inner 

liberation and connection to each moment. Based on the 

Kabbalistic classic Sefer Yetzirah, this powerful morning practice 

opens the body’s channels of energy, using traditional prayer 

to “enwrap” the body and “send blessing” to the six directions. 

Each session includes a niggun (transformative Hassidic chant), 

guided practice, silent meditation, a teaching and dialogue. By 

the end of the week, participants will have learned the 

complete practice, including chanting, visualizations and 

kavanot (intentions), and have a solid foundation upon which 

to build (or enhance) a daily practice. 

Inspired by Martin Buber, Brian Yosef sought the inner Truth 

of Judaism that lies beyond tradition. Finding that Truth ironically 

led him back to tradition. He is the 

Director of Music and Meditation at 

Chochmat HaLev in Berkeley, CA. 

www.captainzohar.com 

P29 Finding the Words: A 

Course in Spiritual Writing 

Joel Segel 

The act of writing gives shape to 

spiritual experience. It helps 

make sense of our deepest 

moments. It records our story for 

a future time. Spiritual writing 

can be plainspoken or mysterious, earthy or transcendent — 

and anyone can do it. 

This course, by a noted spiritual writer and editor, will 

help you give life to the spiritual in your own writing. Each 

day we’ll read some brief gem together and talk about it, to get 

our juices flowing. Then we’ll write. I’ll suggest directions to 

explore, or bring your own topic. You don’t have to be “good.” 

Just be open to surprising yourself! 

Joel Segel is co-author, with Rabbi Zalman Schachter- 

Shalomi, of Jewish with Feeling: A Guide to Meaningful Jewish 

Practice (Best Religion Books 2005, Publishers Weekly) and of an 

upcoming book on Jewish prayer. He is a former editor at 

Shambhala Publications. 

P30 Our Feet Are Praying: 

The Theurgy of Dance in Rebbe Nachman 

Rabbi David Seidenberg 

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov believed that we can dance to 

change our destinies, to reach out to God, and to heal the 

Cosmos. The act of dancing, praying with our feet, could lift 

up what is lowest to unite with the highest, and could align us 

with the Cosmic dance of the Sefirot so intimately that reality 

would change. We will study the Kabbalah, spirituality and 

mechanics of holy dancing and movement in Rebbe 

Nachman’s teachings. We will also use exercises from modern 

dance, contact improvisation, and Hasidic traditional dance to 

explore the meaning of Rebbe Nachman’s teachings. 

Rabbi David Seidenberg has smicha from both JTS and 

Reb Zalman, and is one of the foremost scholars on ecology and 

Judaism today. He teaches Jewish text and thought across North 

America with a focus on embodied practice, and is an avid student 

of dance. neohasid.org 

P31 Holy Drumming 

Akiva The Believer 

Drumming in Holy Space: How do you play your drum How 

do you play your drum during services Learn from Akiva The 

Believer, a popular, joyful Master Drummer. He will first show 

you the basics of getting sounds from whatever drum you 

bring (or you can borrow one of Akiva's.) What rhythms work 

with which prayers Deepening your own kavannah. When 

NOT to play. Listening. Chanting and drumming together. 

Soloing. Middle Eastern rhythms. 

Reggae. Drumming as a spiritual 

practice. Other instruments: shakers, 

tambourine, electronic drums for 

ecstatic dancing, hip hop etc. 

Drumming with other drummers. 

Finding your own authentic beat. 

Akiva The Believer is a Master 

Drummer helping bring drumming back 

into Jewish prayer. Akiva accompanies 

a who’s who of Jewish singers and 

prayer leaders. Akiva received smicha 

as Drummer from Reb Zalman. His 

first cd and book are in production. AkivaTheBeliever.com 

P32 Fresh Sparks — Kabbalah-Inspired Practices 

for Enriching Your Davennen 

Carl Woolf 

Come play with some neo-Kabbalistic approaches to the 

traditional morning service (Shacharit). We will learn some 

ways to frame the service as mystical process(es), and will 

incorporate movement (in the style of Taoist Chi-gung), 

guided meditation, drama and creative text-study, geared 

toward enlivening our prayer (davennen), and infusing it with 

imagery and intention (kavannah) drawn from Four-Worlds, 

Sefirot and related realms. Have some inspiring fun trying out 

these techniques in our course. You can later enjoy these 

techniques as separate, small pieces in your prayer life, or 

combine them to enjoy a full neo-Kabbalistic Shacharit. 

Carl Woolf, an ALEPH rabbinical student, enjoys music, 

yoga, prayer, puzzles, paronomasia and meditation. Professionally, 

he has taught Philosophy, led prayer, developed software, and 

performed music. Carl holds a PhD in Philosophy and an MSc in 

Computer Science. 


P32 Workshop Track 

Varied Teachers 

Here is the opportunity to “pick and choose” among 

some of ALEPH’s best teachers! Take your choice from 

amongst 4-6 different workshops each day (some may 

be in two parts). This year’s selection of workshops is 

wide and deep, and features wonderful offerings such as: 

“Finding & Fulfilling Your Soul’s Purpose” with Nina 

Amir; “New Light on the Hebrew Letters” with Gilla 

Nissan; “Transitions And The Weekday Amidah” with 

Yonina Foster; “Gay & Jewish: Finding Your Own Road 

to Spiritual Discovery” and much, much more! (You will 

get the full list of workshops when you arrive at Kallah.) 

Also, part of this track: Participate in a Kallah first! 

The Kallah Beit Midrash. Join other 

advanced learners for the highest and 

deepest text study. Bring your 

favorite Hebrew text (with translation 

for those whose text skills might be a 

bit rusty) on the theme of Or Chadash 

(texts will also be offered). This 

workshop take place every day during 

afternoon classes and be facilitated 

by Rabbi T’mimah Ickovits. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

As we get closer to the Kallah, the volume of inquiries received by the planners is often very high. For the quickest response, 

use e-mail. If you do not have/use e-mail, then feel free to use the phone numbers listed below. When leaving messages, 

please leave enough information so we we know to whom to direct your inquiry. Thank you in advance for your patience. 

Kallah Office 

47 Charles St. 

Newton, MA 02466 

Sally Plone, Kallah Coordinator 

Kallahajr@rcn.com 

Sheri Levson, Office Manager 

kallahadmin@rcn.com 

781-708-6040 phone 

866-826-3011 fax 

Cabaret/Showcase Coordinator 

Deb Barsel 

dbarsel@gmail.com 

978-263-7834 

Davvenen Coordinator 

Mark Novak 

Kallahdavvenen@verizon.net 

202-362-3270 

Elders & Disability Advocate 

Melissa Kahn 

melissakahn@verizon.net 

301-565-9278 

Giftshop/Manager 

Eliezer Froehlich 

defro@proaxis.com 

541-757-2316 

Giftshop/Artist Liaison 

Gayle Gale 

kfpeace@aol.com 

323 874-3887 

GLBT Advocate 

Jonathan Baron 

jonathan@jonathanbaron.com 

212.242.6567 

Healing Center Coordinator 

Lynda Danzig 

lbdanzig@hotmail.com 

781-771-4068 

Kesher Coordinator 

Stacey Bhaerman 

sbhaerman@gmail.com 

917-553-1136 

Kids Kallah Director 

Joanie Levine 

jlevinehummingbird@yahoo.com 

503-287-8737 

Teacher Liaison 

Renee Brachfeld 

ReneeKallah@me.com 

202-362-3270 

Teen Program Coordinator 

Sarai Shapiro 

sarai510@gmail.com 

845-626-2108 

267-847-4399 

Toddler Program 

Coordinator 

Jessica Jobanek 

jessicajobanek@gmail.com 

503-702-6890 

Workstudy Coordinator 

Annie Klein 

annie.klein7@gmail.com 

250-384-7817 


IMPORTANT INFORMATION 

Start and End Times Registration will be open 

Sunday, June 26, from 2 pm to 7 pm, and again on 

Monday, June 27, from 10 am to 1:30 pm. The program 

begins shortly after 2 pm on Monday. Please be sure to 

arrive on campus no later than 1 pm on Monday, June 

27. If you are traveling from LAX, it is approximately an 

80-90 minute trip to Redlands, but will vary depending 

on traffic. Other airports may be closer (see “Getting to 

Campus” below.) The Kallah program will end by 11 am 

on Sunday, July 3. 

Pre-Registration Once you are paid in full, you will receive 

a pre-registration packet at the end of June when you are PAID 

IN FULL with your classes, recommended readings, driving 

instructions, and other important information. 

Fees and Deposits Starting at $998 all-inclusive, we 

continue to keep our prices affordable. All payments must be 

made in full and postmarked by May 15. A $35 discount will 

be applied to each registration paid in full and postmarked by 

April 15. A $50 per person late fee will be charged if registration 

or final payment is postmarked after May 15. Fees for 

residents and commuters are found on the registration form. 

A deposit of $100 per person (including children) must 

accompany each registration if sent in before May 15. 

All balances must be paid by May 15. 

Cancellations If you must cancel your reservation, please 

call the Kallah office immediately. Cancellations 

are subject to the following fees: 

$100 if received before May 15; one half of 

the total fee if received between May 15 

and June 15; forfeit total fees if received 

after June 15. All refunds will be processed 

at the end of August. 

Work-Study Work-study is a serious 

commitment. Positions are available, 

ranging from a few hours to half days. 

Applications for assistance must be 

postmarked by May 1 and will be awarded 

on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Applicants will be informed of their grants 

not later than June 15. All requests are 

confidential. If you are interested in 

further reducing your Kallah costs, ask 

about working more than one position. 

The Site We are excited to be at the University of Redlands, a 

gorgeous campus in a breathtaking setting. Located at the foot 

of Southern California’s 11,000-foot mountains and an hour’s 

drive from Hollywood, Redlands puts the best of Southern 

California within reach. Redlands offers a range of lodging 

options from economical dormitory rooms to some of the best 

lodging we’ve ever had at the Kallah including new apartments 

complete with kitchens. All rooms will be air conditioned. 

Getting to Redlands 

University of Redlands is located in the City of 

Redlands off the I-10 freeway, 80 miles east of Los 

Angeles International Airport (LAX). If you are flying 

in, LAX will likely have the lowest fares and most 

flights. However, the closest airport is Ontario International 

Airport (ONT), which is 25 miles from 

campus and served by most major airlines. Other 

airports nearby include John Wayne (56 miles) in 

Orange County and Palm Springs International (50 

miles). 

If you would like help finding the best airfare, 

contact Steve Dahlgren at Ticket to Ride. You can call 

or email him: 202-898-0700, steved@tkttoride.com. 

Or, if you prefer to make your own arrangements, 

United/Continental is our preferred airline and will 

give you a 5-10% discounted fare. Call United 

Meetings at 800 521-4041 or go online at united.com. 

You MUST reference meeting ID 590DT. 

If renting a car, you can get special rates with 

Avis using our AWD#U303447. Tell them you are with 

the ALEPH Kallah. There is no 

charge for parking on campus. 

The Kallah will be employing a shuttle 

service from LAX on Sunday from 1pm – 

6pm, and again on Monday from 9am – 

1pm. The cost is $35 per person, each 

way. You must pay at the time you 

register. You can also make your own 

arrangements with the following 

companies: 

Super Shuttle (800) 700-1983, 

www.supershuttle.com 

Prime-Time Shuttle (800) 733-8267, 

www.primetimeshuttle.com 

Participants will be driving from all 

over California and beyond. You can 

check our website for ridesharing 

information! 

Early Arrival Lodging is available on 

campus Sunday night and would cost an 

additional $80 (includes room, dinner, 

breakfast and lunch). 

University of Redlands 

16 I N F O R M A T I O N

IMPORTANT INFORMATION 

Housing All accommodations are in university buildings. 

The rooms are clean and provide for basic needs. 

You may choose between the following options: 

• Single & double dorm rooms (with hall bath) 

• Suites in dorms (choice of single or double rooms) The 

bathroom will be within the suite and shared by 6 – 8 

people, maximum. 

• Apartment Housing (choice of single or double rooms) 

Please note that the apartments have 4 bedrooms and 

include a kitchen (bring your own utensils, etc.) and are 

a couple of blocks further away than the dorms. 

Commuters Lunches and dinners are included in the 

commuter fees. We also have an option to include breakfast. 

Commuters can arrange to stay on campus for Shabbat when 

you register. 

Meals The Redlands experience includes award-winning 

dining, and a menu that is locally grown and organic 

whenever possible. Every day you can expect healthy, creative 

vegetarian/fish/dairy/parve meals. A non-dairy, non-wheat and 

vegan choice will always be available. If you have special 

needs, please indicate on the registration form. Once again, the 

kitchen will be kashered under the supervision of our 

Mashgiach, Rabbi Dennis Beck-Berman. 

Special Needs We will have golf carts and vans to help with 

transportation around campus. Please notify us early if you 

have special needs of any kind. Most facilities on campus are 

wheelchair accessible. 

Shabbat Guests If the Kallah does not fill to capacity there 

will be the possibility of attending for Shabbat only. Include 

payment and mark “Shabbat Only” on the registration form. 

Payments will be held (not processed) until availability is 

determined. The office will maintain a waiting list and let you 

know by June 8 if there is space. 

Post-Kallah Advanced Studies Week The ALEPH 

Ordination Programs (Rabbinic, Cantorial, Rabbinic Pastor and 

Hashpa’ah: Spiritual Direction) will sponsor a week of advanced 

studies, following the Kallah. The program, hosted by Ruach 

Ha’Aretz at Redlands, is open to all students presently enrolled 

in one of the ordination programs. For information and registration, 

contact Rabbis Nadya & Victor Gross, Project Directors, 

at info@ruachhaaretz.com. Prospective candidates for one of 

our ordination programs may also attend with permission 

from the Dean, Rabbi Marcia Prager (Rebmarcia@aol.com). 

I N F O R M A T I O N 17

ALEPH AFFILIATED COMMUNITIES 

ALEPH Dues and Membership Information 

Am Kolel (Rockville, MD) 

Bnai Horin (Los Angeles, CA) 

Bnai Or (Boston, MA) 

Bnai Or (Pueblo, CO) 

Chadeish Yameinu (Santa Cruz, 

CA) 

Chochmat HaLev (Oakland, CA) 

Congregation Shir Tikva (Troy, 

MI) 

East Bank Havurah (Baltimore, 

MD) 

Eitz Or (Seattle, WA) 

Elijah Minyan (San Diego, CA) 

Havurah Shir Hadash (Ashland, 

OR) 

Kehilat Romemu (New York, 

NY) 

Kehilla Community Synagogue 

(Piedmont, CA) 

Makom Ohr Shalom (LA) 

Makom Shalom (Chicago, IL) 

Nahalat Shalom (Albuquerque, 

NM) 

Nevei Kodesh (Boulder, CO) 

Neve Shalom (St. Louis, MO) 

Or Ha Ahava (Lutz, FL) 

Pardes Hannah (Ann Arbor, MI) 

Pardes Levavot (Boulder, CO) 

Pnai HaSadeh (Silver Spring, 

MD) 

Pnai Yisrael (Charlottesville, 

VA) 

Pnai Or (Hartford, CT) 

Pnai Or (Gainesville, FL) 

Pnai Or (Philadelphia, PA) 

Pnai Or (Portland, OR) 

Ruach Hamidbar - Spirit of the 

Desert (Scottsdale, AZ) 

Sha'arei Shamayim (Madison, 

WI) 

Shir Hashirim (Berkeley, CA) 

Shir Ha Yam (San Diego, CA) 

Temple Adat Or (Florida) 

Temple Or Olam (Concord, N. 

Carolina) 

Yavneh (S. Carolina) 

International 

AUSTRALIA: Temple Emmanuel 

(Sydney) 

BRAZIL: Chavurah Al Sfat ha- 

Yam 

CANADA: Or Shalom 

(Vancouver) 

ENGLAND: Ruach Havurah 

(London) 

GERMANY: Ohel Hachidush 

(Berlin) 

ISRAEL: Nava Tehila 

(Jerusalem) 

PERU: Jewish Community of 

Huanuco, Beith Etz Chaim 

SWITZERLAND Basel Chavura 

(Basel) 

All adult Kallah attendees must be current members of 

ALEPH. Please select the category below that applies to your 

household. 

❑ Member of ALEPH through listed ALEPH Affiliated 

Community 

❑ Individual (household) member of ALEPH, through contribution 

made since October 1, 2009. (If our records show 

that you are not current, we’ll invoice you.) 

❑ Not a current ALEPH member. (Add $54 per individual or 

$72 per household to the registration fee.) 

2011 Kallah Planning Committee 

(at time of press) 

Sally Plone, Coordinator; Sheri Levson, Assistant Coordinator, 

Jonathan Baron, Deb Barsel, R. Dennis Beck-Berman, Stacey 

Bhaerman, Renee Brachfeld, Marcia Brooks, Lynda Danzig, Sheila Katz 

Feiwell, Andrea Foster, Eliezer Froehlich, Jessica Jobanek, Melissa 

Kahn, Saul Kaye, Annie Klein, Joanie Levine, Chava Monastersky, 

Harry Morrow, Mark Novak, Skye Pelicrow, Shawna Rothman, Howie 

(Chaim) Schneider, Sarai Shapiro, Yehuda Winter, Linda Zweig 

Brochure design: Hal Aqua, www.aquastudio.net 

Thanks to Ann Silver and all the photographers from past Kallot 

who contributed their work to this brochure. 

Register early! Space is limited. Full 

payment is due May 15. Mail the forms on 

the next two pages with your payment to 

ALEPH Kallah, c/o Sally Plone, 47 Charles 

St., Newton, MA 02466, or fax to: 866-826- 

3011. You can also register online 

(www.aleph.org/kallah.htm). 

Mazel tov to Brian and Sarah Rohr as well as to all the couples 

who found each other at previous Kallot! 

18 I N F O R M A T I O N

BASIC FEES 

RESIDENTIAL x # of people AMOUNT 

Adult, per person, double hall bath $998 x________ = $____________ 

Adult, per person, single hall bath $1098 x________ = $____________ 

Adult, per person, double in suite $1098 x________ = $____________ 

Adult, per person, single in suite $1198 x________ = $____________ 

Adult, per person, double in apartment $1298 x________ = $____________ 

Adult, per person, single in apartment $1358 x________ = $____________ 

Adult, per person, two sharing private apartment $1398 x________ = $____________ 

Teens (13-18) Teen Program $925 x________ = $____________ 

Teens (13-18) Room & Board only $850 x________ = $____________ 

Teen Staff (with approval, see p. 3) $375 x________ = $____________ 

Child (4-12) $695 x________ = $____________ 

2nd child $595 x________ = $____________ 

Children 1-3 $400 x________ = $____________ 

SUBTOTAL RESIDENTIAL 

COMMUTER (incl. tuition, lunch & dinner) 

Adults $850 x________ = $____________ 

Children (1-12) $545 x________ = $____________ 

Breakfast tickets (Tuesday – Sunday) $50 x________ = $____________ 

SUBTOTAL COMMUTER 

SHABBAT/WEEKEND (Friday afternoon through Sunday morning) 

Weekend only (limited availability, see page 17) $425 x________ = $____________ 

Weekend only COMMUTER (limited availability, see page 17) $325 x________ = $____________ 

SUBTOTAL SHABBAT 

SPECIAL DISCOUNTS (apply to above fees only) 

5% First Timer (deduct 5% for each first-time Kallah participant) OR 

5% Register w/ a Minyan (deduct 5% only if 10+ registrations are 

received together from the same city) x________ = $____________ 

Early Bird Discount (paid in full, postmarked by April 15) 

subtract $35/person x________ = $____________ 

Workstudy total (include signed contract with registration) x________ = $____________ 

Total DISCOUNTS 

ADDITIONAL FEES 

Special Pre-Kallah Conference $100 x________ = $____________ 

Supplementary fees for classes (arts, hiking, etc) as noted x________ = $____________ 

Sunday arrival $80 x________ = $____________ 

Airport shuttle $35/person each way $35 x________ = $____________ 

ALEPH membership (see page 18) [Tax Deductible] x________ = $____________ 

Late fee (if not paid in full by May 15) add $50/person x________ = $____________ 

Additional tax deductible donations (circle one): 

Kesher program (scholarships) Kids’ Kallah General Fund $____________ 

Total ADDITIONAL FEES 

GRAND TOTAL (your subtotal plus fees minus discounts) 

Amount enclosed (minimum $100 per person now) 

Balance due by May 15, 2011 (After May 15 must be paid in full) 

$____________ 

$____________ 

$___________ 

-$____________ 

$____________ 

$____________ 

$____________ 

$____________ 

Visa or Mastercard # __________-__________-__________-__________ Expiration _____________ Security Code ____________ 

Please charge my balance on ❑ April 15 (early discount) ❑ May 15 (regular registration) 

If paying by credit card, please make sure the address matches your billing address. 

Registration form continues on reverse. 

For Office Use Only: Date postmarked: ____________ Payment Received: ____________ Room Assignment: ____________

ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal 

7000 Lincoln Dr. B-2 

Philadelphia, PA 19119-3046 

NON PROFIT ORG. 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

WEST PALM BCH, FL 

PERMIT # 593 

Receiving duplicates Please pass on to a friend. 

ADULT #1 

Name (as you want it to appear on your name tag _________________________________________ Last Name______________________ 

Birthdate (m/d/y) __________________ Gender: F M 

Address (include street, city, state, zip) ____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Day phone ( _____ )______________________ Eve phone ( _____ )_________________________ fax ( _____ )______________________ 

Occupation _________________________________________ Email _________________________________________________ 

Please remember to approve kallahajr on your spam filter. 

COURSE PREFERENCES — list using course numbers. Courses are filled in order of postmark. If more space is needed, please 

copy sheet. Also, please circle whether you selected this course primarily for the topic or the teacher. 

AM 1st choice ________ topic / teacher AM 2nd choice ________ topic / teacher AM 3rd choice ________ topic / teacher 

PM 1st choice ________ topic / teacher PM 2nd choice ________ topic / teacher PM 3rd choice ________ topic / teacher 

Are you interested in: (check all that apply) ❑ Linda Hirschorn’s Choir ❑ Jewish Gospel Choir 

Room share request: ______________________________________ (every effort will be made to honor your request.) 

ADULT #2 

Name (as you want it to appear on your name tag _________________________________________ Last Name______________________ 

Birthdate (m/d/y) __________________ Gender: F M 

Address (include street, city, state, zip) ____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Day phone ( _____ )______________________ Eve phone ( _____ )_________________________ fax ( _____ )______________________ 

Occupation _________________________________________ Email ___________________________________________ ❑ OK to email 

COURSE PREFERENCES — list using course numbers. Courses are filled in order of postmark. If more space is needed, please 

copy sheet. Also, please circle whether you selected this course primarily for the topic or the teacher. 

AM 1st choice ________ topic / teacher AM 2nd choice ________ topic / teacher AM 3rd choice ________ topic / teacher 

PM 1st choice ________ topic / teacher PM 2nd choice ________ topic / teacher PM 3rd choice ________ topic / teacher 

Are you interested in: (check all that apply) ❑ Linda Hirschorn’s Choir ❑ Jewish Gospel Choir 

CHILD/TEEN #1 Name______________________________ Birthdate___________ Gender: F M E-mail _______________________ 

CHILD/TEEN #2 Name______________________________ Birthdate___________ Gender: F M E-mail _______________________ 

OTHER INFORMATION 

Noise levels: Please indicate your noise tolerance: silence…………….……….not an issue…………………party! 

Electricity on Shabbat: ❑ No ❑ Yes ❑ Yes, but willing to accommodate roommate(s) 

Dietary Needs (check all that apply): ❑ Lactose intolerant ❑ Wheat allergy ❑ Vegan ❑ Other _________________ 

Do any health issues require special consideration (Please explain.) _________________________________________________________ 

Assistance (Apartments are 10 min from classes and dining): Do you think you would need a shuttle ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ Wait and see 

How many previous Kallot have you attended_______________ What year was the last one you attended ____________ 

How did you hear about the Kallah ❑ website ❑ friend ❑ brochure ❑ other (specify) _________________ 

Please rank your top 3 reasons for attending Kallah (place a 1, 2 & 3 in front of reason): 

___ Community ___ Re-entry into Judaism ___ Davening ___ Experience Jewish Renewal ____ My family 

___ Hoping to meet my Basherte (soulmate) ___ Learning (specify if particular teacher) ___________________________ 

Are you affiliated ❑ Renewal ❑ Recon ❑ Conserv ❑ Reform ❑ Havurah ❑ Orthodox ❑ other ____________

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