Jewish Men's Retreat - JMR31 to ???
JMR31: 2022
rothers, Our Selves: Building Bridges
JMR32: 2023
Embodying Gratitude – Jewish Pathways to Healing, Resilience and Joy!
JMR33: 2024
To Be Announced!
Friday, November 11
3:00 - 4:30: Arrival and check-in
4:30 - 5:00: Pre-retreat Space (sound, meditation, and other reflective opportunities)
5:00 - 6:10: Opening Circle
6:20 - 7:20: Shabbat Dinner
7:30 - 8:50: Kabbalat Shabbat
9:00 - 10:30: Mishpacha Groups Session No. 1: What Does Your Gratitude Look Like?
10:40-11:30: Late Night Options (Drum Circle, Informal Connecting, Schmoozing, Snacks)
JMR31 will sprinkle music, movement, learning, davening, and singing throughout the retreat.
Men will be showered by an outpouring of gratitude offerings in a variety of times and places.
Sunday, November 13
7:30 - 8:20: Morning T’filah options
-Melodic Davening
-Drum Your Prayers
-Tefillin Experience
8:30 - 9:30 Breakfast
10:00 - 11:50: Mishpacha Groups Session No. 3: Options for Cultivating a Gratitude Practice
12:00 - 12:50: Closing Circle
1:00 - 2:00: Lunch and Departure
Parsha
(Weekly Torah Portion)
Vayera
פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּרָא
Torah Portion:
Genesis 18:1-22:24
Haftarah for Ashkenazim:
II Kings 4:1 – 4:37
Haftarah for Sephardim:
II Kings 4:1 – 4:23
JMR31: November 11-13, 2022
Pearlstone Center, Reisterstown, MD
Embodying Gratitude —
Jewish Pathways to Healing, Resilience and Joy!
From the Opening Ceremony to the Closing Circle,
Explore your capacity for gratitude with Jewish and universal practices,
Acknowledge the gifts with which you have been blessed, and
Expand the act of blessing into a practice of
thanksgiving, wonder and praise.
Josef Kottler
Co-Chair of JMR31
Benyamin Lichtenstein
Co-Chair of JMRs 6, 7, 31
David Piver
Co-Chair of JMRs 25 and 31
Saturday, November 12
7:00 - 7:50: Option of Torah Yoga or Gratitude Meditation
8:00 - 8:50: Breakfast
9:00 - 9:50: Option of Torah Study or Mussar Study
10:00-11:50: Morning T’filah
11:50-11:55: Kiddush
12:00-1:00: Lunch
1:30 - 2:20: Pathways Session 1
-Hitbododut Walking Meditation
-Sage Wisdom Elder Mensches
-Jewish life for men under 40
2:30 - 3:20: Pathways Session 2
-Blessings as Gratitude Practice
-Community Sing-a-long
-Kabbalah Meditation
4:00 - 5:30: Mishpacha Groups Session No. 2: Avenues & Obstacles to Gratitude
5:40 - 6:20: Mincha/Maariv - Gratitude/Joy/Resilience Blessings
6:30 - 7:30: Dinner
7:40 - 8:00: Havdalah - Ritual of Light and Shabbat Separation
8:00 - 8:50: Gratitude Offerings - songs, stories
9:00 - 10:30: Campfire – babka, drumming, storytelling, schmoozing, fun!
10:40-11:30: Piano Bar - music & stories with Rabbi Mark Biller
About the Retreat's Theme
JMR32’s theme is Uncovering Holy Sparks: Seeking The Light in Ourselves, Our Brothers, and Our Communities. Our theme is inspired by the Kabbalistic story of creation in which God self-contracts to make space and then sends rays of energy in the form of divine light into the void to bring about creation.
Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572) taught that the light was contained in vessels that, unable to contain the divine energy, shattered, scattering holy sparks. In this world we have a purpose to uncover these sparks, which are hidden by the shards of the broken vessels. These shards, or kelipot, also serve a purpose: like the sparks, we also can uplift shards.
During JMR32 we will be exploring how we can seek and raise holy sparks as well as gain insights from shards. We also will explore connections between Parshat Lech Lecha and our retreat theme.
Of course, there will be plenty of opportunities to catch up with and make new friends as well as renew, refresh, and recharge.
JMR32
Uncovering Holy Sparks: Seeking the Light in Ourselves, our Brothers, and our Communities
Friday, October 27, 2023 to
Sunday, October 29, 2023
Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
Falls Village, Connecticut
Kindred Sparks: Tell Your Story
At the retreat we are pleased to offer our version of the popular NPR program The Moth, which we are calling Kindred Sparks, to enable Brothers to share and be inspired by each other’s stories of light and personal insight. Stay tuned for an email on how to submit your story.
Check back soon for more details!
JMR32 Co-Chairs
Lou Haber
David Shaw
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