Pop-up Intentional Jewish Community
Ruach Ha’Aretz, founded in 1995, has been creating week-long retreats for seekers of all ages, featuring classes with some of your favorite Jewish Renewal teachers, musicians, and artists, as well as extraordinary teachers from other faith traditions. Each thematic retreat offers opportunities for learning, experience, practice and questioning – in a safe, inclusive and intimate container we call our ‘village.’
Our Ruach Kids Program is an integral part of the village, offering unique experiences for children and supporting a magical week of connection and discovery for the entire family.
A Day at Ruach Ha’Aretz…
Every morning begins with an opportunity to enter into the Divine Embrace through prayer, movement, or silence. Then plunge into a deep encounter with our theme and the teachers of your choice. Delicious meals and sweet encounters with other retreat participants will provide nourishment between the spiritual and intellectual courses. Following our afternoon classes and dinner, a brief Mincha time offers opportunities for enrichment and rest.
Our entire community gathers each evening for programs that celebrate and enhance our experience, with beautiful music, moving poetry, dancing, drumming circles, lively discussions and inspired dream work.
Our week together leads to a Shabbat full of beauty and love in which the davvening may become the fullest expression of our true selves. There are more opportunities for study with wonderful teachers on Shabbat afternoon for all participants. The entire Ruach village comes together for a Havdalah ritual, as we say goodbye to Shabbat and embrace the week to come.
The Sunday closing ritual will seal your experience and guide you back to your homes and communities.
Jewish Practice at Ruach Ha’Aretz
Yerusha is an explicitly Jewish Renewal organization created to carry forward those parts of Reb Zalman’s legacy which inspired the founders. Our programs and practices are based in our understanding of his teachings and often, in the past, his direct guidance.
Kashrut: Rabbi Victor Gross has been the mashgiach for Ruach Ha’Aretz, OHALAH and the AOP Smicha Week for more than 20 years. He supervises according to accepted halachic norms of kashrut and the ever-expanding understanding of Eco-Kashrut, first articulated by Rabbi Arthur Waskow and Reb Zalman and now further developed by Rabbi Victor Gross and his students.
Davennen [prayer]: We are guided by Reb Zalman’s teachings on davvenology (teachings on the forms of prayer). Ruach Ha’Aretz has always been committed to experimentation and innovation in its offerings at daily davennen, which include Shacharit/morning practice and Mincha/afternoon prayer and workshops, and on Shabbat at Kabbalat Shabbat (Friday evening), Shabbat Shacharit (morning), Mincha (afternoon) and Havdalah (end of Shabbat).
Shabbat: We honor the spirit and intention of Shabbat as articulated by Reb Zalman in his writings and teachings. We respect the needs of those who are more halachicly observant, providing food that is not cooked on Shabbat and supporting non-use of electricity in lodging rooms. We explicitly do not manage or shame anyone’s personal practice, and we create a community atmosphere of inclusiveness and tolerance.
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