Or HaLev: Center for Jewish Spirituality and Meditation

    “If someone wants a Jewish opportunity to find the hard reset button on life, take a deep pause, and re- emerge with completely new eyes - this is it. There's simply no other Jewish experience I have had that even comes close to weaving the mindfulness teachings with Jewish teachings in such a tender-hearted and brave way.”

    Danit K.

    "The experience was life changing and not something that can fully be described with words. It just has to be lived to understand. "

    Sabrina R.  

    Opening the Heart Virtual Retreat

    This virtual meditation retreat, open to all, will provide a variety of tools to open our hearts and touch our joyful divine nature. Combining meditation, practice instructions, chanting, teaching, question and answer sessions, and meetings with teachers, this retreat will provide a container for deep practice and for finding stability in these uncertain times.
    The full retreat schedule will be appropriate for all North American participants and the retreat zoom room will be active from 6am Pacific / 9am Eastern – 8:30pm Pacific / 11:30pm Eastern each day. For those participants from other time zones, all essential retreat content (chanting, meditation instructions, daily talks, Q&A, etc.) will take place at times accessible to both European and Israeli participants and meetings with teachers will be arranged at times that are viable for such participants. In addition, a detailed schedule of practice will be made available for participants who will start their practice day earlier than those in North America. If there is sufficient registration from Israel and Europe (or elsewhere) some online group sessions will also be offered during the morning and early afternoon in these time zones. 


    Sessions will also be recorded for those in other time zones or those who are unable to make a particular session.


    This retreat can be participated in in several ways. We have built the schedule and teachings to support a fully immersive silent retreat experience. We hope many of you will join us in this intensive liberating practice. We also understand that at this time people may need to participate in a variety of ways and the online schedule and our recording of all key teachings etc. will allow more flexible participation as well. We will ask all participants to do their best to be there for a few key moments each day such as practice instructions, chanting, Q&A and the daily talk. 

    Online
    ​Via Zoom

    May 17 - 22, 2020

    English

    Faculty

    Rabbi Dr. James Jacobson Maisels

    Rav James directs the vision of Or HaLev & is a devotee of mindfulness practice. Ordained by Rav Daniel Landes, with a doctorate in Jewish Studies from the University of Chicago, Rav James lectures internationally on Jewish Spiritual practices. He also teaches at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Haifa University & Yeshivat Hadar. He strives to integrate his study with his practice, & to help teach & live Judaism as a spiritual discipline.

    Rabbi Dorothy Richman

    Dorothy Richman serves as the rabbi of Makor Or: Jewish Meditation Center and is a founding faculty member of the new Romemu Yeshiva, a six-week immersive program of intensive spiritual study and practice in New York City. Dorothy's work centers on the spiritual practices of Torah study, prayer, and justice. She  recently released an album of original songs, Something of Mine, largely based on texts from the Jewish tradition, available on BandCamp. 

    Genevieve Greinetz 

    A student at Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Genevieve holds an M.A. from Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. She is a certified yoga teacher and worked as an organic farmer, studied Chinese tea, is a published poet and founding editor of an up-and-coming inter-cultural journal.  Genevieve is intrigued by the whole gamut of human experience. 

    Register

    Please choose the registration level that is right for you. Fees cover Or HaLev's organizational expenses. Teachers are not compensated from these funds. Rather, at the end of the retreat, you will have the opportunity to make an open-hearted offering (terumah/dana) to teachers as an expression of gratitude for the offerings you receive on retreat.  Should you need financial aid beyond the scholarship rate, please email orhalev.connect@gmail.com.

    Scholarship Rate

    $75

    Register

    Basic Rate

    $200

    Register

    Supporter Rate

    $500

    Register

    Sustainer Rate

    $1000+

    In this time of uncertainty and unprecedented change, Or HaLev is grateful to those supporters who make it possible for us to offer practices for grounding and healing, rooted in Jewish tradition. 

    Register

    Sample Schedule

    Click to see the full schedule 

     Participants will gather in small group and/or individual meetings with faculty, compatible with their timezone. 

    Bold sessions are streamed live. Italics reflect our suggested schedule for personal practice.

    Pacific Timezone

    5:30    Wake up

    6:00    Sit

    6:30    Chanting`

    7:30     Individual prayer time and breakfast 

    9:00   Sit with daily instructions

    10:00   Walk

    10:30   Sit

    11:15    Walk

    11:45   Sit and Q&A

    12:30   Walk 

    1:00     Teaching

    2:00     Lunch

    3:30     Blessing Practice

    4:15      Walk 

    5:00     Sit

    5:45     Yoga

    7:00    Dinner

               8:00  Closing sit and good                             night



    Eastern Timezone

    5:30   Wake up

    6:00   Sit

    6:30  Recorded Yoga

    7:30   Individual prayer time and breakfast 

    9:00   Sit

    9:30    Chanting

    10:30  Walk

    10:45  Sit

    11:30   Walk

    12:00  Sit with daily instructions

    1:00  Lunch

    2:45  Sit and Q&A

    3:30  Walk 

    4:00  Teaching

    5:00   Dinner

    6:30   Blessing Practice

    7:15    Walk 

    8:00  Closing sit and good                  night





    UK (2 hrs later for Israel)

    5:30   Wake up

    6:00   Sit

    6:30  Recorded Yoga

    7:30   Individual prayer time and breakfast 

    9:00  Sit 

    9:45  Walk

    10:00  Recorded Blessing Practice

    10:45   Walk

    11:00  Sit

    11:45   Walk

    12:00  Lunch

    2:00   Sit

    2:30    Chanting

    2:30  Walk

    3:45  Sit

    4:30   Walk

    5:00  Sit with daily instructions

    6:00  Dinner

    7:45  Sit and Q&A

    8:30  Walk 

    9:00  Teaching and goodnight

    “If someone wants a Jewish opportunity to find the hard reset button on life, take a deep pause, and re- emerge with completely new eyes - this is it. There's simply no other Jewish experience I have had that even comes close to weaving the mindfulness teachings with Jewish teachings in such a  tender-hearted and brave way ”

    Danit K.

    "The experience was life changing and not something that can fully be described with words. It just has to be lived to understand. "

    Sabrina R.