V”asu Li Mikdash: Building Communities of Practice

at Pearlstone Retreat & Conference Center
5425 Mt. Gilead Road
Reisterstown, MD
More Info / Registration

This five day event will be a hybrid retreat/conference for folks who run and/or teach at Jewish meditation centers and groups of all sorts — or would like to start these kinds of Jewish groups. Rabbi Dr. Michaelson will be on the faculty and teaching at the event.

V”asu Li Mikdash will take place July 19—23 and will also include Sheila Weinberg, Johnathan Slater, Lisa Goldstein, James Jacobson-Maisels, Nancy Flam, Aliza Mazor, Jordan Bendat-Appell, and others for a day-and-half Jewish meditation retreat followed by two days of “conference” style conversations.

One day of the conference will focus on practical issues (e.g., different models of groups, fundraising, how to structure programs, etc.). Another day will focus on more philosophical questions pertaining to our practice, like: “Towards a Definition of Jewish Mindfulness,” Judaism and Buddhism (how we do and don’t draw on Buddhism in our teaching?), and how being a teacher of Jewish meditation/mindfulness is a mindfulness practice in itself.

The conference days will have a significant portion of practice as well. There will be opportunities for breakout sessions addressing issues specific to different groups, including sessions for those interested in building new groups and centers.