Join with us as we live in the presence of love each 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 the sweet encounters with other retreat participants will provide nourishment between the spiritual and intellectual courses. Following our afternoon classes, Mincha Time offers opportunities for enrichment... and rest.

Our entire community will gather 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 will lead to a Shabbat full of beauty and love in which the davvening may become the fullest expression of our true selves.

Special Offerings at Ruach
This year, Ruach Ha'Aretz offers you an opportunity to explore more deeply:

• Spiritual Direction with Rabbi Burt Jacobson, is the process of discovering where God or the Spirit may be present in an individual’s life, and where the Spirit may be leading her or him. Spiritual Direction can take place between and individual and the Divine. In our time more and more people are turning to trained spiritual directors to help them explore these matters. A director can also help a directee to discern what practices would be most beneficial on this journey. Each session takes about an hour to an hour and a quarter. The fee per session is $85, but please speak to Rabbi Burt if this is an issue. Rabbi Burt Jacobson is a co-founder of the Jewish Renewal movement and Founding Rabbi of Kehilla Community Synagogue in the East Bay. He has been involved in spiritual direction for 25 years, and was one of the first to introduce this discipline into Jewish life.

• Shir Ecstasy Jewbilation Choir with Sharon Alexander.
Gospel singing is a brilliant yet simple musical path designed to take a congregation to an ecstatic state together.  Yet, because of its Christian content, Jews do not typically have the opportunity to sing or explore gospel.  Here we are free to do so in a Jewish milieu; to sing this music and learn its powerful techniques, and to consider the issue of ecstasy in a Jewish religious service. See some of Sharon's magic at the ALEPH Kallah last year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6SVmBnl8Lk and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpurHXxw3Yk

ALEPH Affiliated Community Retreat
Join with ALEPH’s Executive Director, Deb Kolodny, and other lay and spiritual leaders of congregations to explore the most pressing community building issues of the day:
• Membership recruitment
• Financial sustainability
• Attracting and retaining young members
• Securing media coverage
• Activating and prioritizing the work of your board and volunteers
Special pre-retreat program,
beginning 1 pm on Sunday, June 29th through noon on Monday.
Program Fee: $125

Exciting Programs for Children and Teens
Ruach Ha’Aretz sets the standard for fabulously fun and creative programs for children. It’s an exciting, joyful, and nurturing Jewish renewal experience filled with music, play, sports, crafts and davvening as a deeply personal expression. An inclusive and participatory program for teens is also an integral part of the Ruach experience. Older teens may choose to attend any of the adult classes and workshops. Those who enjoy spending time with younger children may apply to work as Children’s Program assistants and receive compensation in the form of a reduced fee. (To apply, see the online registration page.) Children and teens at Ruach Ha’Aretz enjoy a balance of their own activities, and opportunities to be fully integrated into the greater Ruach Community during mealtimes, recreation time, evening programs and Shabbat.

Mitzvah Core
Ruach Ha’Aretz offers opportunities to deepen your practice of Mitzvah and service. The Mitzvah Core is a “work-study” exchange program that manifests the Malchut (grounded reality) of the retreat by assisting teachers, helping with child-care, setting up for Shabbat, and all other informal Mitzvot that may arise during the week. Our vision is to work mindfully and joyfully by grounding ourselves in the spiritual practices and teachings of the week. As the Mitzvah Core is nourished we hope to transform the entire retreat into a Conscious Community that is yearning to serve each other with Chesed (loving-kindness). Annie Klein is coordinating our Mitzvah Core, once again. For more information, or an application, contact Annie at info@ruachhaaretz.com.