Ruach Ha'Aretz 2008 Teachers

The teachers scheduled for summer 2008 include:

Sharon Alexander is a body psychotherapist, Jewish community organizer, teacher, vocalist, and long-time collector of Jewish spiritual music--with more than 25 years at the forefront of Jewish Renewal. Her fascination for the physics and spirituality of altered-state experience led her to examine gospel's secrets. She has presented ecstatic choir workshops in the US, England, Israel & Switzerland. www.ShirEcstasy.com
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=rSxTHW4sppk

Tom Oz DiGennaro has been leading and teaching outdoor activities, including mountain bike trips, winter ski trips, and Boy Scout trips. His training includes Wilderness First Responder, plant identification, geology, weather. Tom loves the ecstasy of experiencing G-d which comes with extended time away from civilization. He is probably more at home outdoors than anywhere else. Ori Har and Tom DiGennaro are the founders and directors of Conscious Learning Community in Boulder, Colorado.

Rabbi Wayne Dosick, PhD, is the spiritual guide of The Elijah Minyan of Greater San Diego, the author of eight books, and an international speaker and seminar leader.

Ellen Kaufman Dosick, MSW is the world master practitioner and teacher of the spiritual psychotherapy, Soul Memory Discovery. She is the channel-author of the bimonthly internet publication, Cosmic Times: Spiritual News You Can Use.

Together, Reb Wayne and Ellen are the authors of the new book, 20 Minute Kabbalah, with its accompanying Chants CD.

Rabbi Diane Elliot performed and taught internationally as a modern dancer-choreographer for twenty-five years and has maintained a private practice as a Somatic Movement Therapist since 1986. A longtime meditator and student of Judaism, Diane was ordained through the Academy for Jewish Religion, California, and currently serves as spiritual leader of the Aquarian Minyan in Berkeley, California.

Shulamit Fagan is a Rabbinic Pastor, hospital chaplain, director of Aleph's Rabbinic Pastor program, teacher, mother and grandmother. She knows first hand the pressure and pleasures of living in this wonderful world, and the importance of letting her love flow.

Rabbi Shefa Gold is a leader in ALEPH: the Alliance for Jewish Renewal and received her ordination both from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. She is the director of C-DEEP, the Center for Devotional, Energy and Ecstatic Practice in Jemez Springs, New Mexico. Shefa composes and performs spiritual music, has produced ten albums, and her liturgies have been published in several new prayerbooks. She teaches workshops and retreats on the theory and art of Chanting, Devotional Healing, Spiritual Community Building, Meditation, and trains Chant Leaders in Kol Zimra, a two year program for rabbis, cantors and lay leaders. She is also on the faculty of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Shefa combines her grounding in Judaism with a background in Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, and Native American spiritual traditions to make her uniquely qualified as a spiritual bridge celebrating the shared path of devotion. She is the author of Torah Journeys: The Inner Path to the Promised Land, published by Ben Yehuda Press.

Rabbis Victor and Nadya Gross co-rabbis of Pardes Levavot: a Jewish Renewal congregaton in Boulder, CO, and co-presidents of Ruach Ha’Aretz, received Joint Rabbinic Ordination from Rabbi Zalman Shachter-Shalomi in recognition of their unique paradigm of spiritual partnering. Living and working together for over 34 years, they have learned to use the tools and rich wisdom of our tradition to inform their relationships with one another, community and God.

Rabbi Yitzhak Husbands-Hankin received smicha as a Baal Tefillah
(master of prayer) from Reb Shlomo Carlebach z’l, and rabbinic ordination from Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. He is the senior rabbi of Temple Beth Israel in Eugene, Oregon. Reb Yitz is a lover of music, who sings, plays guitar and cello, and has composed and recorded many songs and niggunim that are widely shared in Jewish Renewal and beyond. He was among the early participants the formation of what eventually became known as Jewish Renewal, and rejoices in its continued
flourishing.

Shonna Husbands-Hankin is a Judaic Artist, Jewish Spiritual Director and Eshet Chazon (woman of vision). A native Oregonian, she brings special knowledge of the holy places – sacred paths and waterways of the forests and mountains of Oregon, where she nourishes her soul. Shonna’s art can be seen at www.wingsofshechinah.com

Ori Har is an author, spiritual counselor and educator. A meditator for many years, Ori is a student of research in consciousness, Yoga and Kabbalah and has been teaching Biblical Hebrew, Torah and Kabbalah for over ten years. Ms. Har is the author of God Speaks Here and Now—A Guide for Living. Ori is a rabbinic student in the Aleph Smicha Program.

Rabbi Shaya Isenberg, now emeritus of the department of religion at the University of Florida, teaches Jewish mysticism and comparative spirituality. He is co-founder and co-director of UF's Center for Spirituality and Health. He serves as Rabbi for P'nai Or Gainesville and also serves on the Vaad of directors of studies for the Aleph Rabbinical program. Shaya and Bahira are senior faculty emeritus of the Spiritual Eldering Institute where they designed and implemented its leadership training program. They are currently co-directing, with Lynn Iser, the ALEPH Sage-ing™ Project.

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.

Hazzan Jack Kessler directs the Cantorial program of ALEPH, and trains many Hazzanim. In addition to leading the two touring bands KLINGON KLEZ and ATZILUT:CONCERTS FOR PEACE, he moonlights doing landscaping for Rabbi Marcia Prager

Rabbi Léah Novick is a student and teacher of Jewish mysticism, known for combining contemporary insights with the wisdom of the Zohar. A senior disciple of Reb Zalman, she enjoys sharing her knowledge with people of all backgrounds.
Léah has been honored as Aleph "Pathfinder"and Founder of Ruach Ha’Aretz.

Rabbi Marcia Prager is a vibrant Jewish Renewal teacher, storyteller, artist, and therapist. She is Director and Dean of the ALEPH Ordination Programs, and rabbi of the P'nai Or congregations in Philadelphia PA and Princeton NJ. Her book, The Path of Blessing, is an exploration of the profound spiritual wisdom that lies in the Jewish practice of blessing. She travels widely to teach an array of Jewish and interfaith settings. See www.RabbiMarciaPrager.com.

Daniel Siegel is the Director of Spiritual Resources for ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal which offers teleconferencing classes for adults, edits and publishes the teachings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and others. He is editor of Siddur Kol Koreh and other resources for prayer. He serves the ALEPH Rabbinic Program in several capacities, including teacher, director of studies, and consultant. He is a trained mediator and is available to individuals and communities in conflict and transition. Along with his life partner, Rabbi Hanna Tiferet Siegel, he co-founded Congregation Or Shalom in Vancouver, BC and was the co-spiritual leader of B'nai Or of Boston.

Hanna Tiferet Siegel is a liturgical artist and yoga teacher who serves as a vessel for the lovesong of God. She encourages her students to awaken to their wholeness and participate collectively in transmitting the wisdom of the moment.

Bahira Sugarman, a traditional Reiki Master, is ordained as a spiritual guide and has been celebrated as an Eyshet Hazon (Woman of Vision). Licensed as a clinical social worker, as a marriage and family therapist, and as a massage therapist, she teaches T'ai Chi Chuan and Reiki and has a private practice. Shaya and Bahira are senior faculty emeritus of the Spiritual Eldering Institute where they designed and implemented its leadership training program. They are currently co-directing, with Lynn Iser, the ALEPH Sage-ing™ Project.

Rabbi David Zaslow is the author of poetry and the Jewish Renewal siddur “Ivdu et Hashem b’Simcha.” He is the spiritual leader of Havurat Shir Hadash in Ashland, Oregon.

Devorah Gordon Zaslow's performances as a storyteller and workshop presenter have included the CAJE Conference and the National Storytelling Festival. She has taught storytelling at Southern Oregon University for twenty years, and her CD, Return Again, features Jewish stories of healing and transformation. She has been ordained as a Maggidah by Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi.

Ruach Ha'Aretz
7077 Harvest Road
Boulder, CO 80301
415.339.8677
info@ruachhaaretz.com
Ruach Ha'Aretz is a Project of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal