Calendar

Mondays,  7 – 8:30pm by donationOnly on Zoom Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » EVENT DESCRIPTION Come Deepen Your Practice of Jewish Meditation Want to see God (or at least It’s shadow)? Lower your blood pressure? Manage your spiritual confusion? Connect with a deeper Jewish consciousness? Learn about Judaism’s esoteric side? Get a whiff of enlightenment? Just as healthy foods nourish our body, Jewish meditation nourishes our soul.  It has been around for centuries and includes forms such as chanting, visualization, silence, and movement. It can revitalize and transform Judaism from the blasé familiar into a profound and constantly renewing spiritual practice. As one of the first modern Jewish institutions to teach these forms when we opened our doors in 1995, we invite you to join us in a journey that is both personal and communal, a claiming and reclaiming of ancient pathways that open and deepen our capacity to live in connection. Some of the teachers are skilled in Classical Jewish styles of meditation, while others are practitioners of other forms but have integrated Jewish wisdom, liturgy, and concepts into their teaching. All provide an interesting, engaging and meaningful experience. For beginners and experienced meditators alike. No previous meditation or Jewish experience required. By donation. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Our meditation program is supported entirely by donations. Each contribution, small and large, allows us to keep bringing you meaningful offerings.• Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFO Join with video:  https://zoom.us/j/848045873?pwd=bHpOZEpwTGJkbDNRLzNoVjNoZ01vZz09 Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833, or 1-346-248-7799, or 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 848-045-873Passcode: 847352 BIOSJen RoitmanJen experienced the power of chanting and meditation at a contemplative Rosh Hashanah service led by Rabbi Jonathan Omer-man and has been practicing Jewish and Vipassana meditation for more than 18 years.  She is a graduate of Rabbi Shefa Gold’s Kol Zimra Chant Leader Training, and The Sati Center Buddhist Chaplaincy Program. ...

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with Jeffrey KesslerWednesdays  |  8:15 – 9amBy Donation  |  On Zoom  Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » Torah is our technology for encountering the Divine Presence. Silence provides a necessary space for that encounter. According to Jewish tradition, the Presence dwells continually within and around us, but we must learn deep listening to receive its generative wisdom. Shemah – in a word that sounds like an exhalation of breath,  we are directed to listen in order to understand the Divine Oneness. We are to open to this Oneness with all of our heart, our soul, our strength. We must listen to our bodies, our emotions, our thoughts, all that is deep within us. Join us as we sit together in silence, after a brief teaching on meditation practice in connection either with the weekly Torah portion or where we find ourselves in the Jewish sacred calendar. About Jeffrey KesslerA graduate of Chochmat HaLev’s first Jewish Meditation Teacher Training Program, Jeffrey has studied many spiritual traditions. With degrees in philosophy, mathematics and spiritual psychology, Jeffrey has spent his life exploring the many creative disciplines of staying open in order to connect with the Nameless One. He sees Meditation and Mussar practice as key to the renewal of Jewish spirituality. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Every contribution, large or small, allows us to keep bringing you meditation, services, and much more. • Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOJoin with video  https://zoom.us/j/520703203?pwd=RnJNRittSkZNcnkxNm03WGxvcFgyQT09 Join by phone  1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 520 703 203Passcode: 062729 , ...

This class series will explore our communication with our body and help us develop a relationship of acceptance, compassion, willingness and trust with our body’s wisdom. We will discover harmony and balance between the mind and body and re-attune all aspects of our being so as to meet whatever is arising with loving awareness — As we give our awareness, our awareness heals us. The class experience is a microfield for what we express in the macrofield, so as we practice care and understanding for ourselves, we bring that to all relationships in our life. In addition, Ilana will embed some images and stories from Kabbalah, our jewish mystical tradition, which are aligned with the original teachings of the method as Feldenkrais himself was related to the Bal Shem Tov. **This series is accessible to all ages and all abilities, and the series will be molded to the specific needs of people in attendance** Please bring: a heavy blanket (no yoga mats)  pillow small towel Fridays, 10:30-12:00pm – Feb. 14th Feb. 21st Feb. 28th March 7th March 14th Cost:   FIRST CLASS IS FREE (FEB 14)If this class resonates with you, we are asking for a commitment to the remaining 4 classes in the series. Classes will be donation-Based for the remaining classes.  Suggested Donation:Members: $72 for remaining 4 sessions Non-Members: $96 for remaining 4 classes NOTAFLOF ABOUT THE FELDENKRAIS METHOD:The Feldenkrais Method® is a form of somatic education that uses gentle movement and directed attention to improve movement and enhance human functioning. Through this Method, you can increase your ease and range of motion, improve your flexibility and coordination, and rediscover your innate capacity for graceful, efficient movement. These will often generalize to enhance functioning in other aspects of your life. By expanding the self-image through movement sequences that bring attention to the parts of...

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Saturdays, 9:30 – 11amwith Eric Strellis Join on  Zoom It is a tree of life to all who take hold of it, and whoever keeps hold of it is happy; its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace.  – Proverbs 3:17-18 If Torah is our Tree of Life, where are its roots, how does it flower, what does its fruit taste like? Answers to these questions, and more, are revealed to us every week when we study together. Engaging with Torah allows us to access an Eternal Wisdom that often seems intimidating, hidden and unreachable. Explore the parsha, the week’s Torah portion, with a warm, supportive, questioning community.  Together, we luxuriate in the specialness of Shabbat, delving deeply into the text. We read the entire parsha aloud in English and see where the discussion leads us.  Prior experience with the text is not required as we read it again, together, for the first time. Join us and deepen your connection to Torah, Shabbat, and Jewish community. Everyone is welcome, every voice is valued. For more information, please reach out to Eric Strellis at eric@chochmat.org. DONATION INFOWe rely on your contributions to cover our expenses. Please consider donating, or become a member! Free for Chochmat members$5 requested donation for non-members• Donate online here• Venmo @chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOIf you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.Join with videohttps://zoom.us/j/652501750 Join by phone1-669-444 9171 1-346-248-77991-253-205-0468 Meeting ID: 881 8385 9402Passcode: 986927 , ...

Join us for an in-person Shabbat service. Janet Falk and Jeffrey Kessler conduct Chochmat’s beautiful Contemplative Service, created by founding member Nan Gefen and Rabbi Jonathan Omer-man. The service follows the arc of the traditional morning Shabbat service in distilled form – with alternating periods of chant and silence, time for personal prayer, Torah teaching, and Mourner’s Kaddish. Followed by: Kiddish Lunch 12:30 pm Chesed Community Care Circle 1:00 pm – Information for this circle forthcoming. DONATION INFOOur Shabbat services are supported by donation. Each donation, small and large, allows us to continue with this offering.• Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org , ...

Mondays,  7 – 8:30pm by donationOnly on Zoom Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » EVENT DESCRIPTION Come Deepen Your Practice of Jewish Meditation Want to see God (or at least It’s shadow)? Lower your blood pressure? Manage your spiritual confusion? Connect with a deeper Jewish consciousness? Learn about Judaism’s esoteric side? Get a whiff of enlightenment? Just as healthy foods nourish our body, Jewish meditation nourishes our soul.  It has been around for centuries and includes forms such as chanting, visualization, silence, and movement. It can revitalize and transform Judaism from the blasé familiar into a profound and constantly renewing spiritual practice. As one of the first modern Jewish institutions to teach these forms when we opened our doors in 1995, we invite you to join us in a journey that is both personal and communal, a claiming and reclaiming of ancient pathways that open and deepen our capacity to live in connection. Some of the teachers are skilled in Classical Jewish styles of meditation, while others are practitioners of other forms but have integrated Jewish wisdom, liturgy, and concepts into their teaching. All provide an interesting, engaging and meaningful experience. For beginners and experienced meditators alike. No previous meditation or Jewish experience required. By donation. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Our meditation program is supported entirely by donations. Each contribution, small and large, allows us to keep bringing you meaningful offerings.• Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFO Join with video:  https://zoom.us/j/848045873?pwd=bHpOZEpwTGJkbDNRLzNoVjNoZ01vZz09 Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833, or 1-346-248-7799, or 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 848-045-873Passcode: 847352 BIOSJen RoitmanJen experienced the power of chanting and meditation at a contemplative Rosh Hashanah service led by Rabbi Jonathan Omer-man and has been practicing Jewish and Vipassana meditation for more than 18 years.  She is a graduate of Rabbi Shefa Gold’s Kol Zimra Chant Leader Training, and The Sati Center Buddhist Chaplaincy Program. ...

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with Jeffrey KesslerWednesdays  |  8:15 – 9amBy Donation  |  On Zoom  Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » Torah is our technology for encountering the Divine Presence. Silence provides a necessary space for that encounter. According to Jewish tradition, the Presence dwells continually within and around us, but we must learn deep listening to receive its generative wisdom. Shemah – in a word that sounds like an exhalation of breath,  we are directed to listen in order to understand the Divine Oneness. We are to open to this Oneness with all of our heart, our soul, our strength. We must listen to our bodies, our emotions, our thoughts, all that is deep within us. Join us as we sit together in silence, after a brief teaching on meditation practice in connection either with the weekly Torah portion or where we find ourselves in the Jewish sacred calendar. About Jeffrey KesslerA graduate of Chochmat HaLev’s first Jewish Meditation Teacher Training Program, Jeffrey has studied many spiritual traditions. With degrees in philosophy, mathematics and spiritual psychology, Jeffrey has spent his life exploring the many creative disciplines of staying open in order to connect with the Nameless One. He sees Meditation and Mussar practice as key to the renewal of Jewish spirituality. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Every contribution, large or small, allows us to keep bringing you meditation, services, and much more. • Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOJoin with video  https://zoom.us/j/520703203?pwd=RnJNRittSkZNcnkxNm03WGxvcFgyQT09 Join by phone  1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 520 703 203Passcode: 062729 , ...

This class series will explore our communication with our body and help us develop a relationship of acceptance, compassion, willingness and trust with our body’s wisdom. We will discover harmony and balance between the mind and body and re-attune all aspects of our being so as to meet whatever is arising with loving awareness — As we give our awareness, our awareness heals us. The class experience is a microfield for what we express in the macrofield, so as we practice care and understanding for ourselves, we bring that to all relationships in our life. In addition, Ilana will embed some images and stories from Kabbalah, our jewish mystical tradition, which are aligned with the original teachings of the method as Feldenkrais himself was related to the Bal Shem Tov. **This series is accessible to all ages and all abilities, and the series will be molded to the specific needs of people in attendance** Please bring: a heavy blanket (no yoga mats)  pillow small towel Fridays, 10:30-12:00pm – Feb. 14th Feb. 21st Feb. 28th March 7th March 14th Cost:   FIRST CLASS IS FREE (FEB 14)If this class resonates with you, we are asking for a commitment to the remaining 4 classes in the series. Classes will be donation-Based for the remaining classes.  Suggested Donation:Members: $72 for remaining 4 sessions Non-Members: $96 for remaining 4 classes NOTAFLOF ABOUT THE FELDENKRAIS METHOD:The Feldenkrais Method® is a form of somatic education that uses gentle movement and directed attention to improve movement and enhance human functioning. Through this Method, you can increase your ease and range of motion, improve your flexibility and coordination, and rediscover your innate capacity for graceful, efficient movement. These will often generalize to enhance functioning in other aspects of your life. By expanding the self-image through movement sequences that bring attention to the parts of...

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Friday, March 7, 6pm In person and on Zoom Meeting ID 878 1040 4956Passcode 972073 Join Chochmat HaLev for a Kabbalat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat) service, a mystical tradition full of embodied prayer, soulful singing, ecstatic dancing, guided meditation, sharing of ancestral wisdom, and connection in intergenerational community. This service will be led by Zvika Krieger, Lior Tsarfaty and special guests. Service will start promptly at 6pm — please arrive a few minutes early to check in and be seated. Potluck oneg after services, followed by HeartSpace at 8pm. If you’re planning to attend in-person, please register in advance.If you’re planning to attend via Zoom, the link is here: https://zoom.us/j/8781040 Register here! HOLY WORK (Sign up to volunteer) During service Childcare is available. Please register so we know you’re coming! After service Please bring a delicious vegetarian contribution to our potluck oneg and schmooze with our beloved community! Followed by HeartSpace at 8pm, facilitated by producer and storyteller, Stephanie Lepp. About the Event: Integrating different perspectives is a very Jewish impulse. We’re commanded to study the Talmud in pairs because it’s by virtue of having different perspectives that we sharpen each other’s intellect. Our Kabbalistic creation myth quite literally gives us the task of putting the broken pieces of the divine back together. So, how might we ‘sharpen each other’s intellect’ and ‘put the pieces back together’ on our most divisive issues — like race, gender, and Israel-Palestine? How do we move from thesis versus anti-thesis to synthesis? How might we transform our viewpoint diversity from a source of weakness to a source of strength? These are the questions you’re invited to explore at this gathering. Stephanie will screen Faces of X — her recent video series that integrates different perspectives on divisive social issues. She and Zvika will discuss Faces...

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Saturdays, 9:30 – 11amwith Eric Strellis Join on  Zoom It is a tree of life to all who take hold of it, and whoever keeps hold of it is happy; its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace.  – Proverbs 3:17-18 If Torah is our Tree of Life, where are its roots, how does it flower, what does its fruit taste like? Answers to these questions, and more, are revealed to us every week when we study together. Engaging with Torah allows us to access an Eternal Wisdom that often seems intimidating, hidden and unreachable. Explore the parsha, the week’s Torah portion, with a warm, supportive, questioning community.  Together, we luxuriate in the specialness of Shabbat, delving deeply into the text. We read the entire parsha aloud in English and see where the discussion leads us.  Prior experience with the text is not required as we read it again, together, for the first time. Join us and deepen your connection to Torah, Shabbat, and Jewish community. Everyone is welcome, every voice is valued. For more information, please reach out to Eric Strellis at eric@chochmat.org. DONATION INFOWe rely on your contributions to cover our expenses. Please consider donating, or become a member! Free for Chochmat members$5 requested donation for non-members• Donate online here• Venmo @chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOIf you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.Join with videohttps://zoom.us/j/652501750 Join by phone1-669-444 9171 1-346-248-77991-253-205-0468 Meeting ID: 881 8385 9402Passcode: 986927 , ...

Mondays,  7 – 8:30pm by donationOnly on Zoom Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » EVENT DESCRIPTION Come Deepen Your Practice of Jewish Meditation Want to see God (or at least It’s shadow)? Lower your blood pressure? Manage your spiritual confusion? Connect with a deeper Jewish consciousness? Learn about Judaism’s esoteric side? Get a whiff of enlightenment? Just as healthy foods nourish our body, Jewish meditation nourishes our soul.  It has been around for centuries and includes forms such as chanting, visualization, silence, and movement. It can revitalize and transform Judaism from the blasé familiar into a profound and constantly renewing spiritual practice. As one of the first modern Jewish institutions to teach these forms when we opened our doors in 1995, we invite you to join us in a journey that is both personal and communal, a claiming and reclaiming of ancient pathways that open and deepen our capacity to live in connection. Some of the teachers are skilled in Classical Jewish styles of meditation, while others are practitioners of other forms but have integrated Jewish wisdom, liturgy, and concepts into their teaching. All provide an interesting, engaging and meaningful experience. For beginners and experienced meditators alike. No previous meditation or Jewish experience required. By donation. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Our meditation program is supported entirely by donations. Each contribution, small and large, allows us to keep bringing you meaningful offerings.• Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFO Join with video:  https://zoom.us/j/848045873?pwd=bHpOZEpwTGJkbDNRLzNoVjNoZ01vZz09 Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833, or 1-346-248-7799, or 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 848-045-873Passcode: 847352 BIOSJen RoitmanJen experienced the power of chanting and meditation at a contemplative Rosh Hashanah service led by Rabbi Jonathan Omer-man and has been practicing Jewish and Vipassana meditation for more than 18 years.  She is a graduate of Rabbi Shefa Gold’s Kol Zimra Chant Leader Training, and The Sati Center Buddhist Chaplaincy Program. ...

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with Jeffrey KesslerWednesdays  |  8:15 – 9amBy Donation  |  On Zoom  Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » Torah is our technology for encountering the Divine Presence. Silence provides a necessary space for that encounter. According to Jewish tradition, the Presence dwells continually within and around us, but we must learn deep listening to receive its generative wisdom. Shemah – in a word that sounds like an exhalation of breath,  we are directed to listen in order to understand the Divine Oneness. We are to open to this Oneness with all of our heart, our soul, our strength. We must listen to our bodies, our emotions, our thoughts, all that is deep within us. Join us as we sit together in silence, after a brief teaching on meditation practice in connection either with the weekly Torah portion or where we find ourselves in the Jewish sacred calendar. About Jeffrey KesslerA graduate of Chochmat HaLev’s first Jewish Meditation Teacher Training Program, Jeffrey has studied many spiritual traditions. With degrees in philosophy, mathematics and spiritual psychology, Jeffrey has spent his life exploring the many creative disciplines of staying open in order to connect with the Nameless One. He sees Meditation and Mussar practice as key to the renewal of Jewish spirituality. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Every contribution, large or small, allows us to keep bringing you meditation, services, and much more. • Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOJoin with video  https://zoom.us/j/520703203?pwd=RnJNRittSkZNcnkxNm03WGxvcFgyQT09 Join by phone  1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 520 703 203Passcode: 062729 , ...

Experience the Power of Tradition, Connection, and Spiritual Growth The Kiddush Levana (Sanctifying the Moon) Men’s Blessing Circle is a monthly gathering that combines Jewish tradition, spiritual practice, and community building. This program is for male-identified individuals seeking a safe and meaningful space to explore personal growth, offer blessing for the new month,, and strengthen connections within the Chochmat HaLev community. What to Expect: Celebrate Tradition: Begin each session outdoors under the moonlight with a joyous Kiddush Levana ritual. Sing, dance, and honor the cycles of nature in alignment with Jewish wisdom. Engage in Inquiry and Reflection: Gather in a circle to explore the Four Worlds of Kabbalah—each session will include check-ins, intention-setting, learning, and spiritual reflection. Build Meaningful Connections: Share stories, insights, and intentions in a trusted container that fosters authentic and vulnerable conversation. Strengthen Community Bonds: Deepen your connection to the Chochmat HaLev community while engaging in transformative Jewish learning. Sessions will be led by Noah Phillips and David Steuer LOGISTICS: Where: Nicholl Knob and Noah’s nearby home in Point Richmond When:  6 Sundays, Monthly, at sunset, between the third and fifteen days of the Hebrew month (the second or first Sunday of each Gregorian month). Jan 12 (Tevet 12) Feb 9 (Shevat 11) March 9 (Adar 9) April 6 (Nisan 8) May 4 (Iyar 6) June 8 (Sivan 12) Who: Our Kiddush Levana circle is open to anyone who identifies as male as well as anyone who feels most comfortable in such a space, including those who identify as trans, non-binary, or gender expansive. A note on gender affinity spaces: Our Kiddush Levana circle is open to anyone who identifies as male as well as anyone who feels most comfortable in such a space, including those who identify as trans, non-binary, or gender expansive. Our intention is...

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3/13/251151 Sixth St. Berkeley, CA 94710 Get decked out in your fiercest looks and show us who you really are as Urban Adamah teams up with Chochmat HaLev, Wilderness Torah, and Base Bay for a full, swift, and spirited reading of the Megillah. When our voices are hoarse and grogger-hands tired, we’ll dance the night away to SHAMATi’s tunes and visit our mystical tea lounge where song, story, and enchantment come to life! SCHEDULE 5:30 – 6:30 PM | Family Purim Scavenger Hunt & Puppet Show [Register Separately] 7:00 – 8:00 PM | Welcome and *swift* Megillah reading 8:00 – 10:00 PM | Dance Party with SHAMATi and Mystical Tea Lounge     Celebrate Purim on the farm with Urban Adamah, Chochmat HaLev, Wilderness Torah, and Berkeley Moshav! Costumes are highly encouraged! Puppet Show (Ages 0–6): Join Jen Miriam Altman for music, puppets, and a pre-school friendly telling of the Purim story! Laugh at the silly King who likes to throw parties instead of ruling. Dance with Vashti who won’t come and dance because she is busy having her own dance party. Cheer for the Brave Ester who risks all to save her people. Clap and dance as Mordechai delivers his popular song… “Mordechai won’t bow down”. ‘Boo’ as Haman rolls the dice to set a day to punish Mordechai and his people. And be prepared for a surprise ending! This show will have you laughing, crying, praying, and dancing in the aisles. The puppet show is geared for families with kids ages 0 to 6 and will be held indoors. Purim Carnival (Ages 6–10): While our younger community members have the option of our Purim puppet show, Urban Adamah will also be hosting a scavenger hunt for young people 6-10. Help Queen Esther get everything she needs to save the day and throw...

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This class series will explore our communication with our body and help us develop a relationship of acceptance, compassion, willingness and trust with our body’s wisdom. We will discover harmony and balance between the mind and body and re-attune all aspects of our being so as to meet whatever is arising with loving awareness — As we give our awareness, our awareness heals us. The class experience is a microfield for what we express in the macrofield, so as we practice care and understanding for ourselves, we bring that to all relationships in our life. In addition, Ilana will embed some images and stories from Kabbalah, our jewish mystical tradition, which are aligned with the original teachings of the method as Feldenkrais himself was related to the Bal Shem Tov. **This series is accessible to all ages and all abilities, and the series will be molded to the specific needs of people in attendance** Please bring: a heavy blanket (no yoga mats)  pillow small towel Fridays, 10:30-12:00pm – Feb. 14th Feb. 21st Feb. 28th March 7th March 14th Cost:   FIRST CLASS IS FREE (FEB 14)If this class resonates with you, we are asking for a commitment to the remaining 4 classes in the series. Classes will be donation-Based for the remaining classes.  Suggested Donation:Members: $72 for remaining 4 sessions Non-Members: $96 for remaining 4 classes NOTAFLOF ABOUT THE FELDENKRAIS METHOD:The Feldenkrais Method® is a form of somatic education that uses gentle movement and directed attention to improve movement and enhance human functioning. Through this Method, you can increase your ease and range of motion, improve your flexibility and coordination, and rediscover your innate capacity for graceful, efficient movement. These will often generalize to enhance functioning in other aspects of your life. By expanding the self-image through movement sequences that bring attention to the parts of...

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[SOLD OUT] General Admission Tickets [SOLD OUT] Generous Purim Patron Tickets Click here to join the wait list Get food and drink tickets!* *For those who have already bought tickets to the show. Produced by Well of Wills Artist Collective Hannah Roodman, Nessa Norich, Meirav Ong, Kiki Lipsett, and Meli Sobin  Times are grim, abysmal, dare we say…apocalyptic?! Let’s play, perform, protest… LET’S PURIM! Join our meshuggeneh one time only performance, MISS APOCALYPSE, co-created by a motley crew of interdisciplinary clowns, singers, movers and musicians! Together, we’ll find joy and catharsis through this evening of living, breathing theater in our raucous, anti-fascist, liberatory revision of the Book of Esther. MISS APOCALYPSE will leave you laughing, crying, singing, sighing, and maybe even jumping up to participate. Join us for an evening of theatrical chaos, divine comedy, and unexpected Purim revelations as we wrestle with the upside-down absurdity of…well…everything. Costumes strongly encouraged. Come dressed in your apocalyptic best! This performance is rated R. Get yourself a babysitter!  WHEN:   Friday, March 14th, 2025  TIME:  Show 8:00 PM, see below for full schedule. WHERE:  Chochmat HaLev  2215 Prince Street  Berkeley, CA 94705 TICKETS:   Sliding Scale General Admission: $36-$54  [SOLD OUT] Generous Purim Patron Tickets: $60 – includes a free drink ticket and the best seats in the house (1st or 2nd row). Ticket also covers the cost of a lower-income ticket. What a mitzvah!** No one turned away for lack of funds. Please reach out to shalom@chochmat.org for a discounted ticket or any other ticket inquiries.  Schedule 6:00pm – Courtyard doors open; meal tickets and drink tickets available at check-in, though we highly encourage pre-ordering!7:20 – Candle-lighting in Social Hall, end sales of meal/drink tickets.7:30 – Sanctuary doors open, seating begins. 8:00 – Showtime! [SOLD OUT] General Admission Tickets [SOLD OUT] Generous Purim Patron Tickets Get food and...

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Saturday March 15, 10:30 amIn person and on Zoom Meeting ID 878 1040 4956Passcode 972073 Join Zvika Krieger, Sarah Elise Rund, Nathanial Markman, and Yari Mander for a Shabbat morning Shacharit prayer service, full of soulful singing, ecstatic dancing, and guided meditation. Our interactive Torah experience mines the texts of our ancestral wisdom for modern meaning.   Join us as we  Celebrate the B’Mitzvah of of Ella Pena-Loewenberg,  daughter of Anna Sophie Loewenberg and Dennys Pena Calderon.   Service will start promptly at 10:30 am — please arrive 15 minutes early to check in. No childcare available on Saturday mornings. Email shalom@chochmat.org to join our Families WhatsApp group. After Services: Enjoy a delicious kiddush lunch and schmooze with our community Register here! HOLY WORK (Sign up to volunteer) DONATION INFO Our Shabbat services are supported by donation. Each donation, small and large, allows us to continue with this offering. Please contribute when you register, or at one of the links below:• Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @chochmat • Paypal shalom@chochmat.org Accessibility ZOOM INFOJoin with video  https://zoom.us/j/87810404956 Join by phone  1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID 878 1040 4956Passcode 972073Notice: Our Zoom recordings are for archival purposes only, and therefore are not available to the public. Physical Access Entrance Entrance to the Sanctuary is at the corner of Prince St. and Fulton St.. There are 8 steps into the main entrance of the Sanctuary. There is an accessible ramp at a separate entrance on Fulton St. Please let a volunteer or staff know if you need to use this entrance; you can also email us in advance at shalom@chochmat.org Seating We have folding chairs (some with padding, some without), pillows, and floor cushions available for you to use, along with limited bench seating in the back of the Sanctuary.  COVID ProtocolsOur policy effective May 19th, 2023 is as follows:Chochmat...

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Mondays,  7 – 8:30pm by donationOnly on Zoom Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » EVENT DESCRIPTION Come Deepen Your Practice of Jewish Meditation Want to see God (or at least It’s shadow)? Lower your blood pressure? Manage your spiritual confusion? Connect with a deeper Jewish consciousness? Learn about Judaism’s esoteric side? Get a whiff of enlightenment? Just as healthy foods nourish our body, Jewish meditation nourishes our soul.  It has been around for centuries and includes forms such as chanting, visualization, silence, and movement. It can revitalize and transform Judaism from the blasé familiar into a profound and constantly renewing spiritual practice. As one of the first modern Jewish institutions to teach these forms when we opened our doors in 1995, we invite you to join us in a journey that is both personal and communal, a claiming and reclaiming of ancient pathways that open and deepen our capacity to live in connection. Some of the teachers are skilled in Classical Jewish styles of meditation, while others are practitioners of other forms but have integrated Jewish wisdom, liturgy, and concepts into their teaching. All provide an interesting, engaging and meaningful experience. For beginners and experienced meditators alike. No previous meditation or Jewish experience required. By donation. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Our meditation program is supported entirely by donations. Each contribution, small and large, allows us to keep bringing you meaningful offerings.• Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFO Join with video:  https://zoom.us/j/848045873?pwd=bHpOZEpwTGJkbDNRLzNoVjNoZ01vZz09 Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833, or 1-346-248-7799, or 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 848-045-873Passcode: 847352 BIOSJen RoitmanJen experienced the power of chanting and meditation at a contemplative Rosh Hashanah service led by Rabbi Jonathan Omer-man and has been practicing Jewish and Vipassana meditation for more than 18 years.  She is a graduate of Rabbi Shefa Gold’s Kol Zimra Chant Leader Training, and The Sati Center Buddhist Chaplaincy Program. ...

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with Jeffrey KesslerWednesdays  |  8:15 – 9amBy Donation  |  On Zoom  Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » Torah is our technology for encountering the Divine Presence. Silence provides a necessary space for that encounter. According to Jewish tradition, the Presence dwells continually within and around us, but we must learn deep listening to receive its generative wisdom. Shemah – in a word that sounds like an exhalation of breath,  we are directed to listen in order to understand the Divine Oneness. We are to open to this Oneness with all of our heart, our soul, our strength. We must listen to our bodies, our emotions, our thoughts, all that is deep within us. Join us as we sit together in silence, after a brief teaching on meditation practice in connection either with the weekly Torah portion or where we find ourselves in the Jewish sacred calendar. About Jeffrey KesslerA graduate of Chochmat HaLev’s first Jewish Meditation Teacher Training Program, Jeffrey has studied many spiritual traditions. With degrees in philosophy, mathematics and spiritual psychology, Jeffrey has spent his life exploring the many creative disciplines of staying open in order to connect with the Nameless One. He sees Meditation and Mussar practice as key to the renewal of Jewish spirituality. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Every contribution, large or small, allows us to keep bringing you meditation, services, and much more. • Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOJoin with video  https://zoom.us/j/520703203?pwd=RnJNRittSkZNcnkxNm03WGxvcFgyQT09 Join by phone  1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 520 703 203Passcode: 062729 , ...

Saturdays, 9:30 – 11amwith Eric Strellis Join on  Zoom It is a tree of life to all who take hold of it, and whoever keeps hold of it is happy; its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace.  – Proverbs 3:17-18 If Torah is our Tree of Life, where are its roots, how does it flower, what does its fruit taste like? Answers to these questions, and more, are revealed to us every week when we study together. Engaging with Torah allows us to access an Eternal Wisdom that often seems intimidating, hidden and unreachable. Explore the parsha, the week’s Torah portion, with a warm, supportive, questioning community.  Together, we luxuriate in the specialness of Shabbat, delving deeply into the text. We read the entire parsha aloud in English and see where the discussion leads us.  Prior experience with the text is not required as we read it again, together, for the first time. Join us and deepen your connection to Torah, Shabbat, and Jewish community. Everyone is welcome, every voice is valued. For more information, please reach out to Eric Strellis at eric@chochmat.org. DONATION INFOWe rely on your contributions to cover our expenses. Please consider donating, or become a member! Free for Chochmat members$5 requested donation for non-members• Donate online here• Venmo @chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOIf you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.Join with videohttps://zoom.us/j/652501750 Join by phone1-669-444 9171 1-346-248-77991-253-205-0468 Meeting ID: 881 8385 9402Passcode: 986927 , ...

How does it feel to be wrapped by a tallis? What happens when you use your hands to draw the light of the Shabbat candles toward you? Or cover your eyes to say the Shema? We will deepen into questions like these in Embodied Torah Study Group, a facilitated practice lab to explore the somatic, psychological, and imaginal dimensions of basic Jewish practices and texts. By taking up simple, bite-sized pieces of ancient wisdom from davening, liturgical poetry, kabbalah, torah, and Jewish lifecycle practices, we will use physical movement and art-making to enliven our embodied connection to Jewish mystical traditions.  Facilitators:  Sessions will be thoughtfully curated by Rabbi Diane Elliot and Zacha Belok Open to all — no prior experience needed. Tuesdays 6-8pm, bi-weekly — Sessions will be in the sanctuary on: March 25 April 8 April 29 May 6 May 27 June 3 June 17  Cost and Commitment: DROP- INS WELCOME! Pay at the door! $27/session – non-members $18/session – members $12/session – low income Sign up for the whole series and receive a 10% discount! The discounted rate for the whole series: $170 – non-members $114 – members $76 – low-income Discounted Series Registration Here! ABOUT THE FACILITATORS: Rabbi Diane Elliot (she/her) brings more than forty years’ experience as a performing dance artist, contact improviser, and somatic movement therapist and teacher to her rabbinate. A certified practitioner and teacher of Body-Mind Centering®, she received ordination and a Masters of Rabbinic Studies degree from the Academy for Jewish Religion, California in 2006 and serves diverse communities as a ritual leader, teacher, and spiritual director, both in the San Francisco Bay Area and nationally. Rabbi Diane is an innovator of embodied Jewish practice, having created and directed the ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal’s Embodying Spirit, Inspiriting Body Jewish leadership training program. In addition to serving...

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with Jeffrey KesslerWednesdays  |  8:15 – 9amBy Donation  |  On Zoom  Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » Torah is our technology for encountering the Divine Presence. Silence provides a necessary space for that encounter. According to Jewish tradition, the Presence dwells continually within and around us, but we must learn deep listening to receive its generative wisdom. Shemah – in a word that sounds like an exhalation of breath,  we are directed to listen in order to understand the Divine Oneness. We are to open to this Oneness with all of our heart, our soul, our strength. We must listen to our bodies, our emotions, our thoughts, all that is deep within us. Join us as we sit together in silence, after a brief teaching on meditation practice in connection either with the weekly Torah portion or where we find ourselves in the Jewish sacred calendar. About Jeffrey KesslerA graduate of Chochmat HaLev’s first Jewish Meditation Teacher Training Program, Jeffrey has studied many spiritual traditions. With degrees in philosophy, mathematics and spiritual psychology, Jeffrey has spent his life exploring the many creative disciplines of staying open in order to connect with the Nameless One. He sees Meditation and Mussar practice as key to the renewal of Jewish spirituality. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Every contribution, large or small, allows us to keep bringing you meditation, services, and much more. • Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOJoin with video  https://zoom.us/j/520703203?pwd=RnJNRittSkZNcnkxNm03WGxvcFgyQT09 Join by phone  1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 520 703 203Passcode: 062729 , ...

Saturdays, 9:30 – 11amwith Eric Strellis Join on  Zoom It is a tree of life to all who take hold of it, and whoever keeps hold of it is happy; its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace.  – Proverbs 3:17-18 If Torah is our Tree of Life, where are its roots, how does it flower, what does its fruit taste like? Answers to these questions, and more, are revealed to us every week when we study together. Engaging with Torah allows us to access an Eternal Wisdom that often seems intimidating, hidden and unreachable. Explore the parsha, the week’s Torah portion, with a warm, supportive, questioning community.  Together, we luxuriate in the specialness of Shabbat, delving deeply into the text. We read the entire parsha aloud in English and see where the discussion leads us.  Prior experience with the text is not required as we read it again, together, for the first time. Join us and deepen your connection to Torah, Shabbat, and Jewish community. Everyone is welcome, every voice is valued. For more information, please reach out to Eric Strellis at eric@chochmat.org. DONATION INFOWe rely on your contributions to cover our expenses. Please consider donating, or become a member! Free for Chochmat members$5 requested donation for non-members• Donate online here• Venmo @chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOIf you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.Join with videohttps://zoom.us/j/652501750 Join by phone1-669-444 9171 1-346-248-77991-253-205-0468 Meeting ID: 881 8385 9402Passcode: 986927 , ...

Saturday March 29, 11am Join us for an in-person Shabbat service. Janet Falk and Jeffrey Kessler conduct Chochmat’s beautiful Contemplative Service, created by founding member Nan Gefen and Rabbi Jonathan Omer-man. The service follows the arc of the traditional morning Shabbat service in distilled form – with alternating periods of chant and silence, time for personal prayer, Torah teaching, and Mourner’s Kaddish. Followed by: Kiddish Lunch 12:30 pm Chesed Community Care Circle 1:00 pm – Sponsored by Heart 2 Heart:  An Afternoon Dedicated to Healing Heartbreak. Facilitated by:  Stacia Biltekoff of The Mourning Collective In this session, we will carve out some space and time for our grief with the intention of feeling more integrated with an expanded perspective, new connections and a reclaimed sense of self. The Mourning Collective offers an innovative model for approaching grief. They are a collective made up an art therapist, a somatic therapist anda transpersonal therapist. “Our many years of providing grief counseling with Sutter Hospice have taught us theimportance of taking time to honor our grief experience and process within community.Again and again we have witnessed the power of having our experience of lossacknowledged and validated by other grievers.”     – Mourning Collective Member For more information, please contact Shelley Coleman, Care Coordinator, Heart 2 Heart at  heart@chochmat.org   DONATION INFOOur Shabbat services are supported by donation. Each donation, small and large, allows us to continue with this offering.• Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org , ...

Exodus and the Birth of Song:A Hadar Rising Song ImmersiveMarch 30, 2025 (Rosh Hodesh Nisan) | Chochmat HaLev (Berkeley, CA) Join Hadar’s Rising Song Institute in Berkeley, CA, for a full-day musical immersive exploring the Jewish singing tradition that first emerges in the midst of the Exodus narrative. Guided by a faculty team of composers, facilitators, and scholars, this experiential day offers the opportunity to explore and cultivate the underpinnings of empowered music and prayer communities. All are invited to build skills, ask questions, and immerse in heart-opening communal song! Anchored by Hadar’s R. Deborah Sacks Mintz and R. David Kasher, a faculty team of California-based artists and scholars will round out this musical day – including Eliyahu Sills and Rachel Valfer of the Qadim Ensemble, Duvid Swirsky, Lior Tsarfaty, and R. Zvika Krieger. Register by February 7 to grab our early-bird pricing. Come to immerse in new music, take a deep dive into traditional sounds, and connect with curiosity to others who share this passion. This immersive is presented by Hadar West, in partnership with Chochmat HaLev. Register now! (Hadar.org) Accessibilty  Physical Access Entrance Entrance to the Sanctuary is at the corner of Prince St. and Fulton St.. There are 8 steps into the main entrance of the Sanctuary. There is an accessible ramp at a separate entrance on Fulton St. Please let a volunteer or staff know if you need to use this entrance; you can also email us in advance at shalom@chochmat.org Seating We have folding chairs (some with padding, some without), pillows, and floor cushions available for you to use as well as benches in our Courtyard. COVID Protocols Our new policy effective May 19th, 2023 is as follows: Chochmat HaLev, in consultation with our medical advisor and based on community survey results, will discontinue masking...

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Mondays,  7 – 8:30pm by donationOnly on Zoom Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » EVENT DESCRIPTION Come Deepen Your Practice of Jewish Meditation Want to see God (or at least It’s shadow)? Lower your blood pressure? Manage your spiritual confusion? Connect with a deeper Jewish consciousness? Learn about Judaism’s esoteric side? Get a whiff of enlightenment? Just as healthy foods nourish our body, Jewish meditation nourishes our soul.  It has been around for centuries and includes forms such as chanting, visualization, silence, and movement. It can revitalize and transform Judaism from the blasé familiar into a profound and constantly renewing spiritual practice. As one of the first modern Jewish institutions to teach these forms when we opened our doors in 1995, we invite you to join us in a journey that is both personal and communal, a claiming and reclaiming of ancient pathways that open and deepen our capacity to live in connection. Some of the teachers are skilled in Classical Jewish styles of meditation, while others are practitioners of other forms but have integrated Jewish wisdom, liturgy, and concepts into their teaching. All provide an interesting, engaging and meaningful experience. For beginners and experienced meditators alike. No previous meditation or Jewish experience required. By donation. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Our meditation program is supported entirely by donations. Each contribution, small and large, allows us to keep bringing you meaningful offerings.• Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFO Join with video:  https://zoom.us/j/848045873?pwd=bHpOZEpwTGJkbDNRLzNoVjNoZ01vZz09 Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833, or 1-346-248-7799, or 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 848-045-873Passcode: 847352 BIOSJen RoitmanJen experienced the power of chanting and meditation at a contemplative Rosh Hashanah service led by Rabbi Jonathan Omer-man and has been practicing Jewish and Vipassana meditation for more than 18 years.  She is a graduate of Rabbi Shefa Gold’s Kol Zimra Chant Leader Training, and The Sati Center Buddhist Chaplaincy Program. ...

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with Jeffrey KesslerWednesdays  |  8:15 – 9amBy Donation  |  On Zoom  Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation » Torah is our technology for encountering the Divine Presence. Silence provides a necessary space for that encounter. According to Jewish tradition, the Presence dwells continually within and around us, but we must learn deep listening to receive its generative wisdom. Shemah – in a word that sounds like an exhalation of breath,  we are directed to listen in order to understand the Divine Oneness. We are to open to this Oneness with all of our heart, our soul, our strength. We must listen to our bodies, our emotions, our thoughts, all that is deep within us. Join us as we sit together in silence, after a brief teaching on meditation practice in connection either with the weekly Torah portion or where we find ourselves in the Jewish sacred calendar. About Jeffrey KesslerA graduate of Chochmat HaLev’s first Jewish Meditation Teacher Training Program, Jeffrey has studied many spiritual traditions. With degrees in philosophy, mathematics and spiritual psychology, Jeffrey has spent his life exploring the many creative disciplines of staying open in order to connect with the Nameless One. He sees Meditation and Mussar practice as key to the renewal of Jewish spirituality. DONATION INFO$18 suggested donation. Every contribution, large or small, allows us to keep bringing you meditation, services, and much more. • Donate online chochmat.org/give• Venmo @Chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOJoin with video  https://zoom.us/j/520703203?pwd=RnJNRittSkZNcnkxNm03WGxvcFgyQT09 Join by phone  1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782Meeting ID: 520 703 203Passcode: 062729 , ...

Friday, April 4, 6pm In person and on Zoom Meeting ID 878 1040 4956Passcode 972073 Join Chochmat HaLev for a Kabbalat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat) service, a mystical tradition full of embodied prayer, soulful singing, ecstatic dancing, guided meditation, sharing of ancestral wisdom, and connection in intergenerational community. This service will be led by Zvika Krieger, Lior Tsarfaty, Lauren Arrow, and special guests. Service will start promptly at 6pm — please arrive a few minutes early to check in and be seated. Potluck oneg after services, followed by HeartSpace at 8pm. If you’re planning to attend in-person, please register in advance.If you’re planning to attend via Zoom, the link is here: https://zoom.us/j/8781040 HOLY WORK (Sign up to volunteer) Register here! During service Childcare is available. Please register so we know you’re coming! After service Please bring a delicious vegetarian contribution to our potluck oneg and schmooze with our beloved community! Followed by HeartSpace at 8pm. Event Details: Emotional Potty Training for Grown Ups in Trying Times.  Join Rachel Kaplan, therapist, author, TEDx speaker and long time Chochmat community member as she shares practical tips on how to emotionally digest the complex and painful feelings so many of us are navigating at this time. This event promises to be actionable, inspiring, and supportive. You may even laugh. Books will be available for purchase. Books also available here on Amazon or here at Afikomen. Rachel Kaplan is the author of the new Library Journal acclaimed self-healing book Feel, Heal, & Let that Sh*t Go: Your Guide to Emotional Resilience and Lasting Self Love. She is a licensed psychotherapist with a thriving practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and creator and host of the podcast Healing Feeling Sh*t Show. Her “Inner Talks That Heal” TEDx talk explores the internal relationship between our loving...

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Saturdays, 9:30 – 11amwith Eric Strellis Join on  Zoom It is a tree of life to all who take hold of it, and whoever keeps hold of it is happy; its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace.  – Proverbs 3:17-18 If Torah is our Tree of Life, where are its roots, how does it flower, what does its fruit taste like? Answers to these questions, and more, are revealed to us every week when we study together. Engaging with Torah allows us to access an Eternal Wisdom that often seems intimidating, hidden and unreachable. Explore the parsha, the week’s Torah portion, with a warm, supportive, questioning community.  Together, we luxuriate in the specialness of Shabbat, delving deeply into the text. We read the entire parsha aloud in English and see where the discussion leads us.  Prior experience with the text is not required as we read it again, together, for the first time. Join us and deepen your connection to Torah, Shabbat, and Jewish community. Everyone is welcome, every voice is valued. For more information, please reach out to Eric Strellis at eric@chochmat.org. DONATION INFOWe rely on your contributions to cover our expenses. Please consider donating, or become a member! Free for Chochmat members$5 requested donation for non-members• Donate online here• Venmo @chochmat• Paypal shalom@chochmat.org ZOOM INFOIf you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.Join with videohttps://zoom.us/j/652501750 Join by phone1-669-444 9171 1-346-248-77991-253-205-0468 Meeting ID: 881 8385 9402Passcode: 986927 , ...