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1

Kabbalat Shabbat with Wilderness Torah!

Kabbalat Shabbat with Wilderness Torah!
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Friday, December 1st, 6:00pm **NEW START TIME**

Join Chochmat HaLev and Wilderness Torah 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 lead by Rabbi Zelig Golden, Zvika Krieger, and Lior Tsarfaty!

Service will start promptly at 6pm — please arrive a few minutes early to check in and be seated.

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/87810404956
(Our Zoom capacity is limited to 100 attendees; be sure to log on early!)

Click here to register!
HOLY WORK - Click here to volunteer!

During services

Childcare is available. Please register so we know you’re coming!

After services

7:30 pm: POTLUCK + oneg. Bring a vegetarian dish and schmooze with our beloved community. 

8:00 pm: HeartSpace meeting!

Friday’s HeartSpace invitation is to connect through the dynamic spirit of PLAY. The night will be infused with easy laughter, inclusion and curiosity. In these tough and darker times, let’s build resilience together through cultivating community connection and surprising joy. Hosted by Chochmat HaLev’s Community Weaver, Brittany Berman!

Service Musicians

Lauren Arrow

Irene Sazer

Dave Rosenfeld

COVID Protocols
Our Covid 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 requirements for attendance at events. Masks, although not required, are recommended. We understand people will need to make their own decisions about exposure and risk based on their own personal preferences, and health status.

Chochmat HaLev will provide passive ventilation (e.g., open windows and doors under the supervision of security-trained personnel) and other equipment as available.

Chochmat HaLev will include specific guidelines for those attending in person events on our website and in announcements regarding events.
Chochmat HaLev will provide seating adjacent to a window in an end-of-the-row seat to individuals upon request.

DO NOT attend an event at CHL:

if you are experiencing any potential symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness
if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days and have not had a negative antigen test on Day 6 or later
if you have had a known exposure to COVID-19 in the past 3-5 days
if a household member has tested positive in the last 10 days and has not had a negative test on Day 6 or later

DONATION INFO
Our Shabbat services are supported by donation. Each donation, small and large, allows us to continue with this offering.

ZOOM INFO
Join with video https://zoom.us/j/87810404956

Meeting ID 878 1040 4956
Passcode 972073

Join by phone 1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID 878 1040 4956
Passcode 972073
Notice: Our Zoom recordings are for archival purposes only, and therefore are not available to the public.

PHOTOGRAPHY RELEASE
By attending this event, you consent that recordings or photos of you may be used by Chochmat HaLev. If you have any questions, please contact shalom@chochmat.org.

, ...
2

Torah Study

Torah Study
9:30 am

Saturdays, 9:30 – 11am
with Eric Strellis
Join with 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 INFO
We 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 INFO
If you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.
Join with video
https://zoom.us/j/652501750

Join by phone
1-669-444 9171
1-346-248-7799
1-253-205-0468

Meeting ID: 881 8385 9402
Passcode: 986927

, ...
3

Bean-to-Gelt: a hands-on exploration of chocolate, Judaism, and the sweetness of Hanukkah

Bean-to-Gelt: a hands-on exploration of chocolate, Judaism, and the sweetness of Hanukkah
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Sunday, December 3rd  2 pm – 5 pm
In person at Chochmat HaLev
2215 Prince St. Berkeley, CA 94705

Bean-to-Gelt: a hands-on exploration of chocolate, Judaism, and the sweetness of Hanukkah

Come experience a unique Hanukkah process and learn about our traditions and the historical links that create them.

This fun, educational and hands-on workshop introduces participants to the delicious magic of chocolate-making and the fascinating story of how Jewish history and chocolate as we know it are inextricably connected. Attendees will participate in all of the steps of the chocolate-making process, and will go home with a satchel of gelt and a deeper understanding of the connection between Jewish diaspora and global foodways.

Gelt chocolate-making will include sorting beans, roasting them, smashing them with rocks, winnowing husk from nibs by making wind, blending nibs with sugar and oil, placing chocolate in molds, and wrapping gelt in foil.

The workshop is 3 hours long, and the maximum number of participants is 30. This program is for ages 5 and up.

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.

Tickets

Members – $25/person

Non-members – $30/person

Families – $100/family

We’re in search of 2 volunteers to help out with this event in exchange for a free ticket – please contact h.zung@aol.com

Alex Voynow is the world’s only professionally-trained Jewish food educator and chocolate maker. As a former artisan at Dandelion Chocolate and an educator at the Jewish Farm School, Jewish Farmer Network, Eden Village West summer camp, and Wilderness Torah, Alex brings a unique expertise to this sweet and Jewish twist on a familiar treat.

 

 

Refund Policy

Tickets are transferrable but non-refundable. 

 

 

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 requirements for attendance at events. Masks, although not required, are recommended. We understand people will need to make their own decisions about exposure and risk based on their own personal preferences, and health status.

Chochmat HaLev will provide passive ventilation (e.g., open windows and doors under the supervision of security-trained personnel) and other equipment as available.

Chochmat HaLev will include specific guidelines for those attending in person events on our website and in announcements regarding events.
Chochmat HaLev will provide seating adjacent to a window in an end-of-the-row seat to individuals upon request.

DO NOT attend an event at CHL:

  • if you are experiencing any potential symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness
  • if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days and have not had a negative antigen test on Day 6 or later
  • if you have had a known exposure to COVID-19 in the past 3-5 days
  • if a household member has tested positive in the last 10 days and has not had a negative test on Day 6 or later
, ...
4

Monday Night Meditation

Monday Night Meditation
7:00 pm

Mondays – 7 – 8:00pm
by donation
On Zoom ONLY

Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation »

SCHEDULE
1st Mondays – Judy Fleischman
2nd Mondays – Jen Roitman
3rd Mondays – Daniella Salzman
4th Mondays – Jeffrey Kessler
5th Mondays – Jeffrey Kessler

DESCRIPTION

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
If you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.

Join with video:  https://zoom.us/j/848045873?pwd=bHpOZEpwTGJkbDNRLzNoVjNoZ01vZz09

Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833, or 1-346-248-7799, or 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 848-045-873

Passcode: 847352

BIOS
Jen Roitman
Jen 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. 

For Jen, the combination of chant and silence is particularly powerful. In her experience chanting helps the meditation go deeper, and she loves how when we do this  in community, it helps us to open our hearts, connect with each other and access those more transformational places.

Zvi Bellin
Originally from Brooklyn, Zvi moved out to the Bay Area about 10 years ago. Professionally, he teaches counseling and has a private psychotherapy practice. Spiritually, he draws from Judaism and Vipassana traditions, with a humble twist from Thich Nhat Hanh. He is drawn to storytelling and connection in diverse communities. Zvi has led therapeutically-oriented mindfulness training and retreats and loves engaging with texts to connect ancient practice to contemporary life.  Let’s practice together and make meaningful moments.

Daniella Salzman
Daniella Salzman is deeply committed to revelation and revolution. Having trained as a dance expressive arts therapist, meditation and mindfulness teacher, and community organizer, she is inspired by leaders who dedicate their lives to transforming both our inner and outer worlds towards a lasting and integrated peace.

Jeffrey Kessler
A graduate of Chochmat HaLev’s first Jewish Meditation Teacher Training Program, Jeffrey Kessler 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.

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5
6

Meditation of Presence

Meditation of Presence
8:15 am
7

OpenLev – Sacred Coworking #3

OpenLev – Sacred Coworking #3
9:00 am - 4:30 pm

OpenLev is a sacred coworking experience at Chochmat HaLev where you are invited to bring intentionality and mindfulness into how you work while connecting with other open-hearted seekers. 

We will come together in the beautiful well-appointed spaces of Chochmat HaLev for a day of coworking. We will be guided through opening and closing meditations to ground your work day. There will be check-ins and intention setting for help with meeting your goals, potluck lunch and discussion groups about work and meaning, options for mindfulness breaks such as breathwork, stretching, and neighborhood walks, support with spiritual needs that arise during the workday, and access to the sanctuary space for quiet contemplation throughout the day.

Please see the program page for more details.

If you have any questions, please email OpenLev@Chochmat.org

THE INVITATION

* Join us for one or more of our three sacred co-working opportunities: Tuesday November 7th, 2023, Wednesday November 15, 2023, and Thursday December 7th, 2023.

* We ask for a fee of $18 to cover amenities and support throughout the day. * Members may join free of charge but there is a suggested donation of $18.

* Bring your own food and/or beverage as needed, except for tea and coffee. Bring a potluck dish to share for lunch, and any snacks for our communal snack table.

* Please be prepared to stay for at least 2 of the 3 main activities (check-in 9:00AM, lunch 12:30PM, and check-out 4:00PM)

* Fill out a brief survey after the co-working to help us optimize the experience. 

* There will be limited spaces for phone calls and video conferences so please plan to keep meetings to a minimum on these days to maintain the collective experience throughout the day.

* Refund policy – if you decide you can’t make it after you’ve registered, your payment will be a much-appreciated donation to Chochmat HaLev.

Sold out! Registration is now closed.

PHOTOGRAPHY RELEASE
By attending this event, you consent that recordings or photos of you may be used by Chochmat HaLev. If you have any questions, please contact shalom@chochmat.org.

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8

Holiday on the Plaza Candle Lighting with Chochmat + Happy Hour

Holiday on the Plaza Candle Lighting with Chochmat + Happy Hour
4:45 pm - 8:00 pm

Come celebrate Chanukkah with Chochmat and the Downtown Berkeley Association’s Holiday on the Plaza. (2160 Shattuck). Light the menorah with Zvika at 4:45 then join us at Tupper and Reed at 5:30 pm for a casual and festive happy hour hang. (2271 Shattuck Avenue)

Holiday in the Plaza is a big community event in downtown Berkeley that happens every year! This year, thanks to one of Chochmat’s incredible members, there will be a Chanukkah booth.

If you are thinking of coming; RSVP here. (You are also welcome to just SHOW UP and bring a friend or two).

Click here to register for Happy Hour on Dec. 8th!

More information for Holiday on the Plaza

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9

Torah Study

Torah Study
9:30 am

Saturdays, 9:30 – 11am
with Eric Strellis
Join with 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 INFO
We 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 INFO
If you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.
Join with video
https://zoom.us/j/652501750

Join by phone
1-669-444 9171
1-346-248-7799
1-253-205-0468

Meeting ID: 881 8385 9402
Passcode: 986927

, ...

Shabbat Morning Service

Shabbat Morning Service
10:30 am

Saturday Morning Prayer Service
with Rabbi SaraLeya Schley, Sarah Elise Rund, Melita Silberstein, and Yari Mander

Saturday, 10:30 am
In person and on Zoom
Meeting ID 878 1040 4956
Passcode 972073

Join Rabbi SaraLeya Schley, Sarah Elise Rund, Melita Silberstein, and Yari Mander for a Shabbat morning Shacharit prayer service, including soulful singing, and interactive Torah ritual.
 

Event 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 and schmooze with our community.

Register here!
HOLY WORK (Sign up to volunteer)

Darrow Feldstein has been bringing music to the people for over 15 years through songleading, performance, and music lessons. Once a consistent Jewish summer camp songleader, after some time away from that specific work, he’s excited to be back at it helping to bring song and prayer to the community. Darrow has played most often with his old time outfit, The Dawn Chorus String Band. He offers local music lessons as well as mentoring and nature programs through his current business, Doing Things With Darrow and is working on bringing crafts, music, and Jewish community-building through his project, Shtetl Skills. 

Rebecca Schisler

A devoted mindfulness practitioner & teacher, Rebecca is a core faculty member at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, a faculty member at Or HaLev, and a lecturer at Stanford School of Medicine. A rabbinical student at ALEPH, she is passionate about integrating ancestral wisdom traditions with innovative approaches to personal and collective healing and liberation, and teaches Jewish spirituality as an embodied, transformational, and accessible path, with relevant and timely wisdom for all. Learn more at www.rebeccaschisler.com. 

COVID Protocols

Our 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 requirements for attendance at events. Masks, although not required, are recommended. We understand people will need to make their own decisions about exposure and risk based on their own personal preferences, and health status.

Chochmat HaLev will provide passive ventilation (e.g., open windows and doors under the supervision of security-trained personnel) and other equipment as available.

Chochmat HaLev will include specific guidelines for those attending in person events on our website and in announcements regarding events.
Chochmat HaLev will provide seating adjacent to a window in an end-of-the-row seat to individuals upon request.

DO NOT attend an event at CHL:
if you are experiencing any potential symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness
if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days and have not had a negative antigen test on Day 6 or later
if you have had a known exposure to COVID-19 in the past 3-5 days
if a household member has tested positive in the last 10 days and has not had a negative test on Day 6 or later

 
 
DONATION INFO

Our 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

ZOOM INFO
If you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.
Join with video  https://zoom.us/j/87810404956

Join by phone  1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID 878 1040 4956
Passcode 972073
Notice: Our Zoom recordings are for archival purposes only, and therefore are not available to the public.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY RELEASE
By attending this event, you consent that recordings or photos of you may be used by Chochmat HaLev. If you have any questions, please contact shalom@chochmat.org.

, ...

KABBALAH/ HAVDALAH – Chanukah Edition!

KABBALAH/ HAVDALAH – Chanukah Edition!
7:30 pm

Saturday, December 9th, 7:30 pm (in-person only).

Chochmat HaLev is teaming up with LABA BAY: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture to present KABBALAH / HAVDALAH, a drop-in Kabbalah course taught in LABA’s open-to-all-the-possibilities teaching style held at Chochmat HaLev. LABA Bay faculty and GTU professor Sam Shonkoff will be leading the innovative study session, which will be followed by a group-led Havdalah ceremony.  In honor of Chanukah, we will be exploring themes of dark and light.  Everyone is invited to bring menorahs to light together.  Harpist, Jennifer Ellis, another LABA artist will also be performing.
 
Attendees are free to get up, move their bodies, and grab a cup of tea or wine during the evening.  Sufganiyot from Grand Bakery will be provided. Feel free to contribute to the beverage or food offerings by bringing something.**
 
Please note: this will be the last session in this series. No experience required.
 
Suggested donation (sliding scale): $18/$25/$36
Click here for tickets!

Sam Shonkoff is Taube Family Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and a faculty member at LABA BAY. His scholarship focuses on Jewish spirituality, particularly in German-Jewish, Hasidic, and neo-Hasidic realms. He is co-editor (with Ariel Mayse) of Hasidism: Writings on Devotion, Community, and Life in the Modern World and the editor of Martin Buber: His Intellectual and Scholarly Legacy.

LABA uses classic Jewish texts to inspire the creation of art, culture, conversation, and community. By presenting Judaism’s rich literary and intellectual tradition in a free and creative setting, these fertile stories and ideas spark new thought and creative work. The output from our laboratory hubs push the boundaries of what Jewish culture can be and what Jewish texts can teach.

Committed to shifting the boundaries of harp performance, Jennifer R. Ellis (D.M.A. University of Michigan, M.M. Cleveland Institute of Music, B.M. Oberlin) thoroughly enjoys taking the harp off its pedestal to use the instrument in new and unexpected ways. She has premiered over 100 works. A 2022 LABA Fellow and Alice Chalifoux Prize awardee, her love for innovative new music has led her to serve as a featured performer around the world. A dedicated educator, she has given dozens of master classes and workshops and she teaches at Mills at Northeastern and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

 

**Note – this is a kosher-style kitchen. Please do not bring pork, shellfish, or other non-kosher foods into the facility. We prefer meals to be dairy/fish based. If you are planning on serving chicken or beef, or if you have any questions about what is appropriate to serve, please contact us.

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10

Community Chanukah Party!

Community Chanukah Party!
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Sunday, December 10th  5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
In person at Chochmat HaLev
2215 Prince St. Berkeley, CA 94705

Come join us for music, latkes & Hanukkah joy! Bring your candles and menorah so we can bring in the light of Chanukah together! We’ll also play dreidel, dance and craft. There will be latkes with all the fixings, but please do bring a side dish, dessert or drink to share.

Register here
HOLY WORK (volunteer)

We are looking forward to celebrating Hanukkah together as a community.  This event is being planned by the Family programming committee and we hope that all ages will join in the festivities.  We will have sour cream, latkes & apple sauce, however we also need the community to chip in to make this event a success!

Tickets

MEMBERS FREE

$15 individuals

$20 families/couples

Refund Policy

Tickets are transferrable but non-refundable. 

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 requirements for attendance at events. Masks, although not required, are recommended. We understand people will need to make their own decisions about exposure and risk based on their own personal preferences, and health status.

Chochmat HaLev will provide passive ventilation (e.g., open windows and doors under the supervision of security-trained personnel) and other equipment as available.

Chochmat HaLev will include specific guidelines for those attending in person events on our website and in announcements regarding events.
Chochmat HaLev will provide seating adjacent to a window in an end-of-the-row seat to individuals upon request.

DO NOT attend an event at CHL:

  • if you are experiencing any potential symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness
  • if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days and have not had a negative antigen test on Day 6 or later
  • if you have had a known exposure to COVID-19 in the past 3-5 days
  • if a household member has tested positive in the last 10 days and has not had a negative test on Day 6 or later
, ...
11

Monday Night Meditation

Monday Night Meditation
7:00 pm

Mondays – 7 – 8:00pm
by donation
On Zoom ONLY

Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation »

SCHEDULE
1st Mondays – Judy Fleischman
2nd Mondays – Jen Roitman
3rd Mondays – Daniella Salzman
4th Mondays – Jeffrey Kessler
5th Mondays – Jeffrey Kessler

DESCRIPTION

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
If you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.

Join with video:  https://zoom.us/j/848045873?pwd=bHpOZEpwTGJkbDNRLzNoVjNoZ01vZz09

Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833, or 1-346-248-7799, or 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 848-045-873

Passcode: 847352

BIOS
Jen Roitman
Jen 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. 

For Jen, the combination of chant and silence is particularly powerful. In her experience chanting helps the meditation go deeper, and she loves how when we do this  in community, it helps us to open our hearts, connect with each other and access those more transformational places.

Zvi Bellin
Originally from Brooklyn, Zvi moved out to the Bay Area about 10 years ago. Professionally, he teaches counseling and has a private psychotherapy practice. Spiritually, he draws from Judaism and Vipassana traditions, with a humble twist from Thich Nhat Hanh. He is drawn to storytelling and connection in diverse communities. Zvi has led therapeutically-oriented mindfulness training and retreats and loves engaging with texts to connect ancient practice to contemporary life.  Let’s practice together and make meaningful moments.

Daniella Salzman
Daniella Salzman is deeply committed to revelation and revolution. Having trained as a dance expressive arts therapist, meditation and mindfulness teacher, and community organizer, she is inspired by leaders who dedicate their lives to transforming both our inner and outer worlds towards a lasting and integrated peace.

Jeffrey Kessler
A graduate of Chochmat HaLev’s first Jewish Meditation Teacher Training Program, Jeffrey Kessler 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.

, ...
12
13

Meditation of Presence

Meditation of Presence
8:15 am
14

Let’s Talk Prophets

Let’s Talk Prophets
7:00 pm
No meeting on 9/14!

Read aloud and discuss Kings 1, Chapters 21-22 and Kings 1, Chapters 1-2. Our reading concludes Eliah’s story. We will meet via Zoom.

All donations appreciated!

7pm on Zoom »
Meeting ID: 895 6011 5951
Passcode: 573038

“Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses.” Our Torah Scroll ends with the death of Moses and the People of Israel poised to enter the Promised Land.  What a classic cliffhanger!

But the story of the Jewish people continues and the book of Nevi’im, or Prophets: For those of you who love a good story, maybe even hero and anti-hero themes, you are in luck. Our readings chronicle the story of the Israelites in the promised land and the challenges they face.  It is truly amazing that the Divine One has put up with all this!

Come explore these fascinating texts with us on every 2nd Thursday of the month at 7pm.

The text can be found on Sefaria

Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses….

Deut. 34:1″

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15

Kabbalat Shabbat

Kabbalat Shabbat
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Friday, December 15th, 7:00pm 
(Only our first Fridays of the month will start early; this service will begin at the usual 7pm time)

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 lead by Zvika Krieger and Lior Tsarfaty!

Service will start promptly at 7pm — please arrive a few minutes early to check in and be seated.

After services join us for HeartSpace, with special guest Rabbi Lex Rofeberg. More details below.

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/87810404956
(Our Zoom capacity is limited to 100 attendees; be sure to log on early!)

Click here to register!
HOLY WORK - Click here to volunteer!

Before service

6pm – Family and Community Potluck in the courtyard!

During service

Childcare is available. Please register so we know you’re coming!

After service

Enjoy a delicious oneg and schmooze with our beloved community.

8:45pm – HeartSpace will meet in the courtyard.

This month’s HeartSpace topic is Jewish (Dis)continuity with Rabbi Lex Rofeberg:
“Jewish continuity” has become a central phrase in Jewish communities for multiple generations, frequently mobilized to defend the status quo in harmful ways. “Jewish Discontinuity” is a less common notion, but it may serve as a reminder of the ways in which we, and every generation, have the power (or responsibility?) to reshape Judaism in our time. Come consider questions of Jewish evolution and revolution together – building off of a Greek framework known as “the ship of Theseus” – over food and l’chaims (drinks/toasts). Yes, you read that right! We will be diving into some Greek wisdom the evening after Hanukkah ends. Heretical? Wonderful? Both? You decide. Expect a healthy dose of singing – featuring some classic Shabbat niggunim (melodies) alongside some tunes that may feel more surprising at a Jewish gathering. This one-two punch will help to productively disorient and discombobulate us, in our shared exploration of Jewish continuity and discontinuity.

Rabbi Lex Rofeberg is a Jewish educator and activist who works for Judaism Unbound, a digital, Jewish organization. He serves as co-host of the Judaism Unbound podcast and as Senior Jewish Educator for Judaism Unbound’s UnYeshiva, a digital center for Jewish learning and unlearning. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Judaic Studies from Brown University, serving as Brown RISD Hillel’s student president, and as a student representative on the board of Hillel International. He came to Judaism Unbound after a two-year Education Fellowship at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, based in Jackson, Mississippi. Lex received his certificate in Interfaith Families Jewish Engagement from Hebrew College and was ordained as a rabbi by ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal.

In his work with Judaism Unbound, Lex explores how American-Jewish life has been shifting in recent decades, along with how it continues to shift in our contemporary moment. In a practical sense, what that means is that he gets to spend his days thinking through big-picture Jewish topics – from the rapidly-growing ecosystem of digital Judaism, to the shifting dynamics of Jewish-and-interfaith families, to the intersection of Jewish experience with sports fandom. He has presented about these topics to Limmud gatherings, BBYO conventions, classrooms of rabbinical students, and others. He has written about them for publications that include JTA, MyJewishLearning, Jewish Currents, Sh’ma Journal, and New Voices.

Lex has been active in a variety of Jewish movements for justice, including IfNotNow and Never Again Action. He serves on the board of directors for Tikkun Olam Productions and Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations, and on the honorary board of Mitzvah Matzos.

COVID Protocols
Our Covid 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 requirements for attendance at events. Masks, although not required, are recommended. We understand people will need to make their own decisions about exposure and risk based on their own personal preferences, and health status.

Chochmat HaLev will provide passive ventilation (e.g., open windows and doors under the supervision of security-trained personnel) and other equipment as available.

Chochmat HaLev will include specific guidelines for those attending in person events on our website and in announcements regarding events.
Chochmat HaLev will provide seating adjacent to a window in an end-of-the-row seat to individuals upon request.

DO NOT attend an event at CHL:

if you are experiencing any potential symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness
if you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days and have not had a negative antigen test on Day 6 or later
if you have had a known exposure to COVID-19 in the past 3-5 days
if a household member has tested positive in the last 10 days and has not had a negative test on Day 6 or later

DONATION INFO
Our Shabbat services are supported by donation. Each donation, small and large, allows us to continue with this offering.

ZOOM INFO
Join with video https://zoom.us/j/87810404956

Meeting ID 878 1040 4956
Passcode 972073

Join by phone 1-669-900-6833, 1-346-248-7799, 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID 878 1040 4956
Passcode 972073
Notice: Our Zoom recordings are for archival purposes only, and therefore are not available to the public.

PHOTOGRAPHY RELEASE
By attending this event, you consent that recordings or photos of you may be used by Chochmat HaLev. If you have any questions, please contact shalom@chochmat.org.

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16

Torah Study

Torah Study
9:30 am

Saturdays, 9:30 – 11am
with Eric Strellis
Join with 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 INFO
We 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 INFO
If you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.
Join with video
https://zoom.us/j/652501750

Join by phone
1-669-444 9171
1-346-248-7799
1-253-205-0468

Meeting ID: 881 8385 9402
Passcode: 986927

, ...
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18

Monday Night Meditation

Monday Night Meditation
7:00 pm

Mondays – 7 – 8:00pm
by donation
On Zoom ONLY

Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation »

SCHEDULE
1st Mondays – Judy Fleischman
2nd Mondays – Jen Roitman
3rd Mondays – Daniella Salzman
4th Mondays – Jeffrey Kessler
5th Mondays – Jeffrey Kessler

DESCRIPTION

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
If you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.

Join with video:  https://zoom.us/j/848045873?pwd=bHpOZEpwTGJkbDNRLzNoVjNoZ01vZz09

Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833, or 1-346-248-7799, or 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 848-045-873

Passcode: 847352

BIOS
Jen Roitman
Jen 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. 

For Jen, the combination of chant and silence is particularly powerful. In her experience chanting helps the meditation go deeper, and she loves how when we do this  in community, it helps us to open our hearts, connect with each other and access those more transformational places.

Zvi Bellin
Originally from Brooklyn, Zvi moved out to the Bay Area about 10 years ago. Professionally, he teaches counseling and has a private psychotherapy practice. Spiritually, he draws from Judaism and Vipassana traditions, with a humble twist from Thich Nhat Hanh. He is drawn to storytelling and connection in diverse communities. Zvi has led therapeutically-oriented mindfulness training and retreats and loves engaging with texts to connect ancient practice to contemporary life.  Let’s practice together and make meaningful moments.

Daniella Salzman
Daniella Salzman is deeply committed to revelation and revolution. Having trained as a dance expressive arts therapist, meditation and mindfulness teacher, and community organizer, she is inspired by leaders who dedicate their lives to transforming both our inner and outer worlds towards a lasting and integrated peace.

Jeffrey Kessler
A graduate of Chochmat HaLev’s first Jewish Meditation Teacher Training Program, Jeffrey Kessler 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.

, ...
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20

Meditation of Presence

Meditation of Presence
8:15 am
21
22
23

Torah Study

Torah Study
9:30 am

Saturdays, 9:30 – 11am
with Eric Strellis
Join with 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 INFO
We 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 INFO
If you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.
Join with video
https://zoom.us/j/652501750

Join by phone
1-669-444 9171
1-346-248-7799
1-253-205-0468

Meeting ID: 881 8385 9402
Passcode: 986927

, ...
24
25

Monday Night Meditation

Monday Night Meditation
7:00 pm

Mondays – 7 – 8:00pm
by donation
On Zoom ONLY

Check out our Timeline of Jewish Meditation »

SCHEDULE
1st Mondays – Judy Fleischman
2nd Mondays – Jen Roitman
3rd Mondays – Daniella Salzman
4th Mondays – Jeffrey Kessler
5th Mondays – Jeffrey Kessler

DESCRIPTION

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
If you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.

Join with video:  https://zoom.us/j/848045873?pwd=bHpOZEpwTGJkbDNRLzNoVjNoZ01vZz09

Join by phone: 1-669-900-6833, or 1-346-248-7799, or 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 848-045-873

Passcode: 847352

BIOS
Jen Roitman
Jen 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. 

For Jen, the combination of chant and silence is particularly powerful. In her experience chanting helps the meditation go deeper, and she loves how when we do this  in community, it helps us to open our hearts, connect with each other and access those more transformational places.

Zvi Bellin
Originally from Brooklyn, Zvi moved out to the Bay Area about 10 years ago. Professionally, he teaches counseling and has a private psychotherapy practice. Spiritually, he draws from Judaism and Vipassana traditions, with a humble twist from Thich Nhat Hanh. He is drawn to storytelling and connection in diverse communities. Zvi has led therapeutically-oriented mindfulness training and retreats and loves engaging with texts to connect ancient practice to contemporary life.  Let’s practice together and make meaningful moments.

Daniella Salzman
Daniella Salzman is deeply committed to revelation and revolution. Having trained as a dance expressive arts therapist, meditation and mindfulness teacher, and community organizer, she is inspired by leaders who dedicate their lives to transforming both our inner and outer worlds towards a lasting and integrated peace.

Jeffrey Kessler
A graduate of Chochmat HaLev’s first Jewish Meditation Teacher Training Program, Jeffrey Kessler 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.

, ...
26
27

Meditation of Presence

Meditation of Presence
8:15 am
28
29
30

Torah Study

Torah Study
9:30 am

Saturdays, 9:30 – 11am
with Eric Strellis
Join with 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 INFO
We 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 INFO
If you are new to Zoom, join early and follow the prompts to download the free software.
Join with video
https://zoom.us/j/652501750

Join by phone
1-669-444 9171
1-346-248-7799
1-253-205-0468

Meeting ID: 881 8385 9402
Passcode: 986927

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