Towards Shleimut (Wholeness)
A Communal Gathering of Jewish Learning
We all struggle at times with mental, physical and spiritual well-being, seeking healing and wholeness. How might Jewish wisdom and practice guide and inspire us on our journeys? How might we build communities of tikkun hanefesh (repairing the soul)?
Learn with rabbis, cantors and educators from across the greater Baltimore Jewish community. Come with old friends and meet new ones. Discover wisdom and leave inspired.
1st Session (5:00 – 5:45)
Rabbi Andrew Busch, Baltimore Hebrew Congregation
Pondering Poems from Israel
Together we will look for meaning in a selection of Israeli poems. No Hebrew proficiency is required, but openness to discuss emotions, connections, and perspectives helps.
Rabbi Andy Gordon, Bolton Street Synagogue
The Soul Trait of Equanimity: Seeking Equilibrium During the Ups and Downs of Life
We will we dive into the middah, the soul trait, of equanimity. Together, we will study chasidic and modern commentaries on what Jewish tradition teaches about seeking equilibrium during the ups and downs of life.
Rabbi Eli Yoggev, Beth Tfiloh Congregation
Meditation Workshop: Learn and Apply Various Jewish Techniques
We will learn five Jewish meditation techniques and their related source-texts, and apply several of them together in our workshop.
Maian Rahvalschi, Macks Jewish Connection Network
Safe Space to share everything Israel
Come together in creating a safe space to share your thoughts, feelings, and concerns around the war in Israel and how it affects you, our community, and the Jewish community as a whole. As the Jewish Agency Community Shlicha, Maian will also share her perspective on being an Israeli away from home and how this war affected her and the role of Shlichut.
Rabbi Naomi Zaslow, Beth El Congregation
Artist Beit Midrash: Seeking Hashem
Join together in seeking God and making miniature watercolor paintings. We will look at scriptures from the Talmud and the Jewish Mystical traditions to ground our art making and our souls. No background in Hebrew or painting needed!
Rabbi Tyler Dratch, Beth Am Congregation
Carrying our Grief and Our Joy Together
What might Jewish tradition teach about the ways we hold conflicting emotions and experiences simultaneously? Can joy exist during times of grief? How do we live in community with people who are experiencing different kinds of emotions?
2nd Session (6:00 – 6:45)
Rabbi Daniel Burg, Beth Am Congregation
Putting Israel in my Carry-On Baggage
Having returned three days prior from a listening and solidarity trip to Israel, Rav Daniel brings stories from Israelis who are living through one of the most challenging moments in the 75-year history of the Jewish state. Come to learn about how communities under attack are managing against the strain of loss, trauma, and concern for their future. Bear witness to tales of tragedy and triumph that will take us beyond headlines, social media posts, and reductive conclusions.
Jacki Ashkin, Jewish Communal Services
Soothing Yourself – Mind, Body, & Soul – in Stressful Times
Throughout our lifetime, we encounter challenges and situations that can leave us feeling stressed and overwhelmed. While we can’t always control the world swirling around us, each of us has the power to navigate through life’s storms. This session will explore the many faces of stress and offer practical, take-with-you strategies for managing its impact on your well-being and boosting your resilience.
Rabbi Joshua Gruenberg, Chizuk Amuno Congregation –
Lamentations 4:10 – Finding Comfort in a Troubled Text During a Troubled Time
The most difficult line in our Tanach is taken from the book of Lamentations: “With their own hands, tenderhearted women have cooked their children; Such became their fare, In the disaster of my poor people.” How can such a difficult text provide us with comfort during such a difficult time? Come and find out!
Martha Goodman, Macks Jewish Connection Network
Beyond Inclusion to Completion – Advocating for Making Our Community Whole and Welcoming
Making our community whole and welcoming takes more than an accessibility statement at the bottom of a flyer. It means welcoming those who come into our midst. It requires noticing who is not at the table, literally or figuratively. It means bringing our whole selves to each moment and inviting those we meet to do so too, so our community can be b’shelaim, complete, rich, and whole.
Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi, PhD, Har Sinai Oheb Shalom Congregation
#BringThemHomeNow: A Deep Dive into the Dilemmas in Jewish Thought on the Supreme Mitzvah of Redeeming the Captives
Rabbi Mintz, B’nai Israel: The Downtown Synagogue
Faith and Doubt in Times of Crisis
Explore how some of our greatest Torah leaders leaned into emunah while embracing doubt in the midst of personal and communal trauma to find healing and wholeness.
Chizuk Amuno Congregation
8100 Stevenson Road, Pikesville