Earth-Based Judaism
Episode description
Featuring: Rabbi Zelig Golden, Co-Founder and Executive Director
When discussing the concept of retreat into the wilderness, Rabbi Zelig suggests, “The Torah is teaching us that there is a powerful and essential medicine in the wilderness and that when we go and receive that medicine…it has the power to fundamentally change who we are, to help heal us and to become more clear on who we are.”
Mission: Wilderness Torah awakens and celebrates the earth-based traditions of Judaism to nourish the connections between self, community, earth, and Spirit.
Wilderness Torah creates a pluralistic, multi-generational community celebrations to reconnect us to the earth-based traditions of Judaism. Everyone is welcome at Wilderness Torah Events: Jews, people with other faiths and backgrounds, interfaith couples and families, the LGBTQIA community, people of color—anyone who feels called to attend. We offer a range of activities so that people of all backgrounds and experiences can plug in, and we partner with inclusivity nonprofits on programming and training.
Offerings:
Kabbalat Shabbat: Join for our monthly Kabbalat Shabbat with Urban Adamah and other spiritual community leaders.
Annual Festivals: We can’t wait to celebrate the ancient Jewish pilgrimage festivals together again, with our annual earth-based events like Passover in-the-Desert, Shavuot on the Mountain (new in 2022), and Tu B’Shvat in the Forest.
Village Circle is Wilderness Torah’s yearlong, dialogue and training cohort.
Introduction to Earth-based Judaism: Dive into the Torah and cosmology of earth-based Judaism in this virtual course.
Adult Neshama Quest: Gather safely during COVID for a backpacking trip led by well-seasoned outdoor Jewish educators.
Adult B’hootz is an immersive daylong nature experience that will take place in one of our beautiful East Bay parks. Each event will happen around a Jewish holiday and explore themes related to the Jewish calendar cycle of life.
Cycle of Teshuvah: Jewish tradition honors seasonal cycles in accordance with the cycles of our lives. Each Fall, as the dry season comes to a close, we enter the Teshuvah Cycle of spiritual renewal.
Children’s Programs:
B’hootz- (literally means outside) is for children going into grades K–5. The program integrates caring mentorship and nature-based exploration with Jewish spirituality, tradition, and wisdom.
B’naiture- two-year experiential program for kids entering 6th or 7th grade. It is a coming-of-age journey supporting the transition from childhood to adolescence through mentorship, deep nature connection and Jewish wisdom.
Shomrim- (literally means - guardians) is for graduates of B’hootz and B’naiture, as teens begin the journey as assistants and mentors in grades 8–12. We offer special immersive programs for teens including the Neshama Quest backpacking journey and an overnight camping trip during our annual Passover in the Desert pilgrimage.
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