Shabbaton with Rabbis Rachel Barenblat and David Markus in Ashland, June 5 & 6

“Prayer, Poetry & Politics”

The Next-Generation Leaders of Jewish Renewal to
Lead Weekend of Spirituality in Ashland

Rabbi Rachel Barenblat, the Velveteen Rabbi and Rabbi David Markus

Contact: Ayala Zonnenschein ayala@ashlandhavurah.org    (541) 488-7716

Havurah Shir Hadash (Ashland, Oregon) announces a weekend of spiritual learning and transformation with nationally-recognized rabbis Rachel Barenblat and David Markus over the weekend of June 5-6, 2020. The weekend, “Prayer, Poetry, & Politics: renewing the call to bless and repair the world,” will feature spirited, musical and participatory prayer in the innovative style of Jewish Renewal, and opportunities to learn with Barenblat and Markus about public affairs, mysticism, blessing, ethics, poetic liturgy and the ethical path of spiritual innovation.

Rabbi David Zaslow, the spiritual leader of the Havurah since 1996 says, “This weekend of prayer and learning promises to be spectacular. The gifts that Rabbi Barenblatt and Rabbi Markus will bring are at the cutting edge of the new and emerging forms of Jewish spiritual practice.”

Rabbi David Markus’ perspective on faith in public life reflects his unique position as North America’s only pulpit rabbi simultaneously holding a public oath of office.  His teachings on spiritual channeling will offer ways to give and be a blessing.  Rabbi Rachel’s perspective on spiritual creativity reflects her position at the intersection of professional poetry and rabbinic leadership.   She will teach on balancing artistic authenticity with healthy ethical boundaries, and share some of the poetry for which she was named one of America’s “most inspiring rabbis.”

Rabbi Rachel Barenblat is known nationally for her writings as The Velveteen Rabbi. She says,  “Religion and spirituality, at their core, are about building a wise, loving and ethical future together. ” Rabbis Barenblat and Markus serve together as senior builders at Bayit: Building Jewish (a Jewish innovation incubator).  Rabbi Markus says, “We learned this Jewish path from the legacy of Reb Zalman as a continuing call that our increasingly fractured world especially needs now.”

Rabbi Markus is the nation’s only pulpit rabbi simultaneously holding a public oath of office.  In spiritual life, Markus serves as rabbi and music director for Temple Beth El (New York, NY), and seminary faculty at the Academy for Jewish Religion.  In secular life, Markus presides in New York Supreme Court as part of a parallel public service career that has spanned all branches and levels of government – from presidential campaigns to legislation to environmental affairs.  Markus has won numerous awards as an “innovator in public service” (Harvard University).

Rabbi Barenblat is one of “America’s most inspiring rabbis” (Forward 2016).  Barenblat serves as rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel (North Adams, MA); her Velveteen Rabbi blog was rated as one of the top sites on the Internet (Time Magazine 2008).  Barenblat is an accomplished poet and narrator of Jewish spiritual life: her collections include Texts to the Holy (Ben Yehuda 2018), Open My Lips (Ben Yehuda 2016), Waiting to Unfold (Phoenicia 2013) and 70 faces: Torah poems (Phoenicia 2011)

The weekend schedule is below.  For additional information and to register, please visit the Shir Hadash website at https://havurahshirhadash.org/2020/01/shabbaton-2020.

Fri., June 5 7:00 pm Musical Kabbalat Shabbat

9:00 pmCelebratory oneg of food and drink

Sat., June 6 9:00 am Innovative “All Worlds” Torah study

10:00 am Shabbat service & keynote: Faith in the Public Square

12:30 pm Catered lunch

1:15 pm And I Will Bless Them: Becoming Spiritual Vessels

2:15 pm Spiritual Creativity: Authenticity, Boundaries & Balance

3:15 pm Break

7:00 pm Seudat Shlishit (“dining” on poetry and song), Social

Justice Havdalah & Poetry Jam