Make Me A Sanctuary: Torah Study as a Space for Spiritual Formation ועשו לי מקדש
2025 Spring Gathering
Make Me A Sanctuary: Torah Study as a Space for Spiritual Formation ועשו לי מקדש
Two broad goals of our Spring Gathering: continuing the work of clergy formation, and engaging in the ongoing project of building our community in deeper and stronger ways. With that in mind we continued on the path we began in November, with our Lasuah program and with many opportunities to become closer. Much of our learning centered around the theme of Torah study as a spiritual practice.
Spring Gathering Sessions
Topics included: 70 Faces: Talmud Torah and the Ongoing Path of Clergy with Rabbi Jan Uhrbach Closer Than They Appear: Looking in the Mirror of Aggadot with Rabbi Jan Uhrbach The Practice of Bibliodrama: Contemporary Midrash in Action with Rabbi Shawn Israel Zevit The Practice of Contemplating Torah: Visioning as a Portal to Text, Text as a Portal to Visioning with Rabbi Jill Hammer, PhD Text Study: The Study of Torah with Rabbi Matthew Goldstone, PhD
Spring Gathering Speakers
Rabbi Jan Uhrbach( she / her) is the founding rabbi of The Bridge Shul, having served as spiritual leader of the congregation since 1999. In addition to her congregational work, Rabbi Uhrbach is also Director of the Block / Kolker Center for Spiritual Arts at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she served as Interim Dean of the Division of Religious Leadership & Resnick Dean of the Rabbinical School. Rabbi Uhrbach is also a well-known teacher of Torah and a gifted writer and liturgist. She was Associate Editor of Siddur Lev Shalem for Shabbat and Festivals, was on the Editorial Committee of Machzor Lev Shalem, and is Associate Editor of Siddur Lev Shalem for Weekdays.
Rabbi Shawn Israel Zevit serves as lead rabbi at Mishkan Shalom in Philadelphia, PA and has spent decades consulting to and supporting congregations, organizations, and social justice and sustainability initiatives in the Jewish and larger world. He is a trained actor and Playback theater director and was a founding member of the Institute for Contemporary Midrash. He is co-director of the Davennen Leader’ s Training Institute and
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is the Director for the ALEPH Hashpa’ ah( Spiritual Direction) training program. He is also a liturgical recording and performing artist and author of“ Offerings of the Heart: Money and Values in Faith Community” and numerous publications for spiritual life. Rabbi Zevit is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and also has personal ordination from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z” l and ALEPH: Alliance for J ewish Renewal.
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