Join us for a weekend of music, Shabbat practices, and community building. This unique participatory retreat brings together singers, musicians, and learners of diverse backgrounds and ages to explore both ancestral and modern Jewish music. Everyone is a learner, everyone is a teacher. Together with our faculty teachers, we will co-create the weekend. Bring your songs and spirit to share. We are committed to making space for Jewish and non-Jewish people of all backgrounds and intend to include a diverse array of music cultures. We sing and play for our love of healing, community and liberation, and to ground and elevate ourselves.
No music experience is required - your inherent creativity is enough. Every voice and musically curious spirit is welcome, so come share yours. Past sessions have included everything from nigunim (wordless melodies) and songwriting to Middle Eastern drumming and Jewish song instrumental accompaniment. We will offer traditional and non-traditional prayer experiences, all of which are optional.
Tentative schedule is here.
Optional track for people who want to combine SVARA-style text study and singing:
“The Torah of Music." In these sessions, we will study short excerpts from a variety of beautiful texts about how the Jewish tradition thinks about music and singing. And of course, we will sing together, too! The SVARA-style method of learning text moves slowly and intentionally through each word, focusing on building a connection with both the text and your chevrutah (learning partner). These sessions are open to anyone - from being brand to text study to seasoned learners. For these sessions, you will need to know the Hebrew alphabet (no need to know how to speak the language, only how to read the letters). We also ask that you attend all sessions, as they build on each other.
Thursday, May 9th, 6:30 - 9:00 pm (includes dinner)
Saturday, May 11th, 9:30 - 11:30 am, 12:30 - 1:30, 3:30 - 5:15 pm
In times that you aren’t in these sessions, you may attend other Kol singing workshops and activities. Please register for the retreat and also email khlipsett@gmail.com if you’d like to sign up. Spaces are limited.
Kol Retreat will be held in the peaceful setting of the Urban Adamah farm, where you can wander amongst plants, animals, and humans, eat delicious organic food, and experience a deeper, slower time as you connect with yourself and old and new friends. Onsite accomodations will be available for those who want to stay in our retreat lodge. If you are signing up to share a room, please register and pay individually.
This program is open to all ages, however there will not be childcare or youth-specific programming offered. Children under the age of 12 will need to be supervised and accompanied by an adult at all times. If you're a parent who would like to be in touch with other parents attending to coordinate childcare, please reach out to kolretreatbayarea@gmail.com.
Urban Adamah strives to offer programming that is accessible to our community. Thanks to our program supporters, we are able to offer this series for a sliding scale. If you are able to register at the higher end, your contribution will directly support the financial accessibility of another participant. If existing ticket prices are out of reach and you are in need of financial assistance, please apply by filling out this form. If you are approved, we will reach out to invite you to complete your registration.
Kol will be following the Urban Adamah Covid-19 policy. Programs will take place in a mix of indoor and outdoor locations, with at least one option outdoors. Masks are optional but strongly encouraged both indoors and outdoors.
If you have questions or comments about the program, you are welcome to email kolretreatbayarea@gmail.com, and if you have questions about the site and accomodations, you can email tyler@urbanadamah.org.
