Board Meetings:

Wednesday, May 14, 7 pm—Special meeting to set budget and membership fees. Please join the board to discuss next year’s budget, membership dues, scholarship structures and high holiday pricing policies. We will be discussing the report and recommendations of the fundraising consultant, Ruth Herring. For a copy, please click here.

Wednesday, May 21, 7 pm—Monthly Board meeting. Everyone is welcome to observe the regular business proceedings of the CHL board of directors. This meeting will feature the election of board officers.

Announcing New Community Building Committee

The Chochmat Board has recently formed a new committee—the Community Building Committee to help build communication and transparency within our organization. The stated purpose of the CBC is to help build holy engagement, participation, communication and understanding within the Chochmat HaLev board and community. As all board committees, any member in good standing is invited to join. The CBC meets at 7 pm on the first Tuesday of each month. If you wish to join the CBC, or to experience it by attending a meeting, please email maurice@chochmat.org.

Volunteer for Chochmat Doing Something Easy and Fun!

Chochmat HaLev is looking for a volunteer to help us with internet social networking tools like Facebook and Tribe--to advertise our programs to the larger Bay Area community and gain more visibility and presence in the virtual community.  If you have fun blogging or chatting on group sites, this is the volunteer opportunity for you! Chochmat HaLev will provide you with content and links to explain our programs. You will seek out appropriate tribes, blogs or list serves that reach out to interested communities.  Increase your own popularity while being really, really appreciated! Please contact Melanie for more information at melanie@chochmat.org or 510 704-9687.

Tikkun Olam Learners Chorus with Cyrise Beatty
Wednesday evenings May 7, 14, 21,28, June 4,11,18, 25, July 2 6-7:30 pm
Want to deepen your relationship to your voice, and connect more deeply with spirit and your community through music? Join Chochmat for its third season of the Tikkun Olam Chorus. Vocal Instructor and chantress Cyrise Beatty combines the basics of vocal technique with a joyful approach to accessing the Divine through song. We'll have an opportunity to sing with seasoned chorus members and other choirs for a grand finale and concert that welcomes the Jewish season of Shavuot and revelation.
Fee: $150 members, $200 general public We still need more people to register!

NEW: Tikkun Olam Choir with Cyrise Beatty
Wednesday evenings May 7, 14, 21,28, June 4,11,18, 25, July 2 7:30- 9 pm
Continue to make holy music all year round with the Tikkun Olam Choir! To join this chorus, participants should have taken the introductory class or meet with Cyrise. All singers will recieve a choir book and ample oppurtunities to perform at Chochmat Shabbats, and other "Tikkun" related events.
Flat Fee: $125 We still need more people to register!

Aging to Saging with Edna Ross, Tuesdays, May 13, 20, 27, & June 3, 7-9pm REGISTRATION ENDS MAY 9.
The work of 'conscious aging', also know as 'spiritual eldering' or ‘sage-ing', is based on the work of pioneers in this field, in particular Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, author of From Age-ing to Sage-ing and Ram Dass (Still Here). It is based on the view that the later stage of life has within it the unique potential for growth for those willing to pursue it. The workshops will provide an introduction to the theory and practices that make acquiring the qualities of an "elder" a deliberate outcome rather than a lucky break.
$65 for members, $85 for non-members.

Learning Sacred Hebrew with Rabbi Daniel Lev
Mondays 7:30—9 pm, May 12, 19, 26, June 2, 16, 30, the rest to be scheduled
REGISTRATION ENDS MAY 8TH, TOMORROW.
Join others in the joyful way to learn the holy language! Learn the Hebrew alphabet and simple translations of prayer book and other texts with Rabbi Daniel Lev. This class is open to both beginning and intermediate students. Beginners will learn the Alef-Bet and basic "reading-grammar" that enables them to sound out the language well enough to follow the prayer book. Intermediate students will review and continue on with grammar and move on to read and translate with comprehension. Bring your desire to learn. For further information, call Rabbi Lev at 684-4950
$200 nonmembers per 8 week session $160 members per 8 week session

Morning Shacharit with Zelig Golden, 8 am

In this morning circle, we begin the day by chanting the traditional morning prayers of gratitude, praise, and direct connection to the Infinite One, followed by space for meditation and personal prayer.

Meditation and Conscious Movement with Jeffrey Kessler, 7 pm

This meditation and the discussion afterwards are focused on spiritual understandings of the weekly Torah portion, and Shabbat preparation.

Friday, May 9

Family Shabbat Service with Brian Schachter-Brooks, 6:30 pm

This lively and interactive service weaves Friday night rituals with prayer, song, & storytelling for an engrossing and uplifting evening for young and old alike. We are deeply thankful to Rabbi Sara Shendelman for leading the Family service for many years. This week the service will be led by Brian Schachter-Brooks.
 

Monday, May 12

Torah of Awakening with Brian Schachter-Brooks, 7 pm

Join Brian Schachter-Brooks Monday evenings to learn the art of true meditation through teachings, chanting of Hassidic melodies, prayer and silent sitting. Dare to join us Monday evenings for these truly transformative sessions.

The Revelation at Sinai and the Golden Calf, with Rabbi Gershon Winkler, Saturday, May 17, at 7:30 pm.
The mere fact that the ancient Hebraic scriptures are available in English makes them more prone not to being understood but to being misunderstood. The Torah's account of the Revelation at Sinai is no exception. And clearly it was a disappointing revelation to a people who prepared for three days for some high-falutin' divine revelation and instead received a list of instructions that was older than Abraham. Armed with his usual tools of deep-belly humor and rarely examined ancient Jewish sources, Rabbi Gershon will both enlighten us and entertain us with challenging as well as soothing wisdom that emerged from this little-understood epoch of the Jewish experience.

Shavuot and the Kabbalah of Summer with Rabbi Gershon Winkler, Sunday, May 18, 10:30am-5:30pm.
The summer moons in Jewish teachings represent potency in plant, stone, animal and human life. It is the season when the life force within everything blossoms toward its crescendo, and in so doing conjures the revelation of its deepest mystery. Learn about the relationship between the sun and the earth, the dance and song of flora and fauna, as we approach these special periods of simultaneous Genesis and Nemesis we glibly refer to as Summer.  Preregistration required—if you are not yet registered, please call 510.704.9687 to sign up.

Women's Sacred Time, Sacred Space: A reclamation of women's menstrual rites through the living waters of mikvah, with Kohenet Deborah J. Grenn
June 5, June 22, July 10 (times vary, please see website)
Is the mikvah, the traditional Jewish ritual bath, an oppressive patriarchal rite or a ritual of renewal and transformation first created by women?  Join us as we explore its ancient roots and modern meanings.  In this three-part series, Deborah J. Grenn, Ph.D, board member (not founder; we apologize for the error) of Kohenet, the Hebrew Priestess Institute, will discuss the power of self-designed seclusion in women's menstrual rites and the traditional laws concerning "ritual purity" in the Jewish community. Participants will leave this program with new ideas, places and rituals to create sacred time and space every month, renewed from Jewish tradition.  This series includes one day at Chochmat and two classes visiting a natural swimming hole in the Redwoods of Point Reyes and the local mikvah in Berkeley. Preregistration is required for this course. Early Registration ends May 28th... take 20% off registration fee. Questions about this course? Please contact Melanie at 510 704-9687 ext 12 or email melanie@chochmat.org 

Stairs, Sunsets and Song: A sweet series of Strolls and Celebration with Chochmat HaLev.
2nd and 4th Tuesdays in the summer months: June 10, June 24, July 8, July 22, 7-9:30pm
Sing-a-Longs and Sunsets. Sweat and Staircases. Sweetness and Shalom! What do they all have in common? Chochmat's very own tour de East Bay of the amazing and ever mysterious staircases! Each hike will begin with a short gathering ritual, and will stop at sunset for some songs and praise as day turns to night. Participants will learn great songs they can use with friends and kids to bless and celebrate the evening. Carpools leave at 7:00 pm sharp and return around 9:30. Please bring nosh to share, water and warm clothes. For more information about the location ( you can meet us there!) please call Melanie at 510-375-1657. $15 suggested donation for each walk.

Learn more about our long term, intensive, and certificate programs