FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Debra Kolodny, Executive Director, ALEPH
DATE: March 31, 2005
Phone: 301-565-0719
Email: DebraRuth@mac.com

Dear Editor:

Enclosed is the March 2005 ALEPH News Service. We hope you run one or more of the following articles, and look forward to hearing from you if you do. This release contains:

1. Summer Camp for the Whole Family! The 11th international ALEPH Kallah begins July 25
2. Ann Arbor Caravan a huge success! Ann Arbor, Michigan with a Jewish population of 8000 drew 120 to a day of Jewish prayer, study and celebration.
3. ALEPH Caravan wows Houston for second time Joy and celebration of the event made a Sunday feel like Shabbat.

For further information on ALEPH or the enclosed articles please contact me at DebraRuth@mac.com or 301-565-0719.

ALEPH is a core institution in the Jewish renewal movement, dedicated to the Jewish people's sacred purpose of partnership with the Divine in the inseparable tasks of healing the world and healing our hearts. ALEPH supports and grows the worldwide movement for Jewish renewal by organizing and nurturing communities, developing leadership, creating liturgical and scholarly resources, and working for social and environmental justice. ALEPH has attracted and energized thousands of seekers returning to Judaism, including many whose journey has led them through other spiritual traditions. ALEPH's affiliated projects include our: Kallah, a biennial convocation; OHALAH: The Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal; Rabbinic Studies Program; Affiliated Communities; Kesher, a program for twenty and early thirty somethings, Ruach Ha Aretz, Sage-ing; C-DEEP (The Center for Devotional, Energy, and Ecstatic Practice,) the Eco-Kashrut Project and The Shalom Center.

I look forward to working with you.
Debra Kolodny /s/

Jewish Summer Camp for the Whole Family!

This summer, adults can indulge in one of childhood's most wonderful memories - Jewish summer camp designed just for you! How can you resist the lure of a joyful place for adults to live, learn, sing and dance in a Jewish community. Oh, and kids are welcome too.

Every two years, ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal, presents the Kallah, a weeklong living and learning experience set on a campus in a different region of the US or Canada. This summer's Kallah will be in Johnstown, Pennsylvania from July 25-31. Nearly 1,000 people - families, individuals, friends and couples - are expected to attend from all over the world.

Attending the ALEPH Kallah is especially compelling in a time when so many are asking the question, "Why Judaism? Why now? How do we make our faith and practice meaningful in our time?"

Jewish renewal is a worldwide, trans-denominational movement grounded in Judaism's prophetic and mystical traditions. People encountering renewal Judaism for the first time routinely speak of the spark of joy and meaning that it brings to their prayer, ritual and everyday lives.

The Kallah is an ideal place for newcomers to renewal to sample the teachings of some of the movement's most pre-eminent thinkers, artists, teachers and rabbis. Each day, participants attend two classes, which cover topics like Social Justice Art and Activism, Kabbalistic Heroines, Making Prayer Come Alive, and Sacred Calligraphy. Classes are taught by luminaries including Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Rabbi Marcia Prager, Rabbi Tirzah Firestone along with almost fifty other acclaimed authors, musicians and scholars.

Like summer camp, the Kallah includes lots of time for participants to share private moments with teachers, stretch out in a Jewish yoga class, try out a new way to experience morning prayers, pick up an instrument or just relax with new friends. Delicious kosher meals are provided cafeteria style and participants live in semi-private or private (quickly selling out!) rooms. As at Jewish summer camp, Shabbat is the highlight of the week. You can choose to davven (pray) with a hazzan (cantor) trained in Sephardic tradition, let your body and voice express your soul in a chant-based service, or experience a traditional service with a new energy.

Children love the Kids' Kallah program which is packed full of juggling, theater, creative Torah study and music. Adults love the convenience of evening babysitting that allows them to enjoy unique programming like Dances of Universal Peace. Young adults have forged meaningful connections through the Kesher program, a supplementary track that brings together renewal Jews in their twenties. Kesherites have graduated from the program to become rabbinical students, cantors and directors of non-profit organizations.

The ALEPH Kallah is a unique summer gathering because it brings together so many Jews of so many different traditions. Israelis, Canadians, Americans, Europeans, South Americans and Australians- all come together to share a week of intense spirit and learning that transcends boundaries of observance, age, gender and background. When Shabbat arrives, the community erupts into a joyful expression of unity that is truly special. Newcomers and alumni alike find something new and important at every Kallah. The only thing you need to bring is enthusiasm for learning and for infusing your Jewish experience with a deep sense of renewal.

The Judaism that so many have been looking for - a Judaism of spirit, of intellect and of heart - exists. The ALEPH Kallah is a taste of that Judaism and a welcoming place for any seeker. For more information visit: www.aleph.org.

Ann Arbor Caravan a huge success

On March 6, ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal affiliate, Pardes Hannah drew 120 participants to a day of Jewish prayer, study and celebration. ALEPH Executive Director, Debra Kolodny noted, "In a community of 8000 Jews, the turnout is a potent reminder of the great yearning for spiritual connection in the Jewish world, as well as a testimony to the brilliant organizing of the host community."

Rabbis Tirzah Firestone, Elliot Ginsburg, Chava Bahle, and Arnie Sleutelberg led participants through a moving morning service and 6 workshops. Attendees deepened their relationship with Jewish text, practice and history by studying: "Jewish Women Mystics," "The Power of Sacred Intention through Jewish Meditative Practices," "The Holiness of the Interpersonal in Jewish Mystical Teachings," "Jewish Mindfulness Practices," "Deep Healing in the Four Worlds," and "The Emotion in Liturgy."

Pardes Hannah lead organizer Lucinda Kurtz said of the day, "It was gratifying to share my enthusiasm for my beloved Renewal rabbis and Pardes Hannah with the larger Ann Arbor community. I know that every participant took home a spark of the remarkable and loving energy that was created on that day. We are still savoring the uplifting morning service that Reb Elliot Ginsburg and Reb Chava Bahle created with Reb Arnie Sleutelberg's beautiful commentary and Reb Tirzah Firestone's poetry reading. We are still integrating the insights we gained through the workshops and still hearing the haunting melodies we chanted.

"We hope the spiritual nourishment helped participants discover something new or perhaps something quite old but forgotten amidst the practicalities of everyday life. This is what Jewish renewal is about - remembering and touching the places deep within us through Jewish spiritual practices."

Rabbi Chava Bahle, Director of Midwest Retreat Center Or Tzafon said: "The Caravan creates a wonderful opportunity for communities to grow in learning and in Jewish enthusiasm. - The welcoming format lays the groundwork for trans- denominational sharing and inter-synagogue friendship building. - These qualities of excitement and bridge-building make the Caravan a very important tool for outreach into the Jewish community and for creating the perfect gateway for unaffiliated and intercultural families."

To find out more about local host Pardes Hannah visit: www.pardeshannah.org. To find out more about the national sponsor, ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal visit www.aleph.org. ALEPH ordains and supports Jewish renewal rabbis, produces a biennial gathering, runs Caravans around the country, serves over 40 Jewish renewal communities worldwide and produces and distributes writings, CDs and teleconference classes to support Jewish renewal. To find out more about the Midwest regional sponsor Or Tzafon, a retreat center in Traverse City that holds semi annual events and provides ongoing opportunity for community and connection write: finerabbi@aol.com.

ALEPH Caravan wows Houston for second time

In the wake of a profoundly successful event in December of 2003, the ALEPH Caravan returned to Houston on March 13. Rabbis Marcia Prager, Miles Krassen, and David Zaslow began the day with a morning service that many said was the most moving they had ever experienced. Although held on a Sunday, the joy and celebration brought by the event made the day feel like Shabbat.

The teachers continued their extraordinary leadership through the day with 6 courses, where participants deepened their relationship with "Neo-Hasidic Contemplation," "Blessings as Meditation," "Four Worlds Torah Study," "The Spiritual Meaning of Purim," "The Names of God" and "Lurianic Meditation."

With its pre-Purim theme of "Unmasking Judaism's Treasures", the event was held at the Houston Jewish Community Center, facilitating ALEPH's commitment to serving the entire Jewish community. According to Houston organizer Janice Rubin, "The ALEPH Caravan offered each of us an opportunity to explore and nurture a deep 'inner life'. Many hearts, and eyes were opened in our community by these three insightful teachers."

ALEPH Executive Director added that, "It is heartening indeed to see a community which does not yet have a Jewish renewal congregation exhibit such strong commitment to growing the spiritual life of Jews. This is the first time that the ALEPH Caravan has returned to a city, and we got to see an obvious deepening in Jewish spiritual consciousness as a result. We look forward to seeing many of those who attended on March 13 at our Kallah in July. We will do whatever we can to support the creation and growth of a Houston renewal chavura or congregation in the coming years."

Those interested in learning more about ALEPH Caravans, the July Kallah or other ALEPH resources and services can visit its website at www.aleph.org. ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal ordains and supports Jewish renewal rabbis, produces a biennial gathering for 700-900 people, runs Caravans around the country, serves over 40 Jewish renewal communities worldwide and produces and distributes writings, CDs and teleconference classes to support Jewish renewal.