FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Debra Kolodny, Executive Director, ALEPH
DATE: Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Phone: 301-565-0719
Email: DebraRuth@mac.com

Dear Editor:

Enclosed is the February 2006 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. Final Philadelphia Public Teaching of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Eve Ilsen--May 12-14, 2006
2. Sacred Food Conference Sponsorship Offers Unique Opportunity to Reach Interfaith Audience on Issues of Food, Justice and the Environment
3. Davis Congregation Bet Haverim hosts Eighth ALEPH Caravan in April

About ALEPH: ALEPH acts as the headquarters of the Jewish Renewal movement by organizing and nurturing communities, developing spiritual leadership, ordaining rabbis, cantors and rabbinic pastors, creating liturgical and scholarly resources, holding retreats and festivals and working for social and environmental justice.

ALEPH has attracted and energized thousands of seekers returning to Judaism and thousands who are deeply engaged but looking to elevate their current practice. ALEPH has 42 affiliated communities and its projects include two biennial gatherings: the Kallah and Ruach HaAretz; the Sacred Foods Project, C-DEEP: The Center for Devotional, Energy, and Ecstatic Practice, the Bet Midrash (producing siddurim, publications, videos and CDs from our founder Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and other Jewish Renewal teachers) and Kesher (supporting twenty and early thirty year old leaders). In addition to its projects, ALEPH also produces one-day Jewish Renewal festivals in communities around the US and Canada called Caravans. It is home to OHALAH: The Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal and a Rabbinic Studies Program, educating future rabbis, cantors and rabbinic pastors.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like additional information. ALEPH looks forward to working with you,

Debra Kolodny /s/

Final Philadelphia Public Teaching of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Eve Ilsen--May 12-14, 2006

Join Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, the founder of the Jewish Renewal Movement and Rebbitzen Eve Ilsen for an extraordinary experience that will be talked about for years to come. The weekend entitled "Heavenly Days Here on Earth" promises moving prayer experiences, meaningful teachings, joyful community and an opportunity to permanently deepen your spiritual life.

Recently profiled in Newsweek and in PBS's Religion and Ethics News Weekly, Reb Zalman has inspired tens of thousands of Jews and other spiritual seekers. Don't miss your last chance in the city of Philadelphia to study with the man the New York Jewish Forward called an "awakened soul."

Rabbi Schachter-Shalomi, master teacher, writer and spiritual leader launched over 50 communities around the world and his teachings have brought countless numbers back to a committed Jewish path. His significant contributions to Jewish theology, practice and civic engagement have influenced two generations of spiritual leadership and have enriched the lives of tens of thousands who were already Jewishly engaged.

Reb Zalman presents the central teachings of Hassidism and Kabbalah in a contemporary and accessible manner. Through prayer and meditation, movement and song, storytelling and philosophical discourse he awakens and inspires a personal relationship with G!d. He has worked extensively with the Dalai Lama, Bishop Desmond Tutu and other world religious luminaries.

The May Shabbaton will feature teachings from leading lights in Jewish Renewal, including rabbis Marcia Prager (Dean of the ALEPH Rabbinic Program), Daniel Siegel, (ALEPH Director of Spiritual Resources) Shaya Isenberg (Co-Director of the ALEPH Sage-ing Project), Shohama Wiener (Director of the ALEPH HASHPA'AH/Spiritual Direction Program) and Elliot Ginsburg (Member of the ALEPH Rabbinic Program Academic Council).

Gifted spiritual leaders will also perform on Saturday evening for a Malevah Malkah-a joyous concert escorting the Shabbos Queen to her dwelling place in our lives for the rest of the week. Rabbis Shawn Zevit, Arthur Waskow (Director of The Shalom Center) and Gila Rayzel Raphael will join Rebbitzen Eve Ilsen and Yofiyah for an evening not to be missed.

To register, and for information on accommodations, directions and frequently asked questions visit: aleph.org/rebzalmanweekend.html

Sacred Food Conference Sponsorship Offers Unique Opportunity to Reach Interfaith Audience on Issues of Food, Justice and the Environment

Beginning March 1, 2006, organizations can secure sponsorship opportunities and exhibit space at this year's Sacred Food Conference. The conference is the only national interfaith event to focus on the issues of faith and food. It brings progressive members of the food industry and the purchasing agents for religious schools, hospitals and universities together with concerned clergy from Christian, Jewish and Muslim traditions and leaders in nonprofit organizations working on animal welfare, social justice, hunger and the environment.

The Sacred Foods Project's national conference will be held on June 7-8, 2006 at the Garrison Institute conference center outside of New York City. The conference program is a series of presentations and conversations about how to produce food according to the ethical teachings of major U.S. religions.

"The importance of religion in our daily life is increasing in across the country. It's also becoming a more significant influence in our food choices, raising the importance of caring for our environment, the welfare of animals, and how we treat the people who help produce our food," said Arlin Wasserman, project director for Sacred Foods.

According to Wasserman, "The growing influence of religion in every decision is why we're continuing to see double digit increases in the market for kosher and halal foods-driven both by religious identity together with consumer concerns about health, the environment and animal welfare-as well as tremendous development in new products aimed at the religious consumer."

The Sacred Foods Conference offers sponsors and exhibitors a single vehicle for reaching religious leaders from many faith traditions who are involved with efforts to improve animal welfare, labor conditions, nutrition and sustainability.

Inquiries about sponsoring or exhibiting at the Sacred Foods conference should be contact info@sacred-foods.org Conference registration materials also can be requested at info@sacred-foods.org

Contact: Arlin Wasserman, Sacred Foods Project Director
Ph: 651-698-1991
Email: arlin@changingtastes.net

Davis Congregation Bet Haverim hosts Eighth ALEPH Caravan in April

Congregation Bet Haverim invites the entire community to a day of Jewish Renewal teachings, music, food and fellowship designed in collaboration with ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. The event will be held on April 30, 8:30 to 4:30, and will feature Rabbis Daniel Siegel, Hanna Tiferet Siegel and Shefa Gold, all internationally known for their creativity, spirituality and inspiration.

The ALEPH Caravan travels throughout the United States, tailoring events to meet the needs and interests of local communities with the goal of supporting deeper spiritual meaning in Jewish practice. Caravans feature prayer, song, chant, dance, meditation, Hassidic text study and kabbalistic practice, bringing the best that Jewish tradition has to offer through the expert leadership of Jewish Renewal rabbis.

Bet Haverim's program is called: "The Roots of Prayer on Wings of Song: Pathways to Enlivening our Spiritual Practice." After a creative prayer service attendees will be able to learn at two of three workshops.

ALEPH Director of Spiritual Resources, Rabbi Daniel Siegel will teach "Unlocking the Secrets of the Siddur: Working with the Deep Structure of the Traditional Service." Participants will explore the liturgy as guided meditation and contemplative practice and will focus on selected prayers to gain a deeper understanding of the siddur as our shared mystical text.

Rabbi Hanna Tiferet Siegel, singer/composer, liturgical artist and yoga teacher, will lead a healing workshop. She says, "On the third day of the Hebrew Healing month of Iyyar, the 17th day of Omer counting, which is Tiferet b'Tiferet-Heart within Heart-we will join our compassionate hearts together to create a healing service. Through song, prayer ritual, movement and the sharing of personal stories, our intention will be to make our space sacred so that the Divine Healer can freely move through us."

Rabbi Shefa Gold will be leading "Ecstatic Chant." Participants will experience chant as an ecstatic form of meditation that can open the doors of the heart, clear the mind of clutter, focus and refine intentions, and connect us to each other. They will also explore the possibilities of starting a chant and meditation group at Bet Haverim.

On Saturday evening, April 29 at 8 p.m. the visiting rabbis will lead the community through a conclusion to Shabbat and a welcome and invitation to the next day's Caravan. Together participants will celebrate Havdalah, count the Omer, chant, sing and celebrate.

Both events will be held at at CBH, 1715 Anderson Road, Davis California 95616. The cost for advance registration for Sunday, including a vegetarian lunch, is $54, and for Saturday evening, $18. Childcare is available at no extra charge on Sunday. To register, send to the congregation your name, phone number, email address and a check made out to CBH by April 15th. Same-day registration is $65 for Sunday and $24 for Saturday evening. For more information, call Jane Rabin at 530-756-4888.