Events, Retreats & Festivals

Experience an Array of In-person Events in the Bay Area

Kabbalat Shabbat

Welcome Shabbat In Sacred Community. Led by Wilderness Torah and Chochmat HaLev Rabbis and community leaders. Come together for embodied prayer, soulful singing, ecstatic dancing, guided meditation, sharing of ancestral wisdom, and connection in intergenerational community.

Friday, April 5, 2024 |  Friday June 7, 2024

Save the Date!
More details coming in March.

Wilderness Torah Rite-of-Passage Ceremony

With new and exciting changes to Wilderness Torah’s leadership and organizational structure, we want to mark this moment and honor the transition. We will  offer gratitude to Zelig for all he has helped to create, and create space for prayers and support for the next era of our growth. Join us in an East Bay park for a community ceremony and celebration with dinner, music, and merriment.

Sunday, May 19, 2024

Neshama Quest for Adults (Ages 18+)

Neshama Quest for adults is a six-day backpacking journey through the California wilderness, and is designed for adults who desire a moderately challenging wilderness experience. You will be safely led through a transformational experience by two of our well-trained Jewish wilderness guides.

Wednesday, June 19 – Monday, June 24, 2024

Save the date!
More details coming in April.

Neshama Quest for Young Adults
(Ages 18–28)

Neshama Quest for young adults is a seven-day backpacking journey through the California wilderness, and is designed for adults ages 18-28 who desire a more challenging wilderness experience. Participants experience backcountry & ancestral skills, illuminating sharing circles, earth-based Jewish practices and initiatory challenges.

Tuesday, July 30 – Monday, August 5, 2024

From Older to Elder (Hybrid Program)

This is a 6-month elderhood rite-of-passage for people aged 64+ who want to explore their identity as elders and reflect on what to do with “this one precious life” during your next phase of life. We hope to support you to find ways to fulfill your potential in this last stage of life.  This program is offered both virtual and hybrid.  The hybrid option is designed for people who are interested in a more intensive program, who want to share the experience in a small group (12), and can meet for two in-person retreats.

August 2024 – February 2025

High Holidays

Stay tuned for our 2024/5785 year program.

Sukkot In-Gathering Festival

Wilderness Torah invites you to co-create our multigenerational village for the celebration of the Sukkot harvest festival. Join us for a three-night campout at a gorgeous regenerative farm in Sonoma County, California. We will give thanks for the abundance from the land and pray for the return of the rains.

Stay tuned for our 2024/5785 year program.

Passover in the Desert

Passover in the Desert is a five-day gathering in the Southern California desert wilderness, celebrating freedom and awakening. We create a rustic village where we immerse ourselves in the Exodus experience. Divided into small tribes (intimate groups led by experienced guides), we co-create the physical village, the spirit of community, with meaningful Shabbat and Passover ritual.

Passover in the Desert is paused for the year 2024/5784.

Tu B’Shvat in the Forest

In the tradition of the Kabbalists (16th century mystics of Tsfat, Israel), we gather in the morning in the forest to create an experiential Tu B’Shvat seder (ceremony) that connects us to the trees and the elements and takes us on a journey from the physical world to the spiritual world. We delight in p’ri ha-etz (the fruit of the trees) and celebrate the season together through the five senses, song, meditation, and Tu B’Shvat teachings. In the afternoon, we host a variety of fun, informative, and inspired Tu B’Shvat offerings.

Tu B’shvat in the Forest is paused for the year 2024/5784.

Testimonials

I have attended two of Wilderness Torah’s events. They have been transformative and have brought me closer to my culture, my community, and myself. They are an organization on the leading edge of making the connection between the role of religion, culture, and sustainability.
Participant