Events, Retreats & Festivals
Tune in with the natural rhythms of the earth, connect deeply with community, and learn from our earth-based Jewish traditions and wisdom.
From Older to Elder
This is a 9-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.
September 2025 – May 2026
Neshama Quest for Young Adults (Ages 18–25)
Neshama Quest for Young Adults is a transformational backpacking journey through the John Muir Wilderness for folks from ages 18-25. Turn off your phone and turn on your love for the outdoors! Backpacking through the beautiful Sierras, participants will learn ancestral backcountry survival skills, experience challenges with support from experienced guides, enjoy Shabbat and Havdallah under the stars, and bond with an inclusive community of nature-lovers.
Tuesday, July 29 – Monday, August 4, 2025
Neshama Quest for Adults (Ages 18+)
Neshama Quest for Adults is a five-day Jewish wilderness rite-of-passage for adults 18+ that offers deep nature connection in an accessible camping location, soulful community, and meaningful spiritual practice. Through guided mentorship, Shabbat celebration, and a solo wilderness challenge, participants are invited to reconnect with their inner wisdom and tune in with quiet whispers of the soul. The journey coincides with Tu b’Av, a joyful holiday of love and connection, adding a rich layer of communal and personal exploration.
Tuesday, July 29 – Monday, August 4, 2025
The below programs have been important gatherings in our community, but are currently on pause while we are in transition. Please stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates in our organization.
High Holidays
In Collaboration with Chochmat HaLev
Rosh Hashanah: Wednesday, October 2 – Friday, October 4, 2024
Yom Kippur: Friday, October 11 – Saturday, October 12, 2024
For High Holy Days this year, we are partnering with Chochmat Halev in Berkeley, California! You can join in-person or virtually via Zoom.
Peel back the layers of the traditional liturgy to find meaning for our lives today. Make our sacred texts come alive in new and provocative ways. Allow our soulful music to open your heart and release what no longer serves you. Deepen your connection to Spirit by transcending outdated and dissonant notions of the Divine. Create deep bonds with a community that holds you in your full complexity.
Sukkot In-Gathering Festival
This year, Wilderness Torah is thrilled to partner with Aravah Sukkot Festival!
Building on our years of Sukkot In-Gathering Festivals, this collaboration with community lay leaders will be an exciting new way to build intergenerational village, celebrate the fall harvest festival, give thanks for the abundance from the land, and pray for the return of the rains.
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.
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