From Older to Elder: Hybrid Program
The Retreats

First Retreat: Monday, October 20 โ€“ Thursday, October 23, 2025
Second Retreat: Monday, May 4 โ€“ Thursday, May 7, 2026

Location & Accommodations

Ralston White Retreat Center, on Mt Tamalpais in Mill Valley (Marin county in the Bay Area)

Located on 43 acres in beautiful Mill Valley, California, the Ralston White Retreat was designed by one of San Franciscoโ€™s most prolific architects, Willis Polk. The retreat was completed in 1913.The 14,000 square foot home has three stories, nine relaxing porches and balconies with spectacular views.The heart-shaped lawn and beautiful grounds invite you to enjoy your surroundings. There are several walking paths on the property as well as connecting trails that lead to the top of Mt. Tamalpais. The retreat building is surrounded by beautiful redwoods.

Quote from a review:

โ€œThis place is seriously a hidden gem! Ralston White Retreat is a gorgeous redwood venue that is the perfect balance of being secluded but also not too far from civilization. You truly feel transported into another time when you arrive.โ€

Lodging & Accessiblity

The retreat center has a variety of unique bedrooms (see photos below). Almost all have shared bathrooms, except two that have their own bathroom. Some of the larger, nicer rooms have balconies. In your application, please let us know your lodging preferences.ย 

The rooms are either on the second or third floor, so require going up and down stairs multiple times each day.

The main indoor meeting room is on the first floor. We will also be meeting sometimes on the large front porch or in a lovely grassy area behind the house.

To be part of the hybrid program, you need to be able to manage the stairs, and be able to walk on the trails near the house. (Some trails are easy, some more challenging. That will be your choice during our nature wander times).

Format & Schedule

After an opening ceremony and checking in at the retreat center, we will get acquainted, circle up for songs, and have dinner together.

Each day will begin with morning prayers and reflections, followed by time spent in nature, discussions, interactive programming, and meals together.ย  Some meals will be catered and others individuals will make on their own (breakfasts and most lunches).

We will also build in time for breaks, journaling, movement and connecting with your fellow elders.

This is just to give you an idea of how it might go. This schedule will be updated before the retreat

Monday

  • 12:00 pm Meet at a Redwood Park in Mill Valley for Opening Ceremony
  • 3:00 pm Check-in at Retreat Center; Free Time
  • 4:30 pm first solo wander in the area (for 1 hour)ย 
  • 5:30 pm Song circle
  • 6:00 pm Dinner gets delivered and we eat!
  • 7:30 pm Evening program: Create ancestor altar (bring artifacts. photos) and guided ancestor connection visualization

Tuesday

  • 8-8:45 sm: movement offering (optional)
  • 9:15 am: morning programย 
    • Morning prayers
    • Writing activity
    • Council – what is on our minds and in our heartsย 
    • break
    • Jewish morning serviceย 
  • 12:00 pm lunch (catered)
  • 1:00-2:30 pm Break
  • 2:30 pm Afternoon Workshops (for example)
    • Nature connection practices for the elder journeyย 
    • Jewish spiritual practices for the elder journeyย 
    • Life review practices for the elder journey
  • 4:00 Break
  • 4:30 Morning altars creative activityย 
  • 6:00 Song circle
  • 6:30 pm Dinner
  • 7:30 Evening program: Jewish dance with Bruce Bierman

Wed October 22:

  • 8-8:45 am: movement offering
  • 9:15 am: Morning program
    • Morning prayer, meditation
    • Getting ready for a solo nature wander- 9:30-10:00
    • Send off for 2 hours of wander and journaling: 10-12
  • 12:00 pm lunch with your chevruta (make your own lunch)
  • 1:00 pm council: share about your solo wander
  • 2:00 pm break/free time
  • 3:30 pm workshop: Facing Aging Activity
  • 5:00 pm Break
  • 5:30 pm song circle
  • 6:00 pm Dinner
  • 7:30 pm Evening program: Collage activityย 

Thursday

  • 8-8:45 am: movement offering
  • 9:15 am: morning prayers, โ€œhitbodedutโ€- sit-spot in nature, check-in
  • 10:30 am: Discussion: What does it mean to become an elder in this challenging time in the world? How would you like to contribute?
  • 11:30 am check out of your room by 12- move your stuff to your car
  • 12:00 pm lunch in your peer group
  • 1:00 pm Closing session and ceremony, final council, singing,what happens next
  • 3:00 pm End

Retreat Leaders

Who will be leading the retreats?

This year, we have a leadership team of alumni from the first cohort, who will be working with Ellie Schindelman to plan and facilitate the retreats. We are fortunate to have an amazing group of Jewish elders who bring backgrounds and skills in Jewish prayer leadership, nature connection, and all the topics we will be exploring. We have wonderful musical leaders and people who can facilitate small groups during the retreat, as well as lead some of the sessions. We also have some guest teachers, for example, Bruce Bierman will be coming to lead an evening of Jewish dance.ย 

We will see who is in the new cohort, and what everyone brings to the program! We welcome participation, and will see how we can integrate the skills everyone has to offer.

FAQ

We will provide dinners for all nights at the retreat, and one lunch. All food will be vegetarian, with gluten- and dairy-free options if there are people who need that. Participants will bring their own breakfasts andย  2 of their lunches. We will have a small kitchen for participants to use any time. For people flying in, we will do our best to connect you with a local person so you can get a ride to our meeting point, and stop at a grocery store to purchase the food you need.

Food will be vegetarian and prepared in a non-kosher kitchen. If you need kosher meals, indicate that in your registration form and we will figure out a plan for you.

We acknowledge that this program and location are not very accessible, and regret that we are unable to include people with limited mobility. There are 2 bedrooms on the first floor that we are reserving for people who may have an accident/injury right before the retreat that makes it difficult for them to navigate stairs, and we are reserving those bedrooms for that eventuality. (This did happen with each of our retreats last year- to be expected!). There are still a few stairs to navigate, and we think we can make this work.

Because the bedrooms are all unique, this will be a process! If you are accepted into the program, we will send you more information about the bedrooms and will do our best to make a good match for each person, starting with which option you have selected (with different prices based on how many beds and room size).

If you choose a shared bedroom you will be matched with someone of the same gender. If there are not an even number of people wanting to share rooms, we will figure something out (there are very large rooms that can accomodate 3 people as well).

More Questions?

Contact Wilderness Torahย for questions about registration and payment.
Contact Ellie Schindelman for questions about the program and retreat center facilities.
Ellie will be out of town and unavailable May 7-17. During that time you can contact Bob Smith