Neshama Quest for Young Adults

In Partnership with Adamah on Campus

Tuesday, July 29 – Monday, August 4, 2025
Applications Now Open

A transformational backpacking journey through the John Muir Wilderness
for Young Adults: Ages 18โ€“25

What You Can Expect

  • Thriving in the wilderness: Participants learn how to make do with the things they can carry in their backpacks. They cook together by an alpine lake, set up simple shelters under the stars, collect wild water, and honorably wander the land.
  • Inclusive Jewish community: Everyone is welcome, regardless of how they relate to Jewish identity. We draw upon Jewish wisdom traditions that help ground our experience and bring our attention toward the awe inspiring world we live in.
  • Shabbat in the mountains: This is a chance to truly rest and enjoy โ€“ without technology and media, far away from grocery stores and homework. We will take the Shabbat as a time to restore our bodies, minds, and spirits. We will enjoy the good company of the Neshama Quest community.
  • Solo-challenges: Each participant is given the opportunity to head out alone into the wild for Hitbodedut – a solo experience in the wilderness. Guidance from experienced mentors makes the challenge safe; yet the edge is real, and it is at this edge where real insight and wisdom emerge! Read more about a wilderness solo in our FAQ.ย ย 
  • Backpacking: Participants must be ready to hike up to 7 miles in a day, and must feel comfortable carrying your own backpack and exerting yourself physically at altitude.

Interested in Joining?

APPLY NOW

Space for this program is limited.ย  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Once you are approved, you will be invited to register and make your payment.

Program Fee: Sliding Scale: $1190โ€“$1990

Need financial aid? We have limited scholarships designed for individuals who may face additional accessibility barriers, including marginalized young adults, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and/or low income families. If you can not afford the sliding scale, and are unable to seek sponsorship from a parent or family member, you may request a financial aid discount when you apply.

Daily Itinerary

This program is designed for young adults (18-25) who desire a moderately challenging wilderness experience. You will hike 3-7 miles a day to a new area on the majority of the days.

  • Day 1: Drive to the trailhead and get ready for our adventure.
  • Day 2: Hike into the wilderness, learn new skills, swim, explore, and begin connecting with your intentions.ย 
  • Day 3: Travel further and higher to our next campsite, swim some more, and prepare for your solo.
  • Day 4: Experience an extended wilderness soloโ€”an opportunity to get to know yourself, find inner fortitude, and experience deep serenity.
  • Day 5: Shabbat! Music, more swimming, and exploring the inner and outer wildernessโ€“ rest, rejuvenation and wonder.
  • Day 6: Pack up camp and start heading back, but not before we make it to another gorgeous wilderness campsite.
  • Day 7: Pack up camp, hike out, and head home to share stories with friends and family.

Meet Your Guides

Sam Balka

Becca Heisler

FAQ

A. We will be journeying through the mountain wilderness of the Sierra Nevada in California, not far from Yosemite. Precise meet up location will be shared upon registration. For those flying in that will need a ride to the site, we will meet at Oakland airport at 11am on July 29. If you will need a ride, there will be a question in your application to indicate this.ย 

A: You will be hiking 3-7 miles on most days. You must feel comfortable carrying your own backpack and exerting yourself physically at altitude.

A. You will be out in the wilderness, so come prepared with everything you need.

Daytime weather can be hot and dry; evening weather can be cold and moist; it could rain. Bring warm layers, and clothes that protect you from the sun.

For an idea, here is a copy of last yearโ€™s Packing List.

A: Solo journeys into the desert are at the core of Judaism. Our ancestors received much inspiration alone in the desert, connecting directly to the Source. There, alone, we can begin to recover our ancient wildness and heal aspects of our ancestral lineage.

A wilderness solo can mark life passages, support oneโ€™s healing, help one connect to spirit and nature, and help clarify oneโ€™s purpose and lifeโ€™s big questions.

Participants are invited to embark on a solo-journey that feels most needed for them. We will provide options for different levels of comfortability: could be anything from approximately 2 hours to 12 hours. For more information on this email info@wildernesstorah.org

A: Wilderness Torah is a drug and alcohol-free environment. This includes marijuana and other psychedelic substances. Our primary goal is to build connections among ourselves, community, earth, and Spirit. We sometimes provide a modest amount of wine for ritual purposes.

A. There will be no public restrooms or outhouses while backpacking. Instructions for preparing your kit to go to the bathroom in the wilderness will be provided in your welcome email after you complete your registration.

Here is our cancellation Policy:

  • 8 weeks or more before the event:ย You can receive aย full refund minus a $100 non-refundable deposit.
  • 4-8 weeks before the event:ย You can receive 50% of fees minus $100 non-refundable deposit if no one is on the waiting list. If someone is on the waiting list and can take your spot, you will receive an 80% refund, minus $100 non-refundable deposit
  • 4 weeks and under:ย No refunds available.

* Under exceptional circumstances, we will consider offering credit for a future Wilderness Torah program.

A: You should bring 2-3 liters of drinking water for the start of the trailhead. For the remainder of our water needs, we will filter water for drinking and using filtered or boiled water for cooking in the backcountry. Communal dispensers will not be available, you must bring your own drinking vessel.

A.ย  Wilderness Torah will provide all food and drinks for the duration of the trip. If you want something extra special with you, feel free to bring extra treats if desired such as: nuts, trail mix, dried fruit, jerky, energy bars/granola bars, crackers, hard cheese (that will stay good unrefrigerated).

Staff and participants will share in the responsibilities of cooking group meals together. Individuals will clean their personal dishes. There will be no group dishwashing buckets, etc.

A: Whenever possible , Wilderness Torah prioritizes purchasing and preparing food that is kosher, local, organic, seasonal, humane, and socially just. Wilderness Torah prioritizes sourcing fresh, unprocessed foods, and when choosing processed or packaged foods, aims to purchase certified kosher foods. Wilderness Torah may at times prioritize certain values, such as local or organic, over kosher-certified. When such a choice is warranted, a kosher option will be available upon request. Example: We purchased local, homemade, organic bagels that were not kosher but we had kosher bread choices available. We aim to include people from a wide spectrum of Jewish observance, please reach out with questions or requests and we will do our best to accommodate you.

A: In recent years weโ€™ve seen increasing danger of wildfires, partly due to climate change and a century of suppression of the natural fire ecology of California. We will be monitoring wildfires and smoke closely, changing the area we will be traveling through if needed, and rescheduling in the rare case that no area is safe for us to travel.

A: ย This program is open to young adults of all identities. You do not have to be Jewish to attend. Wilderness Torah creates a pluralistic community for participants across the spectrum of religious observance.

Jews, people with other faiths and backgrounds, interfaith couples and families, those who identify as LGBTQIA+, People of Color, and anyone who wants to participate are welcome to join in building village together.ย 

We do not tolerate any forms of bigotry or discrimination. We invite you to come with an open mind, a willing heart, and the permission to openly share your needs. We are committed to continuously working to dismantle our own biases towards perpetuating systems of oppression. We encourage your feedback on how we can continue to be more inclusive to all.ย 

Wilderness Torah focuses on the earth-based aspects of Jewish tradition, and creates community that supports participants in cultivating meaningful, personal relationships with Judaism.

ย We support the observance of Jewish law, such as Shabbat and kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), and provide our diverse community with many options for religious observance.

Do you have questions about this program?

Email Us
Email Us

Previous Neshama Quest Photos

Ready to Join?

Limited spots available. Apply now to secure your spot!

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