Courses, retreats, and offerings
Grounded in mindfulness. Guided by wisdom.
Jewish Mindfulness Meditation
Cultivating Innate Sacred Character Traits
Mindful Torah Study
Embodied Practices
Contemplative Prayer
Upcoming Programs
Begins March 25, 2026
We invite you to join our entire faculty for a revamped version of Awareness in Action, specially designed for the Omer. Join a live community of practice to help you more consistently align your inner values with how you show up in the world.
Begins April 6, 2026
Cultivate your ability to respond to the world in a more grounded, skillful, and compassionate way, growing more conscious of habitual reactivity and learning to respond instead with wise words and actions. Engage in tikkun middot practice in the context of our warm and welcoming young adult Shevet community.
Begins April 13, 2026
Join us as we count the Omer using the ancient tradition of studying Pirkei Avot. We will draw on the wisdom of this text—with Chasidic commentaries––to guide us in exploring how we might make our days count. This six-week text study is designed for all seekers, including clergy, educators, and seasoned learners.
May 7, 2026
In conversation with Rabbi Josh Feigelson, Rabbi Caryn Aviv will reflect on the spiritual practices and ethical commitments that shape a life of presence and purpose. Together, they will explore how Jewish wisdom can help us meet today’s social and spiritual challenges with clarity, compassion, and hope.
Upcoming Events
Text Study 5786
Daily Online Meditation Sit
Online Jewish Yoga Studio
Shevet: A Jewish Mindfulness Community for Young Adults
Josh’s Friday Reflections
Shalem: A Monthly Mindfulness Affinity Space for People with Disabilities
Awareness in Action for the Omer
Welcome
For over 25 years, the Institute for Jewish Spirituality has helped thousands of people every year to slow down, reconnect with themselves and the world, and discover their sense of sacred purpose. We invite you to explore our website where you will find teachings, inspiration, guided meditations, and retreat opportunities to become more mindful, peaceful, compassionate, and resilient — all grounded in the rich wisdom of Jewish tradition. Wherever you are on your journey, whether you are just beginning or you have practiced mindfulness for years, we welcome you.
Reflections & Practice
Making Plans (Vayakhel-Pikudei 5786)
“It’s hard to make plans these days.” In the years preceding her Alzheimer’s diagnosis (perhaps in a sign of things to come) I remember my mother saying these words regularly. I’m sure there was truth to it: the effects of aging on the body made it harder to know how...
Limitless (Ki Tissa 5786)
I can remember a period of my life when the melancholy of a waning Shabbat afternoon really hit me hard. This was in my early twenties. I was single, just back from a year studying in yeshiva in Israel, and most often spending Shabbat with friends on the Upper West...
Book Talk with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl
We are grateful to Rabbi Angela Buchdahl for sharing her insights with us. Please enjoy the conversation recording.
Check Out Our Podcasts
Weekly Meditation with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl
Soulful Jewish Living
A production of Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media, and the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.
