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 January 14, 2026
The Institute for Jewish Spirituality is pleased to offer The Peaceful Parent Project, a six-session cohort program presented with our partners at Orot, to help parents bring mindfulness, compassion, and Jewish wisdom into their parenting lives.
Begins January 14, 2026
Do you find yourself grappling with the anxiety and uncertainty of our times? How can we engage our five senses to develop a gratitude practice that purifies an afflictive state of mind? In this 5-week course, you will embark on a journey that entwines our senses, dreams, and imagination with the sacred.
Begins February 3, 2026
Taught by senior core faculty member Rabbi Sam Feinsmith, this course will help you take your daily meditation practice to the next level through the Kabbalah’s mystical sefirot — lenses to help us cultivate consciousness and reveal the sublime Oneness of Being.
January 15, 2025
In conversation with Josh, Sarah Hurwitz will discuss her book As A Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Try to Blame, Shame and Erase Us. Together, they’ll explore what it means to reclaim a story and tradition that has always been ours.
Upcoming Events
Text Study 5786
Daily Online Meditation Sit
Josh’s Friday Reflections
Online Jewish Yoga Studio
Shevet: A Jewish Mindfulness Community for Young Adults
Sharing Our Torah: A Mindfulness Affinity Space for Jews of Color and Sephardim/Mizrahim
Seeing into the Life of Things: Imagination and the Sacred Encounter
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
Cultivating Bitachon, Trust: The Practice of “Knowing our Roots”
“Knowing our roots” means cultivating conscious contact with a deeper source of nurture and support. This core Jewish spiritual practice is embodied by Joseph, the protagonist in the Torah reading cycle which coincides with and follows Hanukkah, and which concludes...
Vayishlach 5786: Snowy Day
Last Shabbos was a snow day in Chicago. A big storm moved through and dumped nearly a foot on us. The weather folks said it was the biggest November snowfall in a decade. On Sunday I dug out the snow blower from the back of the garage (we've had pretty light snow in...
Book Talk with Rodger Kamenetz
We are grateful to Rodger Kamenetz for sharing his 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.
