A Time to Dance: Uncovering the Deeper Meaning of Dance

How can we dance again this Simchat Torah and beyond? Can Jewish insights into dance help us move through this difficult anniversary?

With teachings from Torah teachers (who happen to be dancers) and dance therapists and teachers, we will dive deeper into the psychology of dance. After a year of “ein milim” – “we have no words” – perhaps dance might offer us more language for this first Simchat Torah after.

There are times when you want someone to quietly listen to what you’re holding in your heart. These wonderful clergy and chaplains are available for 20-minute private conversations to discuss what is sitting with your soul.

It is impossible to believe that it has been a year. Join us in honoring the memories of those we lost, discovering their light, and committing ourselves to bringing their light into the world.

B'Kol Libeinu: The Call of Our Hearts

Our hearts have been holding so much. How do we put that into words?

Join us together with these wonderful teachers to explore how we might connect to the prayers our hearts need this holiday season. Together with Rabbi Abby Sosland, Rabba Wendy Amsellem, Rabbi Annie Lewis, Rabbi Rachel Barenblat, Maya Bernstein, Dahlia Topolosky, PsyD, and Rabbanit Aliza Sperling.

We will also be sharing the beautiful new SVIVAH Rosh Hashana/Yom Kippur Machzor Companion.

The month of Elul is here. And we find ourselves in mourning, again. Trying to find the words to pray.

Our hearts are filled with sorrow. And yet, we have to find a way to not despair.

Can we find the words, the cries, the tears that need to be called out together?

Come sit together with us for a bit on Tisha b'Av. Naama Sadan will help us explore ways of being present with our grief, and finding places of transformation within it.

This will be offered on Zoom and live on the SVIVAH Facebook page.

Tisha B’Av HerTorah: Lamenting Loss in Sexual Harm Through Community, from 10/7 and Beyond

This year, Tisha B’Av feels very hard. Join us as we walk through the text of Eicha, Book of Lamentations, and the rituals of Tisha B’Av in a post 10/7 world. We are going to examine the experience of survivors of harm, the need for lament and purpose of mourning. And how we need each other for our individual healing. And we will do that -- as always -- together.

With Rabbi Yael Splansky, Dr. Guila Benchimol, and Tehilah Eisenstadt.

Explore the unique intersection of ADHD, Jewish identity, and gender at this gathering tailored for understanding how ADHD impacts Jewish women, offering insights into diagnosis, personal navigation, and its effects on daily life, family, relationships, community involvement, and professional life. If you have ADHD, if you wonder if you have ADHD, if you love someone with ADHD — join us.

It has been almost nine months of captivity for the remaining hostages. Our hearts our broken, day after day, month after month. We have not stopped thinking about them, praying for them. Let’s come together to honor them, hold them and each other close in our hearts and prayers. In their merit, we will explore and experience some methods of strengthening and resilience. We will also have an option to connect with others over the wide range of emotions so many of us are navigating in this moment. Join us.

Guiding Others on the Journey of Life in the Book of Ruth and Today. Mentors. Role Models. Following. Being Followed.

What does it mean to guide others on their life journey?

What do we look for what we seek guidance for ourselves?

Join us for this new exploration of relationships in the Book of Ruth that apply today. With Dr. Susie Tanchel, Shira Schiowitz, Naomi Oxman, MSW LICSW, Elizabeth Mandel, and Rabbanit Aliza Sperling.

For some, Mother’s Day is a joyous time. But, what if we are not yet a mother and desperately want to be? What if our mother is no longer living? What if our relationship with our child(ren) or with our mother is strained? Join our supportive circles for an opportunity to reflect on the challenges of Mother’s Day with other women who are going through a similar moment. These small circles will be facilitated by experts in the field who will hold space, share their wisdom and create a supportive and compassionate environment. With Dr. Julie Bindeman, Rabbi Miriam Herscher, Naomi Oxman, and R’ Dalia Davis.

There are times when you want someone to quietly listen to what you’re holding in your heart. These wonderful clergy and chaplains are available for 20-minute private conversations to discuss what is sitting with your soul.

This year, preparing to encounter difficult conversations may be a critical and nurturing element of our Pesach preparation. Join us with Dr. Michelle Friedman and Rabbanit Dalia Davis, as we consider what challenging conversations we may encounter and think through how we might best respond. May we find ways to care for ourselves and for others as we take our seats around diverse, complex, and loving Pesach gatherings.

So much of the Pesach seder and Passover story focuses on the power and impact of speech. We need powerful speech now more than ever – speech that connects, that builds bridges, that heals. Let’s explore the redemptive power of speech together with Rabbi Dr. Erin Leib Smokler, Rabbi Maya Zinkow, and Rabbanit Aliza Sperling.

Ye’ud is Jewish community structure that springs to life when you need it! We will form a group, gather weekly during the month between Purim and Pesach, and build community. Our work together will be deep and transformative. It will include Torah learning and opportunities for artistic expression. We will work together to consider how we can each create meaning of our current feelings and to do so within the framework of Jewish ritual and expression. *No need for any prior Jewish or arts learning necessary–everyone is welcome!

Why is it so important to Esther for all the Jews to gather on her behalf? What can we learn from her about the power of gathering?

Join us on March 20th as we gather together on behalf of our sisters and brothers held captive in Gaza. Together we will learn how Esther saves her people, and show up in solidarity and love for the women, men, and children who are so alone and far away. With Dr. Guila Benchimol, Rabba Anat Sharbat, and Rav Sarah Mulhern.

In partnership with Silverstein Bais Lincoln Park, Maharat, SRE Network, The Covenant Foundation, and The Aviv Foundation.

Have you started praying since October 7th? Have you stopped praying? Join us as outstanding educators Rabbi Naomi Levy and Rabbi Elianna Yolkut take us on a journey through personal stories and texts that examine prayer and the ways that it can provide strength when we face trauma, anxiety, and fear.

There are times when you want someone to quietly listen to what you’re holding in your heart. These wonderful clergy and chaplains are available for 20-minute private conversations to discuss what is sitting with your soul.

One Hundred Days. It feels incomprehensible. 100 days of captivity for hostages ranging in age, gender, religion, and nationality. On Sunday, January 14th, we will come together as a community in prayer for the return of the hostages and to stand in solidarity beside their families living through 100 days of nightmares.

Living Jewishly in the diaspora now may feel different than it did before Oct 7th. Let’s delve into this together, with wisdom, stories, and insights – experts holding us through our collective processing. Come be with us. This is a lot for any of us to navigate alone. It’s better to be together.

What can we learn from Torah sources about antisemitism, and how can these sources give us strength? Three outstanding educators will share their experiences dealing with antisemitism in US society and on college campuses, teaching us the Torah that speaks to them at this difficult time. We will light our Chanukah candles together as a community as well.

There are times when you want someone to quietly listen to what you’re holding in your heart. These wonderful clergy and chaplains are available for 20-minute private conversations to discuss what is sitting with your soul.

Let’s gather as a community of women* coming together in support through a time in history unlike most of us have ever experienced before. So many of us are feeling deep and new emotions these past weeks: grief, anxiety, trauma, anger, betrayal, gaslighting, confusion. Let’s come together and hold each other and these emotions with the help of trauma-informed therapists, pastoral guides, and resiliency experts. 

There are no words for these feelings. Join us for a brief opportunity to come together for torah, support and song.

There are times when you want someone to quietly listen to what you’re holding in your heart. These wonderful clergy and chaplains are available for 20-minute private conversations to discuss what is sitting with your soul as you walk into Yom Kippur this year.

This year, HerTorah is focusing on reframing the harshness, shame, guilt, and burden that surrounds common tropes around Yom Kippur. R’ Aliza Sperling says “Yom Kippur is the best day of the year.” Let’s come together to unpack why that sentence feels so confusing – and how we might learn to make it true.