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Jewish Spiritual Healing Center Fall 2020 pdf
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August 2020

Dear Friends of the WJCS Jewish Spiritual Healing Center,

It is several months now that we have been living in the shadow of a serious coronavirus that has threatened the familiarity, predictability, and security of our lives on so many fronts. Even those of us who may be fortunate enough to have escaped the worst of the physical and economic repercussions of this pandemic are not immune to its spiritual aftershocks. We are all living with fears and anxieties in the face of enormous grief and suffering the world over, and some of us are being called to transform ourselves anew or to recalibrate our priorities in light of heightened consciousness about mortality and finitude, and about issues of justice and inequity.

This fall, our Healing Center programs will address these live issues in hopes of helping us all find our bearings. Note that all offerings will be virtual until further notice.

Please scroll through the list — everything from preparing for the High Holy Days (a virtual labyrinth walk as well as a spiritual study of Alan Lew’s seminal book on the Days of Awe as a journey from brokenness to transformation) to Mussar and Wise Aging, from bereavement and illness groups to advanced directives, from giving thanks for our friends to garnering resilience, from opportunities for writing our way to truth and healing to what Jewish wisdom can bring to bear on this moment in history, and much more will be offered.

As always, I will also be available after September 9 to meet individually with you, as well, for spiritual counseling.

May we meet this grave moment in our personal and communal lives with as much resilience, equanimity, hope and compassion as we possibly can. With blessings to you as we approach the new year of 5781.

Rabbi Pamela Wax
pwax@wjcs.com

 

ZOOM ACCESS INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED UPON REGISTRATION WITH RABBI WAX @ pwax@wjcs.com.  Please register at least 24 hours prior to start of program in order to insure you receive access information in time.
 
 
PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS
We welcome your donations made out to
"WJCS--Jewish Programs" for this unique programming!

Donations should be mailed to:
WJCS-Finance Dept., 845 North Broadway, White Plains, NY 10603.
Rabbi Pamela Wax is available for private spiritual counseling after September 9 when she returns. Email her at pwax@wjcs.com if you would like to set up a phone or Zoom session.

This is Real, and You are Completely Unprepared
How can broken-heartedness catapult us to spiritual transformation?  We will meet weekly to discuss the themes of Rabbi Alan Lew’s book This Is Real, and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation as we navigate through the High Holy Day period. We will chant, journal, and meditate during each session. Note: It is highly recommended that you read the first 5 chapters before the first session.

6 Wednesdays, September 9-October 14, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM
$125 suggested fee

Note: Please register by emailing Sylvia Davi at sdavi@wjcs.com, as Rabbi Wax will be out of the office until 9/9.


F.A.C.T.:  Facing Advanced Care Together
Join us for this unique opportunity to discern both personal and Jewish values around end-of-life wishes and decision-making. Short videos, texts, and a card game will be the interactive tools used to enhance this educational program. For anyone at any age! Co-facilitated by Heidi Weiss, LMSW, MHA, and Rabbi Pamela Wax

2 Wednesdays, September 9 and 23, 2:00-3:15 PM
$25 suggested fee

Note: Please register by emailing Heidi Weiss at hweiss@wjcs.com as Rabbi Wax will be out of the office until 9/9.


The Art and Practice of Mussar
Mussar is a contemplative Jewish practice of refining one's middot, qualities of heart and behavior. We will study texts, practice various techniques for cultivating certain middot, and return each month to share our soul's journey. Note: New participants will be admitted to one of these two ongoing groups on a case-by-case basis. For those who are new to Mussar, reading the introductory material in Alan Morinis’s book Everyday Holiness is highly recommended.

2 Sections:
  4 Mondays, September 14, October 19, November 16, December 14, 2:00-3:30 PM
  $100 suggested fee

  4 Thursdays, September 24, October 22, November 19, December 17, 12:30-2:00 PM
  $100 suggested fee
 

Walk the Labyrinth into 5781
We will prepare our hearts and minds for the High Holy Days using a finger labyrinth as a tool for our meditative “walk.” We will also learn and practice an actual walking meditation virtually.

Please register by Monday, September 14 in order to receive the finger labyrinth, and be able to print it out before our session.

Wednesday, September 16, 9:30-10:30 AM
$5 suggested fee
 

COVID-19 Support Group
If you have recovered (or are recovering) from COVID-19 and would like a safe place in which to process and share your experience with others, join our virtual group. Co-facilitated by Rabbi Pamela Wax and Heidi Weiss, LMSW, MHA.

4 Wednesdays, September 16, 30, October 14 and 21, 2:00-3:15 PM
Donations welcome!
 

Wise Aging - age 60+
In this contemplative reflection on aging, we will assess our core values and honor the transitions we are experiencing physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Through text study, discussion, and experiential exercises, we'll explore the purpose, passions and possibilities in this stage of life. Note: New participants will be admitted to one of these two ongoing groups on a case-by-case basis.

2 Sections:
  6 Thursdays, September 17, October 1, 15 & 29, November 12, December 3, 3:00-4:30 PM
  $150 suggested fee

  6 Mondays, September 21, October 5 & 26, November 9 & 23, December 7, 3:00-4:30 PM
  $150 suggested fee
 

Writing Your Life: Spiritual Memoir through Poetry
Writing about life events can imbue them with new meaning and clarity. It can also be a cathartic healing practice. We will read select poems addressing the many facets of a spiritual life (and some addressing current events and concerns), respond to prompts and exercises to elicit spiritual memories and connections, and create a body of work that reveals the sacred undercurrents of our lives. Geared toward poetry, but prose-writers are also welcome.

4 Thursdays, October 1, 8, 22 & 29, 10:00-11:30 AM
$90 suggested fee
 

Drinking from Wells of Wisdom: Spiritual Teachings for These Times
The Jewish tradition is rich in wisdom for living in anxious and uncertain times. Join us for a journey into Biblical, Talmudic, and contemporary texts that will challenge, enlighten, and comfort us as we face our fears as well as the dual pandemics of coronavirus and racism. Each session will be followed by an optional writing session as a way to synthesize our learning into a piece of creative poetry or prose.

8 Wednesdays, October 28, November 4, 11, 18 & 25, December 2, 9 & 16, 2:00-3:00 PM
$150 suggested fee. With optional add-on writing session from 3:15-4:15 PM, $250 for both.
 

Living the Legacy: Our Encounter with Parental Loss
We will create a safe space in which to share the grief of losing parents, the sustaining memories, and the legacies that survive. Facilitated by Gillian Rittmaster, LMSW, and Rabbi Pamela Wax.

4 Wednesdays, November 4 and 18, December 2 and 16, 10:00-11:30 AM
$200 suggested fee
 

Does the Soul Survive: Jewish Views of the Afterlife
There is a rich abundance of belief about the afterlife in Jewish tradition. Join us to explore what Judaism has to teach on this topic.

2 Thursdays, November 5 and 19, 10:00-11:15 AM
$36 suggested fee
 

From Where Does My Help Come? Confronting Mental Illness
Please join us for this conversation about mental illness in the Jewish community. The evening will include a panel discussion, a film, and workshops. Co-facilitated by Brenda Haas, LMSW, Ed.M, and Rabbi Pamela Wax.

Monday, November 9, 7:30-8:45 PM
Donations Welcome!
 

In Thanksgiving: Taking Stock of Our Friendships
Through text study about friendship, as well as journaling exercises, we will honor the people in our lives in advance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Monday, November 16, 4:00-5:30 PM
$10 suggested fee
 

The Jewish Way in Hope and Resilience
Jews have survived cataclysms and tragedies because of a spirit of hope and resilience. What are the building blocks for such an attitude, and what can we learn from ancient Jewish tradition and Hasidic masters to help us attain it?

2 Thursdays, December 3 and 10, 10:30 AM-12:00 noon
$36 suggested fee
 

Bringing Light into the Darkness: A Chanukah Bereavement Program
Celebrate the healing potential of Chanukah. For those with any kind of loss at any stage of the grieving process. Bring your Chanukah menorah to the virtual screen. Facilitated by Gillian Rittmaster, LMSW, and Rabbi Pamela Wax.

Wednesday, December 16, 5:30-7:00 PM
$10 suggested fee
Ongoing Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Groups:
 will be meeting virtually until further notice
 
In these ongoing groups, learn the essential skills of Mindfulness Meditation within a Jewish context and be introduced to other traditional Jewish contemplative practices. No prior meditation experience is required. Suggested Donation: $5-10 per session. No sessions for holidays.

Every Monday, 9:30-10:45 am, (excluding holidays)
Suggested donation: $5-10

Every Thursday, 9:30-10:45 am
Suggested donation: $5-10
 
Facilitated by Ruth Rosenblum, LCSW, certified meditation teacher. Newcomers must email Ruth at rrosenblum@wjcs.com.
 
Donations always gratefully accepted

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED
FOR ALL HEALING CENTER PROGRAMS
For more information or to register, contact:
Rabbi Pamela Wax
WJCS Spiritual Care Coordinator
pwax@wjcs.com or 914.761.0600 x 2149

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE,
ALL PROGRAMS ARE VIRTUAL AND ARE FACILITATED BY RABBI PAMELA WAX
Copyright © 2020 Westchester Jewish Community Services, All rights reserved.


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