■

What will be taught is not "Judaism
101," Rabbi Fine said. But ar the same
time, participants will learn that Jewish
meditation is a legitimate endeavor. It's
what she calls "ground-level" education.
"Right now, in the Jewish world
[this] is probably one of the more sig-
nificant times of growth in Jewish mys-
ticism.
"This idea came to me because I was
going to ashrams and Buddhist temples
and sweat lodges because, having had a
good Jewish education, I didn't think
any of this was available within my
own culture.
"I was looking for a spiritual practice
that my own religion, with its institu-
tions and outwardness, didn't seem to
offer. What's happened in the last 25
years is our tradition is reassessing the
idea that all of this is already a part of
it and just needs to be taught and
looked at."
The spiritual guide for the first
retreat, Oct. 19-21, is Avram Davis,
founder and co-director of Chochmat
HaLev, and an author on Jewish mysti-
cism and meditation.
"I think there is a great hunger and
interest in exploring the inner teaching
of Judaism," Davis said. "A center like
this one will begin to meet that need. It
is very timely and necessary."
Davis said there is a need for more
institutions that respond to American
Jews' search for meditative and spiritual
practices that are also uniquely Jewish.
"It is not so much a matter of
redefining American Judaism, as letting
a truly American Judaism arise — one
that is not based in European sensibili-
ties, but arises from our own American
insights and need," Davis said. "Ahavat
Shalom promises to do that. The incor-
poration of older, Jewish mystical prac-
tices will only enrich the growth of
Judaism."

All Are Welcome

An integral part of this growth, said
Rabbi Fine, will have be a new wel-
coming of interfaith couples to Jewish
life. This welcoming is a part of her
temple, and will be an important part
of the retreat center.
"Many of the families in my syna-
gogue — in the Sunday school and in
several areas of our leadership — the
very enthusiastic participation comes
from the non-Jewish partner. So that
whether they end up converting their
kids or formally raising their kids as
Jewish, I know I at least have a shot to
communicate the beauty of my culture
if I'm doing it in a way that says,
`You're welcome and we want you.'"

\INsio•""

'•• ■ •••••"-

Thej Teathertrood
staff wish all our
residents, their
families, and
all our friends a

Rabbi Fine said she believes that inter-
cultural marriage is an "inevitable conse-
quence of freedom" and that she chooses
to try to provide a Jewish response with-
in this inevitability rather than turn her
back on it."
She said, "The message that I want to
send to people is 'You're welcome, we
want you and we have cool stuff to
offer.' Because to me, the future of
Judaism, at least in this integrated socie-
ty, lies in being able to stick with people
through their lives.
So I'm excited about creating a place
where both Jews and non-Jews can say,
`Wow, this is some great stuff and I'm
enthusiastic about making this a part of
my life.'"
Davis puts the intermarriage question
in slightly more biblical terms.
"The questions of inner practice is
irrelevant to intermarriage or not," Davis
said. "Whoever is hungry, let them
come and eat."
No specific programs are planned for
interfaith couples. "It should pervade
everything we do," Rabbi Fine said.
"In Ahavat Shalom, it's so part and
parcel of what we do to be welcoming
that it doesn't need to be separated out,
particularly"
In this first retreat, Rabbi Fine has
asked Davis to introduce Jewish medita-
tion, but also include some teaching,
text and music.
So far, the inquiries have come from
every state that's received press releases,
including Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois and
Michigan. She hopes to see some repre-
sentation from each of the Jewish com-
munities in those states.
Eventually, Rabbi Fine envisions
doing some leadership development
retreats for Jews in the rural Midwest, so
they can go back to their communities
and be leaders.
She also would like the retreat center
to be spun off from Ahavat Shalom into
a separate nonprofit group.
But for the first weekend, she is hop-
ing for simply a deep, thoughtful, con-
templative, spiritual and enjoyable time.
In between the learning, they'll allow
time for long walks on the beach. In
short, she said, "a vacation that can
change your life." ❑

"

Cost for the retreat is $300 per
person, double occupancy or $500 for
single accomadations.To find out
more about the retreat, call 231-
929-4330, write Congregation Ahavat
Shalom, 207 Grandview, Parkway
Suite 209, Traverse City, MI, 49684,
or e-mail Rabbi Stacie Fine at

••••••""

Ij

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