WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU TAKE

1 Hospice Nurse
2 Jewish Communal Professionals
2 Mental Health Professionals
3 Professional Musicians
1 Visual Artist-Arts Educator
and 2 Activists

ON AN INTENSIVE 3-DAY RETREAT TO STUDY
JEWISH WEDDING FACILITATION?

Participant Josh Miller reports on his experience....

FACILITATING JEWISH WEDDINGS 101
A VIEW FROM THE RETREAT

When Rachel Brodie suggested that I apply to attend the Facilitating Jewish Weddings 101 retreat, I was both honored and excited.

During my career as a Hillel professional and camp songleader, I have had many opportunities to design and lead a range of holiday celebrations and lifecycle events, including several weddings. I always find it deeply fulfilling to work with others to build meaningful Jewish ritual experiences, but have often felt isolated in this aspect of my work. So for me, the idea of attending a three-day retreat with other Jewish ritual facilitators, while honing my skills and knowledge about working with engaged couples, felt like a unique and valuable opportunity.

The program kicked off with a few essential getting-to-know-you activities and then jumped right in with deep Jewish text study around the concept of b'rit (covenanting), followed by a nuts-and-bolts discussion about techniques for working with couples. And so it went throughout our three intensive days together--an expertly planned mix of study, resource sharing, hands-on skills development, and lively conversation about how to work with couples to create a meaningful Jewish wedding experience that is a true reflection of who they are and the relationship they are building.

I also enjoyed getting to know the other participants, and it was through hearing them share their stories that I developed a deeper understanding of what an essential role Jewish Milestones is playing in the Jewish community. With their personalized approach to referral, their seriousness about developing the capacity of both lay and professional ritual facilitators, and their deep understanding of how a meaningful Jewish lifecycle event facilitated by the right person can be a transformative experience, not just for the individual but for everyone involved, I experienced first-hand the ways in which Jewish Milestones is providing critical services to Jews in the Bay Area.

From my perspective, the Facilitating Jewish Weddings 101 retreat was a resounding success. I walked away with a new set of colleagues, many wonderful new ideas for my work with couples, and a fabulous resource binder overflowing with texts, articles, and worksheets that I have yet to fully explore, but which I have already made use of with a couple who met with me last Sunday.

Thanks, Jewish Milestones!

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Back Row (L to R): Dasee Berkowitz, Risa Wallach, Maggid Jhos Singer, Hannah Dresner,
Julie Batz, Deb Fink, Alisa Fineman, Daniela Gesundheit, Steve Einstein, Rachel Brodie

Front Row (L to R): Lissin Lev Chaya, Margot Meitner, Jewlia Eisenberg, Ari Lev Fonari,
Deborah Newbrun, Josh Miller