Rosh Hashanah with Hadar’s Rising Song Institute & Adamah at Pearlstone

God as King might evoke a posture of passive subservience in a static hierarchy.

What does it look like to move beyond subservience and take active responsibility for our relationship with God? We will study a passage of the twentieth century scholar R. Yitzhak Hutner that calls on us to draw out our most discerning and creative selves each year as we understand God anew.

The call of the shofar is often characterized as “piercing” and “penetrating.” What does it feel like to invite these sounds into ourselves? We will spend time with an original melody drawn from the three calls of the shofar – tekiah, shevarim, teruah – in order to fully experience the journey of shofar.

Traditional Hebrew prayer is old and authentic, but sometimes difficult to connect to. In this session we will explore practical strategies to infuse prayer with meaning and authenticity.

A core concept in Judaism is that God chose the Jewish people. It appears throughout our major prayers – including throughout the Mahzor. But what does that mean? How might we understand this theological concept in a modern context, consistent with other core values?

In Unetaneh Tokef, one of the central High Holiday prayers, we announce our belief that repentance, prayer, and charity can overturn the harshness of God’s decree for the coming year. What else do Jews believe about how God forms God’s judgement? In this class, we will look at texts from four different biblical books to see four different possible answers to help us think about how our actions—as individuals and as a collective—may or may not bear on God’s decree.

Although we don’t talk about it much, our liturgy is filled with allusions to God’s involvement in our world and in our lives—imagery that becomes especially powerful on Rosh ha-Shanah. But what does it actually mean to say that God is involved? Does God protect us? Reward us? Decide what happens to us? And if so, why do bad things happen to good people? In this discussion, we’ll explore classical Jewish texts and philosophical approaches to the question of how—and whether—God intervenes in our lives. In particular, we’ll look at Chapters 17 and 18 of Part III of Moses Maimonides’ 12th-century philosophical classic, The Guide of the Perplexed. There, Maimonides wrestles with some of the hardest questions about divine providence and offers a surprising answer—one that can still challenge and speak to us today.

Join us for a sensory journey from hive to jar, exploring the science, craft, and wonder of honey. Through guided honey tasting and hands-on demonstration, discover how landscape, bees, and harvest shape flavor. Weaving ecology and tradition, we’ll savor a sweet beginning to the new year.

The shofar is the sound of Rosh Hashana, and we often talk about its penetrating blast moving us to do teshuva. But there are a surprising number of reasons given for blowing a shofar on Rosh Hashana. We will dive into a variety of sources discussing what the shofar is really supposed to do for us—some familiar, some newer, and some surprising—and look for a more multifaceted understanding of the defining ritual of the Jewish new year.

Arrive fully in your body and leave the outside world behind. This nourishing blend of dance, yoga, breathwork, and meditation is designed to help you release tension, awaken your energy, and reconnect with yourself. Through mindful movement and moments of stillness, you’ll create space for presence, creativity, and authentic expression as you settle into the retreat experience.

Wake up your body and mind with an energizing blend of yoga, Pilates, functional movement, breathwork, and meditation. This all-levels practice will gently build strength, improve mobility, and leave you feeling grounded, refreshed, and ready to embrace the day. We’ll close by setting intentions to carry into the rest of your retreat.

Slow down and give yourself permission to simply be. This deeply relaxing practice combines gentle stretches, supported restorative postures, mindful breathing, and guided relaxation to calm the nervous system and melt away tension. Perfect for all levels, this class offers an opportunity to rest, restore, and receive.

Start your final morning feeling strong, centered, and energized. This full-body Mat Pilates class focuses on core strength, stability, posture, and mindful movement while improving balance and body awareness. Expect a supportive, accessible workout that leaves you feeling empowered and refreshed for the day ahead.

Close your retreat with a practice of reflection, gratitude, and integration. Through gentle yoga, breathwork, and guided meditation, you’ll create space to absorb the weekend’s experiences, quiet the mind, and reconnect with what matters most. Leave feeling grounded, restored, and inspired to carry the retreat home with you.