Pearlstone’s Sukkot retreat is a joyous, diverse, and nature-filled gathering for Jews of all ages and backgrounds.
This immersive retreat includes inspiring Jewish learning, spirited singing, festive farm-to-table meals, and an inclusive community building experience.
Mornings are filled with meaningful spirited prayer led by inspiring leaders on 180-acres of farm and forest in Reisterstown, MD. Afternoons and evenings are packed with leisure activities, classes and fun, including special programs for children. We offer the highest quality organic kosher meals to Jews of all denominations and backgrounds.
We feature two prayer options:
Traditional Orthodox Mechitza Minyan led by Dov Rosenblatt
Traditional Egalitarian Minyan and alternative soulful prayer space with Chana Raskin
Sukkahfest includes the first days of the holiday and following Shabbat. We do not have an option for Chol Hamoed, the middle days and Simchat Torah at Pearlstone.
We have two main types of lodging – standard rooms feature private bathrooms with one or two queen beds, while the Garden Lodge Dorms have twin beds and mostly shared bathrooms. Children’s rates assume sharing a room with at least one adult (13+), regardless of lodging style. More details about our lodging options can be found here.
We feature two prayer options:
Traditional Orthodox Mechitza Minyan led by Dov Rosenblatt
Traditional Egalitarian Minyan and alternative soulful prayer space with Chana Raskin
Enjoy learning opportunities with guest scholars, delicious and healthy food, inspiring and joyful prayer, singing and music, fun and engaging activities for people of all ages.
From yoga and meditation sessions to sacred song and story circles we create opportunities for personal growth and inspiration.
Soulful prayer and Torah learning enrich our program and farm tours, plant walks and night hikes allow our participants to explore our beautiful surroundings.
This gathering is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience Sukkot in a memorable and meaningful way.
More to come!
Dov Rosenblatt grew up in Baltimore Maryland where he started his first band in second grade and has continued writing and recording music ever since. In 2001, Dov started a Jewish rock band called Blue Fringe, with his friends from Yeshiva University, and they went on to play hundreds of concerts over 8 years all over the United States, Israel, Australia, South Africa, the UK, and Canada. Since then, Dov has written music together with his current band, Distant Cousins, that has been featured in several films, tv shows, and commercials and has composed original score for a TV series called ‘Impostors’ (Netflix) and several DreamWorks Animation series. Dov with his wife Aura and their 5 children, recently moved to Atlanta following a few years in Nashville serving as the ‘Shaliach Tzibur’ at Congregation Sherith Israel, leading services and community programs, including a weekly Tefilla class for adults.
Aura Schwartz is the ninth child among the twelve offspring of Rabbi Shlomo and Olivia Schwartz, and was raised in a dynamic and lively Chabad household in LA. Her first foray into public speaking occurred at the tender age of four, when she regaled an audience with a remarkably detailed story at one of her parents’ weekly Shabbat dinners – often for over 60 ‘strangers.’ Over the years, Aura honed her innate talent for addressing diverse audiences. After two decades of working in the makeup industry in NY and LA, and then becoming a certified life coach through IPEC Life Coaching School, Aura has now returned to her roots and has been leading Torah classes and spiritual womens’ retreats. Drawing on her passion for helping women discover their genuine inner beauty and peace, Aura developed ‘Rest & Reset,’ a women’s retreat to rejuvenate both body and soul. Presently living in Atlanta, GA with her husband, Dov Rosenblatt, and their five children, Aura has established herself as a leader in the community, hosting Challah baking sessions and monthly Women’s Rosh Chodesh Moon Circles.
Joey Weisenberg is a musician, composer, and teacher Joey Weisenberg is the founder and director of Hadar’s Rising Song Institute, which cultivates grassroots musical-spiritual creativity in Jewish community. Joey works to educate and train communities around the world to make music a vibrant, joy-filled force in Jewish life. He is the author of The Torah of Music (2017 National Jewish Book Award) and Building Singing Communities. L’eila, his eighth album of original music, is his latest release on Rising Song Records.
Abby Eisenberg is a community Jewish educator based in NYC. She is the founder and lead educator of Judaics Tutoring NYC, through which she and her team of educators teach learners around the globe who wish to connect to Jewish learning and living in ways that most resonate with them. Abby teaches adults at the 92NY, My Jewish Learning, and Melton Adult Jewish Learning, among other organizations. She holds a BA in history from Yeshiva University and an MA in Judaic studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Julie Tonti is a Potter, Jewish Educator and Yoga Teacher residing outside Washington, DC. You can learn more about her business, Claybrook Yoga and Pots here: Claybrookyogaandpots.com. She is working on a Graphic Novel about the life and legacy of Glikl of Hamelin. Glikl.com with her husband, Mat Tonti. She enjoys spending time in nature and laughing with her 3 children.
Rabbi Matisyahu Tonti can be found dancing, drawing, and singing with his three children and wife. He received a certificate in Jewish Philosophy and Pedagogy from the Shalom Hartman Institute and Smicha from Yeshivat Sulam Ya’akov in Jerusalem.
Chana Raskin, founder and facilitator of RAZA, grew up entrenched in the world of Chabad Hasidut and its stirringly complex melodies. These nigunim have carried her at every point on her journey. Her debut album KAPELYA was released by Rising Song Records in February 2023, followed by sold-out concerts in NYC, Jerusalem and Los Angeles. Chana leads RAZA circles—meditative nigun deep dives—for diverse communities around the world. Both in her music and song circles, and especially in her one-on-one sessions, Chana strives to hold a space with others recovering from illness or traumatic injury, or simply seeking Home. She revels in the healing powers of quiet, laughter, humming and movement, and resides in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her family.
Rabbi Ben Greenfield serves as a Rabbi & Educator at de Toledo High School, in Los Angeles, where he directs the advanced Iyun track. His innovative writing on Jewish thought has been awarded the Whizin, Zackheim-Rabinowitz, and Ateret Zvi prizes. He trained at Gush, YU, Oxford, and Johns Hopkins, before receiving Semicha from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah as a Wexner Fellow.
