Jewish communal professionals devote themselves to creating impactful experiences for others, often at the expense of their own rejuvenation. Adamah is offering an immersive retreat to a select number of Mid-Atlantic based Jewish communal professionals to nourish their minds, bodies, hearts, and souls.
This exciting rejuvenation opportunity is being offered free of charge, thanks to generous funding, and will allow Jewish professionals to spend 3 days collectively exhaling post-election and pre-Thanksgiving. Participants will forge meaningful relationships with colleagues in their region while engaging with powerful religious and spiritual practice and Jewish learning within the theme of abundance and gratitude. The Jewish & Israel learning component will be led by a Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter, Founder and Spiritual Leader of the South Philadelphia Shtiebel. Additional guest chefs Remy Glantz and Leah Koenig, as well as Bodyworker and Coach Shimon Darwick Birnbaum will also be leading the retreat.
Pearlstone offers farm to table Glatt kosher cuisine, high and low ropes courses, hundreds of acres of farm, forest, trails, and meaningful and restorative programming. It is the ideal place to take a respite from the demands of communal Jewish professional life.
Participants will emerge with a broader network of friends and allies in the field, new Jewish wisdom sources for inspiration, and renewed motivation, passion, and commitment to their work. We will talk, sing, pray, move our bodies indoors and outside, eat delicious food, rest, laugh, and reflect.
Click here to apply. We look forward to being in community with you. Space is first come, first serve and extremely limited. We expect this retreat to fill up quickly.
Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter, Scholar in Residence
Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter is the founder and spiritual leader of the South Philadelphia Shtiebel, a modern orthodox community in South Philadelphia. Rabbanit Fruchter also holds the position of Halachic Advisor for Women’s Health and Halacha at Beth Sholom Congregation, where she once served as Assistant Spiritual Leader at Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah in Potomac, Maryland. Rabbanit Fruchter was ordained in 2016 by Yeshivat Maharat upon her completion of the Maharat Semikha Program. She graduated summa cum laude from the Macaulay Honors College at Queens College, and completed an M.P.A. in Non-Profit Administration and an M.A. in Jewish Studies from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service.
Remy Glantz, Guest Chef
Remy Glantz is the Chef de Cuisine at Dizengoff Restaurant in Philadelphia. Through his food, he strives to spark introspection and connection, while highlighting the cultural significance of ingredients and techniques. In addition to his culinary career, Chef Remy brings a unique perspective from his service as a commander in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), where he continues to serve as an active reservist. His leadership experience in the IDF has greatly influenced his approach to managing and mentoring in the kitchen, where he fosters a collaborative and supportive environment.
Leah Koenig, Guest Chef
Leah Koenig is the IACP Award-nominated author of seven cookbooks, including the The Jewish Cookbook and Modern Jewish Cooking. Her newest cookbook, Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen was a National Jewish Book Awards finalist. Leah’s writing and recipes can be found in The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Food & Wine, Epicurious, and Food52, among other publications. She also writes a weekly newsletter, The Jewish Table, which shares recipes and stories from the world of Jewish food. In addition to writing, Leah leads cooking demonstrations and workshops around the country and world. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and two children.
Shimon Darwick Birnbaum
Shimon (or Simeon, or Sim) helps people overcome their barriers to wellbeing by inspiring health, joy, and playfulness. Simeon is a Licensed Massage Therapist, health and fitness coach, RYT-500 Yoga Instructor, and somatic life coach since 2006. Simeon has shared the gift of massage therapy in a wide range of settings such as with people in hospice, cancer patients, corporate wellness programs, Cornell University Tennis Team and massage tables around the world. Simeon believes we can explore play, creativity, vitality, and resilience through movement. Reconnecting and digesting our emotions through bodywork and somatic coaching, we experience inherent joy, the freedom to be present, and to create a new possibility of wellbeing. Currently he is a practicing husband and father in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
