Congregation Beth Israel's Adult Education Committee is pleased to welcome Israeli liturgist, poet, and educator, Alden Solovy, for a Shabbaton on Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14.

Solovy is passionate about Torah and prayer, and he offers a fresh Jewish voice that challenges the boundaries between poetry, meditation, personal growth, storytelling, teaching, and prayer.

Tickets are $18.00 for non-members, free for members, and include the following programs and services:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Shabbat Evening Service: 6:30-7:30 PM
This will be a special poetry-inspired experiential Shabbat Evening Service with mood lighting.

Kol Nidre / A Mystic Doorway
During our Friday evening session, we will examine the strange formula that opens Yom Kippur, known as Kol Nidre. Together we will explore the poetics and the progression of themes that frame Kol Nidre as a dramatic mystical doorway into a full day of deep reflection and prayer, a day that offers the promise of forgiveness.  

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
Torah Study: 9:45-10:45 AM

Unetaneh Tokef / The Power of the Day
On Shabbat Morning we will explore the Unetaneh Tokef, a four-part masterpiece echoing the central themes of the High Holidays. We will examine this liturgical poem – the inspiration for Leonard Cohen’s song ‘Who by Fire’ – as a study in contrasts, with a theme and a surprisingly subversive subtext.

Jewish Meditation and Poetry: 11:15 AM-12:15 PM

Shabbaton Luncheon: 12:30-1:30 PM

Havdalah and Final Reflection: 5-6 PM

New Poetry for the High Holidays
In this informal Havdalah session, Alden Solovy will read from his new book, Enter These Gates: Meditations for the Days of Awe. He will talk about the profound intimacy of the High Holy Days through these readings, and will take questions on the role of modern poetry in our liturgy, as well as his own process of creating prayer.

This event is underwitten by a generous grant from the Alexander Family Israel Programming Fund.