Classes
Rabbi Sarah has offered a variety of classes on Jewish creativity, mindfulness, and spirituality. See below for past events.
Unfortunately, no new classes are scheduled at this time. Please visit the Shop to download resources, teachings, guided meditations and workbooks that you can use at home.
Creating Light: How We Weave Our Own Rituals
A two-part series organized by Orot: Center for New Jewish Learning on our personal rituals
Our lives revolve around transitions. Some are tied to ritual, but many significant transitions, however, are not: retirement, becoming a grandparent, completing a time of healing or recovery, marking the anniversary of a loved ones passing, becoming an empty nester, graduation, job changes, a milestone birthday, weaning a child, or even making an important decision.
Some transitions are about letting go or moving through a challenging time, some are about celebrating a milestone, and some are about personal preparation for what is yet to come. This two part workshop led by Rabbi Sarah Tasman will weave together seasonal themes of Hanukkah and wintertime, and include guided meditation, text study as well an interactive ritual creation activity.
Illuminate Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a time for meditating on the light and the darkness and a time to rededicate yourself.
Join us for Illuminate Hanukkah, a self-paced journey through 8 themes inspired by the holiday and the season.
You’ll experience an 8 night “art beit midrash” or creative study and personal exploration. Your Illuminate Hanukkah course materials include 8 nightly teachings via video and audio recording, as well as guiding prompts for reflection through writing or art making. You can listen to the audio as you would a podcast or watch the video, or simply use the written prompts. Participants will also have access to a private discussion group to share their reflections and experience during Hanukkah. All video and audio recordings will be available to access until December 17th.
Nightly Themes:
Night 1 - Setting a Kavannah (Intention) for Illuminate Hanukkah
Night 2 - The end of Kislev & Kindling Dreams
Night 3 - Hanukkah as Dedication of Personal Values
Night 4 - Honoring Darkness and Light
Night 5 - Celebrating with Family and Guests
Night 6 - Revisiting Rosh HaShanah intentions
Night 7 - Festival of the Daughters
Night 8 - Rosh Chodesh Tevet / Blessings for the New Month and the New (secular) Year
No prior experience is necessary to participate in this experience and no artistic skills are required. Illuminate Hanukkah is open to participants of all backgrounds and all genders interested in Jewish spirituality and learning. Those from interfaith families or interfaith partnerships are especially welcome.
We're offering this program at a sliding scale. Please choose the ticket option that is right for you.
Timeline for Illuminate Hanukkah:
Saturday Night November 27th: Private Discussion Group goes live and course materials become available at 7pm EST
Sunday December 28th: Illuminate Hanukkah Experience begins with the first night of Hanukkah
Sunday Night December 5th: Rabbi Sarah leads a live Zoom experience for the last night of Hanukkah at 8pm EST
Monday December 6th: Facebook Group closes
Friday December 17th: Access to all video and audio recordings closes at 5pm
Creating Light: How We Weave Our Own Rituals
A two-part series organized by Orot: Center for New Jewish Learning on our personal rituals
Our lives revolve around transitions. Some are tied to ritual, but many significant transitions, however, are not: retirement, becoming a grandparent, completing a time of healing or recovery, marking the anniversary of a loved ones passing, becoming an empty nester, graduation, job changes, a milestone birthday, weaning a child, or even making an important decision.
Some transitions are about letting go or moving through a challenging time, some are about celebrating a milestone, and some are about personal preparation for what is yet to come. This two part workshop led by Rabbi Sarah Tasman will weave together seasonal themes of Hanukkah and wintertime, and include guided meditation, text study as well an interactive ritual creation activity.
Messengers of the Spirit: Exploring Angels in Judaism
Join Rabbi Sarah Tasman for a creative exploration of angels in Judaism for women and female identified participants.
Learn about the surprising, lesser known, and special roles angels have played biblically and historically in Jewish tradition, and how we might be inspired to call up on angels in our own lives today. We encourage participants of all backgrounds to attend. The workshop will include learning and discussion, ritual, personal reflection and a creative exercise utilizing the visual arts. Please have the following items for the session:
Pen and journal or paper to write on
Water colors, oil pastels, colored pencils, markers or your favorite art supplies that you have at home
Candle and matches
Mug of tea or your favorite beverage
A comfortable space where you can reflect, write and create where you will be undisturbed during the workshop
Please note that you’ll be redirected to Spirit of Sophia to register for this event.
Preparing for Shmita: A Mindful Elul Workshop
Join The Tasman Center for Jewish Creativity and Hazon for a kick off workshop in preparation for the Jewish New Year. Every year, at the end of the summer, we have a special time in the Jewish calendar in the month of Elul to prepare for Rosh Hashanah. This is a time to reflect on the year we’ve been through and set intentions for the year ahead. This coming year in the Jewish calendar is a Shmita year, which comes every seven years, as a chance for fields to lie fallow for rest and renewal in the ancient agricultural system in the land of Israel. In our modern lives, we have an opportunity to observe the Shmita cycle symbolically - as a mindful, creative, reflective spiritual practice.
Learn More and Register
Illuminate the Omer: A Creative Journey Through The Divine Attributes
Springtime in the Jewish calendar takes us on a seven week journey from Passover to Shavuot. A mystical tradition assigns a special attribute (one of the sephirot or divine traits) to each of the seven weeks as an opportunity for spiritual reflection and personal development.
Join The Tasman Center for Jewish Creativity for a 7-week asynchronous “art beit midrash” or creative study and exploration. Each week we’ll provide a short teaching/guided meditation (video and audio recording) on the weekly theme or attribute which you can watch or listen to whenever is convenient to you.
While Counting the Omer with The Tasman Center, I feel like I am getting to an awe-some place in my creative FLOW. It has been quite the process and I feel like it has been quite emotional, eye-opening and inviting.
-Elana Weinstein, Illuminate The Omer course participant
I cannot say enough great things about The Tasman Center and Rabbi Sarah Tasman after having attended the June 1st (Seasonal Wellness & Creative Expression event) & June 20th (Summer Solstice Retreat). Both events were deeply spiritual, inviting (in the way of participation), and well planned. Both events embraced creativity and ritual that truly provided meaning for my life and me personally. I would highly recommend the these events!
-Michael Monroney, The Center for Mindful Living workshop participant
Thank you for hosting and creating a most meaningful and creative approach to Counting the Omer, By creating a welcoming and unpressured way to explore the Divine attributes, I felt the freedom to express myself fully and to learn at my own pace with your gentle and loving guidance and support, as well as the support of our community members. I look forward to your future offerings and playing together with Judaism, Spirit, and self-expression. It has been such a delight.
-Suzie Amelia Kline, Spiritual Director and Illuminate the Omer course participant
Please see our standard Liability Waiver Agreement for events here.