Tuesday, July 2: 9 am-11:50am

Writing the Earth’s Torah

The Jewish literary and liturgical canons are filled with images of nature as a living expression of the Divine. We will read translations of Jewish prayers alongside contemporary Jewish poetry that give voice to the language of nature. We will then engage in writing exercises that invite us to tune into the earth around us and hear its call.

Wednesday, July 3: 9 am-11:50am

Living Letters: Writing Jewish Mystical Poetry

The Jewish mystical tradition sees the Hebrew alphabet as the building blocks of the universe. Language is a potent, alchemical tool of creation. We will read translations of texts from the Jewish mystical tradition alongside modern and contemporary poetry to inspire our own linguistic experiments. 

Friday, July 5: 9 am-11:50am

Seeking Peace through Poetry: Reading Palestinian and Israeli Poets

During this deeply painful time of war, poetry can help us pick up the broken pieces of our world. We will read Palestinian and Israeli poets who express the human cost of war, the heartbreak of loss, and the longing for home. Among the poets we will read and discuss are Mosab Abu Toha, a Gazan poet who has suffered greatly during this war, and Amiram Cooper, an Israeli poet who was taken hostage from Kibbutz Nir Oz and died in captivity. We will engage in writing exercises that offer space to contemplate our own relationships to this fraught moment.