Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center and the Elat Chayyim Center for Jewish Spirituality
Elat Chayyim Center for Jewish Spirituality

The Jewish Arts Institute

A two-year training program for Jewish artists and Jewish arts educators

Join a community of artists and Jewish professionals dedicated to advancing the evolution of Jewish arts education in this country and abroad.

Week 2: January 7–13, 2007

THE JEWISH ARTS INSTITUTE (JAI) is an intensive four-week program conducted over the course of two years. The curriculum is interdisciplinary and weaves together Judaism and art in all its forms including music, theater, visual arts and creative writing.

The institute is designed to give Jewish artists and Jewish art educators – working with diverse artistic media – the tools to successfully integrate their art with their Jewish identities and spiritual journeys. The course will offer instruction in effective, integrated teaching methodologies including utilization of the arts as a way to make Jewish learning more compelling, relevant and fun. Each weeklong retreat combines rigorous study, artistic exploration and community building.

Who should apply?

The institute is designed for all Jewish artists — teaching professionals and novice practitioners alike. The institute will include Music, Theater, Visual Arts and Creative writing. It will offer a methodology, a coherent integrative philosophy by which to approach the arts as a key to unlock Jewish learning in a relevant, passionate, intellectually stimulating and emotionally fulfilling way.

What's the commitment?

The institute is four one-week sessions spread out over two years — one summer and one winter, each year. Unlike other ECCJS institutes participants of JAI only have to commit to one retreat at a time.

DANNY MASENG, INSTITUTE DIRECTOR

Danny MasengDanny Maseng is the director and lead teacher of the Jewish Arts Institute. A playwright, actor, singer and composer, he has served as evaluator of New American Plays/Opera-Musical Theater for the National Endowment for the Arts and has been the director of the Spielberg Fellowship for the Foundation for Jewish Camping. Danny was also artistic director of the Brandeis-Bardin Institute in California, a center for Jewish culture and learning.

A much sought-after Scholar-in-Resident, Danny is a frequent faculty member of programs run by the Wexner Foundation, Synagogue 2000, Limmud, CAJE, and appears regularly at synagogues and conferences around the world. Danny is also one of the most popular and respected composers of contemporary liturgical and synagogue music.

GUEST FACULTY

Each week features different guest artists who will co-lead with Danny Maseng, sharing wisdom and expertise from their own unique disciplines.

By integrating Judaism and art in four seminars led by passionate Jewish artists, the Jewish Arts Institute promises to engage its participants in intellectually stimulating and emotionally fulfilling ways.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE INSTITUTE?

The Jewish Arts Institute participant cohort will form a national network of Jewish leaders in arts and arts education. A list-serve, blog and other virtual community building technologies will support participant collaboration and connection during the two year period, and will continue to be a resource after the institute has been completed.

To apply

To apply, please complete the following form. Space is limited and applicants must demonstrate a commitment to Jewish arts and/or Jewish arts education.

First Name
Last Name
Email

1. Please describe your artistic journey in less than 300 words.


2. What do you hope to gain from participating in this institute?

 

UJA-Federation This program is made possible through a grant from the Mazer Family Fund of the UJA-Federation of New York.

 

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Registration Information

Single Room

w/ private bath & queen-sized bed

1,600

w/ private bath

1,450

w/ shared bath & queen-sized bed

1,450

w/ shared bath

925

w/ hall bath

750
Double Room

w/ private bath & queen-sized bed

1,025

w/ private bath

925

w/ shared bath & queen-sized bed

875

w/ shared bath

725

w/ hall bath

700
Triple Room

w/ private bath

725

w/ hall bath

650
Tent/Commuter
  550
Children (Ages 3-14)

per night

35

Training Institute Tuition

The tuition for this institute is $500 per week (50% deposit required upon registration) — a grant from the Mazer Family Fund of the UJA-New York provides significant financial aid. The cost of Room and Board is additional (see table on the right). Listed Room and Board fees are per week. Download complete financial information (pdf).

Room and board includes housing, meals, Shabbat services, evening activities, hot tub, yoga, meditation, and full use of our facility. All rooms are air-conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter.

Arrival and Departure

Please arrive between 2pm and 5pm on the day your retreat begins. Retreats end with brunch at 11:30am on the last day of the retreat.

Cancellation Policy

The Elat Chayyim Center for Jewish Spirituality reserves the right to cancel any program at any time. In this event, you will be given a complete refund.

For transportation: A full refund of transportation fees is available if you cancel at least three days (72 hours) in advance. No refund is available if less than three days notice is given. For more information on getting here, please visit our Travel & Transportation page.

Register now!

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