Adamah “ReTreat Yourself!” initiative launches retreats for Jewish Communal Professionals
Thanks to generous funding from Maimonides Fund, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Crown Family Philanthropies, Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation, and the Jim Joseph Foundation, Adamah is hosting a series of ten retreats for Jewish communal professionals across the country.
“ReTreat Yourself!” aims to support Jewish communal professionals who devote themselves to creating impactful experiences for others, sometimes at the expense of their own wellbeing. Retreat participants will receive the gift of spending three days in nature away from the demands of their full-time jobs, at no cost to them. The first two retreats were oversubscribed, with Adamah receiving over 250 applicants for 140 spots.
With each retreat capped at 70 professionals, Adamah is planning eight more, to be held at their two retreat centers, Pearlstone and Isabella Freedman, and at other Jewish retreat centers around the country. The next two retreats, scheduled for March 7-9 and August 11-13, 2025, each focus on a different theme: Jewish Mysticism & Meditation and Farm-to-Table for Jewish Educators.
“At Adamah, we believe immersive retreats are a powerful remedy to help heal mind, body and soul. There is nothing quite like it. Experiencing the magic of our retreat centers at no cost is something we are excited to provide to the hard-working leaders of the Jewish community.”
Jakir Manela, Adamah CEO
ReTreat Yourself! is not modeled after “traditional” professional development where people come together to discuss technical skills directly related to job productivity. In addition to the rejuvenation aspect of the retreats facilitated with guest chefs, massage therapists, fitness coaches, and yoga instructors, these professionals are also given the opportunity to engage in Jewish learning with dynamic scholars-in-residence. The goal is for participants to 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 have such deep gratitude for Jewish communal professionals, especially for their tireless work since October 7th, 2023. They have helped keep our communities functional, whole, and connected. The ReTreat Yourself! experience is a timely initiative that offers inspiration and rejuvenation to go back into the field with a renewed sense of purpose.“
– Aaron Saxe of the Jim Joseph Foundation
The inaugural retreat in September 2024 focused on Elul at Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, an Adamah campus in Falls Village, Connecticut, and featured Rabbi Shai Held of Hadar as the lead educator.
“I had a chance to meet with others who shared the same values as me in both professional and personal religious paths. It made me feel like the path I’m on is the right path and gave me strength to move forward with new energy in my work and personal life.” – Lakota Lustig, Engagement Coordinator at Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York
Pearlstone, the headquarters of Adamah in Reisterstown, Maryland, hosted the second retreat in November 2024, with a focus on “The Torah of Nourishment,” featuring Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter of the South Philadelphia Shtiebel as the lead educator.
“I knew my Jewish work could use a renewing replenishing break. I mean, come on, it’s a no-brainer to want to attend. I’m tired of all the things I’ve tried: conferences, workshops, trainings; they’re not designed to be a break, and this is actually a designed break for us, where we can do activities in groups or by ourselves. I believe this has been very healthy for me in multiple ways and the healthier I am, the better I will be at my job.” – Alan Shusterman, Executive Director of Hill Havurah in Washington DC
Eligibility for these retreats require participants to have been working full time in the Jewish communal world for 2+ years. Participants must be working in their current role for 6+ months and be able to cover the cost of their own transportation to and from the retreat.
In 2026, Adamah will also be partnering with Ramah Darom in Northeast Georgia, URJ Camp Newman in Northern California, and other sites in Southern California and the Midwest to collaboratively plan future retreats and offer this experience to more professionals in different regions.
For more information and to apply for the March 7-9 retreat, interested professionals can click here.