Campaign for the Future brochure

Campaign for the Future

For over a decade, Isabella Freedman has been the ideal location for our annual Shabbaton. The site is beautiful, the staff is perfectly attentive, and the ethos of the entire operation regularly produces just the right atmosphere for an uplifting communal experience.

Steve Jacobson, Dorot Foundation

Capital Campaign Case Statement Hazon is the Jewish lab for sustainability. Isabella Freedman, a

yond religious practice. Together we are exploring the roles

central hub of Hazon’s work, is a lab for what Jewish life and a

that the Jewish community can and should play in modern

Jewish retreat center can, could, and should be.

culture and society. It is a place to learn, to reflect, to discover,

In a pluralistic Jewish setting, immersive retreat experiences

and to connect.

strengthen organizations, solidify networks, support and re-

Currently, demand for our programs exceeds our supply.

vitalize families, and transform the lives of individuals. Isabella

Every year, we must turn away groups eager to attend retreats

Freedman Jewish Retreat Center is the foremost Jewish retreat

or to bring their own groups, but are excluded because of the

center in the country, with over 100 years of rich history.

limitations of our facility in terms of space and design. These

Nestled among 400 acres in the lush foothills of the Berkshires,

groups must find an alternative site less suited for their pur-

the site is located in northwest Connecticut near the Appa-

pose, to the detriment of building strong Jewish communal

lachian Trail, with our own hiking trails, a stunning overlook

life. We need to grow our guest capacity to accommodate this

viewpoint, a beautiful lake for swimming and boating, and an

demand. We also intend to build new program spaces and

educational organic farm that supplies produce to our farm-

make the site more accessible, more inclusive, more comfort-

to-table kosher dining service. Isabella Freedman is less than a

able, more modern, and more sustainable than ever before.

3-hour drive from the largest Jewish communities in the coun-

Most importantly, if we do not make critical upgrades to the

try from New York to Boston.

facility, it will cease to exist. The Jewish community has few

Throughout the year, we offer retreats to an incredibly broad

alternatives elsewhere. We need your support now more

spectrum of the Jewish community, from orthodox to renewal,

than ever.

and to those connected with elements of Jewish culture be-

Isabella Freedman is a home away from home that contributes to a sustainable and just world.

The atmosphere makes you want to give back.

Ruth Messinger, American Jewish World Service

stay “New Daisy� will be the first new building on campus in decades, which will offer exceptional modern housing right on the lake. It will provide flexible opportunities for couples or families to enjoy light-filled spaces in a prime location on campus.

Hazon also has an opportunity to expand both its housing and farming capacity with the purchase of 181 Beebe Hill, a property adjacent to the Adamah Farm. The property features an 1810 estate house, a separate pool house, a swimming pool, and over 30 acres of land.

To visit Isabella Freedman is to feel alive, to re-enter a Garden of Eden, with delicious ethically produced food, soulful teachings, and heartfelt prayers, in a community of thoughtful people where our children can experience fresh air and friendly faces in abundance! What a blessing!

Rabbi Avram Mlotek, Base Hillel

nourish The Adamah Learning Center will be a new building on our Kaplan Family Farm campus that showcases innovative sustainable and natural building materials and design.

This new space will strengthen the Adamah Fellowship program and at the same time make Isabella Freedman more accessible to people in the Berkshires seeking authentic, organic, fresh farm products.

With opportunities to expand our farming property, to build an outdoor kitchen, and to upgrade our greenhouse and garden, we will make farm-to-table a journey of just a few feet!

Isabella Freedman provides a space to deeply experience Jewish life that is consistent with what we know to be healthy and wholesome living. Our retreats have allowed us to align ourselves with our Jewish wisdom and Jewish roots but also with the earth, inclusivity, and deep commitment to pluralism.

Rabbi David Ingber, Romemu

experience Retreats have the power and potential to transform lives. An important aspect of improving the experience at Isabella Freedman is strengthening the connections to nature. The expansive and breathtaking views of the lake and the forested hillsides will become more accessible than ever. An improved boathouse and enhancements to the beach will create better opportunities to interact with the water. An upgraded playground will enable parents to watch their children play while enjoying the stunning scenery.

These new connections, turning even more toward nature, will amplify our existing programs in powerful ways.

Spending time at Isabella Freedman has become an important staple of our year. It serves to transform, inspire, and energize our community in an environment that reflects our values, and provides a sacred space to have true spiritual retreats.

Rabbi Felicia Sol, B’nai Jeshurun

transform The new Hub will provide opportunities to hold larger events for 300 guests with separate meeting space and dining space to allow for larger, more impactful conferences and events. The greatest asset of the campus is its relationship to nature. Buildings that obscure the views of the lakes and mountains will eventually be replaced with a welcoming hub, with a large expanse of glass and high ceilings to make visitors feel immersed in the trees, mountains, and water from the moment they arrive. The Hub will make the new Isabella Freedman a preeminent retreat center for the entire New England region.

Five years later and people still talk to us about the energy and joy of our wedding. Stunning venue, incredible staff, delicious food, and Jewish, ethical, and environmental values that reflect our own.

It could only have happened at Isabella Freedman.

Karin Fleisch and Daniel Silverstein

celebrate The guest experience at Isabella Freedman is grounded in prayer and worship. Weddings, b’nai mitzvah, milestone birthdays, and family reunions will be open and welcome to all, with multiple opportunities for worship, accommodating the many variations found in Jewish life. The spiritual center is in a cluster of synagogues designed to provide areas for solitude, worship, and social interaction. An outdoor patio and firepit will provide opportunities for multiple uses, both as social and outdoor prayer spaces.

There is no better way to build community than an immersive retreat in the midst of the natural beauty of Falls Village. The setting, the food, the staff all combine to create a most wonderful atmosphere for your organization.

Rabbi Sid Schwarz, Clal: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership

The Future Is Now Isabella Freedman is a unique and special place, with the potential to offer thousands of people experiences they are unlikely to get anywhere else in the country. It is centrally located to easily serve the significant Jewish community from Pennsylvania through New England. To remain a place to retreat, restore, refresh, and reengage with Jewish community, we must make improvements now and for the future. Please consider a significant gift.

Support our Campaign for the Future today.

Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center 116 Johnson Road • Falls Village, CT 06031• cftf@hazon.org

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