Remembering Reb Zalman: Tribute Journal

Remembering Reb Zalman z�l

To Our Beloved Rebbe...

Our hearts are filled with gratitude for your inspiration and guidance from the beginning of our community. Your participation and connections with our members were personal, warm and deep, whether blessing a Bar Mitzvah, a wedding, a baby, or simply sitting with one of us, heart to heart. You taught us to davven from the depths of our souls.

Your vision, wisdom, playfulness and insights enriched our lives, and your memory continues to bless us.

You remain forever in our hearts. We love you deeply!

Congregation Nevei Kodesh

Jewish Renewal Community of Boulder

At the 1989 Kallah, during the 1st week in July, Zalman told this story of how he arrived in NY in 1941 at age 16.

He got off the ship and found his way to the subway, but when he came out in Crown Heights he was lost.

Then he saw a cop.

He hesitated, because “where I was coming from we avoided cops.”

But this was America, so maybe it would be OK. He went up to the officer and in his rudimentary English asked, “Please sir, vhere is de 770 Eastern Parkvay?” And the cop looked at him and said: “Nu yingele, vilst gehen zum Lubavitcher Reb’n?”

(So sonny, you want to go to the Lubavitcher Rebbe?)

And that, Zalman added, is why the Fourth of July is an important holiday for me.

Thanks for the perspective!

Thanks for the shidduch!

Thanks for the memories!

Gideon and Sara Eisenberg

Reb Zalman’s Passport Photo.

Used with the permission of the Estate of Zalman M. Schachter-Shalomi.

Cover Photo used with the permission of the Post-Holocaust American Judaism Archive at the University of Colorado.

OHALAH: the Association of Rabbis for Jewish Renewal, the Association of Cantors for Jewish Renewal and the Rabbinic Pastors Association honor the memory of our beloved Reb Zalman, Rav Meshullam Zalman Hiyya ben Shlomo HaCohen v’Chaya Gittel, zeycher tzaddik livracha, his memory is for a blessing. www.ohalah.org

‫האי גברא עלמא בחרובא אשכחתיה‬ ‫כי היכי דשתלי לי אבהתי שתלי נמי לבראי‬ “I found carob trees in the world. Just like my ancestors planted for me, I plant for my children.” ­ —Talmud Bavli, Ta’anit 23a

As we have received the sweetness of good teaching, so too will we plant for our communities and the children of our children.

After Ram Dass led me to Reb Zalman and Reb Zalman to Elat Chayyim, Reb Zalman became a teacher of mine in my own tradition. What a revelation! Spirit and Judaism together. What a blessing it is. I see him present in my mind’s eye as I pick up my notes from classes with him at Elat Chayyim, or rerun the inner video of him davenning last Shavuout with us at Isabella Freedman. What a surprise that his words ring even more clearly in my ears as I remember him. There is joy and deep appreciation in my tribute to him. I am sure that his legacy will bring joy and meaning to generations of Jews. May his memory be for a blessing to all. —Linda Tobin

With deepest gratitude and love we honor our Beloved Teacher, Mentor and Friend who gifted us once again with his wisdom. Reb Zalman led us on the path of Sage-ing® and blessed us to teach others this paradigm shifting perspective.

—ALEPH Sage-ing® Mentorship Program Co-Directors: Shaya Isenberg, Bahira Sugarman, Lynne Iser, Nadya Gross, Victor Gross sage-ing@aleph.org

How can you thank someone who has taken you from alienated, disaffected to near frum? It isn’t easy but I try.... To Reb Zalman z”l, with love. For the courage, the vision, the brilliance, the capacity, the soul alignment to create a now and a future that all of us could step into with joy and integrity, growing ourselves into the fullness of our deployment. To Reb Zalman, your memory is a blessing beyond measure. And our gratitude, my gratitude, that is beyond measure as well. —With love, Deb Kolodny/Rabbah D’vorah

I told Zalman more than once that had I met him as a young man, my spiritual path would probably have followed his rather than Zen Buddhism.

In this time of fear and fragmentation, when the practice of building bridges is needed more than ever, Zalman Schachter-Shalomi was a true vessel for Tikkum Olam, making the world whole, bringing all the pieces back together again. May his name be blessed.

—Bernie Glassman

I want to talk about my future, I said. He said, let’s talk about right now. It’s always about my mother, I said. He said, Binah, it’s always about love. Did she do the best she could? Yes, I said, I guess she did. But she didn’t know love. You do, he said. You do, and that’s your job now (and then he said the Catholic prayer for my mother). Thank you Reb Zalman. Thank you.

—Binah Block

I was asked to do Hagba on Shabbat morning during the weekend of ordination. I was so nervous that I blanked on how to lift the Torah, and required assistance. Reb Zalman was right there watching and I felt dread about his seeing me mess up like this. I happened to see him the next day and reminded him of who I was and he immediately spoke of his compassion in his heart for me. It was an extraordinarily tender, loving response. I try to keep his example in mind as a model for me as a spiritual leader and educator.

—David Daniel Klipper

Dearest Reb Zalman, We cannot imagine what our lives would be like without your brilliant mind, your vast and loving heart. A supremely skilful weaver, you gathered strands of the sacred from east and west, past and future, above and below, and wove the unique and life-sustaining tapestry that is Jewish Renewal. There are marriages, babies, music, rabbis, chazanim and teachers that would never have come into being without your radiant, enabling inspiration. You taught us that God is in the bonds between us. You stopped your teaching when an ambulance went by, to pray for the healing of the person inside it. That was your teaching. You walked your talk, and we had the blessing and privilege of learning by “watching you tie your shoelaces”. You transformed our lives, and we will miss you forever.

From Zalman to Zalman there was no-one like Zalman.

The Ruach Chavurah, London, UK

I witnessed the burial of a great soul this morning, Reb Zalman. Even in death, he brought together worlds of various traditions. A Chabad rabbi spoke about his life ‘without eulogizing’. He was buried without a coffin like our Muslim cousins.

Song and stories, tears and laughter, hands held, hugs exchanged, and across the generations souls touching and reaching for one last moment with their father, husband, teacher, guide, colleague, friend. Upon returning home I wrote: There’ll be sparks of light in the sky tonight Sparks of a soul flying free Back to its Source, the Divine spark of life Having departed the earthly body. No more pain, no more tears Except for all those left behind. Let us know that you’ve found rest Send us comfort. Let us bless tonight As you would have us bless each day And one another in the way You’ve shown us. Bless the blades of grass that grow, Bless the hail and bless the snow, Bless the sun and bless the rain Each time it falls recite, “Amen”.

The brother to your left, The mother to your right, Politically, physically, hold them tight And let them know it doesn’t matter - Because we are all part of the shattered vessel And the sparks, the sparks will return to the Source To shine bright. Yes, there will be sparks of light in the sky tonight. Look upon them and bless them.

Freedom takes many forms. Bless the sparks of light in the sky tonight. Bless the sparks. 7.14.14 —Rabbi Birdie Becker

I will continue to meet you in our dream assemblies as you continue to teach about backwards compatibility and the tachlis of defragmenting our Divinely designed disk drives!

L’hitraot, beloved teacher and Rebbe.

With love and devotion, Rabbi Dale Schreiber, MA, RP, BCC Board Certified Chaplain and Resiliency Specialist Pathways Community Hospice St. Louis, Missouri

My Rebbi, my teacher, my mentor/my foundation of love; 40 years of joy of sharing in the four worlds! From his first words, “I saw you dance”, spoken at Fellowship Farm, I knew I was no longer alone, unknown. Alone?

Devoted to husband and six children, congregation and Yoga-teaching!

Unfolding years from “The First Step” to “Age-ing to Sage-ing”, Writing Omer meditations Climbing THE TREE OF LIFE from Malchut through Tiferet to Keter Now, broken-hearted, open and dancing forever, for Reb Zalman.

Gal-or-Ya

What Chawura Basel remembers about Reb Zalman • his modesty. Sitting on my terrace in Basel, once he told me he had a problem to solve and asked me to switch places with him so that he could be the student while I would be his teacher. Using me as his advisor, he came up with a solution for his problem and thanked me for my help. I’ll never know whether he did this exercise for his own sake or for mine. But receiving the appreciation of someone I revered so greatly had a deep and lasting effect on me. —Roger Dreyfus • the space he made for us Jewish women; to express ourselves publicly through song, to innovate new Jewish ritual, and to develop a new kind of Jewish spiritual community. Always exploring, with open heart and twinkling eyes, Reb Zalman taught us all so many skills for bringing our spirituality alive within Judaism. Always teaching, even with his last breaths he modeled his own conscious dying. Although I was never able to formulate a response when he would ask me: “So what is your question?”, still I owe to this “Jewish practitioner of generic religion” my community, my husband, my daughter, and even my professional life path.

—Sharon Alexander • how he helped us develop our unique chawura in Basel, and, indeed, enabled so many of us around the world to find our way back to our Judaism.

I remember him teaching at different venues in Switzerland; his beautiful loving smiling face Bat Mitzvah of Eliana Dreyfus, July ‘08 when he celebrated the bittersweet ending of Shabbat with us; him teaching me how to tie tzitzit; and the intimate weeks when as my personal houseguest, we shared joints, stories, jokes, and discussions about G”d and the world. He showed me how to have an intimate emotional relationship with G”d and the Torah, even including fighting with it. Sadly it is too late for me to ask him any more questions. —Pierre Loeb • his openness and deep wisdom. A wise sage and father-figure, he touched me profoundly. Hardly a day that has gone by that I have not thought of him. I see him singing in heaven and dancing in the sky. —Miriam Shalayim

My Small Tribute To Reb Zalman I am the founder of the Centre of Unity Schweibenalp, in Switzerland. When I first met Zalman at Schweibenalp in 1984 I was quite far away from my Jewish roots. I had just become a fire Yogi of the late Indian Mahavatar Herakhan Babaji and had recently founded the Unity Centre in his name. Schweibenalp, has always hosted exceptional teachers and masters from many traditions. Reb Zalman came to teach at Schweibenalp on several occasions over the years; leading ecumenical workshops and Shabbatot, at which we had Jews and non-Jews attending.

I remember the exercises and songs he taught. I remember his smile and his heart vibration. I remember his harmonious work with Eve. He wrote the mezuzah for the Centre. And he taught me how to celebrate Erev Shabbat, which I have celebrated hundreds of times since, either with my community and guests or simply with my family. My children love it and experience from it the same deep inner cohesion, soul warmth, and connection to the Divine that I felt from the first time onwards.

I am so happy I made it two and a half years ago to London for a weekend he taught there and was able to reconnect a last time with him in his physical presence: So beautiful, loving, kind, wise, dignified, humorous, Jewish....

I am a notorious practitioner of many practices of different sources: Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic/Sufi, Shamanic and in research of a universal practice transcending all traditions. From the beginning Zalman accepted, understood and supported my exotic way. He was helpful and very supportive, when most teachers thought I should focus on one path and dig into it deeply. His own words, that he was “a Jewish practitioner of Universal Generic Faith” were for me pivotal and I have quoted him since many times in lectures.

Thank you Dear Zalman Baba for your love and wisdom and the creative work you did for all of us as a teacher of many students who have become eminent in a deep and free spirit and universal research and practice.

—Bobby Dreyfus/Gavriel Michael ben Simcha/Sundar Baba Heriakhandi

Heartfelt condolences to: Reb Zalman z”l’s beloved wife Eve Ilsen, Brother and sister-in-law Rabbi Joseph & Rachel Schachter, Sister and brother-in-law D’vorah & Shlomo Kiefer, Children and children-in-law Miriam & Mordy Gess, Rabbi Shalom Schachter & Marcia Gilbert, Josef & Patty Schachter, Yale & Diane Schachter, Chana Tina & Moshe Duskis, Jonathan Schachter,

Lisa & Gio Vito, Shalvi & Aharon Waldman, Rabbi Barya Schachter, Yotam Schachter, Rosi Greenberg & Richard Cozzens, together with his twenty-nine grandchildren, thirty-four great grandchildren and his nieces, nephews, great and great-great nieces and nephews and his cousins.

In 1983, when I was a rabbinic student, Reb Zalman “found” me at a conference, and I sensed that God had sent me the teacher I needed for learning to be the rabbi and spiritual guide I had dreamed of becoming. In the years since then, I have seen him be a driving force in urging us all to experience the One in multiple ways, to become our highest selves, and to find a spiritual mentor and guide — a mashpia/h — to help us do so. In 2002, when I became Rosh Hashpa’ah, ALEPH actualized Reb Zalman’s vision by establishing a policy that each ordination student be supported by a mashpia/h during the years of learning in our program. To date, ALEPH is still the only Jewish clergy ordination program to require spiritual direction and fully integrate hashpa’ah — the Jewish art and practice of spiritual direction — into the flow of clergy spiritual formation. The next step in formalizing Reb Zalman’s legacy was to take his practice of training a mashpia/h individually and create HASHPA’AH, a certification and ordination program for Jewish spiritual directors that is integrated into the ALEPH Ordination Program. I so enjoyed consulting with Reb Zalman as the program evolved, and watching his face light up as he addressed the students at their ordination ceremony. His legacy will endure, as the program continues to evolve under the leadership of Rabbis Nadya Gross and Shawn Zevit.

B”H — with thanks to God, our Source, for deploying Reb Zalman in such loving, innovative, spiritually rich ways. From, Rabbi Shohama Wiener, DMin., Rosh Hashpa’ah for the ALEPH Ordination Program, and Founding Director of the HASHPA’AH program for certification and ordination as Mashpia/Jewish Spiritual Director.

Bless you, Reb Zalman for bringing back to us the Jewish ways of spiritual mentoring and for encouraging us to follow your lead in bringing the best of world spiritual wisdom into Judaism. Bless you, on your soul’s journey in the Light, and for continuing to bless us all with wisdom and love.

Reb Zalman rescued me when I was stranded on my way up the mountain to the Lama Foundation, and rescued my soul as I climbed into spirituality through yoga and Sufism and the New Age in California in the 1960’s. The Blessing of Light he reflected from the Divine has reflected in rays of oneness in our tribe and the world. —Alan M. Dattner, M.D.

For our beloved Rebbe, a true tzaddik, Our Rabbi, our teacher, our spiritual guide and friend, It was you who taught us, saw us, and filled us with inspiration and love.

You have “Zalmanized” us and the entire universe.

The Olenick Family, Jackie, Leon, Michael, Aliza, Jenni, Steven, Joseph, Abby, Elijah, Ezra, Yaakov, Yeheskel, Simcha, and Tova

I met Reb Zalman in 1980 when he was speaking at the The Abode in NY and I was an isolated reform Jew searching for meaning. “What kind of Rabbi is this,” was my first reaction. Tall, in a long green robe, big smile and a colorful yarmulke. Reincarnation of my generation from the souls of those who died in the holocaust, levels of reality, astrology, sing unto g-d a new song. This was all new to me. He taught me gratitude. Such a joy gratitude is. He taught me that Ruach might be as important as knowing Hebrew. 4 things stick out most in my memory. “Would you teach me to say Kaddish for my father?” I asked him. “Yes” he said. He did not say, G-d doesn’t need you as a female to say Kaddish. He said yes. I still have his audiotape somewhere teaching me Kaddish. Secondly, during my daughter’s naming ceremony, she began to fuss. I got up to take her out, so as not to disturb others. “No,” he said. “Bring her. G-d’s plan may be different than ours.” Thirdly, when I asked him a question one time, he said, “Why don’t you ask G-d” Me? A direct line to G-d? Well yes, that is kinda the point. Fourth, he taught me that you don’t have to be a perfect being to be a perfect being. This, I did not know. Rest well Rebbe. Knowing how much you have given me, given the world. And come visit when you can. And please help us from the plane where you are.

Love, Laurie Basira Sanford Boynton.

Bless Yah, breath of mine “hod v’hadar levusha” veiled in pride and glory You are wrapped in Light psalm 104:1 THANK you Reb Zalman, my “Rainbow Rebbe” GRACING and CLOTHING us, and we you, with Your unending Love and Light of many colors

May we DO for You, FEEL for You, THINK/IMAGINE for You, BE for YOU. Sanctifying life on earth. www.caroladevriesrobles.nl

The Boulder JCC Remembers and Celebrates

The Life and Legacy of Reb Zalman

‫זיכרונו לברכה‬ Zichrono Livracha, May His Memory Be For A Blessing

Yavneh: A Jewish Renewal Community and Rabbi Raachel Jurovics remember Reb Zalman (z”l) with love and reverence: “In bliss is the person whose longing is for the guidance of YaH, who keeps pondering it day and night. Such a person is like at tree at a confluence of rivers that gives fruit in season and whose leaves do not wilt.” (Psalm 1) Zecher tzadik livracha, the memory of our Rebbe is a blessing, now and forever.

Zichrono Livracha (‫ )זיכרונו לברכה‬May his memory be for a blessing. Before we were married, we stood with him during an aliyah under his tallit at Rosh Hashanah services at UCLA. What is this Judaism, we asked, both moved and delighted?! After our daughter was born, we had the good fortune to move to Boulder and were honored with his presence the last 12 years as part of the Jewish Renewal Community. He was a truly a gift to us all, and we will always be grateful to Reb Zalman, z”l. —Rick, Shelli and Samara Angel

T’ruah-The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, honors Reb Zalman’s dedication to peace, justice and the humanity of all people.

Paula Marcus

Dearest Reb Zalman, We remember with love and gratitude the great privilege of having you and Eve stay in our home on visiting and teaching with prayer and nigunim the Ruach Chavurah in London England. We hold in our hearts and minds the beautiful blessings we received from you on our 50th wedding anniversary David and Ruth Roth

“Chai-kus”

18 syllable poetic tributes to Reb Zalman

The monitor flickers The rabbi is calling!

Reb Zalman’s smile on Skype...

Reb Zalman gazed into my eyes My soul sang out Halleluyah Selah!

—Joe Laur

—Tobie Hoffman

Blessed is the life of those who bring peace and light in memory of Reb Zalman.

Farewell Reb Zalman and Shaya Benyamin... sadness in 2014.

—Haya L. Molnar

—Sande Davida Gendel

My teacher, my Rabbi: Changed my life with a look, a smile, words of Torah.

Rebbe: Rav Brachot May Sh’khinah encircle you, Hashem guide your journey.

—Leah Tzipporah Lippitt

—E. Beyer

Illuminating Sacred Vessel Galaxy Traveller Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh

Your soul is etched in our hearts Through words you chose amidst shifting paradigms

—Reb Adalah Caplowe

—Debrah and Phil Shenefelt

El na refa na la.

Your healing words, soothing voice, cradled and blessed me.

His song shimmers awake my soul chords: body’s humming her longing for Y!H

—Lorri Danzig

—Jude Blitz

Fallen leaves converse Quivering in dialogue His root soul stirs all —Yehudis Fishman

With love, we appreciate the many gifts we have received from our holy teacher and from his students. His blessings are in our hearts. —Blessings to all, Karl & Rabbi Chava Bahle Beloved Reb Z, In eternal awe & gratitude for your profound gifts, for bringing me back to my roots, to mySelf. May your light continue to shine, inspire, & forever be a blessing. —Henia Feldman Reb Zalman, my friend, mentor, spiritual guide. I’m grateful to have had him in my life. Will miss him, his wisdom, humor, Universal love. And the special moments we shared. —Ariella Hartshorn I am a Catholic. Reb Zalman not merely permitted but fostered my conversion to Judaism while remaining Catholic; he called it “dual citizenship.”

Forever grateful, Ruth Kinneret Rabbi Zalman’s Vision: Betzalel Or Jewish Art Guild. Jewish Renewal revealed through the Hearts & Hands of Artists. His gift to you, your gift to the world! www.JewishArtGuild.com —Sandy Pond In loving memory of 45+ years with our Rebbe! Reb Zalman recognized our need for a Judaism of beauty, spirit and joy. When thanked he responded “Thank HaShem!” —Carol & Richard Kestler R.Zalman you profoundly Blessed our Hearts, Minds, Souls & Life. Thank you for teaching us to awaken even more.Your Legacy lives on through us. May your memory be a Blessing for all. —Lois & Bob Rubin BE LOVED Reb Zalman, I am/was/will be deeply touched by your wisdom, comPassion, & pro found Presence. Heartfelt gratitude for your blesSings & inspired G ! Dance, b’shalOM b’rinah —Rinah Karson After our 1st “face-to-face” incl. “Teepee-Religion” in common, invited me into rabbinical program 2 fulfill (words his) “SUCH a strong sense of calling”— & my life-path. Bruchim. —Rabbi Reuel Karpov, Ph.D. We are ever grateful and reawakened to greater personal vision and being, by every moment we share with Reb Zalman. —From great love, Tom Daly and Jude Blitz ‫ עם הרב הצדיק הקדוש מורנו רבינו משולם זלמן חייא‬,‫ שזכיתי לחיות בדור הזה‬,‫תודה לאל‬ ‫ הודו לה’ כי טוב כי לעולם‬.‫ שפגשתי אותו ועבדתי אתו ולמדתי ממנו‬,‫שחטר הכהן זצוק”ל‬ Seth ‫ הגבאי‬,‫חסדו‬

Remembers

Reb Zalman

Rebbe and Friend With gratitude and affection ‫תהא נשמתו צרורה בצרור החיים‬

May his soul be welcomed back to the Source of Life

In loving tribute Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, zecher tzadik livracha

Feminist Hassid Jewish Sufi Shenandoah Davvener ECHAD! Rabbi Arthur Waskow, The Shalom Center

Rooted in the past Called by the future In Assiyah: ceaseless creativity In Yetzirah: passionate devotion In Beriah: new paradigms and pearls of wisdom In Atzilut: connecting to the Infinite, within and without.

With continual appreciation, Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan & Avraham Danan, and family

The Institute for Contemporary Midrash Honors Reb Zalman

Radiating Love and Seeing our Inner Light Was Reb Zalman’s Gift With deep love and appreciation, Bonnie & Steve Cramer

Through Playful, Insightful, Renewal

Interpretations of Text Through the Visual Literary & Performing Arts

Write Rivkah Walton icmidrash@verizon.net

Rebbe, Avi, Avi, Rechev Yisrael, U’parashav!!!

You prepared us, you prepared yourself for this day but alas, we aren’t prepared. Your voice, your heart, your eyes and your mind are needed now more than ever. But, as you told us again and again, we must move forward with the work you began, sensing how we’ve been deployed by our Great Mother, the Shechinah, to install—l’taken—the next upgrade to Jewish consciousness.

Modim Anachnu L’fanecha....

We thank you for the gifts you gave us.

For your beautiful, warm smile and for your gentle, loving eyes.

For your generosity and for your largesse.

For your wisdom and your vision.

For your courage and for your adventurous spirit.

For your playfulness and for your rascal-ness.

For your intelligence and for your connection to so many planes of reality.

For your willingness to go where no one has gone before. And… For your willingness to invest so much energy in making the

paradigm shift backwardly compatible.

For your unforgettable Skype calls and for your unforgettable phrases.

For the way you and Eve loved each other and modeled adoration.

Ilu Finu Malay Shira Ka’Yam….

We miss you and will always listen to hear your wisdom in our hearts.

Thank you, thank you, thank you dear Rebbe, for loving me, seeing me, teaching me and touching me like no other Master did before.

Va’Yarem Et Aderet Eliyahu asher nafal me’alav….

We will take up what you have left for us to do.

In love and holy yearnings, Dovid Lebn (David)

It’s 1985. The planning committee for the first Kallah, “Getting It Together, Together!” faces a question: “May we have our wedding during the Kallah?”

The committee erupts in debate: “Yes, such a mechayeh!” “But nowhere can two men or two woman get married! We must make that inequality visible!”

Debate. Tears. Decision: “No public wedding.” Reb Zalman smiles broadly: “The birth pangs of Shechinah!”

Labor pains/contractions keep corning, in waves. The committee wants the gay presence to be more visible among us and creates a workshop. After the workshop, an LGBTQ caucus faces the planners: “We were the only people who showed up! No point in talking to ourselves. We demand a plenary session!” The planners scrap the original schedule, urge everyone to attend.

They do.

The caucus explores: how to make clear the gay presence is sacred, not heretical? “Let’s do an aliyah to the Torah on Shabbat, honoring those who come out of the closet.”

Do we dare? Reb Zalman does. He offers to chant from the Torah for this aliyah.

The weekly Torah portion includes the Levitical prohibitions on gay sexuality. Reb Zalman chooses instead to chant the passage, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

As the summer sun shines brightly, gays and lesbians, some unknown even to their friends, rise for the aliyah. Tears. Laughter. A transgender member of the community rises in self-revelation. The community exults as a new face of God becomes visible.

Shechinah reveling in Her joyful unveiling, coming forth from Her Own closet.

Celebrating Reb Zalman, z’tz’l with great love and kavod — Rebbe of Paradigm Shifts, awakening the rebbe in each of us so we can keep getting it together, Together, creating openings for birthing and re-birthings of Shechinah.

Planners of the first Kallah: Phyllis Berman, Bobbi Breitman, Julie Greenberg, Joanna Katz, Mordechai Liebling, Jeff Roth, Arthur Waskow

On July 3rd, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, one of the Garrison Institute’s three spiritual advisers passed away, at home and in peace at the age of 89.

Rabbi Zalman Schechter had a voracious mind and an enormous heart. He was the ultimate integrator, deeply grounded in the Jewish Tradition that he was raised in, but endlessly weaving connections between all spiritual traditions. He was welcomed at Father Keating’s Snowmass Monastery, was an active member of the Sufi community, and for many years held the World Wisdom Chair at Naropa University. He was a scholar, a Rabbi and a Rebbe, a beatnik and a hippie, a prolific author and wonderful teacher.

Zalman was a living model of compassion, radiating kindness. Yet he also had discerning wisdom, and deeply perceived the economic, social and environmental issues of the times that he lived in. He taught Tikkun Olam, that it was our responsibility to repair the fabric of the world.

Zalman was acutely aware of the aging process, and in his sixties, began talking about moving from “age-ing to sage-ing” (It was typical of Zalman to invent a new word like “sage-ing” in express his thoughts). His most recent book, The December Project, published just a few months ago, is about how to fully live the end of ones life, and to make peace with dying.

As one of the Garrison Institute’s three founding spiritual directors, along with Father Thomas Keating and Gelek Rimpoche, Zalman taught deep contemplative practices, developing a method of prayer he called “Davvenology”, the art of davening. In his book with Joel Segel, Davening—A Guide for Meaningful Jewish Prayer he wrote: “We strive to make our prayers a vessel for our own experience — and yet, at the same time, to transcend all that heart and mind can grasp. We aim to be most truly ourselves, to stand in our fullness before the living God.” But, as expressed in the Institute’s mission, he deeply believed that the fruit of that contemplative life should be connected to creating a compassionate society.

We celebrate Zalman’s life, and work, and look forward to the continued growth of the seeds that he planted.

— Jonathan F. P. Rose

Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi, born in Poland in 1924, fled Nazi genocide and came to the United States when he was 17. Already learned in traditional Judaism, he had become a disciple of the leading Chabad rabbi and was sent as an emissary to bring Jewish mystical wisdom and orthodox practice to small town congregations and college campuses across America and Canada.

He soon came to feel constrained by the limits of Orthodoxy and sought a new paradigm for Judaism that would speak to liberal Jews starved for meaning in their religious lives. He introduced radical changes: lively music, equal voices for women, integration of body, mind and spirit, joyful prayer services with changed and contemporary words, meditation and chanting.

He valued progressive causes, and created a new system of kashrut that was based on ecological values rather than traditional religious laws. And above all he reached out to leaders of other faiths. He became deeply knowledgeable of Eastern religions and their practices as well as the teachings and practices of Sufi masters, and visited Father Thomas Merton at his monastery. He believed that in today’s world, no religion can claim universal truth. Each depends on the others to evoke the wisdom necessary for the survival of the human species— each human created equally in the image of God. He delighted in and treasured his relationship with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. In the photograph of their meeting in Dharamsala, India you can see their intimacy. You can see Reb Zalman’s essence: his joy, his intensity, his deep roots in traditional Judaism and his love of the Holy One whose light shone with such brightness through the eyes of the Dalai Lama.

In his last few years he devoted himself to passing on his wisdom and human legacy to his students, and to what he called The December Project, the spiritual preparation for dying with acceptance, blessing and joy. He left blessings for his family, his circle of friends and supporters and for those he saw as his spiritual heirs — the leaders of the next generation of religious teachers and guides.

Reb Zalman was a spiritual genius, a giant who walked ten steps in front of the rest of us. The Garrison Institute has been blessed by his counsel, and is blessed to carry on his work — bringing the wisdom of ancient traditions to bear in evolving, creative ways — on issues that have challenged humanity since our origins and are now more important than ever.

— Rabbi Rachel B. Cowan, Trustee, Garrison Institute

Thanks to time we spent with Reb Zalman z”l, Zahava became a Jew by choice; to Zisha, who had been a materialist atheist, he opened up the spiritual world. Thanks to Reb Zalman, we both would study with fine teachers from Jewish Renewal and from multiple traditions. But he, more than any other, was our source of unfailing wisdom. He officiated at our wedding, and gave us important advice a number of times.

We continue to spend much time reading and listening to his work.

Now he is with the Baal Shem Tov, who has had no worthier successor.

‫תנצב’’ה‬ Zisha & Zahava Gold

‫תֶא עַמְׁשֶאָו‬-‫תֶא רֵמֹא יָנֹדֲא לֹוק‬-‫חַלְׁשֶא יִמ‬ :‫ךֶלֵי יִמּו‬-‫יִנֵחָלְׁש יִנְנִה רַמֹאָו ּונָל‬ And I heard the voice of Adonai, saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?

Then I said: “Here I am, send me!”

–Isaiah 6:8

“You [the ALEPH Ordination Program graduates] are my yerushah, my legacy… You have answered the call and said: ‘Here I am, send me!’

I am sending you into the future to be emissaries for the renewal of Judaism.”

—Reb Zalman

aleph.org/ordinations

Photo: Janice Rubin

Hazon, Isabella Freedman, and Elat Chayyim are committed to carrying forward the vision of Reb Zalman, zt’l, using the full spectrum of tools, perspectives, and teachings that he bestowed to the whole Jewish community.

We are profoundly grateful for the way in which his Torah inspires our work.

ECO-KASHRUT: We eat our values.

Our glatt kosher dining facility also is meticulous about the source and impact of the food that we purchase. Our meats, grains, dairy products, coffee, sugar, fruit, and so much more reflect the values that we promote and aspire to embody.

RADICAL INCLUSIVITY Isabella Freedman is a place where everyone is welcome and encouraged to live into their authenticity.

Each person’s unique truth is celebrated and empowered. We cherish Reb Zalman’s ‘Rebbe is a Verb’ chair, which is available to guests at the retreat center to help find their personal Torah.

TRANSDENOMINATIONAL COMMUNITY: We call it “AllStream” Judaism, where people from diverse backgrounds and practices can gather together for transformative Jewish spiritual experiences, tapping into the deep structure of our traditions, and accessing our essential truths in surprising and beautiful ways.

INNOVATIVE RETREATS Completely immersive Jewish environments allow remarkable experiences to happen. We offer numerous diverse retreat opportunities year-round that are renewing Jewish life, including the Shavuot retreat which Reb Zalman led for many years, Elat Chayyim Living Laboratory and Meditation Retreat, our Men’s Retreat, Kohenet, and the Davvenen’ Leadership Training Institute.

hazon.org

JEWISH INSPIRATION. SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.

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Psalms in a Translation for Praying

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salms P in a translation for praying

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Schachter-Shalomi

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

NOW AVAILABLE! The definitive edition of Reb Zalman’s heart-felt translations for praying in English, developed and refined over decades. Newly edited, punctuated, and formatted for ease of use, the book is a beautiful devotional companion. https://www.aleph.org/psalms/