Events

On May 30th 2021 we held the first-ever International Jewish Yoga Conference. 14 presenters, 470 participants registered, an 90 minutes of Jewish yogic inspiration! Here is the programme below. This event was made possible through the ROI Community Grassroots Events program.

This was followed by a Kislev International Jewish Yoga Festival in December 2021, and a further International Jewish Yoga Conference in 2022.

As yet there are no further events planned, but we hope you enjoy the video below.

PROGRAMME

- Breathe & Warm-up - Marcus J Freed

- What is Torah Yoga? (interview) - Diane Bloomfield

- Yoga for Higher Alignment (yoga practice session) - Deborah Glassman

- A Word from Our Founder - Estelle Eugene

- Mr Iyengar and the Jewish Yoga story - Ida Unger

- The Sound of Your Soul - Cantor Lisa Levine (meditation)

- Yoga and Meditation in the Synagogue - Rabbi Yonah Bookstein (interview)

- Kabbalah Yoga (yoga practice session) - Audi Gozlan

- Finding the Balance (panel) - Julie Emden, Maxine Levy, Roland Brandman & Steve Gold

- Yoga for Divine Wisdom and Clarity (yoga practice session) - Jenna Zadaka

- Off the Mat & Into the World (Q & A) Marcus J Freed

- Shalom, Farewell & Closing Meditation

MUSIC PLAYED:

The Sound of Your Soul by Lisa Levine - https://spoti.fi/2R6085B

BOOKS MENTIONED:

The Kosher Sutras: A Yogi's Guide to the Torah https://amzn.to/2K0EFUi (includes a practice & essay for every parsha/weekly Torah)

The Kabbalah Sutras: A Yogi's Guide to Counting the Omer https://amzn.to/2Z9pjmH  (includes essay & practice for every day of the Omer)

The Festive Sutras: A Yogi’s Guide to Shabbat & Jewish Festivals https://amzn.to/3vkR0se (includes 'The Yogi's Hagaddah', practices for every festival, along with 'Ethics of the Yogis').

POSTER MENTIONED:

Sacred Shapes poster: A look at the holy letters and the yoga poses they mirror http://www.kosheryoga.net/poster.html

Our teachers and speakers include:

Audi Gozlan - Audi teaches Kabalah Yoga , a system of movement and meditation based on shaping the body in the Hebrew letters, the sacred shapes. He offers a meditative flow that brings one deep into the body and soul. www.kabalahyoga.com

Deborah Glassman - Deb Glassman leads a spiritual yoga practice called Shabbhakti, steeped in Jewish tradition and philosophy. She encourages an embodied experience of the teachings of Torah and Judaic wisdom. Off the mat, Deb is a practicing physician, parent, partner and performer. www.shabbhakti.com

Diane Bloomfield is the author of Torah Yoga: Experiencing Jewish Wisdom through Classic Postures. Diane has been teaching Torah and Torah Yoga for more than 30 years. She is currently working on her new book, Playing with Fire: Secret Torah Doorways. Diane lives in Jerusalem with her husband and daughter. www.torahyoga.com

Estelle Eugene - Estelle founded Yoga Mosaic, which eventually became the Jewish Yoga Network! She has taught Yoga since 1982. Estelle have always loved the connections and complementary similarities found in Judaism and Yogic teachings and have been involved with the Jewish Yoga Network from inception.

Ida Unger - Ida has taught Iyengar yoga for over 30 years. She connects the poses and the holy Hebrew letters, as both systems offer shapes that connect heaven and earth. www.Kosheryoga.net

Jenna Zadaka - Jenna blends Jewish ancient wisdom with mindfulness and movement practices into feminine, rejuvenating yoga sequences. www.breathandsoul.net

Lisa L. Levine - A well known cantor, composer, poet, author, Rabbinic Pastor, chaplain and recording artist. She is the author of “Yoga Shalom” a popular Jewish Yoga and prayer embodiment book/DVD/CD and "Sound of Your Soul" . www.cantorlisalevine.com

Julie Emden - Julie is the Founding Director of Embodied Jewish Learning in the San Francisco Bay Area. She works as a Jewish educator, Iyengar-based yoga instructor and movement/expressive artist, and guides others in exploring Jewish wisdom, text and practices via the body. www.embodiedjewishlearning.org/

Marcus J Freed - Marcus is co-founder of the Jewish Yoga Network, event organiser, and award-winning author of several bestselling books - The Kosher Sutras: A Yogi’s Guide to the Torah, The Kabbalah Sutras: A Yogi’s Guide to Counting the Omer and The Festive Sutras: A Yogi’s Guide to Shabbat and Jewish Festivals. He has taught Jewishly-inspired yoga for over 100 Jewish communities in 18 countries. www.marcusjfreed.com

Maxine Levy - Maxine is a co-founder of Jewish Mindfulness Meditation is a unique voice within Alyth Synagogue, a Jewish Reform community in London. It offers a space to uplift the spirit, clear the mind and create fresh purpose for our lives from a Jewish perspective. https://bit.ly/2QHCjRv

Rabbi Yonah Bookstein - Rabbi Yonah is an internationally recognized spiritual leader and organizer with 26 years experience in Jewish community leadership, non-profits, informal education, and immersive Jewish experiences. He is the co-founder of Pico Shul, Shabbat Tent, and Kesher Institute. www.kesherseminar.com/

Roland Brandman - Roland is the chairman of HaMakom, the leading British charity for Jewish mindfulness and meditation. He is also a professional chazzan, a lawyer and a member of the Athenaeum Club. He is currently writing a book on Jewish foundations for a meditative spirituality. www.hamakom.community

Steve Gold - Steve has been an inquiring, practicing and teaching Jewish Yogi for 45 years. Emphasis on meditation/yoga beyond the mat, connections between Torah and Veda spirituality. www.yajcenter.blogspot.com

PARTNER ORGANISATIONS

BIBLIYOGA www.bibliyoga.com

BREATH AND SOUL www.breathandsoul.net

CANTOR LISA LEVINE www.cantorlisalevine.com

EMBODIED JEWISH LEARNING www.embodiedjewishlearning.org/

HAMAKOM https://hamakom.community/

FREEDTHINKING www.freedthinking.com

JEWISH MINDFULNESS MEDITATION https://bit.ly/2QHCjRv

KABALAH YOGA www.kabalahyoga.com

KESHER INSTITUTE https://kesherseminar.com/

KOSHER YOGA www.kosheryoga.net

LEV SHALEM YOGA https://sharonepsteinyoga.com/lev-shalem

ROI COMMUNITY www.roicommunity.org/

SHABBHAKTI www.shabbhakti.com

TORAH YOGA www.torahyoga.com

TORAH-VEDA www.yajcenter.blogspot.com