NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT. August 18 22, gwa, 'kukt cwh-wj

Transcription

1 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT August 18 22, 2010 gwa, 'kukt cwh-wj

2 Welcome S halom and welcome to the Fifth Annual Sinai Scholars National Retreat! We hope that you are as excited as we are for this special opportunity to unite students from across North America in five days of learning and inspiration. We trust that the luxurious accommodations at the Hyatt Regency Hotel will make your stay as comfortable as possible. Please enjoy access to the shops and cafés in the Reston Town Center. Take advantage of our pool, sauna, Roman Spa, Fitness Center, fullservice Business Center and hotel shops throughout the retreat. Recreational activities in the program include a boat ride on the Potomac, a visit to the Air and Space Museum, and access to the Reston town center. Our exceptional faculty has been drawn from across the globe to bring you the best both in Jewish scholarship and leadership. During the retreat, you will have the privilege to learn from such exceptional personalities as Mr. Nathan Lewin, Esq. one of the top lawyers in America, Rabbi Simon Jacobson director of the Meaningful Life Center, Mrs. Rivka Slonim, international author and renowned speaker, Mr. George Allen, the former governor and senator of the state of Virginia, and Mr. George Rohr, the principal benefactor of the Sinai Scholars Society. We will be offering a wide range of classes covering topics as diverse as Nazi hunting and food technology, dating and leadership skills, Kabalistic quantum physics and Jewish humor. All these personalities and areas of inquiry will promote your investigation of this year s retreat theme to help you continue to build Your Jewish Story. We hope that you will enjoy the outstanding range of learning and activities at this year s retreat. We are here to help make your stay both meaningful and comfortable, please come to us with any THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 3

3 Welcome questions or concerns you may have. Please don t hesitate to contact any of our staff with any of your concerns. For added security, and so everyone can get to know you, please wear your nametags at all times. Thank you for coming, those who ve traveled far, and those who came from near by to share in the exceptional experiences of the Sinai Scholars National Retreat! Looking forward to our time together, On behalf of the Sinai Scholars Retreat staff and faculty: Rabbi Yitzchok Dubov Director, Sinai Scholars Society Miss Rachel Fertel Miss Hadassah Nazmiyal Sinai Scholars Retreat Coordinators Mr. and Mrs. Shmuli and Malka Shtulman Sinai Scholars Retreat Welcoming Committee How to use this program guide. You will find tags next to each session, refer to them to better understand the content and style of each session. This will help you choose sessions that will be most meaningful to you. Each session has been categorized by both content and style. Tags for content include: Jewish Fact/Info: where you will examine traditional Jewish texts or listen to historical and general Jewish content. Values/Ethics: Includes sessions that challenge life values and question world ethics through the lens of Torah. Inspiration: You will be exposed to a new life skill or inspired by personal journeys and challenges. Tags for style will help you anticipate the format of the session. Tags for style include: Lecture: Featuring more frontal lecturing with Q&A. Group Discussion: less lecture, more interactive or story based session. Hands On Story Text Based: Additional tags to help break down the style of the session. 4 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

4 Faculty Faculty Rabbi Zalman Abraham Author, Marketing Director, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute Mr. Andrew Aidman BA, Religion, Film - University of Miami The Hon. George Allen Former United States Senator; Former Governor of Virginia Mr. Bruce Backman Senior Research Analyst, Fox News; Retreat Coordinator, National Jewish Retreat; Former Aide, Former New York Governor George Pataki Rabbi Hillel Baron Director, Lubavitch Center of Howard County Rabbi Berel Bell Judge, Rabbinical Court of Montreal; Dean, Kollel Beis Yosef for Advanced Talmudic Studies; Author, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute Rabbi Moshe Bryski Director, Chabad of the Conejo (Agoura Hills, CA); Founder, Conejo Jewish Academy Mrs. Matty Bryski Co-Director, Chabad of the Conejo (Agoura Hills, CA) Rabbi Boruch Cohen Coordinator, JLI National Jewish Retreat Mrs. Batsheva Cohen Co-Director, Chabad of Hebron, Israel Rabbi Danny Cohen Director, Chabad of Hebron, Israel Rabbi Shalom Deitsch Director, Chabad-Lubavitch of Northern Virginia Rabbi Levi Deitsch Director, Chabad of Tysons Corner, VA Mrs. Chanie Deitsch Co-Director, Chabad-Lubavitch of Northern Virginia Mrs. Chavi Epstein Co-Director, Chabad Lubavitch of South Carolina; Lecturer and Musician; Founder, Niggun Workshop Seminar THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 5

5 Faculty Rabbi Hesh Epstein Chairman, Executive Committee, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute; Chairman, The National Jewish Retreat; Executive Director, Chabad Lubavitch of South Carolina; Executive Director, Columbia Jewish Day School Rabbi Leibel Fajnland Director, Chabad-Lubavitch of Reston and Herndon, VA Rabbi Tzvi Freeman Team Leader, Ask the Rabbi, Chabad.org; Author and Lecturer Mr. Bradley Gordon Director, Policy and Governmental Affairs, The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Dr. Gill Heart Biomedical Engineer; Entrepreneur and Lecturer; Former Commanding Officer, Special Forces, Israel Defense Force Rabbi Avrohom Jacks Rabbi, Cong. Zichron Kedoshim, Montreal, Canada Cantor Sholom Jacobs Concert and recording artist; guest chazzan, U.S. and worldwide; Chazzan, Chabad of the Five Towns (NY); President and CEO, Jacobs Real Estate Advisors, Lawrence, NY Rabbi Simon Jacobson Director, Meaningful Life Center; Author, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute; Noted Author, Lecturer, Social Commentator Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky Vice Chairman, Merkos L Inyonei Chinuch Lubavitch World Headquarters; Chairman, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute; Chairman, International Conference of Shluchim Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky Member of The Secretariat of The Lubavitcher Rebbe; Chairman, Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, and Machne Israel, the educational and social services arms of Chabad Lubavitch; Rabbi Krinsky was named by Newsweek as the most influential Rabbi in America. Mr. Nathan Lewin, Esq. Prominent Washington, D.C. Attorney; Renowned Advocate for First Amendment Rights; Former American President, International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists; Lewin & Lewin, LLP 6 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

6 Faculty Rabbi Nissan Mangel Philosopher, Author, Lecturer; Authority on Kabbalah, Chabad Chasidut, the Holocaust (survivor), and Jewish Jurisprudence Rabbi Efraim Mintz Executive Director, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute Mrs. Shaina B. Mintz Camp Director, National Jewish Retreat; Faculty Member, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute Mr. Eli Rosenbaum Attorney and Investigator, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Special Investigations (WWII Era Crimes); Author Mr. George Rohr President, New Century Holdings; Chairman, The Rohr Family Foundation; Principal Benefactor, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute Professor Jonathan Sarna Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University; Director, Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program, Brandeis University; Chief Historian, National Museum of American Jewish History (Philadelphia); Member, Academic Advisory Board, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute Rabbi Levi Shemtov Director, American Friends of Lubavitch (Washington, DC) Rabbi Yitzchak Shochet Rabbi, Mill Hill Synagogue, England; Lecturer and Author Mrs. Rivkah Slonim Co-Director, Chabad House at Binghamton University (NY); Author, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute; Author and Lecturer Rabbi Eliezer Sneiderman Director, Chabad Center for Jewish Life, University of Delaware Mrs. Miryam Swerdlov International Lecturer; Teacher of Jewish History Mrs. Shimona Tzukernik Founder and Director, Omek Learning Center for Women; Author, The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, Corporate Trainer, Lecturer, Mentor Rabbi Simcha Weinstein Director, Chabad of Clinton Hill and Pratt University (NY); Author THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 7

7 Faculty Arts and Entertainment Avraham Fried International Chassidic recording and concert artist Stuart Greenwald Wines and spirits expert; Kosher Specialist, Shoppers Vineyard Joshua London Wines and spirits expert; Lecturer, Writer, Teacher Michoel Muchnik Chassidic Artist and Illustrator Jamey Turner Glass Harpist Marc Weiner Comedian, Puppeteer, Creator, Producer Creator and Former Host, Weinerville (MTV ) Staff Rabbi Shlomie Chein Director, Chabad at University of California, S. Cruz Rabbi Yitzchok Dubov Director, Sinai Scholars Society Rabbi Dovid Gurevitch Director, Chabad at UCLA Rabbi Eliezer Sneiderman Director, Chabad at University of Delaware Rabbi Adam Stein Director, Chabad at SUNY and Stony Brook Rabbi Yisroel Wilhelm Director, Chabad at University of Colorado Mrs. Deena Dubov Co-director, Sinai Scholars Society Mrs. Roni Sneiderman Co-director, Chabad at University of Delaware Mrs. Chana Tiechtel Co-director, Chabad at Arizona State University 8 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

8 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18 kukt wj

9 Wednesday 4:00-6:15pm 4:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:15 p.m. Orientation and Introduction to Retreat theme Regency Ballroom Presenter: Sinai Scholars Staff and Faculty Welcome to the luxurious Four-Diamond Hyatt Regency in Reston, Virginia for the fifth annual Sinai Scholars National Retreat. Once you have registered at our welcome desk at the hotel entrance, and received your room key, get settled and stop at The Conservatory center café for some delicious refreshments. This will be followed by an orientation in which the speakers will introduce our retreat theme: Your Jewish Story, an over-arching frame through which you can contextualize your many dynamic experiences here over the next five days. At the orientation you will also be split into smaller groups in order to foster a greater sense of community within the larger conference. Orientation begins at 4:00 p.m. in the Regency Ballroom. We look forward to meeting you there! Mincha Grand Ballroom EFG Wine Tasting Grand Ballroom Foyer Joshua E. London Joshua London has been drinking, writing and speaking professionally about wines and spirits for well over a decade. As the spirits lecturer for TasteDC, a food and drink educational and social organization in the Washington, DC area, Josh has conducted dozens of wine and whisky tastings as well as taught classes on kosher wines and the kashrus issues of Scotch, whisky, and other spirits. Join us and learn why the Talmud says, There is no gladness without wine. Our sincerest thanks to the Kedem Wine Company for their generous donation of products for this wine tasting session. Dinner Grand ballroom ABCD Entertainment: Glass Harpist Jamey Turner 10 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

10 Wednesday 6:15-8:15pm Guest Speaker: The Hunter Grand ballroom ABCD Mr. Eli Rosenbaum, Esq. America s greatest Nazi hunter recounts his efforts working with the U.S. Department of Justice to identify, investigate, and prosecute Nazi war criminals. Born ten years after the fall of Nazi Germany, Rosenbaum has dedicated the past 30 years of his life to bringing Nazi war crimes to justice. His stories are sure to thrill and inform you. 8:15 p.m. Ice Breakers! Lake Anne AB/Lake Audubon Presenters: Sinai Scholars Staff and Faculty Haven t bonded yet through Jewish geography? Beyond simply telling us your favorite ice cream flavor, these ice breakers will make schmoozing easy and warm the air in no time. Group Reflections Lake Anne AB/Lake Audubon Is your mind boggled by all this new information? Is your head spinning by the end of the day? Are you wandering around the hotel lobby in search of some down-time to reflect? Great. These student-driven nightly meetings were designed to help you tie your experiences here into your own life, giving you time to reflect in a casual atmosphere through provocative group lead discussions and arguments. This is a place to ask all your questions, give personal feedback to newly learned material and to keep everything you are learning applicable. At the end of this session you will also pre-register for sessions to give you an opportunity to think ahead so you can pick the session that is best for you. Sinai Scholars Farbrengens Location: TBD Le chaim! Join us and Farbrengen the night away in a warm and intimate atmosphere. Welcome to those who already know and love Farbrengens as well as to Farbrengen first-timers. This is an opportunity not to be missed. You will quickly taste the joy of Chasidic flavor after a couple of Jewish jokes, beautiful stories, and lively songs, and somewhere along the way you are sure to fall in love with this Chasidic traditional schmoozing session! THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 11

11 Wednesday 10:25-11:50am

12 Wednesday 11:50am-2:00pm Do You Believe in Angels? Regency B Rabbi Moshe Bryski Throughout the Bible, Rabbinic teachings, and liturgical prayers, references are made to G-d s angels, appointed to fulfill specific functions and tasks. This workshop will go THURSDAY, AUGUST 19 kukt wy beyond the abstract concept of the Holy Hosts, beckoning us to recognize the presence of angels in our own lives. A most inspirational and uplifting exercise. Your Money or Your Life: Recalibrating Values in a Global Recession Lake Thoreau Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan National bailouts, economic recession and Ponzi schemes: What is the world coming to? The Talmud relates that at the end of our lives we are each asked, Did you conduct your business affairs with honesty? This session will provide a look at the Torah s views on white collar crimes and the people who commit them. It s Not Your Grandmother s Gefilte Fish: Kosher Cooking with Chef Jack Lake Fairfax Chef Jack Silberstein Award-winning Chef Jack Silberstein is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America and has held

13 Thursday 7:30-8:00am 7:30 a.m. Hands-on Meditation and Movement Lake Anne A Hadassah Nazmiyal We ve been invigorating our minds and neshamas. What about the body? If you enjoyed our last class join us again in this healing workout. Learn stretches geared to invigorate and align the body, as well as poses for muscular strengthening, and techniques for self-massage and Qi Gong! For women only. 7:45 a.m. Men s Beginners Services Lake Fairfax Do you ever feel lost in the synagogue? Does the Hebrew liturgy swim before your eyes? Join us for a special beginners service for those looking to gain a deeper appreciation of the basics of prayer, and the how-tos of talking to G-d. Women s Beginners Services Lake Thoreau Mrs. Chavi Epstein Mrs. Epstein uses her skills as a musician and teacher to help you gain a deeper personal appreciation of the Modeh Ani, morning blessings, and the first paragraph of the Shema. Increase your familiarity and fluency with these prayers through song.. Shacharit Grand Ballroom EFG A traditional minyan, paced appropriately for those fluent in Hebrew reading and who regularly participate in organized prayer. 8:00 a.m. Breakfast Grand Ballroom ABCD 14 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

14 Thursday 9:00-am 9:00 a.m. Jewish Fact/Info Inspiration Hands-on Story Values/Ethics Inspiration Lecture Story Jewish Fact/Info Text based Lecture Mind in Control - Behind Enemy Lines Lake Audubon Dr. Gill Hart Learn, practice and acquire a Kabbalah-based Mind In Control technique to deal with stress, taught by a former commanding officer of a Special Forces, commando unit in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Jewish at Harvard Law in the 1950 s Lake Anne A Mr. Nathan Lewin, Esq. Nat Lewin is one of the top lawyers in the country. He has done extensive work in his field, and in particular will share with us some of his background dealing with 1st amendment issues. He will also paint us a picture of his time at Harvard Law in the 1950 s, and describe the highlights and lowlights of his experiences being Jewish on campus. He will share his story, the challenges and struggles he faced and most importantly how he dealt with them and through his persistence, transcended them. Quantum Torah: Physics and Torah Untangled Lake Anne B Rabbi Zalman M. Abraham We stand at the brink of a new age as we witness the mysterious world of quantum physics opening up before our eyes, divulging secrets that attest to the truths of centuries-old kabbalistic constructs. Just how unified are we with the matter that inhabits our universe? Can our positive thoughts actually create a positive reality? In this session we explore ideas in quantum physics and their parallels in kabbalistic thought as we seek to understand the fabric of our universe and how it can enhance the way we live our lives. THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 15

15 Thursday 10:25am 10:25 a.m. Jewish Fact/Info Lecture Inspiration Group Discussion The Chozrim: Psyche Shabbat Scribes of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Lake Audubon Rabbi Simon Jacobson In this session, Simon Jacobson, a veteran speaker of world renown and the director of the Meaningful Life Center in New York, who was himself a member of the chozrim (A network of people charged with the awesome task of transcribing from memory forty years of the Rebbe s profound and academically exhaustive 4-8 hour talks for posterity) will share with us his incredible experiences and the life long lessons in bittul (selfnullification), focus, and integrity that he has taken from his work. Humility is not as many believe, degrading. As a wellknown quote goes, humility is not thinking less of yourself, just thinking of yourself less. Without the practice of bittul, Rabbi Jacobson s work would have been impossible. Through his talk he reveals to us both how the whole apparatus of Chozrim functioned, and the even more compelling information about his personal methods of retaining deep, and many times completely revolutionary insights by exercising and focusing his mind. He describes how it is possible to actually change the natural tendencies of one s mind that integrate, color and distort information and teaches the techniques he employed to retain information in its purest form, to master the rare and everincreasingly valuable skill of truly listening. Shtick Shift Lake Anne A Rabbi Simcha Weinstein Join Rabbi Weinstein, a Rabbi, and humorist on this hilarious session on the history and context of American Jewish humor. It is hard to overstate the influence Jewish people have had on modern comedy from Groucho Marx, to Adam Sandler, to Seinfeld and Jon Stuart. The second-generation immigrants who became Borscht Belt tummlers pretty much invented stand-up as we know it, with rhythms and a style that resonate down the decades after all, what is stand-up but formalized kvetching? 16 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

16 Thursday 10:25-11:50am Hands-on Mitzvah Workshop Series 1 of 3 Lake Anne B Rabbi Hillel Baron In this special hands-on session series, learn about kosher food, make your own shofar and practice scribal arts in three unique workshops. In the first session, called Kosher Kreations, you will explore the complexities of modern kashrut, see how easy it is to find kosher food anywhere, find out how to keep a kosher kitchen at home or in your dorm and get a behind-thescenes glimpse of how the Hyatt Regency became kosher for six days for the National Jewish Retreat. 11:50 a.m. Values/Ethics Inspiration Lecture Group Discussion Jewish Fact/Info Group Discussion Text Based Israel and the Iranian Nuclear Threat Lake Audubon Mr. Bradley Gordon Political science majors, Israel lovers, and truly all thinking, and concerned Jews alike should find this session extremely illuminating whether or not you have been following the news. Israel says it would regard an Iranian nuclear weapons capability as an intolerable threat to its survival. America argues for restraint, encouraging sanctions, negotiations and implicit threats of military action to stop Iran s illicit nuclear program. How successful has this strategy been? What are Israel s alternatives? When speaking about writing your personal Jewish story stay informed and up to date on what s happening in the world as it pertains to our Jewish homeland now is just the latest chapter in a 3,000-year-old nationwide Jewish story. Don t Believe It! The role of faith in your life. Lake Anne A Rabbi Yehudah Shemtov Can I be a good Jew if I struggle with faith? Is faith a crutch deployed when all else fails or is it the roadmap to successful living? In Jewish tradition, faith is more than just believing in the Creator of the universe. It s about accessing and feeling an extraordinary power in every fiber of your being. This engaging lecture will take you on an exciting journey into your inner space and to a vantage point of clearer perspective of life s opportunities and challenges. THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 17

17 Thursday 11:50am-3:30pm Hands-on Mitzvah Workshop Series 2 of 3 Lake Anne B Rabbi Hillel Baron If you enjoyed part one in the mitzvah workshop series join us for Shofar Spectacular, where you can make your own real shofar and discover why blowing a ram s horn is the central mitzvah for the approaching holiday of Rosh Hashana. 1:15 p.m. Lunch 2:00 p.m. Values/Ethics Inspiration Lecture Group Discussion 3:30 p.m. Values/Ethics Inspiration Group Discussion Story Grand Ballroom ABCD Rabbi Shalom Deitsch Welcome, on behalf of Chabad of Northern VA The Qualities of Leadership Lake Anne AB Presenters: Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky and Mr. George Rohr In this exclusive session for Sinai Scholars students, listen as Rabbi Kotlarsky and Mr. Rohr, underwriter of the Sinai Scholars Society, address what it means to be a Jewish leader and philanthropist. This is a rare privilege to meet with the men who have made Sinai Scholars possible. Welcome to Fox Jews Lake Anne A Mr. Bruce Backman Mr. Backman is a research analyst for Fox News who gradually became more observant on a journey that took him from Montreal to New York, where he began by working as a political/policy researcher for former Senate candidate Rick Lazio, and now works as the personal research analyst for the director of Fox News. He will share interesting stories about integrating Torah into his everyday life while holding a highpowered job, and balancing his friends, family, and other responsibilities. 18 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

18 Thursday 3:30-4:45pm Values/Ethics Text Based Group Discussion Jewish Fact/Info Inspiration Lecture Text Based 4:45 pm Jewish Fact/Info Values/Ethics Lecture Text Based Stories Series Part I: Ethics Lake Audubon Rabbi Eliezer Sneiderman In this unique series, Rabbi Sneiderman analyzes and juxtaposes different texts as they pertain to ethics, family, success and failure. In Part One he focuses on connecting Biblical stories to Jewish ethical teachings, and in the process reminds us about the powerful relationship we experience with these ancient stories, and the palpable effect they still have on our daily lives. Getting High on the High Holidays Lake Anne B Mrs. Chana Deitsch Phases and aspects of our year are reflected and effected by what we do during the High Holidays. In this class, discover the impetus to everything that happens in your year and how you can control it. Mrs. Deitsch uncovers the relationships between different sections of the Holiday services, and different times of the year, emotions, and areas of our lives. Get inspired for the holidays with a fresh, more introspective, relevant and meaningful guide to High Holiday services! Taking Charge in an Era of Volatility Lake Anne A Rabbi Leibel Fajnland Rabbi Fajnland takes us through a journey outlining the Jewish ideal of leadership. Using Adam as our guide, we will revisit Eden. If you have questions about how Eden is relevant to our inconstant modern world, this is the class for you. This session will include a discussion about the beginning of time, when everything was perfect, except one thing: free will. Learn more about why God, in a stroke of artistic genius created an imperfect world, and reveal the perhaps just as intriguing story of how the choices Adam and Eve made in a few hours changed the course of human history. A serpent, a mysterious Tree of Life, two almost angelic beings living in a garden of complete paradise: What is this story really about? Is it truly as simplistic as it seems at first glance? What did Adam and Eve actually want to achieve by eating from the Tree? Explore the behind the scenes story while you revisit an era of volatility. THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 19

19 Thursday 4:45-5:45pm Values/Ethics Inspiration Group Discussion Hands On Inspiration Story Hands On Tame Your Emotional Roller Coaster Lake Audubon Rabbi Avrohom Jacks, Certified Rabbi and Life Coach This session is structured as a practical guide for applying Jewish wisdom to the challenging task of navigating emotions such as anxiety, stress, anger, jealousy and love. What does the Torah prescribe as a remedy for balancing our lives and refining our characters? What tools for emotional growth can I take home from this conference? Mitzvah Workshop Series 3 of 3 Lake Anne B Rabbi Hillel Baron Last, but certainly not least, join us for session three of the mitzvah workshops! In Scribe Jive you will investigate the similarities between tefillin, Torah scrolls and mezuzot, learn to cut and write with your own quill and make your Jewish name on a piece of parchment. Soul Strings: The Secret Power of Chassidic Song (For women only) Lake Thoreau Mrs. Chavi Epstein A special workshop for women that will generate joy and energy, empowering women to access their own simchah through the nigunim, traditional chassidic melodies. Through short stories, chassidic insights, and group melody, become inspired and develop a deeper connection to G-d. 5:45 p.m. Inspiration Group Discussion Hands On Group Reflections Lake Anne AB/Lake Audubon Is your mind boggled by all this new information? Is your head spinning by the end of the day? Are you wandering around the hotel lobby in search of some down-time to reflect? Great. These student-driven nightly meetings were designed to help you tie your experiences here into your own life, giving you time to reflect in a casual atmosphere through provocative group lead discussions and arguments. This is a place to ask all your questions, give personal feedback to newly learned material and to keep everything you are learning applicable. At the end of each session you will also pre-register for sessions for the next day to give you an opportunity to think ahead so you can pick the session that is best for you. 20 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

20 Thursday 5:45-8:30pm Mincha Grand Ballroom EFG Art Exhibit Grand Ballroom Foyer Scotch Tasting Grand Ballroom Foyer Our sincerest thanks to Shopper s Vineyard Wine and Spirits for their generous donation of products for this Scotch tasting session, and to Stuart Greenwald for his expert assistance. 6:30 p.m. Dinner Grand Ballroom ABCD Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky Greetings Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky JLI: The Ultimate Jewish Learning Experience Keynote Address George Allen, Former Governor and Former U.S. Senator from Virginia Former Governor and U.S. Senator George Allen believes that one of the pillars of a free and just society is religious freedom. From his time as Governor through his term in the U.S. Senate, he has exhibited a great understanding and appreciation for religious tolerance and freedom, including when he learned of his Jewish heritage and the story of his mother surviving Nazi rule in Tunisia. 8:30 p.m. Avraham Fried in Concert Grand Ballroom EFG and Corridor Master of Ceremonies: Rabbi Moshe Bryski Join us for an unforgettable mix of traditional and modern Jewish music with Chassidic superstar Avraham Fried. Experience the exuberant joy of group song and dance. THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 21

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23 Thursday 9:45-11:00pm 9:45 p.m. SHARP 11:00 p.m. Meet in lobby to board busses to cruise Capital in Lights: Midnight Cruise What could be more exciting than having your own yacht for the evening? What could be more breathtaking than viewing the nation s capital from the water? We may not agree on much here in the District of Partisanship, but here s one truism we can all get behind: You don t ever want to drink the water from the Potomac - but you definitely want to drink on the Potomac every chance you get. Join us for a magnificent evening; our Thursday midnight cruise in the Capital. We ll set sail from the Washington Marina just below the National Mall and pass by the Presidential Yacht, the Titanic Memorial and General s Row. We ll continue around East Potomac Park and continue up monuments way. Finally, we ll position the boat center stage, between the Jefferson Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Sit back with a cold drink in your hand and watch while the country s greatest monuments are lit up. The Potomac will never feel more like the Seine. Bon voyage! Maariv 24 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

24 Thursday 3:30-4:45pm FRIDAY, AUGUST 20 kukt wh

25 Friday 7:30-8:00am 7:30 a.m. Hands-on Meditation and Movement Lake Anne A Hadassah Nazmiyal We ve been invigorating our minds and neshamas. What about the body? If you enjoyed our last class join us again in this healing workout. Learn stretches geared to invigorate and align the body, as well as poses for muscular strengthening, and techniques for self-massage and Qi Gong! For women only. 7:45 a.m. Shacharit Grand Ballroom EFG A traditional minyan paced appropriately for those fluent in Hebrew reading and who regularly participate in organized prayer. Men s Beginners Services Lake Fairfax Do you ever feel lost in the synagogue? Does the Hebrew liturgy swim before your eyes? Join us for a special beginners service, for those looking to gain a deeper appreciation of the basics of prayer, and the how-tos of talking to G-d. Women s Beginners Services Lake Thoreau Mrs. Matty Bryski Gain a deeper personal appreciation of the Morning Prayer service, through discussion of key daily prayers. Increase your familiarity and fluency with selected prayers, through the power of music, dance, and song. 8:00 a.m. Breakfast Grand Ballroom ABCD 26 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

26 Friday 9:00-10:25am 9:00 a.m. Values/Ethics Inspiration Group Discussion Story Jewish Fact/Info Lecture Story Jewish Fact/Info Lecture Story Text Based Chassidic Art: Personal Story on Canvas Lake Anne A Michoel Muchnik Michoel Muchnik, through his artwork, has followed the Rebbe s ideal for what art should achieve. He has taken the brush, paint, canvas and clay and implanted within them a spiritual life force. Experience for yourself the delight of Mr. Muchnik s masterful artistic skill combined with and energized by the teachings of Chassidus. You Are What You Eat?! Lake Anne B Rabbi Berel Bell Are You What You Eat? If so, you might be in serious trouble. Learn about what they re really putting in your food and how Judaism deals with the revolution in modern food technology. A Crash Course in Jewish History Lake Audubon Mrs. Miryam Swerdlov Do you ever get confused about who did what when? Come, journey through the 3,000 years of Jewish history and discover through laughter and tears the amazing story of the Jewish nation. 10:25 a.m. Hands On Challah Baking Grand Ballroom Mrs. Chavi Epstein and Mrs. Matty Bryski In general, challah refers to the two loaves of bread that form the core of the Shabbat meal. But in its more basic and halachic meaning, challah is the piece of dough that is separated and consecrated to G-d every time we bake bread. Replete with spiritual meaning, it is one of the three primary mitzvot of the Jewish woman. For more than a hundred generations, Jewish women have fulfilled this beautiful and life-transforming mitzvah. THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 27

27 Friday 10:20am-11:50am/1:00pm Inspiration Lecture Jewish Leaders: Holy Heroes or Human Beings? Lake Audubon Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet This session presents portraits of figures from Jewish history, such as Adam, the Patriarchs and Moses. We will be exploring what made them unique. Were the spiritual super-stars in the Torah stories some rare breed of superhero, or were they natural and yet completely actualized human beings? We will consider the question, What makes a Jewish leader by examining their heroism and spiritual loftiness and consider whether we can ever become the same by searching for the hero inside ourselves. Authentic Yeshiva Session 10:20 11:25 a.m. Jewish Fact/Info Values/Ethics Group Discussion Lecture Text Based Story The Love Triangle: Part I Lake Anne A Mrs. Rivka Slonim Rachel, Leah and Jacob: A struggle of Cosmic Forces Tricked by his father-in-law, Jacob married not just two wives but two sisters! In this environment, he and his wives raised the twelve tribes of Israel. This text-based, quick-paced study uncovers the profound strata of meaning within one of the most enigmatic stories in the Bible. Part I of two sessions. 11:35 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Jewish Fact/Info Values/Ethics Group Discussion Lecture Text Based Story The Love Triangle: Part II Lake Anne A Mrs. Rivka Slonim Rachel, Leah and Jacob: A struggle of Cosmic Forces Tricked by his father-in-law, Jacob married not just two wives but two sisters! In this environment, he and his wives raised the twelve tribes of Israel. This text based, quick-paced study uncovers the profound strata of meaning within one of the most enigmatic stories in the Bible. Part II of two sessions. 28 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

28 Friday 11:50am-2:00pm 11:50 a.m. Workshop Values/Ethics Inspiration Group Discussion Story Jewish Fact/Info Inspiration Lecture Story From Krakow to Krypton: Jews, Comics and the Creation of the Superhero Lake Anne B Rabbi Simcha Weinstein Comic-book heroes like Batman and Superman disguise themselves to save the world, but are they also disguising their Jewish values? Hevron Past, Present and Future Lake Audubon Rabbi & Mrs Danny Cohen Rabbi and Rebbetzin Cohen give us a first hand account of living with the brave settlers who established the modern Jewish community in Hebron. They will illustrate for us the reality of living daily under the constant threat of terror. They will also speak about the unique role of the Chabad Shliach in Hebron, serving chicken soup to soldiers on rooftop guard duty Friday nights, erecting a giant Menorah on the hill of Abu Sneneh and reviving the study of Chassidus in the city that was once the Chabad capital of Eretz Yisroel. 1:00 p.m. Lunch 2:00 p.m. Values/Ethics Text Based Group Discussion Grand Ballroom ABCD Welcome, from Rabbi Levi Shemtov, American Friends of Lubavitch in Washington, DC: Capital Sparks Inside Tidbits of Chabad s Presence in the Nation s Capital. Stories Series Part II: Family Lake Audubon Rabbi Eliezer Sniederman In this unique series, Rabbi Sneiderman analyzes and juxtaposes different texts as they pertain to ethics, family, success and failure. In Part Two he focuses on the idea of family within Judaism and the Biblical representations and images of family life. In our process of discovery we see once again the powerful connection we experience with these ancient stories, and the palpable effect they still have on our daily lives. THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 29

29 Friday 2:00-3:10pm Jewish Fact/Info Values/Ethics Group Discussion Story Inspiration Jewish Fact/Info Lecture Make His-Story Your Story: Find Yourself in the Bible Lake Anne A Rabbi Shlomie Chein The Torah was written over 3,000 years ago and I m living in 2010! How can the Torah possibly understand or relate to my contemporary struggles? In this class you will learn how to see your own modern day dilemmas in the Biblical narrative. Take a deeper look as you discover the Torah s timeless relevance, and apply its lessons - even miracles - to your current challenges. We will use the little known story of Elisha and the poor woman as a case study illustrating the narrative s personal relevance in what was once perhaps perceived as a one-dimensional historical reading. Death and Mourning Traditions and Life On The Other Side Lake Anne B Rabbi Yisroel Wilhelm Learn to cope with the most difficult times in life in a uniquely Jewish way. Nothing can make dealing with death easy. Torah however, provides us with an incredible support system of traditions, community, and an entire infrastructure of opportunities for introspection. Through tradition we better understand the different phases of mourning. We don t get stuck in our grief, but instead know the times to appropriately mourn in a healthy way, and the times to pick ourselves up from our desire to linger in loss and return to life. We will also consider many things related to the passing of souls from this world. What does death mean? Where do souls go once they leave our bodies? And most urgently for us, what do we, who are left behind do in this world? 3:10 p.m. Special Excursion Meet in the lobby Rabbi Zalman Abraham Explore the outer limits at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum-Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Opened in December, 2003, this world class facility houses the largest collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world. Glimpse the Apollo 11 Command Module, Columbia. View the famous Enola Gay. 30 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

30 Friday 3:10pm-5:45pm Values/Ethics Text Based Group Discussion Values/Ethics Text Based Group Discussion Stories Series, Part III: Success and Failure Lake Anne A Rabbi Eliezer Sniederman In this unique series, Rabbi Sneiderman analyzes and juxtaposes different texts as they pertain to ethics, family, success and failure. In Part Three he focuses on the everprevalent concepts of success and failure, from the perspective of a keen Jewish eye, guided once again by the rich stories of the Biblical narrative. In our process of discovery we see once again the powerful connection we experience with these ancient stories, and the palpable effect they still have on our daily lives. Mystic Marriage Lake Anne B Mr. Andrew Aidman We all know that Judaism believes in marriage, but all too often the path to your other half is paved in struggle. In this lecture we will first take a look at the more mystical side of the male/ female relationship, and then focus on the practical aspects. Does Judaism believe in soul mates? Why did God create two sexes? Does Judaism offer any advice for making a relationship last? These and many other questions will be addressed in this class. 4:15 p.m. Free Time to Prepare for Shabbat 5:00 p.m. Pre-Shabbat Reception Ballroom Foyer 5:45 p.m. Group Photo Grand Ballroom EFG Shabbat: A Taste of the World to Come Grand Ballroom EFG Mrs. Rivkah Slonim The sages of the kabbalah speak of Shabbat as time when Za and Nukvah the masculine and feminine were united. Gain a deeper understanding of these esoteric terms in a kabbalistic look at gender relations, Shabbat, and the world to come. THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 31

31 Friday 6:45-9:45pm 6:45 p.m. Candle Lighting Ballroom Foyer The Shabbat candles have ushered the holiness of Shabbat into the Jewish home for thousands of years, ever since the matriarch Sarah illuminated her tent with her Friday night lights. The primary functions of the Shabbat candles are to bring peace and tranquility into the home, and to enhance our enjoyment of the Shabbat meal, revealing the unseen and intangible G-dly energy which permeates our existence. Welcoming the Shabbat Queen Ballroom Foyer Mrs. Miryam Swerdlov Gain a deeper understanding of Shabbat and the feminine soul, in this special talk during the mystical twilight hours that bridge the mundane and the Divine. Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat Grand Ballroom EFG Cantor Sholom Jacobs 7:45 p.m. Shabbat Dinner 9:45 p.m. Inspiration Group Discussion Hands On Grand Ballroom ABCD Keynote Address: American Jewry: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Rabbi Yitzchak Shochet Dessert Ballroom Foyer Fabrengens/Group Reflection: Lake Anne AB/Lake Audubon The usual informal nightly meetings will be happening around the farbrengen table tonight. Reflect in a casual atmosphere through provocative discussions, and arguments. This is a place to ask all your questions, give personal feedback to newly learned material and to keep everything you are learning relevant. 32 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

32 Tuesday Friday 7:30-8:45pm SHABBAT, AUGUST 21 kukt twh

33 Shabbat 7:30-9:15am 7:30 a.m. Light morning snack Grand Ballroom ABCD 8:30 a.m. Workshops Living With the Times: Chassidic Insights on Parshat Ki Teitzei Regency B Mrs. Rivkah Slonim Get a glimpse at the insights and thoughts of the Lubavitcher Rebbe on the weekly Torah portion, as Mrs. Slonim analyzes the parshah in the light of the Rebbe s penetrating chassidic commentary. Tanya: The Surprising Power of Repentance Regency A Rabbi Shalom Raichik Does G-d really expect me to be perfect? What is my role in this world, and how can I perfect myself when I feel so flawed? Join Rabbi Raichik in applying the teachings of Tanya, the fundamental work of Chabad chassidic thought, in our daily struggles. 9:15 a.m. Davening Main Service Grand Ballroom EFG Shabbat morning prayers include two services: Shacharit ( morning prayer) and Musaf ( additional prayer). While prayer is a daily mitzvah, Shabbat is a truly opportune time for your soul to commune with her Creator, free as she is of the worries and concerns of the workaday world. Indeed, the Shabbat prayers exclude the usual requests for material sustenance and other physical needs, including instead more psalms and spiritually inspiring prayers all accompanied with each community s traditional Shabbat tunes. Men s Beginners Services Regency A Rabbi Elchonon Lisbon Do you ever feel lost in the synagogue? Does the Hebrew liturgy swim before your eyes? Join us for a special beginners service for those looking to gain a deeper appreciation of the basics of prayer, and the how-tos of talking to G-d. 34 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

34 Shabbat 9:15am-2:00pm Women s Beginners Service Regency B Mrs. Matty Bryski Gain a deeper personal appreciation of the Morning Prayer service, through discussion of key daily prayers. Increase your familiarity and fluency with selected prayers, through the power of music, dance, and song. 10:15 a.m. Sermon Grand Ballroom EFG The Power of Memories Rabbi Moshe Bryski Does it really matter that our children remember the Holocaust? The Jewish nation is not a people of history, as much as a people of memory. Memory is alive: intrinsic and personal. 12:00 p.m. Lunch 2:00 p.m. Values/Ethics Inspiration Group Discussion Grand Ballroom ABCD Keynote Address: Facing the Final Test Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky Women Only Perspectives on Love and Dating Lake Audubon Rivka Slonim, and Shluchos How does Judaism create a structure to support meaningful and fulfilling relationships? How are men s and women s needs addressed within the context of Jewish marriage? In this interactive workshop, we will explore Jewish attitudes toward love, marriage, and intimacy. THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 35

35 Shabbat 2:00-4:30pm Values/Ethics Inspiration Group Discussion Values/Ethics Inspiration Group Discussion Men only Session I What s her name again? :Exploring Goal- Oriented Relationships Lake Anne A Sinai Scholars Staff When a different girl every night isn t enough any more, what are the secrets to finding the right person? Why are divorce rates in traditional Jewish circles insignificant compared to secular American statistics? Is there a reason to stop and think before I keep dating? When popular media runs too shallow, where should I look for guidance? Is there anything relevant to my dating life in Judaism? This is an open session. Ask any questions you may have on topics ranging from dating, to sex, to love. Session II Underneath the Veil: A Closer Look at Jewish Marriage Lake Anne B Sinai Scholars Staff Are you interested to know more about the way orthodox Jews date? This session provides a brief how-to in the Jewish system of Shidduch dating. Do you get to see your bride before you marry her? What is the truth behind the hole in the sheet rumor? What is family purity? Why is it important to keep the laws of mikvah? These and many more topics will be discussed in this session. 3:15 p.m. Free Time 4:30 p.m. Values/Ethics Hands On Priorities! Lake Audubon Rabbi Yisroel Wilhelm & Rabbi Shlomie Chein To change it up, come to a game of quick decisions. Jump into a round of Priorities. Think fast on your feet because the cards are shuffled and pulled completely at random and you are going to have to make some fast choices! 36 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

36 Shabbat 4:30-7:30pm Farbrengens Men s Farbrengen Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? A Novel Approach to an Age-Old Question Regency AB Rabbi Yitzchak Shochet and Rabbi Berel Bell From the Holocaust to personal challenges, explore a sensitive approach to dealing with adversity and making sense of seemingly senseless human suffering. Women s Farbrengen Nourishing Myself, My Spouse, and My Family Lake Fairfax Mrs. Miryam Swerdlov Behind Closed Doors (For women only) Lake Thoreau Mrs. Rivkah Slonim Bring all the questions you ve hesitated to ask, to this Rap With the Rebbetzin session. No holds barred. 6:00 p.m. Keynote Address Snatching Hope from the Clutches of Despair Grand Ballroom EFG Rabbi Moshe Bryski From the microcosm to the world at large, we confront a new wave of disconcerting even depressing turns of events: recessions, lay-offs, Intifada, political discord. Discover the promise and opportunity within adversity, with these precious pearls of timeless Jewish wisdom. 7:00 p.m. Mincha Grand Ballroom EFG 7:30 p.m. Shalosh Seudos Life in the Wild, Wild West Bank! Grand Ballroom ABCD Rabbi and Mrs. Danny and Batsheva Cohen Learn about life behind the Green Line and the rebirth of Judaism in Hebron, the city of our fathers, in this humorous and touching talk. THE HYATT REGENCY RESTON, VA 37

37 Shabbat 8:40-10:45pm 8:40 p.m. Maariv 10:00 p.m. Grand Ballroom EFG Havdalah Conservatory Live from Weinerville Grand Ballroom ABCD Marc Weiner Comedian/ba al teshuvah Marc Weiner returns to the National Jewish Retreat with an all new show. Laugh as you learn, for in Weiner s world, everything s sacred but nothing s profane. 10:45 p.m. Melaveh Malkah Grand Ballroom ABCD Experience the afterglow of Shabbat as we escort the departing Shabbat Queen. The tradition includes the giving over of stories about the Ba al Shem Tov, the founder of Chassidism. 38 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

38 Tuesday Sunday Friday 11:00am-1:30pm 8:00-11:00am 7:30-8:45pm SUNDAY, AUGUST 22 kukt cwh

39 Sunday 8:00am-1:30pm 8:00 a.m. Shacharit Grand Ballroom EFG 8:30 a.m. Breakfast Grand Ballroom ABCD 9:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Resource Fair 9:30 a.m. Values/Ethics Hands On Grand Ballroom Foyer Stump The Rabbi Location TBD Sinai Scholars Retreat Staff and Faculty This is an open forum for debate and discussion with topics set by questions taken from the audience. Bring that question you ve been avoiding because you don t want to offend the Rabbis. No question is off limits; no subject is too controversial; no challenge shirked! 11:00 a.m. Closing Session Location TBD Sinai Scholars Retreat Staff Time to wrap it all up! In the beginning we opened up the box of Your Jewish Story, and now we will tie the box up and hand it back to take with you. Summarize the sessions, conclude the group reflections, challenge yourselves to take a serious look at what you ve learned during the course of the last couple of days. What will you take home from this experience? 12:30 p.m. Lunch Grand Ballroom ABCD 1:30 p.m. Farewell 40 NATIONAL JEWISH RETREAT

40 Friends I met at the retreat

41 In the merit of bringing the concept of the National Jewish Retreat to fruition, and their ongoing efforts to bring the love of Torah to Jews worldwide, may our words of study here stand them in good stead. May G-d grant them and all their loved ones health and happiness, and may they be blessed with extraordinary success in all their endeavors. Brought to you by: The Sinai Scholars Society A joint project of Chabad on Campus and the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute 822 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY Tel Fax Web