Professional Development & Spiritual Resilience for Rabbis Addressing Israel/Palestine
Supporting Peace In A Time Of War
A place of respite. A sacred space. An immersion in wholeness.
Join the Shleimut Cohort: Professional Development & Spiritual Resilience for Rabbis addressing Israel/Palestine
December 2024 – April 2025
Alternating Thursdays, 9am – 10:30am ET
10 sessions, 90 minutes each
Dates: December 12, 2024, December 19, 2024, January 9, 2025, January 23, February 6, February 20, March 6, March 20, April 3, April 24, 2025
The application is brief and takes 6-8 minutes to complete.
Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
Deadline to Apply: Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Sliding scale based on ability to pay: $540 – $720 – $900
As the violence in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon and beyond continues, rabbis and Jewish leaders who support peace are presented with unique challenges. The Shleimut Cohort is for rabbis and Jewish clergy who are committed to peace, and committed to B’tzelem Elohim by lifting up the shared humanity of Palestinians and Israelis.
Led by Ilana Sumka
Founding director of Shleimut
Past Jerusalem director of Encounter
Founder & past executive director of the Center for Jewish Nonviolence
With Guest Teachers
Kohenet Jo Kent Katz
Healing Jewish Trauma
Sami Awad
Co-Director, Nonviolence International
Healing Palestinian Trauma
The Shleimut Professional Development Program offers rabbis and other Jewish clergy a supportive and confidential space to:
- Participate in trauma-informed healing processes aimed at repair, regeneration and restoration, empowering you to lead your communities with increased wholeness and grace
- Expand internal capacity to hold the depth and complexity of Israel/Palestine, enabling better navigation of the external challenges
- Reflect on and integrate our emotional, spiritual and political connection to Israel/Palestine, grounded in the present and reaching for a more hopeful future founded in liberation for all
- Join a mutually supportive network of rabbis and other Jewish leaders for peace who are facing the demands of leading Jewish communities in these turbulent times
- Develop an expanded toolkit with constructive frameworks for addressing multiple dimensions of Israel/Palestine, including international law; the wider progressive movement; discerning antisemitism from criticism of Israel; and more
- Engage with a hevruta partner from the cohort to deepen understanding and embody the learning
Application Due Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
FAQ
Who is this professional development for?
For rabbis and other Jewish clergy in leadership roles who are committed to peace in Israel/Palestine and believe in the shared humanity of Palestinians and Israelis.
Some may express their commitment to peace by publicly calling for a ceasefire, while others may choose to support peace more privately. Either way, participants in this program personally hold commitments to shalom and B’tselem Elohim.
If you support Israel’s bombing of Gaza or Hamas violence, this program is not the right fit for you.
Does this program require a commitment to a certain political solution (i.e. One-State Solution, Two-State Solution)?
No. Participants will hold diverse views about the future political landscape. Regardless of what that future might look like, this program is for Jewish leaders who believe in the fundamental shared humanity of Palestinians and Israelis and are committed to ensuring that this value is reflected in any future political outcome.
Shleimut does support an immediate, permanent ceasefire and a release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian political prisoners.
Is this program only for rabbis?
The Shleimut Professional Development & Spiritual Resilience program is primarily designed for rabbis but is also open to other Jewish clergy in leadership roles.
How large will the cohort be?
We will convene the program with a minimum of 8 and maximum of 18.
Will this program address the results and ramifications of the U.S. elections?
We will focus our attention on Israel/Palestine; however, building spiritual resilience in one arena has the benefit of strengthening overall resilience.
The program meetings are at 9am U.S. ET on Thursdays.
Doesn’t that exclude U.S. West Coast participants?
The program’s leader, Ilana Sumka, is based in Europe, which may create some timezone challenges for participants in the U.S. at 9am ET. However, early-risers in the West Coast are welcome to join.
Will this program be run again next year?
Maybe! If you’re interested in this professional development program but can’t commit to it this year, please indicate your interest using the “Contact Us” form below.
Still have questions?
Please write to us using the “Contact Us” form below. Thank you.