Rabbi David Seidenberg & John Seed

Connecting Spirit and spirituality to the earth is the easiest thing for
most people when they simply feel, yet how often does this happen when we
feel Jewish? Can we connect Deep Ecology and "Deep Judaism"? Deep Ecology
treats all species as equals and rejects the idea that humans have
prerogatives that trump other creatures. Judaism talks about the image of
God and the centrality of God's covenant with humanity. Both know the whole
of creation to be "holy".

This weekend workshop will focus on some of the traditions in Torah and
Kabbalah that truly take us beyond the circle of human beings and bring us
to the earth and all life. We will use exercises, learning, meditation, and
the practice of creating a "Council of All Beings" to get at the deep
connection between ecology and holiness.

Workshop participants will enjoy Elat Chayyim and the fields around it as a
laboratory to explore Shabbat as an ecological practice. The relationship,
tensions, and holy sparks that arc between deep ecology and Jewish tradition
will be raised. John Seed, one of the leading Australian forest activists,
and Rabbi David Seidenberg, a cutting edge theologian studying ecology and
nature, will facilitate this journey toward the earth and towards our inner
souls.