The Jewish Embodiment Project
Ecstatic Dance Retreats 2025
The Jewish Embodiment Project is thrilled to offer a three-retreat series throughout 2025. Over the course of the year, we will dive deeply into the wisdom of Jewish mysticism, explore the connections between spirituality and our bodies, and cultivate a Jewish community rooted in vulnerability and authenticity.
This is more than just a retreat—it’s an opportunity to be supported within a Jewish framework for profound transformation. Inspired by the overwhelming response to last year’s sold-out retreat, we recognized a pressing need for spaces that embrace our full, messy humanity within a Jewish context. By doing so, we aim to redefine what is possible.
Through these retreats, we aspire to grow our Kehillah (community) into one that is honest about our present realities and courageously optimistic about dreaming up the world as we envision it.
Meet the Team
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Lawrence Dreyfuss
FOUNDER
Lawrence Dreyfuss founded The Jewish Embodiment Project in 2023 after studying Jewish texts at Hebrew College in Boston. He has DJed Ecstatic Dance events across the globe under the name DJ Oatmeal.
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Avital Kranz
MOVEMENT
Avital Kranz is a trained Dance/Movement Therapist based between Israel and South Florida (also an honorary part-time Brooklynite). She believes in the intuitive wisdoms embedded within each of us, and aims to create safe and nurturing spaces to explore the self through therapeutic dance, and to unearth the healing powers within. Rooted in the body-mind-soul connection, she guides group and one-on-one sessions and uses movement and mindfulness principles to build somatic awareness. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Expressive Arts Therapies at Lesley University, in order further the research field about holistic healing in the dance/movement community and beyond.
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Steven Shikhel
CULINARY EXPERT
Steven Shikhel, PhD, is a classically trained biological scientist, chef, and the founder of CHAUHAUS, a culinary concept that celebrates the intersection of food, art, and community. CHAUHAUS is known for crafting experiential and experimental cuisine for immersive events, and home-cooked meals that are warm, grounding, and perfectly aligned. CHAUHAUS’ goal is to churn the creative cycle by bringing individuals together who otherwise would never have met to dine over a unique culinary experience. The food facilitates conversation and creates a place where folks can learn, be heard, and chow down.
Purim Retreat
Level 1: March 13-16
Explore how we can hold both darkness and light within the vessel of our own beings. The weekend culminates with a masquerade dance as we swirl between polarities of knowing and unknowing, chaos and clarity.
The Retreat Arc
Shavuot Retreat
Level 1: May 30-June 2*
A weekend of deep remembering within our own beings. Shavuot commemorates the receiving of wisdom and the fruits of spring. Together, we’ll explore our first reference point, our own bodies, and, from this anchor, we’ll explore what it means to live as physical beings in relation to Jewish wisdom.
*Dates subject to change
Elul Retreat
Level 2: September 18-21
ONLY open to those who have attended a level 1 Retreat
Prepare for the high holidays by turning back to your own self. We’ll build on the trust and physical language created in the level one retreats to explore how we can relate to other beings, other reflections of the divine, as we move through space and toward 5786.
Who Should Attend:
Level 1 retreats are open to all who are interested in Jewish spirituality, movement, and meditation. No prior experience is necessary—just a willingness to explore and connect. No prior knowledge of Jewish practices is required.
Our level 2 retreat will only be open to those that you have attended level 1.
Purim Retreat
The Retreat Space:
Montague Retreat Center
The retreat will be hosted at Montague Retreat Center in Massachusettes offering uninhibited space in nature. The property is located in Montague, MA, a 3.5 hour drive from NYC and features 34 acres of gardens, orchards, pastures and woods. The land also offers fresh water for a Mikvah ritual in the Saw Mill River and Spaulding Brook.
First established in 1793, the space now includes a bamboo dance floor, private cabins, and plenty of space to commune with nature.
Accommodations
We’ll be staying at a series of cabins and rooms throughout the property. Each space has heating and access to a bathroom and shower on the premises.
Guests will be assigned to a queen bed, a daybed, or a trundle. These accommodations have been designed with wedding parties in mind (the space is most frequently used for weddings) so they are clean and well maintained.
Note, if assigned to a queen bed, you will ask to share the bed with someone else. If there is someone you’d like to bed with, you can note this in your application and we will do our best to accomodate all requests.
While we’re still building out the schedule for the weekend, you can expect
Various guided movement sessions to experiment with different modalities in a Jewish framework.
A curated menu by our chef to augment the learning and build community around a meal table.
A guided Mikva session in a fresh water source to purify and enliven.
Multiple ecstatic dances to dance your prayers.
Spacious Jewish learning sessions to explore the themes of Purim, the body, and self.
Guided daily journaling prompts to do your own introspective practice.
A culminating Purim masquerade dance.
Free time to rest and explore the land.
A Shabbat practice to slow down and turn inward for 25 hours.
The Retreat Journey
The Price
For each attendee, the retreat experience is valued at over $800. But, thanks to a generous grant, we are able to offer you this experience for only $400.
*Scholarships are also available on a limited basis.
“This retreat was such a special community experience! I had such an amazing time and released so much that was no longer serving me. The yoga opened up my lungs and heart and grounded me. The food, the setting, the learning, and the human connection were so nourishing. I'm so grateful for all that I took home from the experience”
— Feedback from a past retreat participant.
*Our sponsor -
This retreat was made possible through a generous gift from Moishe House. We are grateful for their support in making this happen. Learn more at https://www.moishehouse.org
FAQs
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You do not have to be Jewish to attend. This retreat is open to anyone interested in engaging with Jewish approaches to spirituality.
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We aim to keep the event small with 25 people total (or less). By creating an intimate container, we hope to create a safe space for us to go deep together.
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The retreat will not be strictly kosher, but everything will be vegetarian. Please share any allergies and dietary restrictions on the sign-up form.
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Yes, we’d love to hear from you and discuss how we can fit your offering into the flow of the weekend. Please contact us with your ideas.
avarembodied@gmail.com -
Everyone will have a bed to sleep on inside a heated space. Sheets and blankets will be provided. Some may be asked to share a queen bed. Hot showers are available.
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We will send out a packing list closer to the start of the retreat.
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We’ve worked hard to keep this event as affordable as possible. That said, if $400 is simply not accessible, please email us at avarembodied@gmail.com.
We have a limited number of scholarships available.
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The schedule will include a mix of structured activities and free time. We will start each day with yoga and meditation, followed by workshops and dance. Shabbat will be a special time for rest and reflection (more information on this to come).
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Participants must be at least 21 years old. Based on the grant we received for the event, we will prioritize participants ages 21-32 but we invite people older than that to apply as well.
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Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel. Cancellations made more than 30 days in advance will receive a full refund. Cancellations made within 30 days of the event will receive a 50% refund. We can not honor refunds within 2 weeks of the events.
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No required reading or preparation is needed, but we will provide some optional materials and resources to help you get the most out of the retreat.
In addition, if you don’t already have a meditation practice, we encourage you to try meditating for 5-10 minutes each day leading up to the event. If you’re new to meditation, we recommend apps such as Headspace or Insight Time. While this is not required, it will help prepare your mind for the experience.
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Montague, Massachusetts is accessible by car. We will send detailed directions and transportation options upon registration. Carpooling options may also be available.
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You can get in touch with us at avarembodied@gmail.com