Congregation B'nai Hamidbar, the Burning Man Jewish community, returns to Burning Man 2004 with its new camp, the Black Rock JCC.

For several years, the Jewish community at Burning Man has held wonderful Friday night gatherings of prayer, song, dancing, and food.  As part of the Beyond Belief theme of Burning Man 2003,  Congregation B'nai Hamidbar ("Children of the Desert"), was created as a new home for radical Jewish self-transcendence.  We fed people, enlightened them, taught them Kabbalah.  And now we are back!

This year, we have chosen to incarnate ourselves as the Black Rock JCC.  What if your local Jewish Community Center offered Kabbalistic experiences, mind-expanding ecstatic sabbath services, and summer camp for grownups? What if people of all and no religions came together to unify Heaven and Earth? Welcome to Bnai Hamidbar's Black Rock JCC.

The Black Rock JCC 2004 will feature:

*    Delicious Friday night communal shabbos potluck dinner after communal, transdenominational, participatory davening. 
*    Davennen (ecstatic prayer) with Rabbi Menachem Cohen and Rabbi Duvid Seidenberg
*    A handy "syna-dome" for convocations, evocations, and celebrationss
*    Pre-Burn havdalah service on the open playa
*    Sefarim and Kabbalah books for learning, reading, sharing, contemplating
*    Carlebach-style singing and drumming at night
*    The Book of Wisdom, collecting teachings from all who wish to contribute
*    Whatever YOU bring to share!

B'nai Hamidbar is an open, inclusive community that welcomes spiritual seekers of all (or no) faiths, of diverse backgrounds and interests.  Last year, alchemists, atheists, and yogis came to Kabbalah classes; Jews and non-Jews of all levels of practice came together on shabbos.  We welcome everyone to visit our camp, and to camp with us too, if you're interested and willing to help build B'nai Hamidbar.  How to get involved, just click here to subscribe to the jewishburners Yahoo group, and send a mail to the list!

Here is our EVENTS CALENDAR for 2004:
 

Summer Camp Arts & Crafts at the Black Rock JCC
Admit it, Burning Man is summer camp for freaks.  Come by the Black Rock JCC for arts &
crafts day, featuring lanyard-making, hemp necklaces, fun games and music.  Bring your favorite
bug juice.  Kid-tested, mother-approved. (Note: Due to BRC fire codes, the kiln and band-saw
will not be available to campers.)
3:30pm Wednesday

Matchmaker, Matchmaker
"The way he sees, and the way she looks, it's a perfect match!"  "Look, this nice transsexual boy
came by the camp a little earlier, he'd be perfect for you. Now tell me, any meshugenahs in your
family?"  Oy, so many lonely people: come by the Black Rock JCC for your interview to find your basherte (soulmate), or at least your playasherte.
1-3pm, Weds and Thurs

Prayer of the Dawn: Shacharit
Whether you want to do the whole traditional service or meditate for an hour, gather at the Black
Rock JCC to do so in community.  BYOS (bring your own siddur).  Also meeting on Friday,
same time (note: it's 915, not dawn...).
Thursday, 915

Biblical Collage
If God had wanted the Bible to be boring, She wouldn't have brought us to Burning Man.  Cut
and paste your way to a new view of the Bible at the Burning Biblical Interest Collage Party. The
week's Biblical text, magazines, paper and scissors are provided. Resulting collages will decorate the Black Rock JCC prayer space for Friday night services. Open to those with all degrees and
flavors of faith and/or heresy. 
3-4pm, Thursday

Midnight Shamanic Journey
Join Reb Menachem for a midnight journey of meditation, music, and visionquesting.  Trained in
the deserts of the Southwest, trafficker with angels, Menachem will be your guide through the
vaults of heaven that lie within our own consciousness.  Please arrive on time so that we can
create sacred space, and bring any objects (instruments, talismans, etc.) which will help you on
your inner journey.
12 midnight Thursday night

Ecstatic Shabbat Services   (**the MAIN event**)
Our 5th annual shabbat celebration on the playa begins with candle lighting at 7pm, followed by
communal, interactive, inclusive services at 730 and a potluck dinner afterwards.  Our services
are in both English and Hebrew, and everyone is welcome to attend, regardless of what your
closeminded Sunday school teacher may have told you.  We will ascend to heaven with our
voices, drums, and souls!  And for the body: both strict-kosher and vegetarian food at the potluck - especially if you bring some. Please bring real food, your own plates/utensils, and if you have a
favorite drum or siddur, that too.  
7pm, Friday

Burning Rebbe Nachman
Join the Black Rock JCC on shabbos "morning" for a spiritual workshop in the ways of the holy
Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav, who said "Woe is us!  The world is full of ligh tand mysteries both
wonderful and awesome, but our tiny little hand shades our eyes and prevents them from seeing."   Open your eyes to heaven in front of you -- and come early if you want to daven first.
11am, Saturday

Day Camp Field Trip to Burning Man
Relive/have revenge upon your camp memories on the JCC FIELD TRIP.  Meet at the Black
Rock JCC for a culturally enriching field trip around Black Rock City.  When you arrive, name
tags will be placed in a hat and a buddy system formed.  Your counselor will have a whistle and
clipboard and will go over the rules before we line up and march off to see the sights.  We'll
probably sing on the way.      
2pm Saturday

Havdalah Before the Burn
Blessed is the One who creates the light of Fire! Join the Black Rock JCC near the 3:00
portopotties for Havdalah before the burn.  Check in with us during the week for more precise
info.
8pm Saturday
 
 

Our camp is coordinated by the "JCC Sistahood":  Ariel, Rabbi Menachem Cohen, Jay Michaelson, Sarah Lefton, and Rabbi David Seidenberg.  The Sistahood has backgrounds in Reconstructionist, Orthodox, Conservative, Renewal, and Secular Jewish practice.  They have earned degrees, taught at Elat Chayyim, pioneered the Jewish Fashion Conspiracy, learned at JTS, journeyed in the desert, and helped the man burn for many years.  Our potluck dinners are kosher, with glatt kosher food available for those who wish.  Our camp is kosher and (mostly) eco-kosher.   Our services are egalitarian, with an opportunity both for the full traditional liturgy and for contemplative practice, meditation, chant, participation, and song.

If you're reading this page and have never been to Burning Man, click that link to find out more about it.  It's not what you think.

We hope you'll join us on the playa this year, and burn away the illusory boundaries that distinguish between self and One.