Everything is God: An Introduction to Nondual Judaism
Tuesday, April 1, 2008, 7:00pm
New York Open Center
The principle of nonduality - that everything is One - is familiar to spiritual seekers from a variety of mystical paths. Kabbalah, Judaism's mystical and esoteric tradition, also expresses this idea, in uniquely provocative and sometimes startling ways. This evening we'll combine text study (from sources as diverse as Maimonides' Guide to the Perplexed, the Zohar, and the Baal Shem Tov), contemplation and discussion to explore key Jewish teachings on nonduality. We will also offer comparative insights and explore how nonduality is actually lived-- so please bring your own knowledge and experience (from any tradition) to add to the conversation, and be prepared for surprise: enlightenment is not what you think... and neither is God.

Book Talk on God in Your Body: Kabbalah, Mindfulness, and Embodied Spiritual Practice
January 27, 2008, 9:30am
JCC of Greater New Haven, 360 Amity Rd., Woodbridge, CT

Book Talk on God in Your Body: Kabbalah, Mindfulness, and Embodied Spiritual Practice
January 31, 2008, 10:30am
B'nai Torah Congregation, 6261 S.W 18th St., Boca Raton, FL

Praise, Grumble, Schmooze, Lament: The Voices of 21st Century Jewish Poetry
January 31, 2008, 8pm
92nd Street Y, Lexington Avenue and 92nd Street, New York
Jay will be reading together with Rodger Kamenetz, Richard Chess, Alicia Ostriker, Dan Bellm, and other leading Jewish poets at this remarkable event hosted by Zeek: A Jewish Journal of Thought and Culture. Click here for more information

Book Talk on God in Your Body: Kabbalah, Mindfulness, and Embodied Spiritual Practice
February 3, 2008, 9:30am
JCC Metrowest, 760 Northfield Ave., West Orange NJ

Scholar in Residence, Temple Israel
February 8-10, 2008
Natick, MA
Radical Amazement: The Meaning of Life and Purpose of Judaism according to Heschel, Buber, and Others. What does it mean that we are moved to tears by the sight of a sunset? Our human responses to the miraculous may be merely a result of evolution, but is there more significance to them than that? For theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel, as for many scholars of religious studies, wonder is the very source of religion, and the mother of human creativity: not theology but amazement; not understanding but mystery. Through discussion, study, poetry, and a taste of Hasidic music, we will explore some of these themes, how they resonate in Jewish tradition, particularly Hasidism and neo-Hasidism, and how they are more important in the age of the ipod than ever before.

Transgendered Souls, Pretty Boys, and Queer Theology: This is the Stuff You Didn't Learn in Sunday School
February 10, 2008, 9:45am
Temple Israel of Natick, 145 Hatford Street, Natick MA
Enough about Leviticus! Two verses of the Torah are not all that Judaism has to say about sexual diversity. In this workshop Jay will present a range of fascinating texts, some familiar (Jacob, Joseph, David and Jonathan), some less so (Lurianic Kabbalah, medieval poetry) to explore some of the ways in which "queer" sexuality has been expressed in the Jewish tradition. Prepare to be challenged, inspired, outraged, and above all surprised. Open to non-Temple members. Cost is $5, breakfast included. For more information call 508.650.3521 or visit www.tiofnatick.org.

Nehirim West: A Spiritual Retreat for GLBT Jews
March 7-9, 2008
Marin County, Ca
Click here for more information about this unique event for GLBT Jews and their allies.

Kabbalah and Eros
November 15, 2007, 7:30pm
One Taste Urban Retreat Center, San Francisco, CA
The Jewish mystical and esoteric traditions known as Kabbalah hold that the body is a place of sanctity, and sexuality is a key to unlocking the greatest of Divine secrets. Centuries before "The Da Vinci Code," Kabbalah sought the return of the Divine Feminine from Her exile and concealment. In fact, with both human beings and the Godhead possessing male and female energies, the permutations of gender and consciousness challenge simplistic notions of normative sexual expression. Indeed, it is fair to say that the entire world as we experience it, in space and in time, is an expression of the Divine lovemaking. Together we will explore some of these provocative notions, including how "God" and the world are mutually dependent, how the Infinite comes to know Itself through the union of the linear and the cyclical, and how these mysteries are reflected in the diverse experiences of our lives. There will be plenty of time for Q&A as well, on any subject regarding Kabbalah, queer Kabbalah, queer Judaism, eroticism and mysticism, and maybe some literary representations of how these ideas turn to poetry.

The Political Meaning of Homosexuality
November 17, 2007, 11:30AM
Congregation Shaar Zahav, San Francisco, CA
According to our best statistics, fewer than 3% of Americans identify as gay or lesbian. Why, then, is homosexuality a major moral-political issue, provoking as much heated debate as was once inspired by abortion, civil rights, and equal rights for women? How has such a small group of us -- six million Americans, at most -- come to be seen as, alternately, a threat to our nation's social fabric, or the persecuted minority most in need of protection? We'll explore with Jay how debates about sexuality may be debates about levels and modes of religion, and why changing attitudes about homosexuality may be a deeper question than we think. This program will begin after Saturday morning services (about 11:30 am) and will include a light lunch.

Vedanta and Neo-Hasidism
November 18, 2007
American Academy of Religion Conference
San Diego, CA
Jay will be presenting a scholarly paper on "Vedanta and Nonduality in Contemporary Neo-Hasidism" at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion.

Scholar in Residence, Congregation Dorshei Emet
November 30-Dec. 2, 2007
Montreal, Canada
Embodied Judaism: Kabbalah, Mindfulness, and Sensible Spirituality. Today, most of us think that religion is about the spirit, and that the "spirit" is distinct from the body. Likewise, many people assume that "spirituality" is about having special feelings, and a special aptitude for the mystical. In fact, this is not necessarily so. Really, "spirituality" is just waking up -- whether to God, or the people we love, or just ordinary experience. And in both the Jewish religious tradition and the contemporary spiritual world, it's done not by leaving the body behind, but in the body itself. This unique weekend will combine text study, contemplative practice, and down-to-earth techniques that teach the theory and practice of embodied spirituality. From reading the Zohar to everyday acts like eating, praying, washing, walking, having sex, and staying healthy, this is "sensible spirituality," which can make a practical difference in your life every day -- even if you don't know a yoga mat from a yarmulke.

Letter and Spirit: New Jewish Culture and the Archaic Revival
October 18, 4 pm
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
Among younger educated Jews, there is a renaissance underway of new Jewish culture, spirituality, and identity. Generally disregarding of conventional movements, ideologies, and labels, young Jews are congregating on their own for prayer, spiritual practice, and cultural Activities. In parallel, leading young Jewish writers like Jonathan Safran Foer, Michael Chabon, Nathan Englander, and Myla Goldberg are increasingly making use of religious themes in their work, in sharp contrast to a previous generation of secular Jewish writers. What do these new spiritual and literary movements mean for the Jewish future? Are there new forms of Jewishness being written and created today? In addition to the lecture, Jay will give a poetry reading and Q&A and the Lehigh Humanities Center, at 12pm.

The 2007 Nehirim Queer Shabbaton New York
October 19-21, 2007
JCC in Manhattan, New York, NY
Click here for more information about this unique event for GLBT Jews and their allies.

Shemspeed Launch Party
October 25, 2007, 7pm
Knitting Factory, New York, NY
Jay is part of an all-star lineup -- Click here for a complete list-- launching the Shemspeed music site, as well as celebrating Zeek's new music issue. He'll be doing his ecstatic poetry amidst two floors of new Jewish music and culture.

Another Word for Sky Launch Party
October 27, 2007, 8pm
JCC in Manhattan, New York, NY
Join Jay as he celebrates the release of his second book, Another Word for Sky: Poems. This event features music from Basya Schechter and Avi Fox-Rosen, havdalah with Rabbi David Ingber, a dance party with DJ Busquelo, and a performance by Jay of poems from his book, and poems too saucy to include in his book, with lots of drumming and joy and dance. Part of Romemu's Ravayah and the Zeek music issue launch concert. Click here for more information about this event and Jay's book.

Scholar in Residence, Temple Emanu-El, Tucson, AZ
October 27, 2007, 8 pm
Jay will be leading three classes: one on gender and Kabbalah, a second on embodied Judaism, and a third on "Examining Jewish Text through the Prism of Gender and Sexual Diversity."

Scholar in Residence, Easton Mountain
June 29-July 4, 2007
Easton Mountain Retreat Center, Greenwich, NY
Easton Mountain is a retreat center run by men who love other men, located near Albany NY. Its summer program includes a wide variety of personal growth workshops, a sweat lodge, outdoor sports, healing, bodywork, an evening fire ritual, drum circles, cookouts, and more. Men of all ages, backgrounds, religions, and non-religions, are part of these gatherings. You will experience the freedom and safety to explore your personal growing edge and a chance to establish lasting friendships within a community of sacred brothers. Joining Easton's residential community, Jay Michaelson, Director of Nehirim: GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality (www.nehirim.org), and David Nimmons, Director of Manifest Love (www.manifestlove.org) will be two of the guest teachers. Dave and Jay will be leading a variety of workshops and will also be available for one-on-one counseling.

The Mystical Practice of Zohar Study
August 6-12, 2007
National Havurah Summer Institute
Franklin Pierce College, New Hampshire
If you have a basic understanding of Kabbalah, studying the Zohar directly is the logical next step, and it's not beyond your reach. This class will give you a taste of the practice of Zohar study, and provide some tools so you can make it part of your life. We will engage directly with the Zohar text (in English but with the original handy). We will read slowly and deeply, exploring some of the deepest questions of the Kabbalah including unity and multiplicity, eroticism, the flow of Divine energies, the sefirot (aspects of God), and the nature of God. Familiarity with Kabbalistic concepts is a useful prerequisite.
Click here to register and learn more about the summer institute.

Scholar in Residence, Congregation Bet Haverim
March 30-31, 2007
Congregation Bet Haverim, Atlanta, GA
Join Jay for a weekend of exploration of the body and sexuality in Jewish tradition. Class schedule:
Thursday, March 29, 7pm: It's Not All In Your Head: Food, Sex, and the Enlightenment of the Body in Jewish Tradition
Friday, March 30: A Four Worlds Friday Night: Integrating Body, Mind, Heart, and Spirit to "Receive" Shabbat
Saturday, March 31, 10am-2pm: Deep Rest: A Shabbat Mini-Retreat
Saturday, March 31, 730pm: Voices of Redemption: An Interfaith Evening of Queer Religious Poetry and Prose
Click here for more information.

The 2007 Nehirim Retreat for GLBT Jews
May 18-20, 2007
Isabella Freedman Retreat Center, Falls Village, CT
Click here for more information about this unique event for GLBT Jews and their allies.

Jewish Seekers and Finders
February 7, 2007, 7pm
Makor, 35 West 67th Street, NYC
This is an age of spiritual exploration, with people discovering, rediscovering, straying from and connecting to their Jewish roots in new and fascinating ways. Join some of the today's most interesting modern seekers, as they describe their journeys: Robin Chotzinoff (Holy Unexpected: My New Life as a Jew), Jay Michaelson (chief editor of Zeek), Rabbi David Ingber (Kehillat Romemu) and Gabriel Sanders (assistant editor of the Forward).

God in Your Body
February 9-11, 2007
Congregation Kol Ami, Tampa, Florida
Join Jay for a weekend of exploration of the body in Jewish tradition. Classes include:
1. It's Not All In Your Head: Food, Sex, and the Enlightenment of the Body in Jewish Tradition
2. Kneeling, Listening, Standing: The Transformative Power of Embodied Jewish Prayer
3. God in Your Body: Kabbalah, Mindfulness, and Jewish Spiritual Practice

After the Flood, the Rainbow: A Healing Service for GLBT Jews
February 19, 2007, 7pm
JCC of Manhattan, Amsterdam & 76th St., NYC
Join faculty members of Nehirim & Keshet for an informal evening of ritual, healing, and talking about gays and lesbians and the organized Jewish community, its members & denominations. Many in the LGBTQ community have felt wounded by their 'movements of origin' as they came out and searched for an accepting Jewish community. Recently, many Jews have felt a sense of disconnect or even despair in the wake of the recent debates about homosexuality. Informed by current events, this evening will not be a debate about the issues. Rather, participants will experience 90 minutes of stories, song, and ritual to begin the healing process for LGBTQ Jews, and their families, friends and allies. Co-sponsored by the JCC in Manhattan.

An introduction to the Zohar
February 20 & 27, March 6 & 13
The Open Center, 83 Spring Street, NYC
Today, Kabbalah is often depicted in terms of complicated charts, symbols, doctrines, and ideas. However, this is not how it is generally approached by the Kabbalists themselves. In this class, we will learn directly from the Zohar, the deeply textured masterpiece of Jewish mysticism and esoteric thought, to learn not only what the Kabbalah teaches, but how it teaches as well. By reading the symbols of the Zohar, and the Biblical passages it explores, we will experience how the Kabbalah invites us to read the symbols of our lives. By wrestling with the simultaneity of nondual existence, as emptiness and form, we will see how study of the Zohar is a form of mystical practice. And by understanding the Zohar's symbolism of masculine and feminine, hidden and revealed, unity and multiplicity, we will deeply enrich the way our own consciousness interacts with the fundamental energies and structures of existence.
To register: Click here

Is the Torah really a Basis for Liberal Values?
February 20, 2007, 8pm
Skirball Center, 10 East 66th Street, NYC
Today, it's common in some circles to hear claims that the Bible aligns with modern liberal ideas such as taking care of the less fortunate, pursuing peace and justice, and ending baseless hatred. So does that mean that far-right Jewish ideologues, and Jewish neo-conservatives, are just plain wrong? Join Jay Michaelson, chief editor of Zeek: A Jewish Journal of Thought and Culture, for a hard-nosed look at the many voices of Biblical text.

Babel to Bamba: New Words From, About, and Wrestling with Israel.
February 25, 2007, 5pm
JCC of Manhattan, Amsterdam & 76th St., NYC
Zeek presents poets, writers, performers, and artists shouting, jamming, and reciting their work about the Promised Land. Featuring both American and Israeli voices (and Israeli-American ones), we'll move beyond the cliches to engage with the social, political, and religious realities of Israel and diaspora, as reflected in the literary mind. Co-presented with Corner Prophets as part of Israel Non-Stop at the JCC.

Kinky Jews Literary Evening
March 22, 2007, 7pm
KGB Bar, 85 E. 4th St. at 2nd Ave., New York, NY This sexy, cutting-edge Judaic reading series is back with a whole new batch of authors ready to stimulate you. The lineup for March 22 features Wayne Hoffman, Ronnie Koenig, Phil S. Stein, Lisa Beth Kovetz, Felice Shays and Jay Michaelson.

God in Your Body: Body-centered spiritual practice in the Jewish tradition
August 7-13, 2006
Elat Chayyim: The Jewish Retreat Center, Accord, NY
What's the best place to start experiencing God, freeing yourself from stress, and practicing the vast majority of Jewish commandments? Your body. Join Jay Michaelson, author of the book God in Your Body and fresh from a year of Kabbalah study in Jerusalem, to learn how the mystical and the mundane, the Jewish and the Buddhist, the traditional and the transformative can be unified in an integral embrace -- beginning and ending with the body. This will be a week you will not forget. Over the course of our week together, we will study text, walk in the woods, meditate with potato chips, and even learn how to use the bathroom according to Kabbalah.
Cost: $300
To register: jewishretreatcenter.org
More info: Click here.

Embodied, Ecstatic, Energetic, Earth-Based: An Introduction to Holistic Jewish Ritual
Friday, September 9-Sunday, September 11, 2005
Elat Chayyim, Accord, NY
Let's get our groove on! Ancient Jewish ritual was celebratory, Earth-based, and, often, an embodied, ecstatic experience. Join Rabbi Jill Hammer, creator of Tel Shemesh (a web resource for earth-based Judaism), and Jay Michaelson, teacher of Kabbalah and meditation, for a weekend's introduction to the "Four E's" of ritual -- embodied, ecstatic, Earth-based, and energetic -- as we usher in a fifth "E," the introspective month of Elul. Through meditation, contemplation, and ecstatic practice, we will meet the four worlds and the four elements out in nature and deep within the self. We will explore traditional and innovative Jewish sources that unify heaven and earth, wind and water, fire and spirit. At this pivotal point in the calendar - Rosh Hodesh Elul, 9/11, and the lengthening of autumn nights - we will begin together the ancient process of returning to the heart and returning to the earth.
Cost: $180 including room and board
To register: elatchayyim.org

Meditation on the Run
Wednesday, September 7, 2005, 7-830pm
14th Street Y, 344 E. 14th St., New York, NY
You dont have to set aside 45 minutes a day to meditate in peace and quiet. Even if you have kids or a crazy business schedule, you can easily relax, be present and gain the benefits of meditationwith zero minutes of spare time. Learn several simple and effective meditation practices that you can integrate into your busy, stressed-out life.
More information/to register: 212-780-0800 .

Eat Your Way to Enlightenment
Thursday, September 8, 2005, 7-830pm
Makor, 35 West 67th St, New York, NY
Meditation offers many rewards -- relaxation, healing, and perhaps insight into the meaning of life. But how are you supposed to do it when you don't have 45 minutes to sit quietly every day? Or even 5? Eating meditation, combining the wisdom of the Buddha with the brilliance of the bagel, is one simple practice that really can give your mind the spaciousness it needs. And, nu, a little nosh. This class will teach you all you need to know to make this practice part of your daily life, including sacred intentions, mindfulness practice, and the basic framework of meditation. Come hungry!
More information/to register: 92nd Street y. .

Kabbalah for Skeptics
May 10, 17, 24 & 31, 2005, 7pm
Makor, 35 West 67th Street
So, you're curious about Kabbalah. Why does Madonna wear a string around her wrist? What is the Zohar about? And can you get the answer to these questions without checking your healthy skepticism at the door?
Learn the answers to these questions at this short, four-session introduction to Kabbalah led by Jay Michaelson, who has been learning and teaching Kabbalah for ten years. We will focus on the core symbols of the "theosophical" Kabbalah, including the Zohar; the meditative practices of Rabbi Abraham Abulafia; the popularization of Kabbalah through Hasidism; and folk beliefs including golems, angels, demons, reincarnation, even the red string.
Most importantly, no questions are off the table; no beliefs are assumed; and no products will be for sale. This is the ideal opportunity to learn about the core teachings of Jewish mysticism with no strings attached -- magical or otherwise. Whether you find it inspiring or merely diverting is up to you.
To register: 97y.org

Sexuality and Scripture
Tuesday, May 24, 11:30 AM
Empire State Convention Center, Albany, NY
As part of an Advocacy Day sponsored by Pride in the Pulpit, Jay will be leading an introductory seminar exploring Biblical sources relating to homosexuality. This multi-faith workshop, which Jay will co-lead with representatives of Christian traditions, will teach attendees the scripture-based arguments often made against homosexuality -- and how to refute them. The day, sponsored by the Empire State Pride Agenda, will also feature an interfaith prayer breakfast and meetings with state legislators.
More information: Prideagenda.org.

Meditation: Its a Walk in the Park
Sunday, May 22, 930-11am
Makor, 35 West 67th St, New York, NY
Contrary to popular belief, you dont have to shape your body like a pretzel and chant in order to see life more clearly, cultivate stillness, and calm your New York nerves. Join Jay Michaelson, teacher of Kabbalah and meditation, for a short morning of mindfulness in Central Park. Together we will explore walking meditation, eating meditation, and other practices which you can do even in the midst of a stressful and noisy life. And then well have brunch.
More information/to register: 92nd Street Y.

The 2005 Nehirim Spiritual Retreat Weekend
May 13-15, 2005
Elat Chayyim, Accord, NY
Join us for a spiritually and intellectually nourishing weekend of learning, davening, and community for queer Jews and their allies. This unique event will be a joyous time to come together, have fun and socialize, learn with spiritual leaders in the LBGT Jewish community, and connect with your unique kehilla of queer Jews. Last year's retreat was an amazing time. From 'Body Talmud' to traditional text learning, the mikva to the hot tub, the Nehirim retreat was an embodied, spiritual, social, fun, inspiring weekend. This year looks to be even better, with more people, more teachers, and, not least, warmer weather.
To register: elatchayyim.org
More information: www.nehirim.org.

Nehirim Queer Theology Salon
Wednesday, May 18, 2005, 8pm
The JCC of Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY
Do LBGT Jews think of God in distinctively queer ways? Are there sources within the Jewish tradition for a queer Jewish consciousness? What contributions can queer Jews make to the Jewish community? The Queer Theology Salon is a monthly group devoted to exploring these and many other questions in the context of heartfelt Jewish learning, contemplative practice, and conversation. Join us B new people come every month. Cost: Free, and no advance reservation required.
More information: www.nehirim.org.

Turning It Around and Taking It Back: Religious Activism in a Time of Dissent
Thursday, April 21, from 7:00 - 9:00 pm
GLBT Center, 208 West 13th Street, NYC
What role will progressive activism play in the national discourse on values? How can liberal people of faith reclaim what it means to be "moral" in America? How can a united progressive movement influence political dialogue today? Join a vibrant group of activists for a panel discussion and community forum at the Center to discuss how our concerns and values fit into the national debate on what drives this country. A panel of activists and leaders of different faiths will offer their vision for religion in America and how it aligns with progressive activism. The panel will be followed by a community forum to discuss how we can work across all boundaries to strengthen activism and confront the religious right. The evening will be moderated by Amy Lavine, co-founder of the Center's Out & Faithful: LGBT People, Religion and Spirituality Series. Confirmed panelists include The Rev. Jimmy Creech, Soulforce's Chairperson of the Board; Debanuj Dasgupta, Board member of the Queer Immigrant Rights Project; and Jay Michaelson, Director of Nehirim: A Spiritual Initiative for GLBT Jews.
No advance ticket necessary. .

Neurotic Visionaries and Paranoid Jews:
An Evening with Zeek Magazine
Thursday, April 7, 2005, 730PM-9pm
Makor
Join Zeek magazine to celebrate the publication of its Spring, 2005 issue with readings and performances by some of the talented, deluded, mystical, and bizarre artists and writers who have graced its pages over the years. Featuring Aaron Hamburger (The View from Stalin's Head), Jill Hammer ("Goddesses and the Zohar"), Hal Sirowitz (Father Said, Mother Said, and My Therapist Said), Jay Michaelson ("Mystical Nazi Sex Gods") and more.
Cost: $12 in advance, $15 at the door
More information: Zeek.
To Register: The 92nd Street Y

Kabbalah at the Skirball Center
Eight Wednesdays, beginning February 23 and ending April 13, 7:30 PM
The Skirball Center
Kabbalah is enjoying a curious renaissance in popular culture, but what is it really about? In this introductory course, we will survey the major trends of Jewish mysticism, focusing on the core topics of Kabbalah, including the nature of reality, the anatomy of the soul, how God relates to the universe, how to attain mystical knowledge of God, and how Kabbalah relates to magic, folklore, popular culture, and art. This will be an intellectually rigorous, spiritually surprising excursion into a fascinating body of texts and practices.
Cost: $195 for eight sessions
To register: adultjewishlearning.org

A Day Spa for the Soul: An Interfaith Day of Mindfulness for the GLBT Community
Sunday, March 6, 2005, 10AM-4pm
The JCC of Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY
Join spiritual teachers from Jewish, Buddhist, Christian, and non-aligned contemplative traditions for a day of meditation, community-building and spiritual practice for GLBT people and their allies. Our day will include sitting, eating and walking meditation; inspiring speakers on the unique challenges and opportunities of spiritual practice as a member of a sexual minority; body-centered spiritual practices including yoga and movement; and time to connect with one another. It's like a day-spa for the soul! Sponsored by Nehirim: A Spiritual Initiative for GLBT Jews; Makom: A Center for Mindfulness; the GLBT Program at the Manhattan JCC; Out and Faithful, a program of the GLBT Center; and Q-Spirit.
Cost: $45 members, $60 nonmembers
More information: www.nehirim.org.
To Register: jccmanhattan.org

Introduction to meditation for college students
Thursday, February 17, 2005, 7pm
The JCC of Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY
Learn the basics of meditation at this specially-priced program for college students. Led by Jay Michaelson, who teaches Kabbalah and meditation to people of all ages, we will learn practices that can work well with a low-sleep, high-energy student lifestyle, and find out practical ways to integrate these techniques in our own lives for more calm, concentration, and focus. If youre curious about meditation, this is the perfect introduction for you.
Cost: $8
More information: www.nehirim.org.
To Register: jccmanhattan.org

Kabbalah and Popular Culture: Panel Discussion
Thursday, January 27, 2005, 7pm
The JCC of Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY
Professor Rachel Elior (Jerusalem), Rabbi Jeremy Rosen (U.K.), and Jay Michaelson (U.S.) will be on a panel discussing the phenomenon of Kabbalah in popular culture.

Buddhism and Judaism: Why, How, What, Shal-om
Thursday, February 3, 2005, 7pm
Wesleyan University
Join Jay for an evening of practice and discussion exploring why so many Buddhists are Jews, and what the two traditions are contributing to each other in the contemporary world.

The I-Thou Circus: Performance, Poetry, and Paranoia
Thursday, February 10, 2005, 7:30pm
Cornelia Street Cafe, Greenwich Village
Zeek chief editor Jay Michaelson and Mimaamakim chief editor Jake Marmer team up with singers and songwriters to present an evening of poetry (but not poetry reading), music, and spontaneous interchange and improvisation. Followed by a special set by Basya Schechter of Pharaoh's Daughter. Cost: $6

Queer Spiritual Valentines: Spiritual Love Poetry from the GLBT Mystical Tradition
Sunday, February 13, 2005, 7pm
The JCC of Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY
The day before Valentine's Day, experience a "higher love" at this evening of amazing, passionate, spiritual love poetry written by queer mystics from across the ages. You'll hear ancient and contemporary voices, set to music and rhythms and staged in a way that is anything but a "reading." Hear Judah haLevy the way you've never heard him before, be moved by Hafiz and James Broughton, and hear contemporary poets (including Nehirim's own Jay Michaelson) read, chant, shout, and sing their queer love poems for God.
Cost: $8
More information: www.nehirim.org.
To Register: jccmanhattan.org

Limmud UK
December 26-30, 2004
Nottingham, England
Jay will be teaching at this year's Limmud in England, a conference of Jewish learning which attracts over 500 participants each year. Topics:
Toward a Queer Jewish Theology
What is there to "get" about NY's New Jewish Culture?
Jewish-Buddhist Meditation: Why, How, What, Shal-Om
Moses to Madonna: A Really Short Introduction to Kabbalah
Women who Rub: Lesbianism in Halacha.
To register: limmud.org

Limmud NY
January 15-17, 2005
Near New Paltz, NY
If you can't make it to Nottingham, Jay will be teaching at Limmud NY on some of the same topics. More importantly, there will be dozens of other teachers there, including some serious geniuses and wizards, and hundreds of diverse participants. Register early, because space is limited and it is filling up very quickly.
To register: www.limmudny.org. >

October 18, 25, and November 1, 2004 (Mondays, 7:00-8:30 PM)
Goddess, Light, and Balance:  The Path of Symbolic Kabbalah
A three-class series at the 14th Street Y
In this class, we delve deeper into the symbolic Kabbalah, experiencing God through the many prisms of the sefirot, the four worlds, and the rich mythological language of the Zohar and other texts.   Knowledge of Hebrew is not required, but a basic familiarity with the key concepts of Kabbalah (e.g. from Kabbalah 101) is a prerequisite.
Cost: $12 per session
To register: www.edalliance.org/GoldmanY
 

October 22-24, 2004
The Face Behind the Mask: Uncovering the Divine in Nature
with Rabbi Niles Goldstein and Jay Michaelson
Part of Elat Chayyims Fall Foliage Shabbat Retreat
Accord, New York
In Hasidic wisdom, Hateva, nature, is equivalent to Elohim, the aspect of God that both conceals and reveals the Divine.  On this weekend retreat, you will learn, and practice, some of the ways in which our ancestors sought Gods Face in nature.  We will practice hitbodedut, Rabbi Nachmans method of soul-searing meditation, aided by the songs of the grass.  Surrounded by beautiful fall leaves, we will practice mindful walking and learn the Jewish attention-blessings to be recited in places of natural beauty.  Through meditation, study, and experience, we will together learn a Jewish path for appreciating natures beauty, and the Divine life within.
Cost: $225 including full room and board in the Catskills
Click here to register
Click here for more information on the class
 
 
 

Sunday, February 22, 2004, 10:00 AM
Turn, Turn, Turn: American Judaism in the 1960s
JTS Ivry Prozdor, 3080 Broadway (class for adults)
 

March 15, 22, and 29, 2004 (Mondays, 7:00-8:30 PM)
Kabbalah 101:  An Introduction to Jewish Mysticism for non-Mystics
A three-class series at the 14th Street Y
 
 

March 19-21, 2004
Jay is teaching at and coordinating Nehirim, an LBGT retreat at Elat Chayyim in Accord, New York.  Register now to reserve your space at this unique event featuring teachers from around the country.
 

April 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2004 (Thursdays, 7:00-8:30 PM)
Embodied Judaism
A four-class series at the 14th Street Y
Embodied Judaism combines elements of Pilates, gyrotonic, and Kabbalistic teachings about the harmony of the human body.  Over four sessions, you will move, stretch, balance, and breathe, experiencing the natural, Divine ebb and flow of the body's energies.  You will engage your body, heart, mind, and spirit, will learn about the Jewish approach to the physical body, and get a good workout at the same time.  This isn't yoga with a kippa on; Judaism is a religion of the body, and Embodied Judaism is deeply rooted in our tradition's teachings about the sanctity of the physical body and the natural world. Created by Ari Weller, developer of Integrative Movement Conditioning, and Jay Michaelson, a lifelong teacher of Jewish mysticism and environmental education, Embodied Judaism is about experiencing God in the body -- your body.
Cost: $25 per session
Registration and more information: The 14th Street Y
 

June 7, 14, 21, and 28, 2004 (Mondays, 7:00-8:30 PM)
Kabbalah for Skeptics
A four-session class at Makor
Cost: $12 per session
To register: Makor
 

August 5-10, 2004
Understanding the International Court of Justice opinion about the Israeli "separation wall"
In this daily class, we will read the opinion, focusing on international law, anti-Zionism and antisemitism, the perspectives of both sides in the conflict, the settlements, and the wall itself.
Kabbalah: What is Madonna Thinking?
In each of these classes, we will spend time learning some of the concepts of the Kabbalah, with a focus on how they are being adopted and marketed by the Kabbalah Center and others.
These two classes are part of a week for seniors at Berkshire Hills-Emanuel Adult Vacation Center
in upstate New York.  Follow the link to register.
 

August 31-September 3, 2004

Thursday, September 9, 2004, 7pm
Our and Faithrful: LBGT People and Religion
Jay will be participating in a panel at the New York LGBT center, 208 West 13th Street, NYC, together with a Zen Buddhist and others.  Free.  Visit the LBGT Center website for more information on the series.