Past Classes

Classes are available starting from $18. The price includes videos of all class sessions with Rabbi Yael Levy and all accompanying materials. Once payment is made, you will receive an email with a link to the videos and materials within two business days.

If you have any additional questions, please contact us at learning@awayin.org

Standing Into Relationship: The Amida

February, 2021

The tradition calls the Amida Ha’tifilah THE prayer and teaches that the Amida is the heart and soul of the liturgy. In the Amida, we step into intimate relationship with the Infinite Presence. We offer praise and gratitude. We ask for help and bow deeply into the Mystery that holds us all. In this series of classes, we will explore the expanse of the Amida and hopefully you will feel inspired to take on your own Amida practice.

Psalms as Spiritual Practice

June, 2021
In these classes we explore ways to engage with psalms, developing a relationship with these ancient texts that speak to moments of transition, fear, doubt, exaltation, wonder, beauty and uncertainty. Full psalms and individual verses guide our way as we discover how psalms can shape and inform our spiritual practice.

What Does God Have To Do With It?

November, 2021

Guided by Jewish mystical tradition, we delved into teachings, images and experiences of “God." The deep aim of the class is for each of us to discover a sense of “God” that will guide us in standing strong, steady and loving in these times.

Peering into the Mystery

February, 2022

For the Jewish mystics, the system of the sefirot—the Divine Emanations—reveal cosmic mystery. These ten emanations are vessels through which we can encounter and experience the Sacred and Absolute One. They shine from the Infinite, illuminating the interconnection of all being and opening the way for relationship with the Infinite presence. Bowing deeply, we will enter these realms, asking for blessing and guidance.

Turn and Return: A Journey through Elul to the Shores of the New Year

September, 2022

The month of Elul is a time of expansive spiritual preparation as our hearts and souls prepare to turn and enter the New Year.  Together we listen to the calls of Elul and explore the meaning, intentions and opportunities of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

The Four Olamot: The Four Hidden and Revealed Worlds

November, 2022
Jewish Mystical tradition speaks about the four olamot—the four worlds that make up our cosmic reality. These worlds are considered levels of spiritual awareness and experience. They reflect the four letters of God’s holy name, the body, heart, mind and spirit of the human being, the four elements, four seasons and four directions of earth and the four mythical rivers that flow from Eden. In this series of classes we will explore and traverse these worlds listening and feeling into what they have to teach us about living well in these complex times.

The Mysteries of Purim

March, 2023
The mystics teach Purim is a time of deep and profound transformation. All the worlds shift in the swirl of cosmic energy and the hidden mystery comes into this world in a completely new way.

As we explore the hidden and revealed aspects of this full moon holiday, we let ourselves be lifted by the energy of yishuah, the transformative powers of the cosmos. Hopefully Purim will never be the same.

Out of the Narrow Places: Pre-Pesach Retreat

March, 2023
During Passover, the Festival of Liberation, we are urged to feel as if we too are being brought out of the narrow places into a wide expanse of possibility. On this pre-Pesach retreat day, we will engage in practices to help soften our hearts, open our awareness and release thoughts and habits that keep us bound. Our aim is to touch the courage, strength and faith that will guide us in stepping into the fullness of our lives and serving the highest good. Our day will begin with prayer and meditation, calling on the wisdom that comes through the mystical tradition.

QUESTIONS AND CONVERSATION SERIES
The Months of Tammuz and Av: After the Omer, a Long Stretch of Wilderness

June, 2023
The months of Tammuz and Av bring us from the Mountain of Sinai to the shores of Elul and our preparation for the New Year. They offer wonder and challenge, insight and deep guidance.

We will explore these months through a mystical lens, listening to their calls and the practices they urge and offer.

Questions and Conversation Series
After the Omer: Now What?

June, 2023

Coming out of the Omer journey I often feel a bit lost. The time has been so abundant and I can hear my soul call: We have counted the days. We have arrived. Now what?

We will come together this evening to talk about prayer and spiritual practice, exploring how we can discover and create practices to guide and sustain us.

Come with questions about prayer and practice and we will continue the journey together.

Preparing our Hearts and Souls for the New Year: An Online Class-Retreat

September, 2023

The New Year, 5784, began on Shabbat. When Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat align it is traditional to wait until the second day of Rosh Hashanah to sound the shofar. This offers the opportunity to listen into silence as we cross the threshold into the New Year.

During this class and retreat day we explore the calls of Rosh Hashanah and the practices that can help prepare us to enter the New Year with open and willing hearts. These holy days ask us to be vulnerable, courageous, humble and true. It is a glorious and challenging journey. I am grateful for the opportunity to explore and prepare together.

Prayer: Sacred Medicine for Our Times

November, 2023
Prayer sustains me, prayer grounds and guides me, and so often I turn to prayer for comfort, hope and courage.This series will explore prayer as sacred medicine that can nourish, calm and direct our minds/hearts/souls.

Using the ma’ariv (evening service) as a gateway, we will listen into the meaning of specific prayers and explore the wisdom within the structure and texts of the liturgy.

The ma’ariv service, called by the tradition, the service of emuna (faith), brings us into the heart, helping us to experience prayer as intention, relationship, offering, challenge and promise.

Engaging a mystical and practical lens we will explore how we can develop and stay true to a prayer practice that will lift and guide us.

The Miracles of Chanukah

November, 2023
The mystics teach that the lights of Chanukah shine from the Infinite Light of creation, bestowing chen, pure love freely given. We will explore these and other teachings to help prepare ourselves to receive the gifts of this sacred time.

Calling on Angels: The Months of Adar

February, 2023

Seven times every 19 years, an extra month of Adar is added to the Jewish calendar to keep the holidays and festivals in their seasons. Without the extra Adar, the holidays would circle around the year, with Chanukah arriving in summer, Pesach in autumn and Rosh Hashanah in spring.

With a mighty ruach—a forceful spirit, the extra Adar brings us into alignment.

Adar lifts us up, swirls us around and calls us into sacred play as it brings possibility, discovery and transformation.
Adar reveals and conceals and mysteries abound.

In this class we listen into the ruach of Adar and:

·      Explore the concept of ashrei, happy, contented, blessed

·      Open to the energy of yishuah: deliverance, saving power, expansive force of transformation

·      Delve into mysteries of the Divine hidden and revealed

·      And enter the gates of Purim which turns everything upside down and points the way to radical transformation and possibility

Purim and Cosmic Transformation

March, 2024

The mystics teach Purim is a time of profound possiblity.  The worlds shift and hidden mysteries are revealed. We will prepare for this full moon holiday, which arrives on Sat night March 23, by exploring teachings and calls of Purim that urge us to dance with the cosmic mystery and touch into a place of oneness that transforms all.

Out of the Narrow into the Expanse

April, 2024
During Passover, the Festival of Liberation, we are urged to experience ourselves being brought out of constriction and fear into an expanse of possibilities. In these two classes we explore Pesach through a mystical lens and delve into practices to help soften the hearts, open awareness and release thoughts and habits that keep us bound. We will gaze deeply into the practice of counting the Omer and prepare our hearts and souls for Pesach and Omer season.