Yom Kippur: A Day of Silence and Reflection
with Elaine Retholtz and Jon Aaron
Monday, September 28th, 2020 | 10:00am – 7:00pm ET
This year, New York Insight will continue the annual tradition of A Day of Silence and Reflection for Yom Kippur. As an act of care and compassion for our fellow practitioners during these times it will be offered as an online event.
While this will be a full day of contemplation, meditation and community, we are sensitive to “Zoom fatigue”. Guidance will integrate on-line community practice with self-guided “off-line” practices throughout the day. An hour-by-hour schedule will be available for all who are attending. There will be opportunities for small group discussion and a virtual break-fast at the end of the day.
Yom Kippur is a day when the Jewish community is called to reflect on their actions of the past year. Jews and non-Jews are invited to join the sangha as we meditate on right action, the laws of karma, forgiveness and loving-kindness. We consider the impact of Hiri and Ottappa (positive shame and “moral dread” ie losing the respect of those we hold dear) on our actions, practice the Jewish confessional of the Vidui, and offer love to those who we have lost. It is an opportunity to celebrate the potential in all of us to live a life free of unwholesome actions and embody the qualities of generosity, compassion and wisdom.
All are welcome to join us in this exploration. While we can’t share a break-fast in person, we encourage you to join us in a ceremonial, virtual break-fast at the end of the day.
This daylong retreat is a dana (donation) based event, with donations being directed to New York Insight. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here to download NYI Readings for A Day of Silence and Reflection on Yom Kippur (pdf)
Click here to download our Yom Kippur program schedule (pdf)
Please register here via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkdu6grD8oHtawGPtWC84EnrFOCzvRSsF5
After registering, you will receive an automatic confirmation email from Zoom containing the link to join us (email from either Vivian Mac or no-reply@zoom, titled NYI Yom Kippur Confirmation)
Donations:
All donations for this event will go to benefit New York Insight Meditation Center.
If you are registering via a mobile device such as a phone or tablet, you can scroll right and left and up and down within the below form if it is partially obscured or cut off. Please contact registration@nyimc.org if you need assistance.
If you have questions about your registration please read our FAQs. If your question is not addressed in the FAQs, please email registration@nyimc.org.
Teacher(s)
Elaine Retholtz
Elaine Retholtz has been studying and practicing the Dharma since 1988. In addition to teaching Dharma at New York Insight, she is a certified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teacher and has a deep interest in helping students integrate mindfulness practice into daily life. Elaine is committed to deepening her own understanding of issues of diversity and the way racial conditioning in the United States affects all of us — both as individuals and in relationship to the institutions we are a part of, including New York Insight. She’s been involved in New York Insight’s diversity efforts for many years, serving on the diversity committee, and working with others to create spaces – for diverse groups of practitioners as well as for white practitioners meeting separately – to explore these issues within a Dharma frame.
Jon Aaron
Jon Aaron is a Dharma and mindfulness teacher based in New York and Chicago. Since 2006, he has taught at the New York Insight Meditation Center, offering Dharma and MBSR classes. He regularly leads retreats around the U.S. He is primarily grounded in the Theravāda tradition, alongside non-dual and Mahayana approaches. His teaching emphasizes integrating Dharma and mindfulness into daily life to foster clarity in addressing personal and social challenges. His teachers include Matthew Flickstein and, more recently, Kittisaro and Thanissara through their Dharmapala program. Jon also studied contemplative care at the Zen Center for Contemplative Care and completed the Integrated Study and Practice program at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. He is a certified MBSR teacher and teacher trainer and a Somatic Experience Practitioner®. In response to the pandemic, he and his partner, Upayadhi, launched the Space2Meditate community, offering daily meditation since March 2020. Additionally, he co-hosts the podcast Diggin’ the Dharma with scholar Doug Smith, now in its third season. JonAaron.net