IJS Silent Retreat - November 2026 DRAFT

Refuge in the Ark:

A Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Retreat

Sunday, November 15 - Thursday, November 19, 2026

Garrison Institute, Garrison, NY

This retreat will be primarily silent.

This mostly silent, Jewish mindfulness meditation retreat will be at the serene Garrison Institute in Garrison, NY. Over five days, we will focus on deepening our practice through silent meditation enhanced with Jewish teachings, meditation instructions, mindful prayer, and yoga/embodied practice. We will use silence as a tool to deepen our sense of calm, connection, and spiritual development, following Rav Shimon Ben Gamliel’s teaching: “I have found nothing better for a person than silence" (Pirkei Avot 1:17).

Our instructors will include Senior Core Faculty Rabbis Jordan Bendat-Appell, Sam Feinsmith, Miriam Margles, and Marc Margolius, Core Faculty Rebecca Schisler, and Program Faculty Cantor Lizzie Shammash.

Registration Information

Registration Lottery: This year, we will be admitting participants to the retreat using a lottery system. We are changing to a lottery to help decrease anxiety around registration and to allow sufficient time to register for those new to IJS or to this retreat. A registration lottery also enables IJS to distribute our limited financial support more equitably.

To Sign Up for the Retreat: Please fill out this form. You will be required to submit credit card information to keep on file, but will only be charged if you are chosen by the lottery and decide to attend. Cards used on this form will see a $1 pre-authorization charge that is immediately reversed in order to verify the card is valid.

We will inform everyone about the lottery results on Friday, August 21, 2026.

Financial Support: We want to do our best to ensure that the cost of enrollment is not a barrier to participation. A limited amount of financial assistance is available upon request. Please request financial support here. We will let you know about any financial support we may be able to offer before August 21, 2026. Please complete this registration page.

* * *

First and Last Name (for your name tag)

Pronouns

Address

Cell Phone Number

Please Choose a Meditation Track

Track 1
For those newer to Jewish mindfulness meditation (including those who are new to retreats)
Track 2
For those with more experience with meditation on retreats.
I am not sure!
Please share a bit more information below about your background in meditation and on retreats.

If you are not sure what track is best for you, please tell us more here:

Rooming Selection:

Please note that Garrison Institute provides single and double occupancy rooms. Be aware that bathrooms are shared and may be down the hall from your room. Bathrooms will be designated by gender, with options for men, women, and all-gender.

There are three ADA accessible bedrooms on the ground floor that share an ADA bath. All other rooms are on the second, third, or fourth floors.

For those attending retreat with a partner or other family member: We suggest rooming separately. As a silent retreat, many participants have reported that the temptation to talk and interact with their partner/family member has taken a toll on their retreat experience. If partners or other family members request to room together we will assume both parties have taken this under advisement and will honor the request.

Our meditations and meals will be on the first floor. There is no elevator to upper floors. If you have any questions about accessibility on this retreat, please be in touch with our Support team at [email protected].

Please select your room type below. For those requesting financial support, please note that the indicated prices do not include financial aid awards.

Select Your Room Type:

Single Room ($2,200.00)
Double Room with Shared Occupancy ($1,800.00)
Single ADA Accessible Room ($2,200.00)
There is one Single ADA Accessible private bedroom with shared bathroom.
* Please only select this option if you have accessibility needs.
Double ADA Accessible Room ($1,800.00)
There are 2 ADA Accessible Room for two people with a shared bath.
*Please only select this option if you have accessibility needs.
Commuter Rate ($900.00)

For those signing up for a double room:

Please indicate the gender you prefer in a roommate

Please indicate your gender identity for the purposes of assigning roommates

If you know who you would like to room with, please put their name here

Dietary Information: Food on retreat will be kosher and there will be vegetarian options. The IJS Kashrut policy can be found here. Please help us by letting us know if your dietary preferences and needs.

Please share any other dietary information we need to know including allergies. Please list allergies clearly and indicate whether they are mild or severe.

Other Important Information:

A mindfulness retreat is not always advisable for every person. While this is not a barrier to entry, please let us know here if you have any mental health and/or medical issues about which we should know in order that we be able to best support you during the retreat.

Do you have any mobility/accessibility needs we should know about for this retreat?

Is there anything else we should know about your attendance at the retreat? For example, if you need to arrive late or leave early, please indicate this here.

* If you have any questions about whether this retreat is advisable for you, email Jordan Bendat-Appell, Program Director, at [email protected].

Additional Information

Emergency Contact Name

Emergency Contact Relationship to Registrant

Emergency Contact Phone Number