2025 schedule
Friday May 9
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Registration
5:30 Opening Circle (Amphitheater)
6:30 PM - 7:30 Dinner Served
7:30 - 9:00 PM Kabbalat Shabbat
9:00 PM - 10:00 PM Song Circle facilitated by Lauren Arrow and Big Effin Sing
Saturday May 10
8:30-9:30 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Shabbat Morning Service
Service 1: Sefardi Shacharit and Torah service led by Rabbi Tsipi Gabai (community hall)
Service 2: Shabbat Morning Blessing: Sing, Pray, Meditate led by Rabbi Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks (Lev)
Join Rabbi Brian Yosef and BRIAH, featuring Jeannette Ferber, Renée Benmeleh, Joshua Miele and Craig Miller, for an ecstatic and meditative Shabbat experience!
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Kids Shabbat (yurt)
Join Melita for a joyful, interactive music experience with Shabbat songs designed for kids ages 2 to 7 (though all are welcome!). With her guitar, puppets, kid-sized instruments, and colorful dancing scarves, Melita creates a lively space for singing, dancing, and hands-on musical fun. Children will engage with a mix of Jewish and non-Jewish songs, fostering connection, creativity, and movement in a warm and inclusive setting. Come ready to sing, dance, and play along!
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Lunch
Optional affinity groups- see offerings below. Please feel free to join whichever you feel identified with- or none at all! If you would like to offer your own, let the organizers know. (Meet at outside tables labeled).
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Workshop Block #1
Elan Loeb and Eva Orbuch: Percussion basics and Jewish Drum Jam. (Star)
If you’ve ever wanted to learn the basics of percussion so you can contribute to jams, this is the place for you! We’ll teach the basics of egg shaking, tambourine, and hand drums. Additionally, we’ll discuss questions of: What are Jewish drums? Are there Jewish drums? Why doesn't klezmer have much percussion? In synagogues, you might see people playing djembes; in Klezmer bands, you might see people playing drumsets, but are there Jewish drums? In this workshop, we’ll talk about being good guests in the drumming cultures of other lineages, and connect the dots back to Jewish drum culture. We’ll talk about reclaiming music traditions, and what it means to be a musician in the diaspora. Then we’ll spend most time jamming on percussion.
Ami Goodman: Yiddish songs of Protest, Struggle and Solidarity Past and Present. (Shamayim)
Handouts available, all transliterated. No knowledge of Yiddish needed. We’ll learn to sing the songs, delve into their historical context and importance, including the lives of the composers and poets. This will showcase the current vibrancy and timeless messages of Yiddish song.
Tsipi Gabai: Sefardi Piyutim. (Yurt)
Come and learn beautiful Sephardic piyutim, sacred poems that hold a central place in prayer, ritual, at the dinner table, and beyond.
Alison Avigayil Ramer & Jaco Cohen: The Mekonenet’s Journey - Song for Grief and Gratitude. (Lev)
Join us for a heart-opening song circle where ancient lament meets living tradition. Rooted in Jewish ancestral wisdom and renewed through contemporary sound, this gathering honors the deep river of grief we carry—and the songs that help us hold it. We will journey through the legacy of the Mekonenet—the sacred grief tenders of Jewish communities—while learning melodies, rituals, and practices that invite remembrance and repair. This workshop will:
Illuminate how Jewish music has long created space for grief, memory, and healing;
Invite participants into shared song, ritual, and reflective practice;
Offer tools and melodies to support both communal and personal mourning.
Come with your sorrow, your gratitude, and your voice. No musical experience necessary—just a willingness to feel and to sing.
1:45 PM - 3:15 PM Workshop Block #2
Rena Branson: Song Circle for Personal & Collective Healing (Turf).
During this song circle, Rena will teach original music that weaves together Jewish texts with new English poetry and prayers for healing. Inspired by the words “p’tach libi b’toratecha” (open my heart to Your teaching), Rena’s music asks: What are we being invited to learn, grow, and heal in this moment? All voices are welcome, and you’re invited to engage in this session however is most nourishing to you. Feel free to sing, listen, dance, stretch, meditate, or enjoy a serenaded nap!
Ivan Velev: Poyk- Balkan and Klezmer Drumming (Star).
This workshop will introduce us to rhythm patterns that underlie a lot of the Ashkenazi/Sefardic Jewish music idiom. We will learn how to accompany songs categorized as khosidl, freilach, bulgar, freylach-bulgar hybrid, or terkisher. We will review/learn a few middle-eastern rhythms that are part of Jewish music as well: the maksum-baladi-saidi family, ayub, and malfuf, as well as a rhythm in 7 common to the Romanian/Bulgarian music idiom. We will see how all those rhythms relate to each other. All percussive instruments are welcome: poyks, dumbeks, djembes, tambourines, snare drums, etc. Ivan has the most expertise in poyk playing, so he cannot guarantee he will have the best tips on playing techniques on non-poyk instruments. The workshop will have a small block dedicated to Poyk players and specifically poyk techniques. What is a poyk? It is the Ashkenazi music percussive double-sided drum with a cymbal on top that can be carried on foot to accompany processions and line-dances that are not stationary and require serenading/playing the main protagonists in a celebration. It is like the tapan/davul (Southeast-European/Turkish drums without the cymbal) and very likely also related to military drums brought back and adapted to civilian/village music life. IF YOU WANT TO BORROW a POYK, please contact Ivan well ahead of time.
Lily Henley: Songs of Flory Jagoda and modern Sephardi Repertoire (Shamayim).
This workshop celebrates the legacy of Flory Jagoda, whose compositions and repertoire have become central to the modern Sephardi songbook. We will sing selections from her original repertoire alongside traditional songs from the Sephardi Balkans. Through listening, singing, and conversation, we’ll trace the deep roots and enduring resonance of these melodies within Sephardi cultural memory, and we may sing a few brand new Ladino songs!
Bruce Bierman: A Mitzvah to be Joyful: Hassidic and Klezmer Dance (Yurt).
Bruce will offer a workshop on the secrets of ecstatic Hassidic dance and selections from the traditional Klezmer dance repertory---all to the soulful and joyous music of the Ashkenazi musical traditions.
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM Free Time (hangout on the farm or offsite)
Optional Voice Lessons! Drop by the community hall for vocal practice with professional singer Johanna Bronk.
4 PM - 5 PM Workshop Block #3
Melita Silberstein and Eva Orbuch: Shabbat Nap Time Sound Bath and Serenade (Yurt).
Rest into the delicious slowness of Shabbat and take a nap or lounge in the yurt, while being serenaded by luscious songs and soundscape. We’ll be singing some songs with words in English, Hebrew, and Spanish, some without words, and some purely instrumental sounds.
Matt Takiff: Instrumental Nigun Accompaniment (Shamayim)
There's an art to instrumental nigun accompaniment. To weave in and around the melody in a way that lifts the voices of the singers takes listening and patience. In this workshop with Matt Takiff we'll discuss and practice how to create music that connects and converses with prayers in a meaningful way. Some (but not a lot!) of musical experience is recommended as the workshop will focus on using instruments to accompany niguns.
Eli Conley: Songwriting for Queer & Trans Folks & Allies (Star)
Everyone has a song inside of them. What does yours sound like? Join this workshop to unlock your creativity and let your songs out! No musical training or instrument required. We’ll begin with a fun writing exercise to get your creative juices flowing. Then we'll listen to songs by transgender and nonbinary artists to explore the way that melody and lyrics come together to create a song, and learn strategies to strengthen each of these aspects of our songwriting. You’ll leave with tools to unlock the songs you have inside!
Sam Trachtman: Jewgrass (Community Hall).
Come learn the basics of bluegrass music and how bluegrass styles can be adapted to fit traditional Jewish songs. We will have a spirited, inclusive, Jewgrass jam session! Beginners welcome!
Claire Sherman: Hebrew Rounds and Short Harmony Songs (Lev)
Join Claire for a joyful singing circle exploring Hebrew rounds and harmony songs! Together, we'll create instant harmony as we learn and sing beautiful, layered melodies. Claire will share some of her favorite rounds including rare gems from childhood that she has never found anyone else to sing with. Towards the end, participants will be invited to share additional rounds if they wish. No experience or Hebrew knowledge needed and all voices are welcome!
5:15 PM - 6:45 PM Workshop Block #4
Lauren Arrow: Songtending (Turf)
What makes an effective and engaging song leader? Confidence, skill, and the ability to bring people into the music with ease. In this 90-minute session, Lauren will guide participants—whether complete beginners or seasoned professionals—through the essential tools of song facilitation. Using a playful and trauma-sensitive approach, this workshop will help build emotional confidence in front of a group, teach practical skills for leading songs effectively, and explore the deeper art of musical facilitation. Using Jewish songs and nigguns as practice material, participants will gain hands-on experience in leading with authenticity, presence, and skill, leaving with a stronger sense of their own voice and leadership style.
Lily Henley: The Ladino Songbook (Shamayim)
This workshop explores the rich tapestry of Sephardi musical tradition through the Ladino language. Participants will learn about the historical development of Sephardi music and its diasporic journey, while singing and discussing key genres in the repertoire—including romancero, kantikas, koplas, and liturgical music.
Candace Goodwin: Niggun Meditation for the Soul (Yurt)
Embark on a soulful journey through the power of niggunim—ancient, wordless melodies that transcend language and touch the deepest parts of the spirit. In this immersive workshop, we will explore how harmony, rhythm, and the repetitive, meditative nature of niggunim can guide us into a state of deep connection and healing. Through gentle guidance, participants will experience the meditative flow of singing together, weaving harmonies, and exploring rhythmic patterns. We’ll create this beautiful, welcoming space where the music just wraps around you—perfect for letting go, finding joy, and feeling totally renewed.
Miriam Peretz: Jewish Dance (Lev)
Since biblical times Jews have been a dancing people!! In the Torah there are many stories that include dance for ritual and celebration. Circle dances have especially been an integral part of Jewish dance. Because of the long exile of the Jewish people, many of these ancient ritual dances have been lost. In exile the Jewish people adopted the dances of the lands in which they lived. The Jews of Yemen picked up the dances from Yemen, while the Jews of Morocco learned the dances from Morocco. Since the return of the exiles to the land of Israel, each Sephardi community brought with them beautiful dance traditions. In this workshop we will explore some of these Sephardi dance traditions including Yemenite and Moroccan dance. We will also learn an interpretive sacred Jewish dance inspired by liturgy, "Yishru Shalom." This dance is a prayer for peace and has been offered over the years at congregations throughout the Bay Area during high holy days.
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Dinner (optional affinity groups during dinner- see offerings below)
8:15 - 9:30 Participatory Concert Led by Faculty Teachers (Community Hall)
9:30 PM - 10 PM Havdalah (Community Hall)
10 - 11 Dance Party (Community Hall)
Sunday May 11
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Workshop Block #5
Melita Silberstein: Kids Musical Fun! (Star)
Join Melita for a joyful, interactive music experience designed for kids ages 2 to 7 (though all are welcome!). With her guitar, puppets, kid-sized instruments, and colorful dancing scarves, Melita creates a lively space for singing, dancing, and hands-on musical fun. Children will engage with a mix of Jewish and non-Jewish songs, fostering connection, creativity, and movement in a warm and inclusive setting. Come ready to sing, dance, and play along!
Elizheva Hurvich: Low and Slow (Lev)
Jewish mystics teach that the entire world was created through words. Words are made of consonants and vowels and breath. Words are sound vibrations. This morning’s service follows the shacharit order. We will chant each prayer, abbreviated to a few words, slowly-- one SYLLABLE per breath. If you’d like to daven with Elizheva leading up to or following Kol, you are welcome to reach out to her!
Rena Branson: Hasidic Nigun Deep-Dive (Community Hall)
Nigunim are spiritual melodies that allow us to express emotions, experiences, and prayers that words can't capture. In a supportive environment, we will explore this powerful practice together through singing nigunim from the Chabad Hasidic tradition. ChaBaD, or חב"ד, is an acronym for Chochma—the seedling of bright wisdom, Binah—taking root in deeper understanding, and Da'at—intimate knowledge that bears fruit in practice. Between melodies, we will breathe together and practice welcoming all the parts of ourselves, cultivating self-compassion as a foundation for showing up with love in our lives and the broader world.
Isaac Montagu: Psalms in Sephardi Communities (Shamayim)
From Kabbalat Shabbat to mourning at a shiv‘ah, psalms are a central and deeply emotional part of Jewish liturgy – yet they are often totally overlooked. Come and learn to chant them according to their te'amim (or trope), according to different Sephardi traditions. This is the result of Isaac’s PhD research into Sephardi communities right around the world.
Max Bell Alper: Reportback on Klezmers in Yiddishlandia (Yurt)
What does klezmer currently sound and feel like in Latin America? How is diasporic Jewish music being reimagined in Spanish speaking countries today? Come hear stories of a recent 3 month trip Max took, where they busked on the streets of Puebla, México, danced the hora at a wedding in a country club in Santiago, Chile, and co-organized a klezmer jam with more than 20 musicians at a bar in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We will discuss the concept of doykeit (“hereness”) in relation to migrations (past & present), musical expressions (traditional/fusion), and the possibilities of collective liberation. We will be also be listening to (and maybe singing/ playing) a few songs from the journey.
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM Community Song Circle (Community Hall)
11:45 AM - 12:30 PM Closing Circle (Community Hall)
Please fill out the retreat evaluation!
Please consider a donation to Kol! Paypal: kolretreatdonation@gmail.com
Affinity Groups
Saturday Lunch:
1. Indigenous solidarity affinity group led by JOOL (Jews on Ohlone Land)
2. Elders affinity group led by Maryam Turtle Woman
3. Palestine solidarity affinity group led by Mira Stern
4. Men affinity group led by Zach (Zaza) Bell
Others as requested!
Saturday dinner:
1. LGBTQ+ affinity group led by Elan Loeb
2. Sephardim and Mizrahim affinity group led by Natalie Bitton
3. Jews by Choice affinity group led by Carly Dreme Calbreath
Others as requested!
Post-Kol After Party: Song Circle and Open Mic!
On June 9, we will have a fundraiser for Kol and Let My People Sing. In this gathering, we will be able to share music you’ve been working on in life or learned at the Kol weekend.
A note inspired by our co-sponsor Let My People Sing: Kol gatherings are intergenerational, radically inclusive, and thrive on differences of all kinds, including religious, political, and cultural. This diversity is very important to the spirit of Kol. We acknowledge that Kol is happening during a very difficult, highly polarizing time. Coming together across differences can be increasingly challenging. That said, we intend to foster a safe space. We cannot promise that you will never feel any discomfort, but we expect that everyone will come with respect and curiosity. May we all allow communal music making to be a balm for our hearts.
Kol and Urban Adamah are happy to support Sogoratae Land Trust through donating a portion of our proceeds. We encourage you to learn about and support them!