Nourish the Garden of our Soul
A Four-Day Silent Mindfulness Retreat for Therapists Supporting War Victims
Monday-Thursday // Sep 8-11,2025
Moa Living // Arava Desert, Israel
The retreat will be conducted in English and Hebrew, with translation provided for both languages
To ensure the retreat is a good fit, please complete a short application form
Prefer Hebrew? Click Here
“I want to thank you for giving me the possibility in this challenging period to return myself to myself.”
- Yochi, Therapist Retreat Participant, September 2024
You're always there to care for everyone, but who is caring for you?
Join us to Recharge and Reconnect to your Inner resources at a special silent mindfulness retreat for therapists in an Arava Desert oasis
Symbolic cost only
We, as therapists, choose this profession because we care. For many of us, living out this care is part of fulfilling our life's purpose. In our work, we enable our patients to rediscover the natural flow and original rhythm of life.
But what happens when we're worn out?
Especially in the period since October 7th, we all recognize how much we need a nourishing space to continue our work sustainably. Without it, our care can turn into painful burnout. In such intense times, we can mobilize ourselves for extra effort for a while, but not in the long run. Our nervous system simply isn't designed to thrive under chronic stress.
This is an invitation to pause, breathe, and connect:
We now need space. To reconnect with the internal resources that nourish our souls. This is the true gift of meditation practice, and especially of retreat. Through meditation, we learn to water our inner garden, create and give ourselves more space, and simultaneously expand our capacity for holding. On retreat, we remove the distractions and intensity of daily life, providing the essential conditions for the soil of our soul to become fertile and flourishing once again.
Supportive Space: Silence, Community, and Personal Guidance
During the retreat, we'll undergo a significant personal and group process. We'll experience both traditional and innovative approaches to mindfulness practice and heart-connection, which foster profound shifts in mental resilience and the capacity for holding.
We'll offer space for releasing what seeks to be let go, and create room for gratitude and renewal. We'll work with diverse resources such as the power of group synergy, the potent desert, and other elements that support healing.
Within the retreat itself, we'll utilize the tool of social silence to create a supportive container – meaning, beyond guided practices, there will be no conversations between participants. However, there will be dedicated time for questions and answers regarding the practice, time for interpersonal practice, and the option for one-on-one personal support if needed.
Who is this retreat for?
This retreat is designed for therapists from all disciplines who have supported and continue to support war victims, and are experiencing burnout in their capacity for containment and/or professional competence. This includes, but is not limited to: psychologists, psychiatrists, mind-body therapists, social workers, and movement or art therapists.
Kindly note: This retreat is designed for your personal nourishment, support, and the well-being of your inner essence as a therapist, not as professional training.
Hear from participants & teachers of this retreat, as they share their experiences
Our Unique Program: Healing, Regulation, and Renewed Connection
In this unique program by Or HaLev, we combine the benefits of a retreat with supportive Zoom sessions before and after the retreat to aid in integration and daily practice.
During the retreat, we will learn and practice:
A variety of trauma-informed mindfulness exercises: Focused practices designed to attune the nervous system to a rhythm of regulation and open the heart channels to internal wellsprings of well-being.
Distinguishing between mindfulness that exacerbates trauma and mindfulness that aids regulation: We'll learn how to practice correctly through the body, when it's advisable not to practice through the body, and a variety of practice options for when the system is over-activated.
Practices for emotional digestion and processing: Tools for coping with complex emotions.
Innovative interpersonal practice: A gateway to emotional regulation and mutual support.
Traditional practices for cultivating heart qualities: Developing compassion, love, and joy.
Chanting: Using voice and sound for inner and spiritual connection.
A glimpse of the Retreat Space
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Accommodation in air-conditioned premium tents
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Spacious and comfortable practice areas
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A green and pastoral oasis in the Arava Desert
Meet our Team
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Danny Cohen
Danny is a founding member and senior teacher at Or HaLev. He is also a skilled teacher and facilitator of transformative change processes, Nonviolent Communication, and mindfulness-based experiential psychotherapy. He teaches and learns at various institutions and companies both in Israel and around the world.
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Zac Newman
Or HaLev Program Director & Teacher
Zac has been practicing mindfulness since 2008 and teaching practice since 2013. He trained to teach mindfulness through the Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice at Bangor University.
Prior to his role at Or HaLev, Zac was the Community Director of HaMakom, the UK-based Jewish meditation organisation. Zac is a long-standing student of religious studies and psychotherapy. He is a rabbinical student in the ALEPH Ordination Program, and he is continually interested in how we can realize the wisdom of our tradition and the goodness of our lives. -
Keren Gal
Psychotherapist, mindfulness teacher, and facilitator of community grief rituals. Graduate of the Mindfulness Teacher Training Program at Bangor University, UK. Yoga teacher, and practitioner of meditation and yoga since 2011. Holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Consulting, facilitates groups, and works as an emotional therapist using a mindfulness-based approach (Hakomi). Explores the connection between human development, ancestral lineage, and the collective — and what supports inner, social, and spiritual resilience and resourcefulness.
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Sarah Mann
Therapists Community Manager
Sarah has a degree in Industrial Engineering and Management, and extensive experience managing large projects in High-Tech. Beyond her technology career, she founded and managed a women's Beit Midrash in Jerusalem, and was a partner in establishing "MatchUp” – a dating initiative and app based on friends setting up friends.
Participants Share…
"It's a wonderful, refreshing, and fulfilling gift that dusts off the soul."
- Rotem, participant in the Or HaLev Retreat for Therapists, July 2024 cohort
"The retreat offers a moment of quiet that is so rare these days. It provides a sense of holding and nourishment that is essential for us therapists."
- Gili, participant in the Or HaLev Retreat for Therapists, September 2024 cohort
“I had a truly foundational experience at the retreat for therapists. I felt professionally held with immense heart, tenderness, and humility – a rare combination in the world of workshops. Highly recommended.”
- Zohara, participant in the Or HaLev Retreat for Therapists, February 2025 cohort
Cost
Participant Price: Only 990 ILS!
The price includes accommodation in spacious, luxurious, and air-conditioned Rajasthani tents at Moa Resort. Each tent has a private bathroom and shower and accommodates up to 4 people.
Full-board vegetarian, rich, and kosher meals are included (on arrival day, lunch and dinner will be served; on the last day, breakfast and lunch).
We are offering a special scholarship for anyone who would like to participate in the retreat but cannot afford it. For scholarship applications, please contact us at metaplimco@orhalev.org
Please note – space is limited. Secure your spot now!
To ensure the retreat is a good fit, please complete a short application form
A Few More Things To Note
For more information please read this Preparatory Letter
The retreat will be conducted in English and Hebrew, with simultaneous translation provided for both languages
This retreat is open to all levels of religious observance - from religious to secular - and to all levels of practice.
To allow us a space of true inner quiet and a deep connection to the retreat experience, the retreat will be held in silence and free of mobile phones. An emergency phone will be accessible at all times for contact if needed – please see details in the Preparatory Letter.
The retreat venue has a protected space (a secure room).
The food is kosher vegetarian (Rabbanut Dairy).
Please note: The retreat is not a therapeutic space, does not substitute for therapy, and requires individual responsibility for one's own physical and mental health.
Our goal is to make retreat a safe and supportive environment for all who attend. Please click here to find out more.
If you would like to discuss your mental health with us, or have concerns about whether this retreat is appropriate for you, please email us at metaplimco@orhalev.org and we will put you in touch with the lead teacher of the retreat to discuss your concerns.
We Are Here
For further information & FAQs about our retreats, see here.
If you have additional questions regarding any matter related to this retreat, you are welcome to contact Sarah Mann, Or HaLev’s Therapists Community Manager:
