By Ziva Swire, Sr. Program Specialist, MHWOW Operations
Be the Light: An MHWOW Experience, Moishe House’s first MHWOW-exclusive retreat of 2022 will gather current and future hosts this June 17th – 19th in the lush woods of the southern Berkshires – just one hour from Hartford, CT, and two hours from New York City. Before we dive into how this one is going to be special, let’s look back at some of the past MHWOW retreats and why staff and participants love them so much.
Community Starts with You – May 2019
More than 30 hosts from around the country came together to learn from each other about the communities we’ve built in the places we call home and how to incorporate Judaism into our routines.
One host reflected, “Our weekend was filled with purpose and intention – discussions about who we are and where we feel connected in our communities, Shabbat prayers led through the construction of a Moscow Mule, and in the friendships, we created in a group of unfamiliar faces. We each brought our own rituals and traditions to the weekend, focusing on self-care and leadership to inspire each other.”
The WOW Factor: Igniting Your Creativity – November 2019
With a focus on creativity, hosts gathered to think about how we wanted to create experiences that stood out and explore the endless program possibilities we have during our time in MHWOW.
Hosts shared, “I enjoyed the deep meaningful conversations because I felt like they brought me closer to the community because we were all willing to be vulnerable.” … “I loved the singing and the games – it was just so uplifting and really brought people together. The games showed me that Judaism can be FUN not everything has to be serious. That’s when the creative juices were really flowing, and we all had such a great time together.”
Wonderful World of WOW – November 2021
After almost 2 years of paused immersive experiences, we were thrilled to be able to safely gather 28 participants where we acted like kids again through some classic 90s and early 00’s nostalgia, dreamed with childlike wonder, and let our imaginations soar!
“Moishe House went out of its way to bring together a group of people with vastly different Jewish backgrounds and practices from different regions of the country. Nearly every person in attendance clearly wanted to be there and fully participated in all activities. Our bodies and spirits were fully present. Getting to know everyone was definitely my favorite part of this experience. I love meeting new people who joyfully express their Judaism in different ways and learning how they share this joy with their communities through different MHWOW events.” -Retreat participant
Now, we are thrilled to invite you to the first MHWOW retreat of 2022, Be the Light: An MHWOW Experience. Perhaps you are the North Star that guides others or you’re the joy that brightens up a room. You might also even inspire others to do more! MHWOW hosts know better than anyone how crucial it is to be the light for others in times of darkness. Join MHWOW for Be the Light from June 17-19 in Falls Village, CT to discover what it means for you to be this light! With a mix of program designing, self-care, Jewish rituals, and more we will be ready to re-enter into our communities with more energy and light than ever.
This immersive experience is open to all current and future MHWOW hosts, the retreat is fully subsidized, and we offer generous travel subsidies to get you there.
We’ve already been having so much fun planning this retreat, so you know it’s going to be a blast! We’re so excited to see you.
Apply here today! Spots are limited.
If you have questions about travel, reimbursement, the retreat center, Kashrut or Shabbat observance, or the content of the retreat, please reach out to us at withoutwalls@moishehouse.org.
