Community Retreats

We're so excited to announce that our Annual Retreat will be taking place January 9-11, 2026 at Camp Newman in Santa Rosa! Our Scholar-in-Residence will be Dr. David L Graizbord, the Shirley Curson Professor of Judaic Studies and Director of the University of Arizona's Arizona Center for Judaic Studies. A historian of early modern and modern Jewish identities, Dr. Graizbord's research focuses mostly on the Western Sephardi Diaspora of the seventeenth century. In particular, Dr. Graizbord's writing approaches questions of religious, social, and political self-definition as these questions shaped the lives of so-called "New Christians" or "conversos" from the Iberian Peninsula who became Jews in exile.  He has also written about Judeophobia and the culture of the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions; marginality and dissidence in Jewish and Ibero-Catholic societies of the seventeenth century; ethnicity and religion among Sephardim from medieval times to the 1700s; and converso trading networks in the Atlantic. Topics for his lectures include:

Who are we vs. Who do we think we are? Jewish Identity in Times of Crisis—and How to Dress for Them.
We engaged, curious American Jews know who we are; that is why we go to synagogue, donate tzedakah when we can, and teach each other to be good citizens of the world because we are aware that we have to Mend the World. Or do we? This interactive meeting will be devoted to a discussion of American Jewish identity, its relationship to historical Jewish civilization, and what it means to “dress oneself” in the garb of our multi-millennial heritage.  

Lest we become “Crypto-Jews”: Can Medieval Sepharad Inform us Now?
RAMBAM—what a guy! “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition”! Jews often mention both and derive meaning from knowing something about them.  But what might the history of Medieval “Spanish” Jews teach us as a whole, and how can we become informed by what went on in pre-modern Sepharad? This interactive lecture will clarify some aspects of classic Sephardi culture and engage participants in a discussion of the ever-urgent question: So what?

Revitalizing Jewish identity: Some Considerations for the Present—and Future.
At a time of cascading antisemitism, it is easy to wallow in despair, panic, self-pity, and comforting self-delusion.  But let us jointly consider what practical steps we need to take to truly self-care and emerge as a resilient, happy people. Hint: The answers lie in our history, not in the history and phenomenology of anti-Jewish hatred. Come and see how.

All-inclusive pricing will include the following: Lodging for two nights, Six meals (Friday dinner through Sunday lunch), Shabbat services, Multiple Scholar learning sessions, Childcare, and plenty of games and fun for community bonding!

Choose from two Lodging options: either The Lodge (elegance and comfort) or Authentic Cabins (fun for families)! Registration opens on October 23rd. We hope you'll join us!

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2025 Annual Retreat at Camp Newman in Santa Rosa! Special thanks to our Scholar-in-Residence, Marc Dollinger, professor and Rhoda Goldman Chair in Jewish Studies and Social Responsibility at San Francisco State University.

Am Tikvah’s Annual Retreat is a tradition from the legacy synagogue B’nai Emunah that has continued for 45 years. On Saturday November 18^th and Sunday November 19^th, 2023,  we had an opportunity to take a break away from the business of our outwardly-focused lives. We were excited to announce that we had two scholars this year!

Rabbi Daniel Chorny was be our Scholar in Residence on Saturday, leading two lectures about creative rituals in both secular and religious contexts.

Rabbi Cantor Hillary Chorny, Cantor at Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles, was our Scholar in Residence on Sunday to lead a workshop on design-based creative rituals for both personal and communal inspiration.