Join Us for a Transformative Experience
Discover the magic of Shir Chadash!—a gathering where music, creativity, prayer, and community come alive together. Through shared song, artistic expression, and meaningful connection, we create a space that is both deeply rooted and joyfully alive.
What the Retreat Feels Like
Shir Chadash! is not a conference you sit through—it’s a community you become part of.
- soulful communal prayer and singing
- hands-on creative workshops and electives
- opportunities for reflection, connection, and collaboration
- spontaneous music-making
- space to step back, reflect, or simply be present
Rhythm of the Days
While the exact schedule is still unfolding, each day offers a rich and varied flow of experiences, with multiple options happening throughout.
- Mornings: communal prayer and spiritual grounding
- Midday: a range of workshops and creative sessions to choose from
- Afternoons: continued electives, informal gatherings, or time to step away
- Evenings: shared meals, music, and full-community experiences
There is often more offered than any one person can experience. You are invited to follow your own rhythm: to dive in, to step back, to rest, to walk the grounds, or to simply be present for what calls to you.
Workshops & Creative Offerings
Throughout the retreat, some experiences bring the full community together, while others invite you into smaller, elective sessions where you can explore more deeply. You’ll have opportunities to engage in areas such as:
- communal singing and shared repertoire
- storytelling and performance
- creative writing and personal narrative
- visual art and sacred text
- movement, meditation, and embodied practice
- vocal expression and a cappella work
- songwriting and musical leadership
- sacred drumming and rhythm
- justice, values, and how we show up in the world
Some sessions are hands-on and skill-based, others more reflective or experiential—but all invite participation, creativity, and connection. You can find descriptions of past and possible future workshops and electives here.
Learning That Travels With You
Shir Chadash! is more than a retreat—it’s a space for learning, growth, and creative discovery that continues beyond these few days together.
You might come for the music, the community, or the spiritual experience—and and leave with something you want to carry forward: a song, a practice, an idea, or a new way of approaching prayer or gathering.
Shir Chadash! is also a space for those who lead and teach to deepen their practice—and for those who don’t yet see themselves that way to discover that they can.
Learn from Inspiring Teachers & Artists
Our Guiding Lights include musicians, rabbis, artists, storytellers, and educators who are leaders in their fields—and deeply committed to creating meaningful, participatory Jewish experiences.
You’ll learn not only from their teaching, but from being in community with them—and with one another.
Arrive Early: What’s a Forshpeis?
Forshpeis is our optional pre-retreat experience—a chance to arrive early, settle in, and begin connecting before the full program begins.
In 2026, Forshpeis will be a more spacious and flexible experience, with opportunities for music-making, creative exploration, and informal gathering as the community begins to take shape
It’s a way to arrive not just physically, but fully—meeting people, making music, and entering the retreat already connected.
Come As You Are
You don’t need to be a professional musician or artist to belong here. You don’t need to lead, perform, or already know your place. If you’re drawn to music, creativity, and Jewish spiritual life—there is a place for you at Shir Chadash!
Ready to Join Us?
Registration will open soon. We’d love for you to join us.