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"In our spiritual work we need not create anything new. All we need is to illuminate that which is already hidden within us" The Rebbe of Kotsk |
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New-Years in America: Rabbi Ohad will be traveling and teaching-sharing in various places in America in January 2006. for details Ü |
"Ha-Makom is one of the more exciting spiritual undertakings in recent Jewish life. Young Israeli men and women, many influenced by the spiritualities of the East, will have a chance to encounter Judaism in a deep and mystical form in an atmosphere that looks toward the future rather than the past. Ha-Makom is part of a growing effort in both Israel and the Diaspora to seek in Judaism and create from it an old/new religious language that will address contemporary needs on both the spiritual and material planes. A special concern for a positive Jewish voice on the environment is hopefully an important part of this project." Prof. Rabbi Arthur Green |
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Shalom and welcome to Hamakom website
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Hamakom is a pioneer spirit in the renaissance of Jewish spirituality in Israel. In 2000 Rabbi Ohad Ezrahi, together with friends and students, established the first Yeshiva-Ashram in the world, located in the Judean Desert by the Dead-Sea. With the support of visionary individuals and foundations, Hamakom created an environment in which any men and women could visit, take a room in the hostel, and be a part of an experimental-learning community. People came from all over Israel, and from around the world to be part of this community, or just to take a retreat, participate in Shabbat or a holiday celebration. Hamakom opened the gates for many Jews and non-Jews to re-connect with the Divine through the ancient wisdom of Kabala, in a non-orthodox and non-dogmatic way. Thousands of people had participated in the workshops of Hamakom between 2000 and 2005, several hundreds were identified as a wide community, and a group of approximately 20 people had lived in the site, functioning as staff in retreats and experimenting intentional spiritual community life together. |
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The core group of Reb Ohad's students had gone through courses of leadership development. The course was comprised of deep investigation into different and new ways of creating a spiritual experience among non-religious groups. Activities including leading non-official prayers in nature and other locations were in the fields of our investigation. People from Hamakom community were and still are, involved in softening the contrast between the religious and non-religious communities in Israel by CREATING a living alternative- open, fresh, and deep - which gives a place for every person to seek and find his or her way connecting to the wisdom of the Jewish tribe. Several projects were established under the wings of Hamakom: A Peace Project – MAKOM le-Shalom, is bringing Jews and Arabs together in the most difficult days - for mutual healing. See more about it here… Council work was brought to Israel first by Leon Berg from the Ojai Foundation in California, that had joined Hamakom community. All the staff members of Hamakom learned how to facilitate Council Work and received the official ordination from the Ojai Foundation. The work of Council that started in Hamakom took off and today is functioning independently as Maágal-Hakshava. In all Hamakom workshops still council work is a very important ingredient. Another pioneer project is the project of Spiritual Accompanying for the Sick – or in Hebrew: Livui Ruchani. In Hamakom we felt that sick and suffering people in hospitals in Israel do not have any one whom they can address questions of life and death and its meaning . So we went to learn from the concept of Chaplains in hospitals in the U.S.A and brought it to Israel, "translating" it to the special needs of the sick people in this country and culture. See here for more details about this unique project.
In 2005 the experiment of the Ashram in the desert came to its end. People from the community are doing good work in several places in Israel. R. Ohad and Dawn will be living in south Tel-Aviv from September and will open their place to have classes, Shabbat ceremonies and more. This is a new and exiting change, and an opportunity for people in the Tel Aviv area to experience this kind of open Jewish wisdom close to their homes. And yet – in the long run – Hamakom is looking to re-create an ashram, but the plans now are bigger. We plan to create a Peace Research Village, a place for Jews, Arabs and people from other nations to live together as a learning community, researching for the true meaning of Shalom, between humans, cultures and the nature of Earth. This project is being developed in cooperation with partners from Europe. See more about this project here.
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in 2005 Rabbi Ohad opened a new school for Love in Kabala - KabaLove - focusing on relationships and sacred sexuality acording to Kabalistic and Hasidic mysticism. to visit the KabaLove website click here Ü |
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"Just give me your hearts and I will lead you in a new way it is the path of our ancestors but yet it is a new way" R. Nachman of Breslov (18th century) |
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