The Mussar Institute

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Mussar Kallah Retreat

Mussar Kallah VIII – October 8-11, 2010
At the beautiful Illinois Beach Resort, located directly on Lake Michigan just 40 minutes from both Chicago and Milwaukee.

To Register for the 2010 Mussar Kallah Retreat, click here.

WHAT IS THE MUSSAR KALLAH RETREAT?

The Mussar Kallah Retreat is an annual gathering that brings together some of the most highly regarded teachers of Mussar along with students, seekers and others curious to learn more. The Mussar Kallah Retreat is simultaneously a conference, workshop, dialogue and creative discussion that is weaving Mussar into modern spiritual life.

Previous Mussar Kallahs moved from city to city, and took place in:

  • New York (2003)
  • Houston (2004)
  • San Francisco (2005)
  • Chicago (2006)
  • Miami (2007)
  • New York (2008)
  • Phoenix (2009)

This year’s Kallah will take place at the Illinois Beach Resort – click the link to find out more about this beautiful location. The current plan is to hold all future Kallahs in the Chicago area.

Until recently, Mussar only existed in the world of Orthodox Judaism, but even there, the ravages of the Holocaust resulted in the living heirs to a millennium of spiritual exploration and innovation being swept from the face of the earth. The embers of Mussar have continued to glow, however, and this tradition is being rediscovered today in response to the spiritual yearning that is arising in every corner of the Jewish world.. Find out more about Mussar.

WHAT LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE DO I NEED TO HAVE?

The Mussar Kallah Retreat Is open and suitable only for people who have already had exposure to Mussar, whether through courses of The Mussar Institute or other forms of Mussar learning and practice. One does not need to be an expert, however. Every speaker focuses on issues that affect ordinary people in everyday life, because that is precisely what Mussar is meant to do. In bringing forward the teachings from this venerable tradition, the presenters endeavor to create bridges that permit members of our generation to access and apply these time-tested gifts of tradition in our own lives.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO LEARN?

The Mussar Kallah Retreat provides a unique opportunity to learn from seasoned teachers who are ordinarily inaccessible and yet who are bearers of one of the finest traditions of spirituality in the Jewish world. Rabbis Becker and Miller are American-born and so understand and can communicate with a contemporary audience. This is a rare opportunity to learn from these teachers as they all live in Israel and so are seldom available in North America.

Every participant comes away from the Mussar Kallah with:

  • A deeper knowledge of the history of Jewish spiritual practice.
  • More clarity and appreciation for the wisdom of the Mussar tradition.
  • Better understanding of the play of forces in his or her own inner life.
  • Effective tools to apply that to help navigate the journey to holiness in the Mussar way.

MUSSAR KALLAH RETREAT

The Mussar Kallah Retreat takes place from Friday through Monday, and includes living, eating, praying and learning in intimate spiritual community. We will share a relaxed, exploratory, devotional time together over food, prayer, song and discussion.

All food at The Mussar Kallah Shabbaton is strictly kosher, under Orthodox supervision. We request that no outside food be brought to shared eating areas.

Two prayer services will be held – one Orthodox and one egalitarian.

The Sages say that Shabbat is "a taste of Heaven on Earth." One way of understanding Heaven is as pure spirituality, and the Shabbaton is a taste of that experience.

Housing

This Kallah is a residential retreat at the Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center, located at 1 Lake Front Drive, Zion IL 60099, telephone 847-625-7300, fax 847-625-0665. Check in is on Friday, October 8th at 3pm, and the Kallah is Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Check out is Monday, October 11th by noon. We cannot arrange for home hospitality and all attendees are expected to stay at the Resort.

Attendees are responsible for making their own reservations with the Resort and The Mussar Institute will not be making the reservations.

We have arranged for a block of rooms at a reduced rate of $99 per room per night (plus 11% tax), which applies for one, two, three or four occupants, so you may share rooms to save costs. Lake view rooms will cost more and you must request a lake view room at the time of booking.

If you are interested in sharing a room and do not have somebody with whom to share, once you register, we will send you information on how to post information that will reach other attendees, so you can coordinate possible roommates.

In order to receive the discounted rate, you must reserve your rooms by September 9, 2010. After September 9th, we cannot guarantee the price or availability of rooms.

We recommend that you call the Resort at 847-625-7300 at the time of your registration for the Kallah and make your reservation with a credit card. When calling the Resort, please mention group code: Mussar Kallah VIII.

Food

Registration includes Friday night dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, Sunday breakfast, lunch and dinner, and Monday breakfast. All food will be strictly kosher. Please indicate any food requests, allergies, etc., on the registration form.

Transportation

The Illinois Beach Resort and Conference Center is located in Zion, IL, on Lake Michigan, north of Chicago. It is approximately 40 miles north of O'Hare Airport and 57 miles north of Midway Airport. All attendees are responsible for making their own transportation arrangements. We suggest that you try to arrive on Friday by 2 pm and make reservations to fly out after 2 pm on Monday. The Mussar Institute is not responsible for the availability or cost of travel.

Taxi and shuttle service as well as car rental are available to the Resort from both local airports. Driving directions to the Illinois Beach Resort are available on the web at www.ilresorts.com/directions.cfm, and information on other forms of transportation at www.ilresorts.com/visitors-transportation.cfm.

If you are interested in coordinating transportation with other attendees, once you register, we will send you information on how to post inquiries that will reach other attendees so you can seek or offer transportation to the retreat from the Chicago airports.

To Register for the 2010 Mussar Kallah Retreat, click here

"It is so evident that [The Mussar Kallah] is something so awesome and exciting. I feel like a fish who has returned to the water."

"I have been desperately seeking a group of Jews who are hungry to work for a connection with G-d. Thank you for assisting others to connect with their own small voice."

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"It is so evident that [The Mussar Kallah] is something so awesome and exciting. I feel like a fish who has returned to the water."
"I have been desperately seeking a group of Jews who are hungry to work for a connection with
G-d. Thank you for assisting others to connect with their own small voice."