General and important information in the Brochure
WELCOME TO THE 2010 CACTUS KALLAH!
Abundance and Joy!
We chose this theme to acknowledge that the intention of our gathering is indeed a sacred one: l'shem shamayim, for the sake of heaven. We acknowledge that we have the power to draw into our lives and our universe that which is at the center of our focus. And so we chose to focus on Abundance and Joy in our lives.
Who Comes to the Cactus Kallah? This type of Kallah gathering will see an incredible range on almost every front: Religious background or current practice from A to Z (assimilated to zealous!); intimacy constellations including singles, couples and families, those with and without children and/or aging parents of all ages; LGBT and straight; occupations too numerous to name but including healers, teachers, artists, authors, information technologists, mothers, judges, students, religious leaders, consultants, accountants, business owners, designers, fundraisers, and mediators. This diversity provides participants with a gathering that is a deeply rich Jewish experience. We expect that each person who comes to the Cactus Kallah comes for different reasons: To be with community; to re-enter into Judaism; to experience Jewish renewal; to learn with a specific teacher; to learn in general; to davven (pray); to combine spirituality and social action; to meet a lifemate/soulmate...the list goes on. Whatever YOUR reason, we hope that you join us at the Cactus Kallah.
Classes The selection committee is in awe of the abundance of high quality proposals submitted to the Cactus Kallah. Every effort was made to balance the program, considering such factors as new and popular teachers, geographical representation, and depth and variety of topics offered. The difficult choice is now yours. Do you want to sing? dance? pray? learn new ways to look at old text? connect with the rebbe within?
We offer two sessions of classes. After reviewing all the choices, you select one early course and one later course for the three class days of the Cactus Kallah, plus two alternates (second choices in case the first is full) for each.
Courses fill on a first-come, first-served basis. Some classes fill quickly, so the earlier you register, the more likely you are to receive your first choice. In the last weeks of December, and after you have PAID IN FULL, you will receive your class assignments and recommended readings.
Davvenen (Prayer) One of the great treasures available to Cactus Kallah participants is the diverse offering of davvenen experiences available every morning and evening. We offer space for creative and traditional minyanim as well as chant/meditation, yoga and other offerings. Our selection will depend on the availability of leaders, spaces and interest. If you are a rabbi or lay leader interested in leading davvenen, please contact Richard J. Kestler (rjkestler@cox.net) by December 31, 2008.
Cactus Kallah Dining: Lechem HaNefesh - Bread for the Soul, Food for Life
One aspect of living with kavanah (focused intention) is the experience of dining. Our three meals each day will be offered in a special area of the hotel, serving delicious parve (including fish)/kosher dairy/vegan/vegetarian food. Our talented chef and dining staff will make certain there is an array of freshly prepared foods available three times a day to satisfy the heartiest appetites.
In the dining room, you will have a sacred dining experience through the four worlds of action, feeling, thinking and being, plus learn how to bring such an experience into your own home and life. For Friday night, we will have a special Shabbos dining experience as well.
If you have food allergies or other special dietary needs, please be sure to mark them on the registration form.
Al Regel Achat: The Rebbe Is In Each afternoon after lunch and before the afternoon session, we will have a few designated spaces for people to gather to get information, advice or ideas about some aspect of Jewish Renewal. The format will be a brief presentation by one or more people who are the "experts" and then time for questions and answers with the crowd that has gathered.
Cactus Kallah Choir -- The musical sparks will be flying at the 2008 Cactus Kallah! This year we have many and varied opportunities for music and song. As many as three choirs and/or orchestras will meet throughout the week. We are fortunate to welcome Chazzan Micha'el Esformes, Eli Shirim Lester and Maya Kashtelyan! Be sure to bring your instrument! Please mark your interest in participating in any of these groups on the registration form.
A TYPICAL DAY AT THE KALLAH
Shacharit 7AM
Breakfast: 7:30 - 9 AM
First Class 9:15 - 11:15 AM For a complete schedule,
Mincha 12:45 PM
Second class 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Workshops 4PM - 5PM
Dinner at 5:30PM - 7PM
Ma'ariv 7 PM
Evening Program 7:30PM
Shabbat We begin with a variety of options to prepare for Shabbat, including mikvah (ritual baths), meditations, singing, exploring Shabbat rituals, and studying the Parasha. We welcome Shabbat as a community with a contemplative walk. We light candles as community, join together for a festive meal and then participate in a Kabbalat Shabbat service and post-dinner celebrations.
On Saturday, we davven, study, rest and play together as we relish the holy time and sacred space of Shabbat. In the afternoon, we can choose from a variety of options, as well as special presentation by the Kids Kallah. We say I'hitraot to Shabbat with Havdalah and a celebratory Melaveh Malkah (to bid farewell to the Shabbat Queen) featuring performances by the Kallah choirs and orchestra.
Spiritual Mikveh outside in January!
Experience the spirit, serenity and beauty of the Tucson weather as you prepare for Shabbat! On Friday, after the later session classes, we will have separate women's and men's mikveh rituals right on the grounds in a warm heated pool and still have time to get ready for Shabbat (and be able to join the wonderful Walk into Shabbat.)
Tikkun Olam We pay attention to matters of ecology, such as composting, recycling and in the purchase of locally grown organic products whenever possible. This year, we will have several projects to heighten our awareness in possible areas of focus.
Bookstore/Judaica Gallery The Cactus Kallah giftshop/ bookstore will be selling high quality Judaica as well as books, tapes and CDs all week. If you are an author, or if you know of any authors, artists or composers whose work would be appropriate for the Cactus Kallah store, please have them contact Karen Wortman (YahHineni@aol.com) by January 1.
Healing Center Our registrants may receive holistic care on site at the Cactus Kallah Healing Center. You are invited to experience the healing modality of your choice and choose from several practitioners—in making your selection, please peruse their biographies, services and fee schedules.
We also offer opportunities for healers to "earn and learn" while attending Cactus Kallah. For more information contact Carol S. Kestler at cskestler@cox.net or 520-323-0185 before January 1.
Special Group Advocacy We want everybody to feel included and visible. We have identified four groups which warrant special attention: people in their 20s and early 30s (we call them Kesherites); elders; the LGBT community (lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender); and Cactus Kallah participants who are coming from outside the U.S. borders. In order to help people feel visible, safe and included, we have "advocates" on our planning committee. These people are responsible for extra special attention to outreach and programming for these communities. If you are a member of any of these communities, please feel free to contact the advocates (listed in the Planning Committee box on page 9) with questions or comments or simply for contact. If you are part of another group of people which you feel should have special advocacy, please let us know.
Kids' Cactus Kallah Jeff Fogel is directing the Kids' Cactus Kallah along with several talented teachers. At the Kids' Kallah, young people aged 5 to 17 will enjoy a variety of activities, including clowning and theater, art, singing, Torah study, dance, sports, possible field trips and a tikkun olam project. Kids' Cactus Kallah will focus on our theme, HaMakom Ba-Iyr, through a variety of age-appropriate special projects. Kids' Cactus Kallah will culminate in an All-Ages Shabbat Davvenen and a special theatrical performance.
At the Cactus Kallah, we support families who choose to come with their children, providing a toddler daycare program for children aged 1- 5 years as well as evening babysitting for all children in a central area, as well as in their rooms. Please note: All children ages 1-12 MUST be pre-registered for Kids' Cactus Kallah by January 1, 2009.
There may be some (limited) openings for adult workstudy and full-time positions working with the Kids' Cactus Kallah. If you are experienced in working with children and are interested, please contact Jeff Fogel (520-490-2484 ; jgfogel@comcast.net).
The Kesher (Connection) Program, Empowering Young Leaders. We are excited to announce our Kesher program for twenty- and early thirty-somethings for the Cactus Kallah. You will participate in special peer designed and led programming in addition to regular activities throughout the Kallah.
If you are interested in attending the Kallah, and want to know more about Kesher or need financial support in order to come, please contact Rondy Dupre (rondyg@cox.net).
Applications are due by November 15, 2008 (firm!).
Attention everyone! Our goal is to raise scholarship money (tuition and travel) for 10-20 "kesherites." To make a donation to this program, you can include it directly on your registration form (see inside back page). Thank you!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Start and End Times Registration will be open Wednesday, January 28, from 9 am to 1 pm. The program begins shortly after 1 pm on Wednesday. When making your travel plans, please be sure to arrive on campus no later than 1 pm on Wednesday, January 28. If you are traveling from the airport, it is approximately a 10-minute trip to the hotel and the hotel has a courtesy van to bring you from the airport to the hotel. The Kallah program will end by noon on Sunday, February 1.
Pre-Registration All registrants will receive a pre-registration packet at the end of December when they are PAID IN FULL indicating classes, recommended readings, driving instruc¬tions, and other important information.
Fees and Deposits At $895 all-inclusive, we continue to keep our prices affordable — comparable retreats nationwide are averaging $1400/week for double occupancy, shared bath. All payments must be made in full and postmarked by November 25. A $25 discount will be applied to each registration paid in full and postmarked by November 10.
A $50 per person late fee will be charged if registration or final payment is postmarked after November 25. Fees for residents and commuters are found on the registration form. A deposit of $150 per person (including children) must accompany each registration if sent in before November 15—all balances must be paid by November 25.
Cancellations If you must cancel your reservation, please call the Cactus Kallah office immediately. Cancellations are subject to the following fees: $100 if received before November 25; one half of the total fee if received between November 25 and January 15; forfeit total fees if received after January 15. All refunds will be processed by the end of February.
Work-Study Work-study is a serious commitment. Positions are available, ranging from a few hours to half days. Applications MUST be emailed to the Workstudy Coordinator, Lisa Robinson at choirladyone@comcast.net (or sent by mail to the Kallah Office) by January 1. Applicants will be informed of their grants by January 5. All requests are confidential.
Early Arrival Lodging is available at the hotel for Tuesday night and would cost an additional $120 (includes room, dinner, breakfast and lunch). We can also accommodate participants' arrival prior to Tuesday January 27 at a rate of $140 per night for room only. Participants can also stay after the Cactus Kallah for a few days at the same $140 room rate per night (an excellent value at Tucson’s prime time.) To get the extended stay, early or late, at the special rates, the extra dates must be noted on the registration form.
The Site We are excited to be at the Holiday Inn Palo Verde. The campus is self-contained in an urban setting with easy access to the airport (10 min.), courtesy van service, nearby restaurants, shops & galleries, and, of course, the mountains!
The Holiday Inn is set up with varied styles of accommodations (see below) and a lovely dining facility reserved just for us. Pictures of the site are available on the Cactus Kallah web site.
Housing The options for overnight accommodations include 2 oak night stands with lamps, oak desk, complimentary Wireless high speed Internet, access power and date ports, 27 inch remote control tv, on command movies and games, video checkout, upgraded local and cable channels with Showtime and Starz, weekday USA Today delivery, 1 phone with voice mail:
• Rooms with two full beds or one King-sized bed (if you would like the King-sized bed room, please indicate on registration form – all “single” rooms will be King-sized beds).
• Suites (includes a dining table and sofa-bed in extra suite room.) Junior suites are a smaller version of the full suite.
Smoking and non-smoking rooms are available.
Please make your choices on the registration form.
Commuters Lunches and dinners are included in the commuter fees. We also have an option for breakfast as well. Commuters can arrange to stay on campus for Shabbat provided there is room.
Meals The food service staff at the hotel has much experience preparing healthy, delicious and sensitive vegetarian/vegan/dairy/parve meals (this includes some fish). A non-dairy, non-wheat choice will be available at every meal. If you have special needs, please indicate on the registration form.
Special Needs Please notify us early if you have special needs of any kind. Most of the facilities on campus are wheelchair accessible.
Shabbat Guests If the Cactus Kallah does not fill to capacity there will be the possibility of attending for Shabbat only. Include payment and mark "Shabbat Only" on the registration form. Payments will be held (not processed) until availability is determined. The office will maintain a waiting list and let you know by January 18 if there is space.
MORE IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Special Events We are planning a special outing Wednesday evening featuring a night tour of Tucson and culminating in a visit to Arizona’s first shul, which opened its doors for Rosh HaShanah in 1910. We may even have a chance to meet a Jewish cowboy or Bubbe, just after she gets off the stagecoach. They will have an exhibit for us to enjoy.
Another possible outing is to the Tucson Botanical Gardens where there is a special exhibit called Butterfly Magic at the Gardens (the butterflies are loose inside a special enclosure and you can get eye to eye with them – they might even rest for a few moments on you or your clothing.)
There is a special charge associated with both of these outings and reservations may be made when you arrive at the Cactus Kallah.
Vacation in Tucson There are many other things to do in Tucson while you are here. There is the Sonora Desert Museum, Sabino Canyon, Kitt Peak Observatory, Pima Air Museum, incredible art museums, Old Tucson, hiking, and much more. We invite you to consider a few days before or after the Cactus Kallah to include some of these Tucson attractions. Of course, the Tucson Gem Show starts shortly after the Cactus Kallah and some of it is at the Holiday Inn which is the Cactus Kallah site.
Meetings for Special Groups We are making space available and will have a facilitator for daily (Thurdays – Saturday) meetings of the Friends of Bill W and the Friends of Lois. If there are other groups for which such meetings are appropriate and desirable, please contact us and we will see what can be done. If you would be willing to be the facilitator of such a group meeting, please include that information.
Cactus Kallah web site We will post the most recent version of this brochure on the Cactus Kallah web site. Please visit it for the latest copy and special information about the Cactus Kallah.
