Lev Shalem Yoga integrates Jewish wisdom and embodied practices such as yoga, breathwork, meditation, and Hebrew chant with Jewish holidays, prayers and rituals. Lev Shalem Yoga opens new pathways into ancient Jewish teachings, revitalizing them for the modern seeker.
In Hebrew lev means “heart” and shalem means “whole.” Lev Shalem signifies whole-heartedness, the desire to live a balanced, and vibrant life. In Sanskrit, yoga means “union” and refers to the holistic joining of body, mind and soul for physical and spiritual health.
Upcoming 2024 Schedule
In person at Temple Beth-El, Great Neck, NY. Yoga with a Jewish Twist. 6 Tuesdays, May 7-June 18. 9:00-10:00am
In person at Congregation Rodeph Sholom, NYC. Coming Fall 2024.
TORAH YOGA RETREAT, Isabella Freedman Retreat Center, Falls Village, CT, July 29-August 4, 2024.
For more info or to book a special private event Reach out
Come away with us
Torah Yoga Retreat
July 29-August 4.
Details coming soon!
Join us at Isabella Freedman Retreat Center and The Adamah Farm, a beautiful setting in the southern Berkshire mountains of Falls Village, Connecticut.
Step away from the rhythm of everyday life, and create an “island in time”. Together, through the study of ancient Jewish wisdom and the practices of yoga with other guided activities, we will reveal and illuminate the Torah within body, mind, heart and soul.
All are welcome, no previous yoga practice or Torah study is necessary to participate and enjoy. All levels of religious observance are welcome, this experience is for anybody looking to join an uplifting and relaxing Jewish-inspired spiritual retreat.
All meals are kosher with vegetarian and vegan options. Meals are delicious and prepared using organically grown ingredients from the onsite Adamah Farm.
What we offer:
Yoga Morning Prayer Practice: Move through the central prayers of a morning service with melodies and poses that embody the essence and meaning of each prayer and blessing. Our Yoga Morning Prayer Practice seeks to awaken gratitude, wonder, a sense of community and personal aspiration for the day ahead.
Weekly Parsha Practice: Experience the Torah portion or parsha through poses that draw upon a core theme of the weekly Torah reading. Opening with the blessing for Torah study and an exploration of a few central verses, our Weekly Parsha Practice opens new channels of understanding our life-giving and ancient narrative.
Havdalah and Yin Yoga: Savor in the precious last hours of Shabbat with Havdalah and Yin Yoga, holding poses that enable us to absorb the restful blessings of Shabbat. We conclude with the evocative prayers and ritual of havdalah with sacred objects of a braided candle flame, spices and sweet wine.
Shabbat Morning Yoga: Combine both a Yoga Morning Prayer Practice and our Weekly Parsha Practice, Shabbat Morning Yoga enabling a deep and enlivened communal Shabbat morning experience, concluding with the sweetness of Sabbath Kiddush.
Jewish Holiday Yoga: Embody each holiday’s core themes along with a mantra, mediation and questions for reflection and journaling. Rejoice in the fullness of a Jewish holiday year!
Jewish Inspiration, Learning and Wisdom: Be inspired by Jewish culture, topics may include: Health and Wellness from Ancient and Modern Wisdom, Kabbalah and the Sefirot, Rosh Chodesh-Renewal and the New Moon; Mussar and Middot, Yoga Flow & Groove to selected Jewish musical artists.
OUR NEWISH JEWISH BOOK …
Into a Jewish Holiday Year with Yoga is a gateway and guide. This book seeks to add richness, depth, and meaning to the experience of a Jewish holiday year through the practice of yoga. It is adaptable for use in yoga or Judaic settings, for group experiences, or for solitary practice.
Into a Jewish Holiday Year with Yoga is a resource for:
Yoga practitioners and instructors exploring the integration of yoga with Jewish tradition.
Educators and community leaders facilitating Jewish experiences in synagogues, schools, community centers, retreats, and summer camps.
All who seek an expanded, enlivened, and embodied experience of the Jewish holiday year.
All who love Judaism and yoga.
Meet the Founders of Lev Shalem Yoga
Since 2009, Rabbi Tara Feldman and certified Yoga teacher Sharon Epstein have been offering classes, workshops, events, trainings and retreats. Sharon and Tara are excited to share the latest fruit of their collaboration:
Into a Jewish Holiday Year with Yoga, a Workbook & Guided Journey for Body, Mind & Soul.
About Rabbi Tara
Tara Feldman was ordained by Hebrew Union College in 2001 and is Rabbi Emerita of Temple Beth-El of Great Neck, New York where she served for 13 years as co-senior Rabbi. Her previous pulpits include: Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn, New York and Temple Israel in Memphis, Tennessee.
Rabbi Feldman received her B.A. in Russian Language and Literature from Vassar College and a Masters in Elementary Education from Lesley College. A lifelong exercise enthusiast, her passions include yoga, meditation, storytelling and environmental and social activism. Rabbi Feldman lives in Jerusalem, Israel, with her husband, Rabbi Meir Feldman, son and daughter.
About Sharon
Sharon Epstein is a licensed creative arts therapist and experienced yoga teacher. She completed an advanced teacher training offered by the Embodied Jewish Network in 2023. This unique training explores the integration of embodied spirituality by delving into Jewish symbolism, mysticism, text study and prayer. Through this work, Sharon honors and loves sharing the rich lineage of her Jewish ancestral roots and identity.
Sharon holds the credentials E-RYT-500 and YACEP from Yoga Alliance. Sharon received her B.A. in Theatre Arts from Bard College and her Masters in Dance Movement Therapy from Hunter College. She lives in Great Neck, New York, with her husband, Ron. Together, they have raised two sons.
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“This book is amazing! We are going to use it for our Shabbatonim!”
Rabbi Laura Sheinkopf, Director of Jewish Life, The Emery Weiner School
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“The Tu B’Shevat program was amazing. I can’t wait until Purim. Your book arrived last night and it is OUTSTANDING!”
Beth Phillips, Educator
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“Thank you both for such a beautiful event yesterday. The yoga was such a great stretch. I felt elevated in mind and body afterwards. You two are great.”
Marcie Kesner, Zoom program particpant
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"This book provides space for introspection, inquiry, and spiritual exploration through the lens of yoga. The text and prompts are accessible for a seeker of any age hoping to dig deeper into their practice."
Amanda Greenawalt, Executive Director, Temple Beth Israel, Port Washington, NY
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"Tara and Sharon offer foundational insights and inspiration for embodied spiritual practice that draws upon their combined years of practice and teaching. This book is a powerfully integrated approach to moving through the Jewish year cycle."
Rabbi Myriam Klotz, founding co-director of Yoga and Jewish Spirituality, Institute for Jewish Spirituality, NYC &Philadelphia, PA
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"Sharon and Rabbi Tara have created a well-designed approach to help you integrate yoga with Jewish festivals. More people than ever before are looking for a meaningful way to explore the mind-body connection within a Torah context, and this is a helpful tool in that journey."
Marcus J. Freed, author of The Festive Sutras: A Yogi’s Guide to Shabbat & Jewish Festivals. Co-founder of the Jewish Yoga Network
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"Rabbi Tara Feldman and Sharon Epstein have combined their extensive knowledge of Judaism and yoga to present the enormous, multidimensional world of the Jewish holidays with masterful simplicity, clarity, and depth."
Diane Bloomfield, author, Torah Yoga: Experiencing Jewish Wisdom through Classic Postures
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"Thank you for creating such a memorable yoga and meditation experience. It was a perfect way to mark S'lichot and your structure really got deep into the spiritual work I need to do."
Gayle Monaster, Zoom program particpant
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"Your ELUL Jewish Yoga program was wonderful. The flow and material in the program gave space for a connection to that wise inner voice we all have but find hard to access. The intention of the holiday combined with the physicality of movement created a platform to move from head to heart."
Faith Sterling, Zoom program particpant.
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“I so enjoyed the yoga practice on Shabbat morning! Weaving the service throughout was really special. I am so happy that I was able to attend. Thank you for bringing this to Memphis.”
Jan Klein, Clergy Assistant Temple Israel, Memphis, TN
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"I loved your yoga class. Although it was a dreary and rainy morning outside it was warm and full of light inside while we were praying and doing yoga."
Lorraine Wolf, Participant at Temple Israel, Memphis, TN
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"Thank you Rabbi Tara and Sharon! Ending the Sabbath by combining Havdalah with Yin yoga was a huge spiritual experience, a beautiful way to enter into a new week, full of possibility and hope."
Victoria Bromley, Temple Israel participant Memphis, TN
