Kirva - Inside Out Wisdom and Action

Kirva - Inside Out Wisdom and Action The world needs changing—and you’re the person to do it! Join a community of people cultivating our inner resources, guided by Jewish wisdom and ethics.

Thousands of starlings take flight together, turning and shifting in an enormous, breathtaking swarm. No single bird is ...
08/28/2026

Thousands of starlings take flight together, turning and shifting in an enormous, breathtaking swarm. No single bird is directing the movement. The flock moves collectively—responding to one another, adjusting, and moving as part of something larger than itself.

We need that kind of collective movement now.

Defeating authoritarianism will take broad coalitions: people with different experiences, perspectives, relationships, and tactics, finding ways to move together toward a shared vision of justice and belonging.

Jewish ancestral wisdom has much to teach us about cultivating the relationships, trust, and communities that make that kind of collective movement possible.

Join us this Monday, August 31, 7–8:30 PM ET for Fight Like a Mensch: Becoming the People This Moment Requires, a free online gathering from Kirva and A More Perfect Union.

We’ll draw on Mussar (applied Jewish ethics) and Chassidut (applied Jewish mysticism) to explore practices for strengthening relationships across difference—and building the collective capacity we need for coalition work.

Come learn how we can move together.

Register at the link in bio, or at bit.ly/flm-webinar

Image Description: Graphic with text on top of a photo of tens of thousands of starlings ascending into the sky above trees and plains. Text on top of the image reads, “FIGHT LIKE A MENSCH: Becoming the People This Moment Requires, August 31st 7-8:30 PM ET on Zoom. A Webinar on Jewish Spiritual Practice for the Midterms and Beyond. Both Kirva and A More Perfect Union logos are on the graphic. JOIN US MONDAY! bit.ly/flm-webinar”

Photo by James Wainscoat on Unsplash

Last week, we gathered for our 2026 Ovdim alumni retreat, bringing together alumni from each of our first three cohorts ...
08/27/2026

Last week, we gathered for our 2026 Ovdim alumni retreat, bringing together alumni from each of our first three cohorts for our annual time of learning, practice, and reconnection.

Ovdim is Kirva’s 18-month leadership cohort for experienced Jewish social justice leaders, supporting participants in deepening their Jewish spiritual practice alongside their work for justice. Each year, Ovdim alumni come back together to continue that practice and learn from one another.

At the beautiful Hallowood Retreat Center in Dickerson, Maryland, we were joined by leaders from American Jewish World Service, Avodah, the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, and National Council of Jewish Women, and were led by Rabbi David Jaffe and Rabbi Lauren Tuchman.

With the High Holidays approaching, we worked with Rebbe Nachman’s Good Points as a practice of teshuvah, shared stories of return, and made space for individual and group practice. It was an opportunity to reflect on what we want to carry forward, what we want to return to, and how we want to enter the year ahead.

It was a deeply special time of learning, reflection, and reconnection. We’re excited to share a few photos from our time together.

Elul is a time for teshuva, a process of returning, remembering, and finding our way back to what has been lost.In his n...
08/21/2026

Elul is a time for teshuva, a process of returning, remembering, and finding our way back to what has been lost.

In his newest writing, Rabbi David explores Rebbe Nachman’s teaching that teshuva is like finding a lost object. What if this month invites us to notice what we’ve forgotten, recover what is waiting to be found, and reconnect with the parts of ourselves that help us live more fully?

Read Lost & Found: An Elul Practice at the link in our bio. And Shabbat shalom!

Image Description: Graphic with a vibrant sunrise photo with the sky filled with red, orange, purple, and pink clouds. Text on top of the photo reads: From Lost and Found - An Elul Practice, “Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (d. 1810, Ukraine) relates Teshuva to the process of finding a lost object. Based on the Talmudic teaching that all of us learned the entire Torah while in the womb and then forgot it, our lives are a constant process of remembering, recovering, and finding what was lost along the way in our journey towards living a whole, full life. ”—Rabbi David Jaffe

Apply today for Kirva’s upcoming Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out cohort for those targeted by racism. This fall,...
08/19/2026

Apply today for Kirva’s upcoming Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out cohort for those targeted by racism.

This fall, join educators Yehudah Webster and Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife for an antiracist practice community that builds a daily spiritual practice of nurture and care for yourself and others impacted by racism, as well as deepened connection with The Sacred.

Beginning September 2nd, this 12-session cohort draws on the Jewish wisdom traditions of Mussar (applied Jewish ethics) and Chassidut (applied Jewish mysticism) to sustain us in the fight: the fight against racism and the fight for ourselves and one another. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the cohort is full. Apply today at the link in our bio!

Image Description: Graphic with text and headshots of Yehudah Webster and Keshira haLev Fife. Text reads, “Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out - A Jewish spiritual practice cohort for being antiracist through deepening care and connection to ourselves, others targeted by racism, and The Sacred. With Yehudah Webster & Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife.

We’re excited to invite you to Fight Like a Mensch: Becoming the People This Moment Requires, an upcoming webinar from K...
08/18/2026

We’re excited to invite you to Fight Like a Mensch: Becoming the People This Moment Requires, an upcoming webinar from Kirva in partnership with A More Perfect Union

Join us on Zoom on Monday, August 31, from 7–8:30 PM ET / 4–5:30 PM PT for a conversation about the political landscape ahead, opportunities for meaningful civic engagement, and how Jewish ancestral wisdom and tools can better support us as we move toward the 2026 midterm elections.

Fight Like a Mensch is a new Kirva program that brings together Mussar (applied Jewish ethics), Chassidut (applied Jewish mysticism), and practical tools for navigating today’s political landscape and deep communal divides with courage, compassion, and resilience.

Together, we’ll explore:

🌊 How Jewish spiritual practice can help us respond to fear without becoming consumed by it
⛈️ How we can strengthen our capacity to build relationships across difference
🌿 How we cultivate the courage and resilience needed for sustained collective action

What does it mean to become the people this moment requires? Come explore with us.

🔗 Register at the link in our bio

Image description: Graphic with text on top of a photo of tens of thousands of starlings ascending into the sky above trees and plains. Text on top of the image reads, “FIGHT LIKE A MENSCH: Becoming the People This Moment Requires, August 31st 7-8:30 PM ET on Zoom. A Webinar on Jewish Spiritual Practice for the Midterms and Beyond. Both Kirva and A More Perfect Union logos are on the graphic.

Have you been curious about Mussar, the centuries-old Jewish tradition of personal and spiritual growth?Join Kirva for a...
07/31/2026

Have you been curious about Mussar, the centuries-old Jewish tradition of personal and spiritual growth?

Join Kirva for a 4-session introductory workshop where you’ll explore practical Mussar tools to help align your values with your actions and deepen your connection to yourself, one another, HaShem, and the world around you.

The workshop begins Monday and meets on August 3, 10, 17, and 24, from 5:00–6:00 PM ET / 2:00–3:00 PM PT on Zoom.

✨ Register at bit.ly/intro-mussar26 or through the link in our bio.

Image Description: A graphic with text on top of a photo of ocean water with sun rays reflecting off the water ripples. Text reads: “I feel like my soul is healthier because of Mussar. Mussar is giving folks a community of rigorous practice; it’s a Jewish way of reflection and accountability and mattering in a space.” —Rabbi Lauren Tuchman

In times like these, many of us are searching for ways to stay grounded, connected, and nourished. We long for tools and...
07/29/2026

In times like these, many of us are searching for ways to stay grounded, connected, and nourished. We long for tools and resources that sustain us, keep us rooted in our values, and help us respond to the world with wisdom, courage, and compassion. That’s where Mussar comes in.

Mussar is a centuries-old Jewish tradition of personal and spiritual growth, practiced in community. It offers practical tools to help us align our values with our actions and deepen our connection to ourselves, one another, HaShem, and the planet.

Whether you’ve been practicing Mussar for years or have only heard the word in passing, we’d love to invite you to join us for our four-part Introduction to Mussar series coming up on: August 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th from 5-6 PM ET / 2-3 PM PT on Zoom. Each session builds on the previous, so please come to all four sessions, or watch the recordings! Register at bit.ly/intro-mussar26 or at the link in our bio.

Image Description: Graphic with text on top of a landscape photo of green layered mountains with clouds and fog visible. The text reads: What is Mussar? Mussar is a centuries-old Jewish tradition of personal
and spiritual growth, offering a pathway for better aligning our actions with our values. Interested in learning more? Register for Kirva’s upcoming Intro to Mussar series, starting Aug. 3rd at bit.ly/intro-mussar-26

Registration is now open for Kirva’s annual Teshuvah Workshop. Register today at the link in our bio!In a time of discon...
07/24/2026

Registration is now open for Kirva’s annual Teshuvah Workshop. Register today at the link in our bio!

In a time of disconnection, uncertainty, and rising injustice, the High Holidays call us to return—to ourselves, to our values, and to the sacred work of repair. Kirva’s Teshuvah Workshop offers a space to reflect, reconnect, and recommit. Rooted in the Jewish spiritual practices of Mussar and Chassidut, this two-session workshop supports you in developing a spiritual action plan for the year ahead—one that strengthens both your inner life and your work for collective transformation. We hope you can join us for this two-part online workshop on September 8th and 16th from 7 - 9 PM ET on Zoom. Register at the link in our bio.

Image Description: Graphic with text on a blue textured background. Text reads, “Teshuvah Workshop 5787 with Rabbi David Jaffe. Two-Part Online Workshop: September 3rd & 16th, 7-9 PM ET. Reconnect. Reflect. Return. A teshuvah journey with Kirva.”

There are moments when the work of growing a more just world feels abundant with possibility, and there are moments when...
06/29/2026

There are moments when the work of growing a more just world feels abundant with possibility, and there are moments when it feels like we’re moving through a drought. In this time of political turmoil and communal fracturing, many of us are carrying grief, exhaustion, fear, and a yearning for something different.

Jewish tradition offers another way. For generations, our ancestors turned to Jewish wisdom and practices that helped them cultivate courage, humility, compassion, and resilience in difficult times. This August, join Rabbi David Jaffe and Kirva for an Introduction to Mussar. Together, we’ll draw nourishment from ancient wells of wisdom and explore how Mussar can help us stay rooted, replenish our spirits, and sustain ourselves for the work ahead.

This four-session workshop will take place on August 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th from 5:00–6:00 PM ET on Zoom. Learn more and register today.

This workshop is free and open to all.

Image Description: Graphic with text on top of an image of dry, cracked ground with one green plant growing through the cracks. Text reads, “Drawing Nourishment from Ancient Wells: An Introduction to Mussar with Kirva. Four-Part Online Workshop: August 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 5-6 PM ET. bit.ly/intro-mussar26”.

Many of us are carrying grief, fear, anger, exhaustion, and uncertainty right now. In his latest blog, Yehudah Webster, ...
06/17/2026

Many of us are carrying grief, fear, anger, exhaustion, and uncertainty right now. In his latest blog, Yehudah Webster, Kirva’s Program Director and Lead Faculty, reflects on why tending to our inner lives is not separate from the work of creating change—it is what helps sustain us in it.

How do we remain committed to justice without burning out? How do we care for ourselves without turning away from one another?

Read “Fight for Me, for Us, for You, for WE” at the link in our bio.

Image Description: Graphic with text on top of an image of an alpine lake surrounded by trees, mountains, and fog. Text reads: From Fight for Me, for Us, for You, for WE: “The inner work is not a retreat from the fight but rather a necessary condition that makes the fight survivable and winnable.” —Yehudah Webster, in Kirva’s Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Newsletter

Address

Miami Beach, FL
33109, 33139, 33140, 33141.

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Kirva - Inside Out Wisdom and Action posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category