We experienced a wonderful opportunity for learning, professional development, spiritual growth, lots of music-making and seeing old and new friends in the JRF world.

The 2011 Harmoniyah Shabbaton was hosted by Congregation Darchei Noam in Toronto, Canada (http://www.darcheinoam.on.ca/)

Friday afternoon November, 11 through Sunday morning, November 13, 2011.

The goal of this Shabbaton was to continue to build a participatory, community-affirming network of rabbis, cantors, lay leaders, music directors, educators, liturgists, musicians and music lovers that joyfully celebrates our collective experiences, skills and resources in the ongoing preservation and creation of music of and for the Jewish People.

Shabbaton Highlights included (see schedule below): 

- Workshops on Music for the Jewish year, finding your voice, davennen leadership skills, and Jewish folk music.       - Several opportunities to share and learn music composed by musicians in our own
movement for Shabbat and other times.
- Creative and traditional services for weekday and Shabbat in Darchei Noam's beautiful
environmentally innovative building, surrounded by the beautiful voices of Harmoniyah members.
- Lots of opportunities to hear and share original music as well as known favorites.                                                                                                                                                          

The Shabbaton, primarily for the Canada region, but was attended by Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal members, as well as members of Reconstructionist communities in Denver, CO; Palo Alto, CA; Cleveland, OH, and Baltimore, MD, including: 

·        Cantors / Soloists / Rabbis / Shlichei Tzibbur/ Music Directors and Educators

·        Choirs (not necessarily expert musicians, but those willing to devote time to practice)

·        Congregational Singers

·        Music and Congregational Life (education for families, adults, children; tikkun olam, the arts, programming outside of worship services, etc.)

Our goals are to help participants to be able to return to their home congregation with new tools, melodies, materials and ideas to enrich congregational life.  We also hope this retreat will continue the task of growing and building connections among ourselves and our movement.

Coordination took place with other Harmoniyah travelers through the music listserve (www.jrf.org/listserves).

Harmoniyah is the music network of the Jewish Reconstructionist Movement. We are comprised of a group of  professional and volunteer members, who serve JRF congregations in a myriad of musical, prayerful and spiritual ways.

Submitted by Phyllis Greenberg, David Lefkowich, and Rabbi Shawn Zevit of the
Harmoniyah Board and Darchei Noam, 2011 retreat host congregation