National Jewish Retreat 2026: Full Schedule

Schedule is tentative and subject to change.

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9:15am EDT

Together Again: The Relationships That Make or Break Our Lives

Wednesday August 5, 2026 9:15am - 10:05am EDT

At the end of the day, life is measured less by what we achieve and more by who we share it with. Yet the relationships that matter most often receive the least intentional attention. Drawing on timeless Jewish wisdom and real-world experience, Rabbi Dovid Cohen explores what it takes to build stronger marriages, healthier families, deeper friendships, and the kind of lasting connections that give life its greatest meaning.

Speakers

Rabbi Dovid M. Cohen

Wednesday August 5, 2026 9:15am - 10:05am EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

9:15am EDT

Way More Than Waymo: The Ethics of Programming—Who Lives and Who Dies

Wednesday August 5, 2026 9:15am - 10:05am EDT

Ivanka

As autonomous vehicles take the wheel, they inherit humanity’s most unsettling responsibility: deciding who lives and who dies in a split-second crisis. This session explores the real-life moral dilemmas now being coded into our cars and asks who bears responsibility when machines make life-and-death choices. At the intersection of cutting-edge AI and timeless Jewish ethics, we confront a provocative question: Who—if anyone—has the right to program the “correct” decision?

Speakers

Rabbi Yechiel Krisch

Rabbi Yechiel Krisch is a science journalist and rabbi. His coverage of biomedicine, technology, environmental issues, space, mathematics, and health policy has appeared in The New York Times, Scientific American, The Atlantic, and numerous other publications. As an ordained rabbi... Read More →

Wednesday August 5, 2026 9:15am - 10:05am EDT
Ivanka

Lecture

9:15am EDT

When the Rebbe Challenged Me: Personal Encounters That Changed the Way I Live

Wednesday August 5, 2026 9:15am - 10:05am EDT

Crystal

Behind-the-scenes encounters you won’t hear anywhere else: personal attention, a blunt call to maturity, a life-changing directive on marriage and family, an Israeli political storm, and intimate moments in the Rebbe’s home and at the Ohel on Gimmel Tammuz.

Speakers

Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie

Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie is a senior Chabad shliach in Yorba Linda, California. He is the author of Undaunted, a biography of the Sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe. His first book, The Secret of Chabad, was honored by the National Jewish Book Award. Rabbi Eliezrie is active in national and global Jewish affairs, serving on the Board of the Jewish Agency for Israel and as president of the Rabbinical Council of Orange County, California... Read More →

Wednesday August 5, 2026 9:15am - 10:05am EDT
Crystal

Lecture

10:20am EDT

Building a World through Kindness: Rebuilding a Fractured World—One Act at a Time

Wednesday August 5, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am EDT

Crystal

In a world that often feels fractured and uncertain, what is the one force that can truly hold it together? Drawing on timeless Torah wisdom and powerful real-life stories, this lecture reveals how even the smallest act of kindness carries the power to transform lives—and shape the future of our world. Sometimes, a single moment of compassion can echo across generations.

Speakers

Rabbi Moshe Bryski

Rabbi Moshe Bryski is the director and spiritual leader of Chabad of the Conejo in Agoura Hills, California. He oversaw the establishment of numerous neighboring Chabad centers and founded the Conejo Jewish Academy, an adult Jewish education institution serving 3,000 students annually... Read More →

Wednesday August 5, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am EDT
Crystal

Lecture

10:20am EDT

Halachah in the Hot Seat

Wednesday August 5, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am EDT

White & Gold 2

From modern dilemmas to timeless debates, join Rabbi Yosef Marlow as he dives into the burning questions on the minds of today’s Jewish world. Whether it’s technology, ethics, or everyday challenges, we’ll explore how eternal Torah wisdom guides us through the complexities of the present.

Speakers

Rabbi Yosef Marlow

Wednesday August 5, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am EDT
White & Gold 2

Lecture

10:20am EDT

I Lived in a Drug Rehab for Five Years: How I Built Successful Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Facilities, and What I Learned about Recovery

Wednesday August 5, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am EDT

White & Gold 1

The creation of my company was not only via business development but also with Torah and
Divine Providence. And ultimately what I experienced living in the rehab for many years has
become quite useful for those who want to learn about this devastating addiction crisis.

Speakers

Rabbi David Nesenoff

Wednesday August 5, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

10:20am EDT

Trust and Your Gut: How Faith, Stress, and Health Are More Connected Than You Think

Wednesday August 5, 2026 10:20am - 11:10pm EDT

Ivanka

We carefully monitor what we eat, how much we exercise, and how well we sleep. But what about the health of the soul? Join Rabbi Manis Friedman for a fascinating exploration of the connection between faith, purpose, and well-being. Discover why human beings may be wired for belief, and how a healthy spiritual life can profoundly impact the way we think, feel, and live.

Speakers

Rabbi Manis Friedman

Rabbi Manis Friedman is a world-renowned author, lecturer, philosopher, co-founder of the Bais Chana Institute of Jewish Studies, and founder of It’s Good to Know website. He is the most popular rabbi on YouTube and is the author of numerous books on relationships and ethics including, The... Read More →

Wednesday August 5, 2026 10:20am - 11:10pm EDT
Ivanka

Lecture

11:25am EDT

Order Confirmed. Gratitude Pending. Why Demanding More Is Short-Circuiting Your Miracles

Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT

White & Gold 1

We're constantly refreshing the page, waiting for the next blessing to arrive. But what if the miracle has already been delivered? Charlene Aminoff shares a powerful perspective on gratitude, faith, and learning to recognize what's already in your hands.

Speakers

Mrs. Charlene Aminoff

Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

11:25am EDT

The Forgiveness Experiment: What Would Your Life Look Like If You Let It All Go?

Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT

Crystal

Everyone says forgiveness is important. Few people actually try it. What happens when we stop replaying old hurts, release the weight we've been carrying, and discover what life looks like on the other side? The results may surprise you.

Speakers

Rabbi Yisroel Bernath

Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT
Crystal

Lecture

11:25am EDT

Unwrapping Your Legacy: What Halachah Really Says about Your Will

Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT

White & Gold 2

Think your will is in order? Halachah may say otherwise. Discover what matters, what’s often missed, and how to do it right.

Speakers

Rabbi Moshe Lieberman

Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT
White & Gold 2

Lecture

11:25am EDT

Where Is G-d When It Hurts? The Hardest Question in Judaism

Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT

Ivanka

Why do good people suffer? Why does a loving G-d allow pain, tragedy, and loss? In this powerful session, Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet tackles Judaism’s most difficult question and explores what faith really means when life stops making sense.

Speakers

Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet

Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT
Ivanka

Lecture

2:00pm EDT

A WILD Jewish Love Story: A Chinese Movie Star and a Puerto Rican Wall Street Woman

Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT

Crystal

He was a Chinese movie star. She was a Puerto Rican Wall Street executive. Neither imagined Judaism would completely change the course of their lives. Join Matt Trusch and Yael Trusch for the fascinating, funny, and deeply moving story of how two unlikely journeys led to one extraordinary Jewish future.

Speakers

Mrs. Yael Trusch

Mr. Matt Trusch

Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Crystal

Lecture

2:00pm EDT

Fanatics and False Messiahs: The Scandal That Fractured the Jewish World

Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT

White & Gold 2

A mysterious mystic. A desperate generation. A promise of redemption that swept across continents. Four hundred years after the birth of Shabbetai Tzvi, discover how one man captivated the Jewish world—and why his story still matters today.

Speakers

Rabbi Mendel Krasnjanski

Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
White & Gold 2

Lecture

2:00pm EDT

The Greatest Story of All Time

Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT

White & Gold 1

Experience Rabbi Reichman's viral TED Talk like never before. This session explores the profound connection between the Torah and the story we have all come to know and love: the hero's story. This inspiring session will empower you with the tools to transform your life into a story of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.

Speakers

Rabbi Shmuel Reichman

Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

3:10pm EDT

Blackout: Developing Your Spiritual Night Vision

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

White & Gold 1

When life goes dark, most people stop looking. Charlene Aminoff shares how faith, resilience, and a shift in perspective can help us develop the spiritual night vision to navigate uncertainty, find meaning, and uncover light where others see only darkness.

Speakers

Mrs. Charlene Aminoff

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

3:10pm EDT

Has Religion Been Good for the World? The Case For—and Against—Faith

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

Crystal

Wars, oppression, division, guilt: religion has been blamed for all of them. Yet faith has also inspired charity, morality, community, and some of humanity's highest ideals. So, what's the verdict? Join Rabbi Manis Friedman for a candid exploration of religion's complicated reputation, and discover why the real question may not be whether religion has helped the world, but what happens when it disappears.

Speakers

Rabbi Manis Friedman

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
Crystal

Lecture

3:10pm EDT

How You Say It Matters: The Secrets to Being an Outstanding Speaker

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

White & Gold 2

Have you ever been asked to say a few words in shul or in a business presentation and want to
stand out and make an impact? Learn the hints, methodology, and inside scoop to create the
most interesting speech from a global speaker who has inspired thousands of audience
members.

Speakers

Rabbi David Nesenoff

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
White & Gold 2

Lecture

3:10pm EDT

My Grandfather: A Nazi? How I Discovered My Grandfather Was a War Criminal.

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

Ivanka

Silvia Foti was raised in Chicago on heroic stories of her grandfather, a Lithuanian captain who survived two years in a Nazi concentration camp only to be executed by the KGB in 1947. But in Lithuania, she heard he was a “Jew-killer.” Hear as she tells the story of her twenty-year search for the gut-wrenching truth.

Speakers

Mrs. Silvia Foti

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
Ivanka

Lecture

4:20pm EDT

Becoming a Mother Without a Womb: How Raw Faith Rewrote My Story

Wednesday August 5, 2026 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT

Crystal

Born without a womb, Ariella was told motherhood was impossible. Through groundbreaking medicine and unwavering faith, her story took an unexpected turn. Ariella shares a deeply moving journey of hope and the quiet strength it takes to keep believing.

Speakers

Mrs. Ariella Kamen

Wednesday August 5, 2026 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT
Crystal

Lecture

4:20pm EDT

Broken Strings, Beautiful Music: Finding Strength, Purpose, and Song, Even When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned

Wednesday August 5, 2026 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT

White & Gold 1

This lecture takes us on a journey through Jewish history, Torah, and powerful modern stories—all in search of the secret behind the Jewish people’s unbreakable spirit. It shows how even in the face of exile, illness, grief, and unimaginable loss, we don’t just survive: we sing, we hope, and we rebuild. In a world that teaches us to despair, this talk reminds us that hope isn’t naïve: it’s holy, and it might just be the most Jewish thing of all.

Speakers

Rabbi Moshe Bryski

Wednesday August 5, 2026 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

4:20pm EDT

Holy Intimacy: The Transformative Power of Mikvah

Wednesday August 5, 2026 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT

White & Gold 2

Far more than a ritual, Mikvah offers a powerful framework for renewal, connection, and sacred intimacy within Jewish marriage. In this women-only session, explore the emotional, spiritual, and practical depth behind one of Judaism’s most timeless and transformative traditions.

Speakers

Mrs. Rivkah Slonim

Wednesday August 5, 2026 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT
White & Gold 2

Lecture

4:20pm EDT

Somatics, Souls, and Psychedelics: Can Therapy Replace Chasidus?

Wednesday August 5, 2026 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT

Ivanka

Never before has a generation invested so much in mental health—and in the search for healing, meaning, and purpose. From therapists' offices to psychedelic retreats, people are exploring new paths to well-being and transcendence. Where does Chasidus fit into this conversation, and what unique perspective does it bring?

Speakers

Rabbi Yechiel Krisch

Wednesday August 5, 2026 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT
Ivanka

Lecture

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