National Jewish Retreat 2026

National Jewish Retreat 2026

Schedule is tentative and subject to change.

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

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

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

11:25am EDT

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

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

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

2:00pm EDT

The Greatest Story of All Time

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

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

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

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

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

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 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

7:00am EDT

Soul Talk: A Guided Chasidic Meditation Session

Thursday August 6, 2026 7:00am - 7:30am EDT

A guided Chasidic meditation session to quiet the noise, open the heart, and connect more deeply with your inner world and your soul

Speakers

Rabbi Yisroel Bernath

Thursday August 6, 2026 7:00am - 7:30am EDT
White & Gold 1

Workshop

7:30am EDT

Shacharit: Beginners' Service for Men

Thursday August 6, 2026 7:30am - 8:15am EDT

Speakers

Rabbi Avrohom Brashevitzky

Thursday August 6, 2026 7:30am - 8:15am EDT
White & Gold 1

Prayer service

9:15am EDT

Breaking the Overthinking Habit: How to Let Go of Fear and Live with Trust

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:15am - 10:05am EDT

Can we really live with less worry? Yes: not because life becomes predictable—but because we become anchored. This class explores the difference between emunah and bitachon and offers a practical road map to seeing G-d’s hand in the details of everyday life. When faith becomes trust, life begins to feel lighter.

Speakers

Mrs. Sarah Pachter

Thursday August 6, 2026 9:15am - 10:05am EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

10:20am EDT

The Rabbis Who Predicted Uterus Transplants: How a Forgotten Rabbinic Debate Became Medical Reality

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:20am - 11:10pm EDT

A woman receives a transplanted uterus and gives birth. It sounds like a modern medical miracle. Yet rabbis were discussing uterus transplants long before they were performed. In fact, they debated the legal implications more than a century ago. Explore the remarkable story of the question that arrived one hundred years too early—and the Jewish legal issues it raises today.

Speakers

Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman

Thursday August 6, 2026 10:20am - 11:10pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

11:25am EDT

The Secret Language of the Talmud: Why the Talmud Interrupts Jewish Law with Strange Tales

Thursday August 6, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT

Why does the Talmud pause its legal debates to tell stories of demons, miracles, impossible journeys, and unforgettable characters? Explore some of the Talmud's most captivating tales and discover why the Sages used narrative to convey ideas that law alone could never express.

Speakers

Rabbi Naftali Silberberg

Thursday August 6, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

3:10pm EDT

Your Attention IS You: How to Control Your Mind Before it Controls You

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

We live in a world engineered to distract us. Between endless notifications, mental overload, and constant pressure, staying focused has become one of modern life’s greatest challenges. In this practical and eye-opening session, Dr. Nachi Felt explores how your brain gets overwhelmed and shares a powerful tool to help you think more clearly, regain control of your mind, and focus on what matters most.

Speakers

Rabbi Dr. Nachi Felt

Thursday August 6, 2026 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

4:20pm EDT

If a Machine Could Carry Your Pregnancy . . . Should It? Ectogenesis and the Artificial Womb in Jewish Law

Thursday August 6, 2026 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT

For the first time in history, human pregnancy may soon take place entirely outside the body. As artificial womb technology moves from science fiction to medical reality, Jewish law faces unprecedented questions: Would an artificially gestated baby be considered human? Would it be Jewish? Would we violate Shabbos to save it? This session explores the sweeping Jewish legal and ethical implications of ectogenesis—and how the future of reproduction challenges our most fundamental assumptions.

Speakers

Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman

Thursday August 6, 2026 4:20pm - 5:10pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

7:00am EDT

Start the Day with Tanya

Friday August 7, 2026 7:00am - 7:30am EDT

The way you begin your morning shapes everything that follows. Join Rabbi Ronnie Fine for an inspiring exploration of Tanya that will leave you refreshed, focused, and spiritually energized for the day ahead.

Friday August 7, 2026 7:00am - 7:30am EDT
White & Gold 1

Workshop

7:30am EDT

Shacharit: Beginners’ Service for Men

Friday August 7, 2026 7:30am - 8:15am EDT

Speakers

Rabbi Avrohom Brashevitzky

Friday August 7, 2026 7:30am - 8:15am EDT
White & Gold 1

Prayer service

9:15am EDT

How Chasidus Changed My Life

Friday August 7, 2026 9:15am - 10:05am EDT

What keeps an entrepreneur grounded, clear-headed, and functional turns out to have nothing to do with revenue and everything to do with an ancient body of wisdom most businesspeople have never heard of. This is the story of how daily study of Chasidic thought became the one practice that holds everything else together.

Speakers

Mr. Josh Goldhirsch

Friday August 7, 2026 9:15am - 10:05am EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

10:20am EDT

Holding On Without Holding Tight: Bitachon, Anxiety, and the Art of Letting Go

Friday August 7, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am EDT

Many people believe in G-d, yet still feel overwhelmed by fear, pressure, and the need to control everything around them. Drawing on classical Jewish wisdom and a modern understanding of stress and the nervous system, this session explores how bitachon can help us move from anxiety and emotional exhaustion toward greater calm, resilience, and inner steadiness."

Speakers

Mrs. Stephanie Abrahami

Friday August 7, 2026 10:20am - 11:10am EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

11:25am EDT

Anchored: Finding the Foundation That Holds You—In the Storm and in the Stillness

Friday August 7, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT

This is the true story of a relationship with Hashem that grew in the cracks of chronic pain and anxiety. The story of discovering that the anchor was never something to be built—it was something to be found, felt, and turned toward. Drawing from the wisdom of Chasidus and the insights of modern psychology, Anchored offers practical tools for becoming more intentional in thought, speech, and action — so you can open the vessel, deepen the relationship, and root yourself in the One anchor that never moves.

Speakers

Mrs. Terri Klein

Friday August 7, 2026 11:25am - 12:15pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

3:05pm EDT

Will the Real Leader Please Stand Up? Who Really Shapes the World—and Why?

Friday August 7, 2026 3:05pm - 3:55pm EDT

History remembers great leaders—but what actually made them great? Discover the Jewish perspective on leadership, influence, and the qualities that leave a lasting impact on the people and world around us.

Speakers

Rabbi Moshe Krasnanski

Rabbi Moshe Krasnanski is the director of Chabad of the Town in Montreal, Canada. A beloved community rabbi and educator, he delivers classes on numerous Jewish topics to diverse audiences.

Friday August 7, 2026 3:05pm - 3:55pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

8:30am EDT

A Chasidic Anxiety Antidote

Saturday August 8, 2026 8:30am - 9:15am EDT

Drawing on the Tzemach Tzedek's timeless letter on anxiety, discover a profoundly practical path to trust, resilience, and inner peace.

Speakers

Rabbi Mordechai Dinerman

Rabbi Mordechai Dinerman co-directs the Jewish Learning Institute’s curriculum department. He has authored, edited, or otherwise participated in creating over twenty JLI courses on numerous Jewish topics, including Life in the Balance (Jewish Medical Ethics), How Happiness Thinks (Positive... Read More →

Saturday August 8, 2026 8:30am - 9:15am EDT
White & Gold 1

Prayer service

11:00am EDT

Shacharit: Beginners’ Service

Saturday August 8, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT

Speakers

Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel

Saturday August 8, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Workshop

3:00pm EDT

Resurrecting Mammoths and Reading Minds: The 2026 Jewish Medical Ethics Update

Saturday August 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT

Mammoths may return. AI is helping create children. Scientists are detecting signs of consciousness where none seemed to exist. Welcome to medicine in 2026. In this annual Retreat favorite, Dr. Reichman explores the year's most astonishing medical breakthroughs and the profound Jewish ethical questions they raise.

Speakers

Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman

Saturday August 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

4:30pm EDT

Farbrengen! A Traditional Chasidic Repast for Mind, Heart, and Soul (for Women)

Saturday August 8, 2026 4:30pm - 6:15pm EDT

Speakers

Mrs. Shaindy Jacobson

Mrs. Yael Trusch

Mrs. Rivkah Slonim

Ms. Priva Schlanger

Saturday August 8, 2026 4:30pm - 6:15pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Workshop

7:45pm EDT

The Surprising Questions Asked by America's First Jews: Inside America's Earliest Halachic Correspondence

Saturday August 8, 2026 7:45pm - 8:30pm EDT

One of the earliest surviving records of American Jewish life is a fascinating exchange of halachic letters dating to 1790. Step into the conversation between Jews in Philadelphia and Newport, and discover what their questions reveal about the realities of building Jewish life in early America.

Speakers

Rabbi Mordechai Dinerman

Rabbi Mordechai Dinerman co-directs the Jewish Learning Institute’s curriculum department. He has authored, edited, or otherwise participated in creating over twenty JLI courses on numerous Jewish topics, including Life in the Balance (Jewish Medical Ethics), How Happiness Thinks (Positive... Read More →

Saturday August 8, 2026 7:45pm - 8:30pm EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

7:30am EDT

Soul Talk: A Guided Chasidic Meditation Session

Sunday August 9, 2026 7:30am - 8:00am EDT

A guided Chassidic meditation session to quiet the noise, open the heart, and connect more deeply with your inner world and your soul.

Speakers

Rabbi Yisroel Bernath

Sunday August 9, 2026 7:30am - 8:00am EDT
White & Gold 1

Workshop

8:00am EDT

Shacharit: Beginners’ Service for Men

Sunday August 9, 2026 8:00am - 8:30am EDT

Speakers

Rabbi Avrohom Brashevitzky

Sunday August 9, 2026 8:00am - 8:30am EDT
White & Gold 1

Prayer service

9:30am EDT

History's Greatest Jewish Dilemmas: The Best of JLI's Award-Winning Course—in One Special Session

Sunday August 9, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

Experience the most fascinating real-life questions ever brought to the world's greatest rabbis. Through gripping stories and timeless wisdom, discover how Jewish law has guided generations through an ever-changing world.

Speakers

Rabbi Mordechai Dinerman

Rabbi Mordechai Dinerman co-directs the Jewish Learning Institute’s curriculum department. He has authored, edited, or otherwise participated in creating over twenty JLI courses on numerous Jewish topics, including Life in the Balance (Jewish Medical Ethics), How Happiness Thinks (Positive... Read More →

Sunday August 9, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture

10:45am EDT

Ruth: Not the Story You Think You Know Love, Controversy, and the Birth of a Dynasty

Sunday August 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Everyone knows the story of Ruth. Or so they think. Discover the overlooked controversies, surprising twists, and legal drama behind the Moabite outsider who became the matriarch of King David's dynasty."

Speakers

Rabbi Chaim Block

Sunday August 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
White & Gold 1

Lecture