Summer Retreat July 11-14, 2024

Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center | Falls Village, CT

The Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat - our signature offering - is a four-day gathering centered on Jewish communal singing for healing and liberation. This immersive song experience is structured around Shabbat and features programming led by our fabulous lead teachers, participant-led workshops, community sings, multiple prayer options, and a participatory concert on Saturday night.

Lead Teachers 2024

Registration Opens May 6!

Registration will be open to everyone, available on a first come first serve basis through the Isabella Freedman website on Monday, May 6, at 11:00am EST. 

 We will be holding a limited number of spots for those who are Black, Indigenous, Jews of Color, Sephardim, Mizrahim, trans women, and trans femmes. If you hold these identities and need financial assistance to attend, please email info@letmypeoplesing.org.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to have singing skills to come?

Not at all! At LMPS, we believe that everyone can sing. Part of the power of communal singing is creating a collective voice that is made up of a beautiful multiplicity of voices, and is much bigger than any one voice individually. We need all of our voices to make that larger voice. We need your voice, whatever authentic singing looks and feels and sounds like for you. That is what makes the magic. Whether you are excited to deepen into your voice, your musical lineages, to expand your breadth of singing experience, or are new to Jewish communal singing altogether, you are welcome wanted in this space!

Schedule

Do you have a schedule yet?

We do not yet have a sharable schedule for this summer’s retreat, however you can check out our 2023 Summer Retreat Schedule as a sample. The retreat will start Thursday July 11th in the afternoon and end midday on Sunday, July 14th. Please plan to arrive no later than Friday afternoon.

Registration & Pricing

What is the registration process this year?

Registration will be open to everyone, available on a first come first serve basis through the Isabella Freedman website, starting on May 6th.   

We will be holding a limited number of spots for people who are Black, Indigenous, Jews of Color, Sephardim, Mizrahim, trans women, and trans femmes. If you hold these identities and require financial assistance to attend, please email info@letmypeoplesing.org.

How much does this retreat cost?

Isabella Freedman has a variety of room types, which can accommodate individuals and families of various sizes. More details on accommodations can be found here.

Here is the pricing for registration:

• Standard Room (Private bathroom): $890 per adult in double occupancy | $1,420 single occupancy

• Basic Room (Shared full bathroom between two rooms): $690 per adult in double occupancy y | $1,100 single occupancy

• Dormitory Style (shared half bathroom between two rooms) multiple occupancy: $560

• Camping/Commuting: $450

• Child (5-12 years old): $275

• Toddler (2-4 years old): $135

• Infant: (Under 2 years old): $0

Financial Assistance

Will there be financial assistance available?

General financial assistance applications are now closed. (April 1-14th was the application period).

Financial assistance is still open for Black, Indigenous, Jews of Color, Sephardim, Mizrahim, trans women, and trans femmes. Click here to apply.

Can I donate to the financial assistance fund?

Yes! 100% of your donation will go towards directly supporting folks to attend this summer’s retreat. Donate to the financial assistance fund here!

TRAVEL

How do I get there?

Please refer to the information linked here about how best to get to Isabella Freedman. 

• If you are arriving by air you should plan to rent a car or arrange a carpool to/from the airport if you're flying in from out of town.

• We are offering a shuttle for folks coming from the Wassaic Train Station to and from Isabella Freedman, as long as two or more people sign up. There will be one shuttle on Thursday afternoon *to* Isabella Freedman, and one shuttle on Sunday *to* Wassaic Train Station from Isabella Freedman. Please note: there will be one shuttle per day, Freedman registrar will be in touch about the timing. There is a $35 fee each way to ride the shuttle. You can sign up for a shuttle upon registration (step 2).

• We will provide a ride share board for participants to find each other upon registration. We will not be coordinating rides.

Accessibility & COVID-19

What are your COVID-19 policies and practices?

Please read our COVID-19 Protocols Document carefully as the COVID-19 protocols for Let My People Sing! are different than those for other retreats at Isabella Freedman. Following the protocols will be required for all participants.

What can I expect in terms of accessibility?

Please see our Accessibility Document for more information on access at this retreat. You may also go to Isabella Freedman’s Guest Information page to learn more about Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center.

Halachic Observance & Practice

Will I be able to participate in programming on shabbat if I am shomer shabbat?

Yes! Electronics will not be used on shabbat in public spaces other than for access reasons for individuals. We do not use instruments on shabbat in public spaces or in programming unless noted as such. Our creative minyan often uses instruments, other than that we schedule all sessions that use instruments for Friday day or Sunday.

Will I be able to attend minyan three times a day?

We will have a traditional egalitarian service each day for shacharit, mincha & maariv. We cannot guarantee there will always be a minyan of people present at each service, but most often that is not a problem!

Will there be kosher food?

Yes! The Isabella Freedman kitchen is glatt kosher under supervision of the Hartford Kashrut Commission.

Culture & Community

I'm coming by myself, is there a way to connect with other participants?

This year we will be trying out Home / Mishpacha Groups (name TBD), which will provide a chance to connect and share daily with a small group of participants.

What is the culture of Let My People Sing!’s gatherings?

Check out our Building the Culture of Let My People Sing! page to find out how we create culture together at our gatherings.

How will we approach gathering in a time of heightened polarization in the Jewish community?

We’ve created Community Guidelines for this summer’s gathering. We’ll ask you to read over this document before registering for this retreat.

A taste of retreats past

Song Sessions

Sessions are led by a wide array of song leaders using a variety of formats.  Some include histories and stories, others just be about singing the songs themselves.  No instruments are used on Shabbat unless otherwise noted.

Shabbat Services & Practice

Shabbat services are offered Friday night and Saturday morning. with multiple prayer options including Traditional Egalitarian and Creative services. Creative services often use instruments and amplification, and will be noted as such on the schedule.

To keep this space accessible to folks with varying relationships to halchic observance, we ask everyone to refrain from using electronics in public space on shabbat. If there is a session that uses instruments it will be noted.

Community Sing

Let My People Sing!’s format for sharing and learning songs in community. A space for leading, teaching, singing and sharing.

Participatory Havdallah & Concert

Beginning with havdallah, the Saturday night concert features the lead teachers and Let My People Sing! staff sharing songs we’ve sung throughout the weekend.

Jewish Outdoor, Food & Environmental Fun!

Make pickles, explore the woods, and take a tour of the Isabella Freedman farm alongside their Adamah fellows.

Sample Schedule

Here is a sample schedule to give you an idea of the flow of the retreat. We will be adjusting this schedule as we continue to plan and refine the program for this summer’s retreat.