Let’s practice together.
The body communicates through gut feelings, tension, desire, the pull toward and away. Meditation is one way we can learn to attend to the happenings in the mind, body, and heart. Practicing with a teacher can help cultivate the skills to attend to both pleasant and unpleasant experiences, to discern what we experience in the body-mind. Returning to practice, again and again, can teach us when we should rest in unknowing and when we can derive meaning that can help us shape our lives with wisdom.
Upcoming Retreats
Silent retreats are a chance to practice without our usual comforts, stressors, and routines. What thought loops and emotions remain when we are temporarily removed from our usual contexts of work, relationships, and daily life? On retreat, we practice befriending these habits of mind and body while learning to live with more compassion, equanimity, and wisdom.
Or HaLev's Opening the Heart: A Silent Jewish Meditation Retreat
Opening the Heart is a sanctuary not only of silence but of connection—to ourselves, our tradition, and each other: peace in stillness, strength in our shared heritage, and healing from fear and suffering. Taught by Rabbi Dr. James Jacobson-Maisels, Rabbi Dev Noily, Dr. Jes Golden, and Danielle Berrin. Multiple price points and month-to-month payment plans are available. We expect this retreat to sell out.
Jewish Meditation Daylong Retreat for the Winter Solstice
With Alison Cohen. Date to be announced—sign up for the newsletter to find out when registration opens.
What people say
"I used to live in my head, mostly numb to sensations and emotions. I am leaving this retreat and I think this is the first time I am in my body, really."Retreat participant, 2024
"Jes was heart and body, holding us in space and sprinkling in a wealth of wisdom."Participant, IJS Young Adult Retreat
"I loved the facilitation, warmth, and expertise that Jes and Alison brought. They made me feel like I was exactly where I was supposed to be—especially as a beginner."Participant, daylong retreat with Alison Cohen
"Jes holds a steady and compassionate presence as a facilitator that makes whatever I'm going through—whether physical discomfort or difficult mental patterns—feel more workable. With their grounded and wise guidance, transformation feels possible and gentle."Kohenet Riv S, Cultural Organizer
One-on-One Work
Practice Mentorship
I offer personalized, trauma-informed support with your meditation practice, grounded in my training as a philosopher and teacher and the three-year Gates of Awareness Jewish Meditation Teacher Training. Meditation mentorship might be a good fit if you need extra time, support, or accountability with deepening or establishing a practice, troubleshooting difficult experiences, or working with what surfaces during practice. This support can be especially valuable if you feel you've hit a plateau or are experiencing resistance. I offer one-off 45-minute sessions as well as packages of six.
Writing Mentorship
I have over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and writing consultant across grantwriting, college and graduate school applications, academia, executive communications, and fiction and creative nonfiction. I create a warm and rigorous environment to doula your next big project. See writing mentorship →
Sits & Ongoing Practice
Where I lead
Merhav Community Sit
An open donation-based monthly sit for Jewish meditation starting in September: niggunim (wordless melodies), a teaching, 30 minutes of silence, Q&A. All are welcome, no prior meditation or Jewish background needed.
Segula: LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
The Institute for Jewish Spirituality's free affinity sit exclusively by and for LGBTQ+ Jews, hosted monthly by Jes with rotating guest teachers.
Queer Sit Collective
An upcoming monthly online sit for LGBTQ+ individuals of any tradition or none. Coming Fall 2026.
Where I'm a rotating teacher
Institute for Jewish Spirituality's Shevet: A Jewish Mindfulness Community for Young Adults.
I'm a rotating teacher for Shevet's free virtual weekly sit (Mondays at 5 P.M. PT/ 8 P.M. ET), the Shevet Camberville Jewish Mindfulness Collective (in person), and the annual Young Adult Retreat.
Ground & Center (Or HaLev)
Rotating teacher for Or HaLev's donation-based sit series on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 1:15-1:45 P.M. ET.
Tehom: Foundations of Jewish Meditation
A systematic introduction to Jewish meditation—what it is, where it comes from, and how it relates to Buddhist and secular mindfulness practice. Over six sessions, we study the tradition's roots in Kabbalah and Hasidism; develop skills for compassion and meeting obstacles on the path; and practice seeing and feeling inherent divinity in experience. Expect teaching, text, and shared reflection as well as silence. Tehom is a place to understand the what and why of the practice, compare notes on how it's going, and make it your own in supportive small groups. Learn more here.
Nov 17–Dec 22, 2026 · Tuesdays, 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT · Register now