The Aquarian Minyan

….To Renew the Old and Make Holy the New

Join or Renew Membership

This weeks Parasha is VaYishlach Genesis 32:4-36:43

Haftarah Obadiah 1:1-21

A follow up to this series offered by Rabbis Seidel and Rosenholtz is being offered by the Aquarian Minyan

The "Jewish New Age and New Age Judaism"

with Rabbi Jonathan Seidel

Weekly on Mondays

4 Classes Occuring: December 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd 2025

From 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Pacific Standard Time

Suggested contribution of $72

Register HERE

In this Four week series we will explore conceptions of the “New Age” in Reb Zalman’s thought and related philosophically adjacent ideas among Jungians, Astrologers, neo-Hasids and Scientists. How might we use the best of Carl Jung’s thought within Jewish thought about the “New Age?”. How is Chabad Messianism and the Cycles of the Shabbaton relevant to the chaotic emergence today of authoritarianism and radical climate change? How might Reb Zalman's unique notions of the Paradigm Shift be refined today in light of current imposing events in America and the Middle East? How can we escape the worst components of the Piscean Age and begin living in the Aquarian? We will engage these questions among others in a class devoted to civil engagement and loving dialogue. Interwoven into our exploration of Jewish thought we will study selected contemporary readings of the New Age thinking of Madame Blavatsky, Alan Leo, Rudolph Steiner, Carl Jung, David Spangler, Fritjof Capra, Matthew Fox and of Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak Kook, inter alia .

Texts and recordings provided to all registrants!

Rabbi Burt Jacobson . Zikhrono L’vracha . Moreynu Rabbenu

Excavating the BeSht (Ba’al Shem Tov) - with Rabbi Diane Eliot

cosponsored by Kehilla Community Synagogue and Shir haYam

Jan. 7- April 29, 2026 (2x a month)

8 Wednesdays

January 7 & 21; February 4 & 18; March 11 & 25; April 8 & 29, 2026

5-6:30 PM Pacific / 8-9:30 Eastern

Please note that there is a minimum payment for this course which allows us to bring Rabbi Diane

If you would like to be considered for a scholarship please go to the Registration page directly and fill out

a scholarship request form. Thank you

Supporter Rate - $ 150.00

Solidarity rate (Pay for you and 50% of someone else!) - $ 225.00

Benefactor rate (Pay for you and someone else!) - $ 300.00

REGISTER HERE

Course Description

Have you ever wondered how the spiritual teachings of the Jewish Renewal movement are rooted in Jewish tradition? Have you acquired Rabbi Burt Jacobson’s book Living in the Presence, A Personal Quest for the Baal Shem Tov, but found its length and density daunting?

Join Rabbi Diane Elliot for this series designed to unpack some of the essential teachings of the Baal Shem Tov (also known as the BeShT), the great 18th century shaman, kabbalist and mystic who sparked a revival of Jewish spirituality across Eastern Europe that echoes through the Renewal Judaism of today. Using Rabbi Burt’s book, along with primary source texts, we’ll explore the context in which the BeShT and his teachings arose, the kabbalistic roots of early Hasidism, and some of Hasidism’s most essential innovations––an-opened hearted, joyful Jewishness, steeped in love of God and our fellow beings, supported by holy teachers or tzaddikim.

Each class will include niggun (song), textual learning, contemplative practice, and conversation. No experience needed; everyone is welcome!

Rabbi Diane Elliot (she/her) is a teacher, ritual leader, and spiritual director based in the Bay Area who inspires her students and directees to become clearer channels for Presence through awareness and movement practices, chant, and nuanced interpretations of Jewish sacred text. She came to the rabbinate some 25 years ago, after a career as a dance performer and somatic movement therapist. Rabbi Diane directs ALEPH’s Embodying Spirit programs, serves on the Advisory Council of the Shalom Center, is a founding steward of the Taproot Community, and has authored four books of sacred poetry, most recently Traces. Learn more about her work at www.whollypresent.org.

Rabbi Burt Jacobson z”l was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1966 and founded Kehilla Community Synagogue in Piedmont, California in 1983. An early leader in Jewish Renewal, Rabbi Burt worked for nuclear disarmament in the 1970’s and was an early proponent of two states in Israel/Palestine. He was one of the first rabbis to train as a spiritual director and served in that capacity for some 30 years. In addition to Living in the Presence (Monkfish, 2024), he self-published This Precious Moment, The Wisdom of the Baal Shem Tov (2016), and his egalitarian liturgical translations and poems can be found in the liturgies of multiple denominations. Rabbi Burt and Rabbi Diane were together as loving life partners from 2003 until his death from cancer in 2024.

Excavating the BeShT Syllabus Jan. 7- April 22, 2026

January 7 Grounding the BeShT in History

January 21 Kabbalist Roots of Hasidism

February 4 The Role of the Tzaddik (Rebbe)

February 18 Joy as Spiritual Practice

March 11 Love and Yearning

March 25 Sweetening Suffering

April 8 Receiving the One

April 22 Living in the Presence

The Parsha through the Lens of the Sephirot - new series for the fall

with Rabbi Shlomo (Barya) Schachter

$72 Suggested contribution

Register HERE

My Holy father Reb Zalman taught (based on the Bais Yaakov of Izhbitz) that when the combined Parshiot are put together, we end up with 49 weekly parshas throughout the year. This makes the entire Torah the same process as sefirat HaOmer, working from Chessed SheB'Chessed at Bereishit through the 49 gates to Malchut of Malchut at Zot HaBracha. The Torah, the Sacred Year and the Human all share the same Seferotic anatomy, and by understanding them together we can know them all deeper. In this class, we'll look at each Parsha with the eyes of the Sefirah to which it corresponds. A discussion heavy class, this will be an experimental collaborative Torah jam session to help us see the Torah and the Sefirot together. Please come to the class having at least read through the Parsha, and together we'll see the mystery of the Sefirot unfold through the Torah.

The 50th Anniversary Celebration has no Expiration Date !!

To read the J Weekly article about our 50th celebration click here:

Reviving, Renewing and Celebrating the Old Aquarian Minyan Spirit, Serving up Joy to the Divine in Difficult Times - Mazal Tov to all of us and thank you to the Planning Committee that worked HARD on the Jubilee

Coming in January

Excavating the BeSht with Rabbi Diane Eliot

Begins January 7th - twice a month

January 7 January 21 February 4 February 18 March 11 March 25 April 8 April 22

Register HERE

Have you ever wondered how the spiritual teachings of the Jewish Renewal movement are rooted in Jewish tradition? Have you acquired Rabbi Burt Jacobson’s book Living in the Presence, A Personal Quest for the Baal Shem Tov, but found its length and density daunting?

Join Rabbi Diane Elliot for this series designed to unpack some of the essential teachings of the Baal Shem Tov (also known as the BeShT), the great 18th century shaman, kabbalist and mystic who sparked a revival of Jewish spirituality across Eastern Europe that echoes through the Renewal Judaism of today. Using Rabbi Burt’s book, along with primary source texts, we’ll explore the context in which the BeShT and his teachings arose, the kabbalistic roots of early Hasidism, and some of Hasidism’s most essential innovations––an-opened hearted, joyful Jewishness, steeped in love of God and our fellow beings, supported by holy teachers or tzaddikim.

Each class will include niggun (song), textual learning, contemplative practice, and conversation. No experience needed; everyone is welcome!

Rabbi Diane Elliot (she/her) is a teacher, ritual leader, and spiritual director based in the Bay Area who inspires her students and directees to become clearer channels for Presence through awareness and movement practices, chant, and nuanced interpretations of Jewish sacred text. She came to the rabbinate some 25 years ago, after a career as a dance performer and somatic movement therapist. Rabbi Diane directs ALEPH’s Embodying Spirit programs, serves on the Advisory Council of the Shalom Center, is a founding steward of the Taproot Community, and has authored four books of sacred poetry, most recently Traces. Learn more about her work at www.whollypresent.org.