Ner Shalom Members: $9 Nonmembers: $18

Yiscah Smith returns to Ner Shalom, joining us from Jerusalem, to share her Torah with us: Explore the high value that Jewish tradition places on bitahon atzmi—self-confidence—and being able to trust in one’s self and one’s judgment. Based on the episode with Kalev and the spies, the verse in Numbers 14:24 refers to Kalev as possessing a ruah aheret—a different spirit. We all have a spark of Kalev within us, a unique spirit, the source for cultivating the spiritual practice of courage, trusting in oneself and confidence. Together we will explore a range of Chasidic sources and Reb Yiscah's own wisdom to explore how we might each develop our sacred chutzpah.

Yiscah Smith is a thought leader and spiritual activist who addresses the spiritual practice of encountering the Divine spark within and beyond.

She relies on Jewish spiritual teachings to inspire her students, acting as a compass, gently guiding them to their unique inner selves. She encourages, empowers and ennobles others to remain faithful to their individual spiritual paths. 

Yiscah teaches at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Applied Jewish Spirituality (AJS) and the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS).  She founded Conscious Community Nachlaot, an organization in Jerusalem that hosts Shabbat spiritual gatherings. Her forthcoming book Planting Seeds of the Divine: Torah Commentaries to Cultivate Your Spiritual Practice, jointly published by the University of Nebraska Press (UNP) and the Jewish Publication Society (JPS), will be released in 2025.