Reisterstown, MD – May 5, 2014 — Pearlstone Center is holding its 4^th annual Nevatim-Sprouts Conference, Sunday, July 13^th through Wednesday July 16^th. This professional development conference brings together early childhood, day school, and religious school educators from around the country for training in Jewish garden and environmental education. Participants learn the basics of educational garden design, share lesson plans and Jewish, environmental curricula, tour the state’s premier outdoor classrooms, harvest and prepare farm to table meals, and walk away with the tools, resources, and professional network needed to develop Jewish, environmental programming at their schools.

This year, in response to past participant feedback, an additional day was added to the conference to provide more opportunities for interactive lesson-plan modeling and group brainstorm. Hands-on sessions explore how to integrate an educational garden into your institution and bring the outside into the classroom to teach about the Jewish calendar, social justice, stewardship and responsibility, among other Jewish values. Pearlstone’s skilled staff utilize the center’s 4-acre organic farm, small animal pasture and trails throughout the conference. Continuing education credits (CEUs) from the Maryland Department of Education are available to participants.

Conference partners this year include RAVSAK, Pardes Institute, The Jewish Montessori Society, United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism, Schechter Day School Network, Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism, PARDeS Day Schools of Reform Judaism and the Louise D. and Morton J. Macks Center for Jewish Education. “This opportunity to partner with such a diverse and impressive list of Jewish networks and institutions of Jewish education speaks to the impact this conference makes on educators and their schools. Participants arrive with challenges and questions and leave inspired and excited to ignite passion in their students for Judaism and our relationship with the land,” reported Neely Snyder, Pearlstone Center’s Director of Signature Programs and Nevatim Conference organizer.

4^th Annual Nevatim-Sprouts Conference
July 13-16, 2014
Pearlstone Center, Reisterstown, MD

For additional information, visit pearlstonecenter.org/nevatim

The Pearlstone Center ignites Jewish passion. Our retreat center, farm, and programs enable and inspire vibrant Jewish life. Engaging Jewish, faith-based, and secular organizations, individuals, and families, Pearlstone serves all ages and backgrounds throughout Baltimore, the Chesapeake region, and beyond.

The opportunity to live and work in an immersive Jewish community first drew me to the Pearlstone Center in the winter of 2012. When a few months later conversation about creating a seven month immersive experience began to percolate I was ecstatic about the opportunity to be a part of making it come to life. Today Pearlstone’s Integrated Sustainability Apprenticeship is seven weeks into its inaugural season, and hosts eight fantastic apprentices who are transforming our farm, retreat center and the broader Jewish community whom we have the pleasure of hosting throughout each year.

The idea itself is quite simple. Eight young adults will live together on the farm, building a community for themselves and brining new breath and energy to the Pearlstone community as a whole. While here, apprenti (as they are lovingly known) work on the farm and in the retreat center, participate in creative and traditional expressions of Jewish tradition and practice, celebrate Shabbat and chagim together, as well as attend workshops in Jewish education, agricultural skills, team building and leadership development. In practice, maybe it isn’t so simple. But, in just seven weeks, this first cohort of thinkers, doers, and leaders have risen above the challenge and a community beyond what we could have expected in emerging in Reisterstown, Maryland.

It is hard to say what will emerge in the next five months. Together we will experience the cycle of the seasons and the Jewish calendar. The first fruits of our gardens, the turning of the wheel of our people’s history marked with holy days, the birth of new life in our animal pasture, and the consistent return of Shabbat each week. We will work hard and we will celebrate together, we will grow food and ourselves, and we hope for the opportunity to welcome you to this amazing community as part of one of the many incredible programs and retreats that happen at Pearlstone throughout the year.

RATES: $200 adult, $100 children 4 and up, $50 children 3 and under. Contact Lisa@pearlstonecenter.org for more information or visit here to register.

Retreat. Relax in our natural setting and comfortable, care-free accommodations. Step away from the busyness of your daily routine and enjoy quality time with your family and other young, Jewish families at the Pearlstone Center. Delicious, healthy food will be served throughout Family Camp, and our warm and dedicated staff will make that every need is taken care of.

Farm. Get your hands dirty on our 5-acre, organic farm. Harvest fresh produce and prepare snacks and meals from our farm. Collect eggs from the chicken coop, milk and feed our goats, and taste the summer’s abundance. Our farm is a great way to connect to the land, the food we eat, and each other!

Learn. Parallel learning sessions for parents and children will ensure that everyone is learning at family camp. Parents can expect skills workshops in pickling, cheese-making, gardening, soap making, and adult learning in Jewish and environmental topics. Children will learn with their hands and bodies on the farm, animal pasture, and nature trails. Traditional camp activities, such as swimming, sports/yoga, music, and arts and crafts will be enjoyed be everyone.

Celebrate. We’ll kick off the retreat by celebrating Shabbat in a family-friendly environment, building community with other young, Jewish families. Walk the nature trails, toast marshmallows and stargaze by the campfire, and celebrate the season at the Pearlstone Center!

RATES: $200 adult, $100 children 4 and up, $50 children 3 and under. Contact Lisa@pearlstonecenter.org for more information or visit here to register.

At the Pearlstone Center, we strive to create opportunities to connect to the land. On July 26^th-30^th, the Pearlstone Center is hosting a Family Farm Camp. Spend time with your family and other young, Jewish families preparing fresh farm to table meals, collecting eggs, milking goats, and exploring our nature trails. We’ll also enjoy more traditional camp activities, such as swimming, arts and crafts, music, and sports. “Adult-only” time will feature workshops in pickling, soap-making, cheese-making, and more. Spend a long weekend at our beautiful, natural setting, enjoying an all-inclusive and inspiring experience. Contact Lisa@pearlstonecenter.orgfor more information.

Each month, we invite the entire community, free of charge, to spend an afternoon at our “Open Farm Day.” Bring your service group, your family, your friends, or just come alone and meet new friends on our farm. Open Farm Days are a great way to get outside on a Sunday afternoon and enjoy the simple things in life. Open Farm Days consist of the following elements:

Volunteer alongside other community members—plant, dig, harvest, and build on our organic farm

Learn about sustainability through hands-on skills workshops, such as pickling, cheese making, and composting. Kid-friendly workshops are offered as well.

Celebratethe seasons, enjoy live entertainment, and bring a picnic to eat on the farm.

Join us, from 1:30-6, on the following dates:

April 28, May 12, June 9, July 28, August 25, September 29, October 27

Where: The Pearlstone Center, 5425 Mount Gilead Rd, Reisterstown 21136

Contact teri@pearlstonecenter.orgto RSVP or for more information

Hope to see you on our farm soon!

- Morris Panitz, Program Director, Pearlstone Center

Winter may be a slow time for animals, vegetables, and people, but here at the farm at the Pearlstone Center, things are picking up. One of the biggest and exciting stories from the animal pasture is that we currently have between three and six pregnant goats (G-d willing)!

Blood tests will confirm exact numbers in a week or two, as our vet’s ultrasounds were only definitive for three. We expect them to begin kidding in late April and finish in early June. We don’t artificially inseminate our goats but rather bring our does to two different goat farms here in Maryland where they were allowed to mate with the billy goats/bucks.

The act of goat love is an interesting one to watch. Did you know that male goats stick out their tongues sideways as a way of flirting? Our seven females (Hannah, Calypso, Challah, Nechama, Estelle, Muzette and B’sheret) are back on the farm now, eating a variety of alfalfa hay, orchard grass hay, veggies, sticks, bushes and the occasional fruit treat.

Goats normally give birth to one or two kids but can give birth to upwards of six kids! As it stands, Challah has at least two kids inside of her; last year, Estelle gave birth to three.

We’ll milk our goats until the fall and then dry them off for six or seven months. While many goat dairies continue milking for nine months and dry off their goats for two months, we prefer to have our goats dry for a longer period of time in order for them to recoup minerals lost during milking and in order to give their bodies adequate time to rest.

Ben Taylor, Animal Manager

May every person get to experience the communal and collective power of prayer, learning and celebration at our 5^th annual Beit Midrash this year at the Pearlstone Center in Reisterstown, MD on February 15th-17th!

For the past 4 years, a gathering of brightly spirited, intergenerational and diverse teachers, students, children and individuals have profoundly experienced and impacted the environmental Jewish movement at our annual Shabbaton. Nestled away in a beautiful green landscape, we participate in deep learning, meaningful prayer and connection, and transformational experiences.

Join us this year as we dive into themes devoted to the Jewish calendar.

How does the Jewish calendar provide a spiritual, land-based rhythm for Jewish living?

How do we apply Jewish agricultural values on land, the classroom, and throughout society?

Learn from a talented group of educators, featuring Pardes, Hazon, and Mechon Hadar staff. Classes will explore the 7 year cycle of Shmittah, the connection between rain and fast days, the agricultural roots of our holidays, and more. Eat delicious Kosher food, including Grow & Behold Pastured Meats, and walk away having created beautiful connections to your inner self, other individuals and the holy earth around you. Past participants have shared, “If you wanted to see swords being turned into plowshares, the place to be is at the Beit Midrash. There is great recognition for creating this atmosphere of Torah and Unity to all the participants; in these times of religious disunity within the Jewish people, and at a time when Jews in many places are facing existential threats, it was very inspiring to be in a place of dedication to mutual growth as Jews. A truly glorious, moving and powerful Shabbaton to experience!”

Register for our fabulous event here and get ready to be transformed!
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=4tuxmucab&oeidk=a07e6j3zl0gd1ab68f0

For more information please contact:

Lisa Bodziner

lbodziner@pearlstonecenter.org

410-429-4400 ext. 246

Signature program and curriculum coordinator

Here's a sneak peek at a few of the exciting upcoming opportunities:

5th Annual Beit Midrash and Bonus Day: Sacred, Sustainable Rhythms of the Jewish Calendar. The Beit Midrash is an inspirational Shabbaton filled with learning, celebration, and groundbreaking Jewish thought. Join an intergenerational, pluralistic community of Jewish farmers, rabbis, educators, scholars and consumers from across the country. To learn more, visit http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=4tuxmucab&oeidk=a07e6j3zl0gd1ab68f0&oseq=

Early bird rates close January 1st– DON'T MISS OUT!!

Integrated Sustainability Apprenticeship- Interested in participating in a 7-month apprenticeship program at Pearlstone? Always wanted to learn the basics of sustainable farming in a Jewish, communal setting? Our Integrated Sustainability Apprenticeship could be your chance. Visit http://pearlstonecenter.org/jobs-apprenticeships/ to learn more.

Applications due January 15th!

Internships and Volunteer Opportunities- We offer a number of exciting ways to get hands-on experience helping out at our farm. Animal care volunteers tend to our dairy goats, laying hens, and peacocks during morning and evening chores. Spring interns and volunteers can join our farm team in a number of tasks, including seeding, bed preparation, and early season harvests.

Contact Teri@pearlstonecenter.org to learn more!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Community Kollel Sessions & Dates

Contact Lisa Bodziner for more information: lisa@kayamfarm.org

JUNE: Session Aleph- The FourFold Song

May 25^th- July 1^ST

Learning themes:

1. Perek Shira- The Song of all Creation 2. Judaism and Humanity

3. Clal Israel- The Jewish community 4. Self-Cultivation & Shmirat Haguf

Special Events: Shavuot Celebration, the Chesapeake Watershed Pilgrimage, and EcoDash!

Pricing: 4 weeks: $700.00 2 weeks: $450.00 1 week: $300.00

JULY: Session Beit- Hands-On Melachot

July 2^nd-July 28^TH, Featuring Yaffa Epstein, Pardes Institute Faculty

Learning themes:

1. Bread making- plowing, planting, threshing, and more

2. Slaughtering, hide-tanning, and safrut- scribal arts

3. Clothes-making- Dying, knotting, and weaving

4. Cob Building, primitive fire building

Special Events: Kayam’s 2^nd Annual Jewish Early Childhood Outdoor Education conference

Pricing: 4 weeks: $600.00 2 weeks: $400.00 1 week: $250.00

AUGUST: Session Gimel- Hebrew Permaculture

July 30-Aug 17th, Featuring Yigal Deutscher, Founder of 7Seeds Hebrew Permaculture

Learning themes:

1. Hebrew Calendar

2. Primary Elements & Directions

3. Shabbat, Shmittah, & Yovel

Special Events: Kayam Farm Family Camp & Interfaith Farm Day!

Pricing: 3 weeks: $450.00 2 weeks: $350.00 1 week: $250.00

Contact:

Yoshi Silverstein, Kayam Education Director

Yoshi@pearlstonecenter.org or 410.429.4400 x235

Unit 2, focused around Jewish Educational Gardens, is in development and we're hoping will be ready for printing in mid- to late-December 2010. It will include a revised edition of Unit 1, along with a slew of newly developed curriculum. Keep on the lookout for a sample lesson from Unit 2 to be posted on Jewcology in the near future!

If you are interested in purchasing Unit 1, we have just a few copies left! Or, if you are interested in the new edition when it is printed, we can also put you on our email list.

Either way, please be in touch with Yoshi Silverstein, Kayam Education Director – Yoshi@pearlstonecenter.org or 410.429.4400 x235

thanks for your interest, we hope you enjoy the look at our curriculum!