Open Meditation Group
With Rav James
Wednesdays at 10:15-11:15am Pacific / 1:15-2:15pm Eastern / 5:15-6:15pm UK / 8:15-9:15pm Israel // On Zoom
“Rav James is one of the best teachers I have had, and I have had many from so many traditions” - Alumah
Join our Open Meditation
led by Rabbi Dr. James Jacobson-Maisels to open the doorway to a world where mindfulness and Jewish practice are entwined.
This meditation group includes a sit with guidance, a chant, a brief teaching and time for questions and answers.
It’s a beautiful way to jumpstart or strengthen your practice with our worldwide community!
This is a donation-based offering
We appreciate your donations in keeping this group going.
What to expect?
Guided Meditation: Participate in guided meditations led by Rav James. These meditations draw from Jewish wisdom traditions and mindfulness practices, offering a supportive structure to deepen your inner awareness, cultivate presence, and find moments of stillness in your week.
Short Teachings: Each meditation is followed by a teaching. These teachings inspire and contextualize our meditations, and the meditations add depth to the teachings.
Question & Response: The last fifteen minutes is a space to ask Rav James questions, either about the practice or teaching he just gave or about your meditation practice in general. It is a rich space for growth and support in your home meditation practices.
Community Connection: This group provides a welcoming and supportive space to connect with like-minded individuals on a shared path of exploration and growth. This sense of community fosters a feeling of belonging, allows for shared experiences (though often in silence during practice), and can offer mutual encouragement and support on your meditative journey.
*Sessions are recorded for those who cannot make the live sessions. By signing up, you gain access to our extensive library of past meditations, which you can enjoy independently.
Meet Your Teacher
Rabbi Dr. James Jacobson-Maisels (Rav James)
Rav James leads and directs the vision of Or HaLev.
Ordained by Rav Daniel Landes, with a doctorate in Jewish Studies from the University of Chicago, he has been studying and teaching meditation and Jewish spirituality for over twenty five years.
He was the founding Rosh Yeshiva of Romemu Yeshiva and has taught and innovated programs in Jewish thought, mysticism, spiritual practices and meditation at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Haifa University, Yeshivat Hadar and in a variety of settings around the world.
He strives to integrate his study with his practice, and to help teach and live Judaism as a spiritual discipline.
What People Are Saying
“As a rabbi who works with a large and diverse constituency of learners and seekers, I have found that practice isn’t optional—it is essential to my wellbeing and ability to show up in the world aligned with my highest self. Or HaLev has and continues to play a crucial role in my personal spiritual growth. I cannot recommend their programs more highly. Engaging with mindfulness isn’t another thing to check off of the to-do list. It’s an essential ingredient in our individual spiritual development”.
- Rabbi Lauren Tuchman
“I had an ill-informed view of pluralistic Judaism and was surprised by the resonance of a very Jewish experience in a different context than I was used to. Through sitting with Or HaLev, I’ve discovered unexplored connections between habits of mind and body that other forms of insight, like therapy, have not been able to provide.”
- Sarah H
“A deeply grounding and stabilizing part of my week. After every class I feel Re- centered and calmer not only for the day but for the remainder of the week. I truly look forward to the class all week and am so grateful for the practice.”
— Anonymous.
Questions? Email zac@orhalev.org
