On Friday afternoon, February 27th, we welcomed 59 participants to URJ Camp Newman’s first Grief and Growing retreat. This uniquely Jewish, intergenerational, and community centered retreat was inspired by the 30+ year program of the same name run by the Bay Area Jewish Healing Center and marked the first time such a program had run since 2019.
From the Bay Area to Vancouver, Canada, with attendees from as young as 7 months old to those in their 80s, participants at all different stages of the grieving process gathered together surrounded by the beauty of the Santa Rosa hills for a weekend of mourning, healing, reflection, and community.
Supporting them on this journey included our staff of over 30 individuals with expertise in combining clinical and spiritual lenses in grief and bereavement care through workshops, group work, activities, and informal conversations.
“I was so wowed by the retreat staff and felt so confident we would all be cared for so we didn’t have to go overdrive taking care of each other. It allowed me to more authentically reach out in small acts of care and it also allowed me not to and to stay with my own story.”
– 2026 Participant
After arriving and settling in on Friday afternoon, the evening program began with a warm welcome from director Liora Brosbe and an acknowledgement of the courage it took to show up Our clergy led an inclusive and spiritual kabbalat Shabbat that included readings and songs in Hebrew and English, opening the portal to the weekend. Friday evening continued with the first of many delicious meals, singing, sharing people’s personal stories, and setting the stage for the weekend.
We began Saturday by grounding ourselves as a community through Shabbat morning services full of music, connection to Torah, and spirituality.
Participants spent the remainder of the morning and afternoon in their choice of workshops geared to how they wanted to engage including verbal processing (including Men and Grief, Surviving Suicide), creative expression (art) and movement (dance).
For those interested in something less structured, a trip to the Climbing Tower invited participants to challenge themselves and take physical risks and a stop at the art table was available throughout for people to create, talk, and express themselves.
One particularly impactful workshop was “Anger and Grief”:
Adults and children were supported at their specific developmental needs. Parents who attended with children were able to focus on their own grief and process while their children had dynamic, engaged, and well-trained professionals to attend to the kids and lead them in programs from the typical camp activities, to age-appropriate projects related to the children’s own loss and grief.
The combination of the nurturing Jewish environment and expert hospitality of the Camp Newman retreat team enabled participants to find comfort, meaningful connection, and the strength of community.
“I was able to let go of the internal voices that tell me to express myself but to stay strong, to share my feelings but don’t overwhelm others with the full force of my “messiness”; for one weekend, I didn’t need to censor myself or worry about seeming strong. My weakness and vulnerability and pain were welcomed and encouraged, and that is a true gift. I felt safe. I felt held. I felt seen. This realization spurs me to commit to creating safe, authentic, vulnerable spaces to witness grief and be witnessed upon returning home from the magical “Grief and Growing” space.”
– Tricia, participant 2026
Sunday Morning, our teen and adult participants gathered for a healing circle to give space for spiritual and emotional expression, acknowledging regrets, and transforming loss into legacy led by Rabbis Chaya Gusfield and Dan Goldblatt with Zoe Goldblatt and Jonathan Ferris. In a separate circle down by the creek, the children had their own space with stories, art, and sharing.
As the adult circle came to an end, staff held up a “Sukkat Shalom,” a cloth canopy that had been decorated by participants the evening before. Children joined their adults and all gathered beneath to receive the priestly blessings. With these ancient words guiding the staff and participants, we had a final meal together, packed up and received a succulent plant with resources for the transition back home. Our final goodbye circle was a time of songs, hugs, and sharing gratitude for an amazing experience for staff and participants alike.
We are indebted to the dedicated staff who worked tirelessly to ensure a successful weekend. And without the courageous participants who showed up during a time of personal transition and uncertainty, our work would be meaningless.
The next Grief and Growing retreat will be held at Camp Newman February 19-21, 2027. If you would like to be notified when registration is open, please complete this short interest form:
Grief and Growing Interest Form
If you would like to support our programming and the mission of Grief and Growing, please consider donating to help us continue to develop this meaningful program: