The Sabbath Dance: A Weekend of Jewish Mindfulness & Movement

Looking to bring fresh energy into your spiritual practice? Wanting to learn about Jewish mysticism and spirituality? Join us for a journey into one of Judaism's hidden treasures: the wisdom of the human body.

On October 18 and 19, we’ll be exploring the intersection of meditation, yoga, embodiment, mysticism, and dance in our tradition. This experiential weekend is offered by a partnership between East Side Tribe, Brooklyn-based DJ and Jewish educator Lawrence Dreyfuss, and East Side Tribe’s very own psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and embodiment practitioner, Lindsey Weiner.

You can attend one or all of the following events.

FRIDAY AT 5:30 PM: It’s our monthly East Side Tribe Kabbalat Shabbat service and potluck dinner — with a twist. As always, we’ll gather for a short, music-filled prayer service full of intentionality, egalitarianism, spirituality, and love for our neighbors. Immediately after we will have our typical monthly potluck dinner. But this time, we will transition into Shabbat with intentional mindfulness practices as well.

SATURDAY AT 10 AM: This isn't your typical Shabbat Morning — it's a chance to engage with Judaism through a new lens. This Shabbat morning experience will serve as a doorway to explore Jewish spirituality and embodiment through chanting, text, and guided meditation practices. We'll unpack centuries of Jewish attitudes towards the body, challenge traditional concepts of the divine, and reveal how yoga philosophy can ignite a more embodied and connected Jewish practice. We invite you to bring your curiosity and prepare for an adventure that might just change the way you experience Judaism. Lunch included.

SATURDAY AT 6:30 PM: Explore the fusion of ancestral Jewish ritual and facilitated free-form movement in this unique Havdalah ceremony. Through DJed music and facilitated guidance, this ecstatic dance serves as a container to experience the ritual of Havdalah, the sacred portal between Shabbat and the week, the sacred and the secular, the heightened reality of the Sabbath and the mundane of everyday life — all through the transformative power of dance. The dance allows you to connect with your body through music and dance. There is no choreography and no right way to move — just the freedom to dance however you feel in a warm, welcoming space. We welcome you to come explore and experience a deeper sense of connection with yourself and others. Open to folks who are Jewish, Jew-ish, and non-Jewish. No prior knowledge of Havdalah required.

We will kick things off with an opening circle to warmly welcome everyone and get you settled into the space. From there, we will move into a gentle, embodied warm-up to help you ease into the flow. Then music will start, and you will have the freedom to express yourself through music and dance, leading into an ecstatic dance experience where we will “sweat our prayers” and immerse ourselves in the final moments of Shabbat.

As part of the journey, we will have a beautiful Havdalah experience, guiding us through the portal of the ritual and into the new week. We will finish with a soothing sound integration to tenderly help us ground and enter into the week ahead. Afterward, we will end with a closing circle and will have time to hang out and connect with the community after.

Come dressed to move and ready to sweat. We recommend wearing comfortable clothes and bringing a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated and reduce plastic waste.

This is an inclusive space where everyone is welcome — all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, spiritual and religious backgrounds, body types, and physical abilities. This is a substance-free space and a consent-based environment. Any breach of consent, such as unwanted touch or harassment will not be tolerated. Please note, this is a shoeless space though we can make accommodations if needed.

is a grassroots social and spiritual community fueled by Jewish values and rooted in East Nashville. We are grateful to the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville for supporting East Side Tribe’s work.

Lindsey Weiner supports individuals in navigating the complexities of life and help catalyze inner wisdom, authenticity, and transformative connection. As a psychotherapist, she weave together somatic mindfulness-based approaches and psychedelic psychotherapy, creating a supportive and attuned container to connect with one’s inner wisdom and resilience. She is a facilitator for Nashville Authentic Relating, an active member of Nashville’s ecstatic dance community, and a long-time student (and more recent teacher) of Jewish meditation.

is an artist, Jewish educator, DJ and yoga teacher. He leads AVAR Embodied Judaism, which integrates embodiment practices like yoga and ecstatic dance into traditional Jewish rituals.

Host or Publisher East Side Tribe