Center for Jewish Spirituality

The Center for Jewish Spirituality (CJS) at Kol Shofar was created to meet a growing desire for Jews in our community to explore alternative paths within Judaism. CJS offers opportunities to deepen our spiritual growth and learning, using all our senses through meditation, music, art, and movement. It is a place to openly explore the many dimensions of Jewish tradition, mysticism, and alternative practices for transformative Jewish experiences that connect mind, body, and spirit. 

Many Jews of Marin County consider themselves “spiritual but not religious.”  ^[1] Many of us are unaware that Jewish meditation has been part of our tradition of contemplative practices - balancing keva (form or structure) and kavanah (intention/mindfulness) - for thousands of years.  With CJS, we aim to provide a welcoming space where such wisdom and techniques may be introduced and shared for meaningful Jewish experiences. 

CJS hopes to cultivate our inner lives and connection to the Divine while building a community of fellow travelers on a spiritual path. 

Kol Shofar has a strong history of providing various options for Jewish learning and ritual in addition to its traditional services and classes, including the well-attended High Holy Days Musical Meditation service, monthly Shabbat Kol Neshama Minyan, Shabbat Sit, Wise Aging Groups, Women’s Rosh Hodesh Group, and Spirituality Book Groups. This openness to the many paths leading people through their Jewish lives is central to our work as a synagogue in Marin. 

We welcome and encourage your involvement in activities and practices that will be offered in an authentically Jewish way. CJS is an opportunity for a deeper community and an enriched spiritual life. Explore and join us today.

^[1] Researcher Gary Tobin, "Religious & Spiritual Change in America:  The Experience of Marin County, California."