EMET Alumni Enjoy A Powerful Weekend Retreat At A Stunning Jersey Shore Resort

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On Thanksgiving weekend, EMET Outreach held its fifth annual retreat for couples, just a few feet from the stunning beach in Long Branch, NJ on the beautiful Jersey Shore. The gala, luxurious 3 day event was attended by over 225 people looking to learn, grow, be inspired, and reconnect with staff and old friends.

As soon as they entered the exquisite Ocean Place Resort and Spa, couples were surrounded by friendly EMET staff members, old friends, and plenty of smiles. Rabbi Akiva Rutenberg, EMET’s CEO and Cofounder, along with other staff members, warmly greeted couples and made them feel at home. As guests strolled through the massive lobby and walked the beach, they were overwhelmed by a sense of serenity, comfort, and inspiration. They were about to spend 48 hours immersed in growth and spiritual elevation. The crowd was upbeat and engaged in meaningful conversations.

The jam-packed itinerary was replete with educational workshops, insightful lectures, growth-oriented learning sessions, inspiring Divrei Torah, life-changing advice, relationship guidance, emotional music, fun activities, and delicious gourmet cuisine food. The entire weekend was filled with a huge range of exciting topics, such as strategies to defeat the yetzer hara, tools for success from the Sages, kabbalistic secrets of the universe, Torah and science, a Torah approach to healthy eating, halachot of Shabbat, Chanukah, Torah codes, immersing in the mikvah, keys to discovering happiness, parenting advice, shalom bayit, secrets of the the Hebrew language, and more.

Speakers included EMET’s dynamic and talented staff members; Campus Director Rabbi Reuven Kigel and his wife; popular dating coach and kallah teacher Rebbetzin Deovrah Kigel; Rabbi Nissim Musheyev, Director of EMET’s Torat Emet Division for advanced boys. Rabbi Michael Fuzaylov, Director of EMET’s Beit Medrash Program and Fellowship coordinator and teacher; Rabbi Eliyahu Maksumov, who teaches in multiple campus Fellowships as well as teaching and assisting with Torat Emet’s programming; Mrs. Rivkah Muskat, EMET’s Associate Director, longtime staff member, and one of the strongest and most consistent forces behind the organization’s massive success; and Rabbi Binyamin Yuhanan, EMET’s posek, Rabbinic Consultant, and Seminary teacher.

Guest lecturers included frequent EMET partners and contributors such as former staff member Rabbi Dovid Delman, currently Director of JEP of Rockland County; Dr. Mark Rutenberg, Chairman and CEO of CDx Diagnostics, who is very knowledgeable in many areas of Torah, and extremely well-versed in Sfat Emet; Rabbi Chaim Muskat, Director of STAR, an organization that helps support many Torah institutions, and a Torah scholar with wide-ranging expertise; Dr. Akiva Perlman, a mental health expert who is the Director of Guidance at JEC in Elizabeth, Director of Clinical Development at Amudim, and an assistant professor at LIU; His wife Dr. Tamar Perlman, a licensed clinical psychologist and relationship specialist who works with couples, women, and teens-at-risk, and was formerly the Clinical Director at Ohr Naava’s high school.

This was the first Thanksgiving retreat attended by newlyweds Yiggy and Sara B. Sara is EMET’s wildly popular Program Director, a mainstay of the organization who many consider the lifeblood of EMET. 

The retreat seemed to strike the perfect balance between high-level intellectual learning, fun activities, and a pleasant social atmosphere. On Erev Shabbat, EMET Cofounder and Rabbinic Director Rabbi Mordechai Kraft delivered a captivating class about the “meaning, magic, and mystery of Shabbat.” One alumnus remarked, “Rabbi Kraft spoke beautifully, and really set the tone for the entire weekend.”

Tefilla services were held in a spacious auditorium with a large picturesque view of the beach. It was an extremely uplifting setting to connect with Hashem and experience the beauty of nature. As men davened Kabbalat Shabbat and Arvit, Mrs. Shonnie Rutenberg addressed women on the topic of “mystical secrets of candle-lighting.”

The Friday night meal was a powerful experience of delicious food, pleasant conversations, and beautiful Divrei Torah. It was followed by two inspiring keynote sessions about growth through life’s challenges, given by Rabbi Rutenberg and Rabbi Kraft. Later in the evening two Q & A Panel Discussions were held, one for men and one for women.

After an uplifting davening Shabbat morning, guests enjoyed a delicious kiddush. Shabbat Day was filled with workshops, classes, and Divrei Torah. Shabbat culminated with a beautiful and stirring musical havdalah performed by Rabbi Kraft and Rabbi Dovid Delman.

Following classes on Motzei Shabbat, guests were treated to a gala Melava Malka with all the trimmings. DJ Yoni electrified the crowd, and in addition to a huge buffet, people enjoyed a sushi bar, special pasta stations, a fancy dessert table, and wine tasting, compliments of haKerem.

Rabbi Rutenberg energetically addressed the crowd, and announced the establishment of a scholarship fund dedicated to the memory of “Bubby” Paula and “Zadie” Nissan Shor, Shonnie’s grandparents, in whose honor the entire retreat was dedicated.

In the words of EMET’s dedication: “The Shors were extraordinary people whose lives were shining examples of what it means to live as Jews. After losing everything in the war, they not only survived - they thrived. Bubby had an infectious laugh and a trademark smile -- a winning combination. Zadie loved to sing an old niggun and was a beloved Baal Tefillah. His greatest passion was learning Torah and sharing it with others. Their legacy of kindness and commitment to the Jewish people continues through their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Seeing young couples come together to further ignite their passion for Judaism would have
undoubtedly given them tremendous pleasure.”

Rabbi Rutenberg expressed recognition and gratitude to Mary Libby Schwartz upon her first yahrtzeit, saying “ “Mary Libby lived a life dedicated to educating children, and while she had no children herself, EMET students are her children.” Her donations funded last year’s and the current year’s EMET Fellowship program, including three trips to Poland.

He went on to share a beautiful thought on shalom bayit based on the famous metaphor of the river, the kettle, and the bird. He explained that “shalom” connotes more than merely a lack of discord. It’s a harmonious relationship where spouses work together to create something bigger and better than the sum of its parts. Although fire and water don’t mix, the kettle enables them to work together to create something that neither one can achieve without the other. Renowned mentalist David Blatt entertained the crowd with an amazing performance, followed by dancing which lasted until after midnight.

On Sunday morning a delicious breakfast was followed by lectures, with the tireless crowd eager to soak up as much as possible in the remaining hours.  Rabbi Musheyev spoke outdoors, a few feet from the stunning sandy beach, discussing the invisible war fought by Jews against the Hellenistic culture in the Chanukah era. He explained that the Greeks believed in superficial beauty and the centrality of the body and mind, which runs contrary to the Jewish belief that the center of our world is the neshama and spiritual connection. Rabbi Musheyev emphasized that the Torah places a tremendous value on physical beauty, as we see from the fact that the Sages focus on the beauty of the Imahot (matriarchs). Unlike the ancient Greeks, the Torah sees physical beauty as ancillary and supportive to our spiritual beauty and growth, which is our primary focus and reason for existence. At the same time, Rabbi Kraft gave a fascinating lecture about the hebrew language, and focused on the meaning of “ahava”, love, and “emet”, truth, and how we can apply that to our marriage and family to improve our relationships.

Those were followed by another Q & A panel moderated by Rabbi Kigel, which focused on a common struggle--how to deal with parents and in-laws in a respectful and positive way, even when we have different lifestyles and values.

Before leaving, guests were treated to yet another fabulous dining experience--a barbecue lunch with a large buffet and delicacies galore. The smiles and enthusiasm remained as strong as ever. Couples reflected on the nonstop growth and inspiration, and how much they gained in just a short time. They expressed their gratitude to the staff for their tireless efforts in creating an extremely powerful weekend.

One alumnus remarked, “This was one of the best Shabbatons that I’ve ever seen. Lectures, food, rekindling old friendships. The ultimate Shabbaton--infusing the physical and the spiritual.” Another guest said, “When we left, I felt like I was leaving Gan Eden. It was so inspirational and positive, I wish that I could live that life all day.” A third student described the impact of the weekend’s jam-packed program, saying “I’m looking forward to changing my life.”

One unique and amazing aspect of the weekend was the level of intellectualism and thoughtfulness displayed by the crowd. Rabbi Kraft noted that throughout the weekend, lecturers discussed and analyzed deep concepts, and the crowd was engaged and captivated. “The topic matter we chose contained fundamental Torah concepts with many layers, and each lecturer really delved into each subject in a powerful way,” he explained. “It’s a real credit to our students and alumni, they have a yearning and thirst to understand. Not only were they extremely attentive, they asked pointed questions and were heavily engaged throughout the weekend.”  

Unlike past retreats, much of the crowd was comprised of “organic” EMET students and alumni--who have been part of EMET’s Fellowship campus programs or young professional divisions, and have a personal connection with the organization. In addition to relationship advice, staff members focused heavily on EMET’s core mission of teaching Torah and showing students its beauty and relevance in daily life.  helping couples grow and enhance their knowledge. Powerful themes included building a deeper connection with Hashem, and gaining a better understanding of many fundamental Torah concepts. 

No EMET event is complete without delicious cuisine, and plenty of it. Participants enjoyed sumptuous, succulent, and delightful meals, delicacies, and refreshments, courtesy of Simcha Palace. Shabbat meals had all the trimmings, the gala Melave Malka included salmon, sushi, pasta, salads, and cheesecakes, the Sunday breakfast had bagels, omelettes, pastries, pancakes, and fruits, and the farewell barbecue delivered an assortment of delicious meat.

The retreat’s corporate sponsor was Caring Professionals, a local home health care service and longtime supporter of EMET Outreach. Behind the scenes, EMET’s office staff worked tirelessly for weeks to ensure the event ran smoothly and seamlessly. Led by Administrator Rabbi Hersch Goldberger, Celia Harary and Malkie Palatnik assisted with registration, event coordination, lodging arrangements, content creation, and many other details that helped make the retreat a stellar and memorable event.