Zmanim is a journey through the seasons with 9 months of nature-immersion, Jewish learning, and community building. We welcome Southern-Ontario-based Jewish adults excited to deepen their connection to Judaism, the natural world, and their sense of resilience.
Register today! The last day to register for the 2025/26 cohort is July 31, 2025.*
Want to learn more about Zmanim? Email the Program Coordinator at paul@shoresh.ca.
* A $100 late registration fee will be applied to any applications received after July 1, 2025.
In our group of 10-15 people, participants will meet monthly to learn ancestral skills and gather for three immersive Shabbaton retreats exploring wild edible and medicinal plants, winter camping, and canoe tripping.
Get ready to delve into:
- Naturalist learning (birding, tracking, plant ID, etc.)
- Jewish ritual (blessings, Shabbat, etc.)
- Outdoor skills (camping, winter camping, canoeing, etc.)
- Environmental stewardship
PRICING:
The cost of Zmanim is sliding scale, from $2000-$3000/participant. The break-even cost is $2500/participant. Payment plans in instalments are available. Please indicate your preference on the registration form.
We are able to provide additional financial scholarships through the Howard Malach Legacy Fund For Jewish Nature Connection. To apply, please register and select the Howard Malach Legacy Fund option. To contribute to the fund and support community members in accessing Jewish learning outdoors, please click here.
DATES:
This 9-month program will run from September 2025 to May 2026, with three immersive Shabbatonim (in September, January, and May). In the intervening time, participants will meet monthly on Wednesday evenings or for day-long learning on Sunday. These dates are subject to change.
- ** September 19-21, 2025 – Opening Shabbaton at Bela Farm **
- October 29 (7-9pm) – Wednesday Evening
- November 26 (7-9pm) – Wednesday Evening
- December 17 (7-9pm) – Wednesday Evening
- ** January 22-25, 2026 – Winter Camping Shabbaton **
- February 25 (7-9pm) – Wednesday Evening
- March 22 (10am-4pm) – Full Sunday
- ** April 30-May 4 – Canoe Trip Shabbaton **
- May 27 (7-9pm) – Wednesday Evening
LOCATIONS:
Zmanim evening programs: Various backyards, parks, ravines, and urban wild spaces in the GTA, with the potential of some sessions taking place virtually.
The Farm Shabbaton and March Daylong: Either at Bela Farm or another conservation area within a one-hour drive of Toronto.
Winter Camping and Canoe Trip Shabbatonim: Within 3.5 hours of Toronto or Ottawa. While we will assist people in setting up carpools, participants are responsible for their travel to and from program locations.
Specific program locations will be included in the welcome package.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Jewish Accessibility:
Zmanim participants will be invited to explore, question, and envision their relationship to Jewish cycles of time, ritual, communication with Creator/Divine, texts, and ethics. For this program, Shoresh welcomes any self-identified Jewish adults over the age of 18, regardless of heritage, practice, or affiliation (including converts, patrilineal Jews, mixed heritage Jews, queer Jews, Jews of Colour, Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews). Shoresh takes a pluralistic approach and participants’ unique Jewish (and other) backgrounds will be respected and welcomed when openly discussing Jewish observance and values, and grappling with the complexities of Jewish tradition. No prior Jewish knowledge/experience is expected. Please feel free to ask questions or communicate with us to ensure you feel welcome.
Programming during Shabbat will be accessible for most people who adhere to halachic Shabbat prohibitions, as well as those who do not. Please let us know if you have any Shabbat observance questions.
Physical Accessibility:
Zmanim will be a physically involved program, including travelling long distances (on hiking trails, by canoe, and through snow). The program operates in all temperatures and weather conditions, and we will support participants in feeling prepared with seasonally appropriate gear. Participants will be expected to carry their belongings for day and overnight programs as well as sleep in tents overnight with no electricity access. In some contexts, participants will share sleeping quarters. No prior outdoorsy or camping experience is required and we trust participants’ individual judgement of whether this program will be fun for them. If accessibility is a concern, please feel welcome to ask questions or communicate with us, so we can jointly figure out if the program is the right fit and, if so, how to support your participation.
Note: For Shabbatonim, we will require participants to take a rapid test before sharing a tent or other indoor space.
More Information;
For more information, or to discuss any accessibility needs you have in order to be able to participate in Zmanim, please contact Paul Kitz, Zmanim Program Coordinator, at paul@shoresh.ca or call 416-805-8382.