L ifestyles /C ulture
Finding Strength in Yoga and Judaism
designed to help people cope
with the stress and uncertainty
of their new reality.

SOPHIE PANZER | JE STAFF
Shabbhakti emerged as
a way
for Glassman to bring
2020 HAS BEEN anything
more embodiment
to Jewish
but relaxing, and Deborah
ritual. Glassman wants you to breathe.

“I call it ‘prayer in motion’
Glassman, a urologist at
because, truly, Judaism started
Jefferson Medical College and
as an
embodied practice.

registered yoga teacher, began
We brought
sacrifices to the
practicing yoga to manage her
Temple, and
it was much more
mental and physical health as
physical and
about our being
a medical student. Twenty-five
in touch
with how
we hold
years later, she is still using it
ourselves in
the world,
rather to center herself and others
than prayer-based,”
she said.

in a world that is even more
“Over the
last three
years, I’ve
stressful than her medical
really developed
the program
to school days.

try to
hold to
that and
have that
Glassman leads Shabbhakti,
a series of Jewish-inspired yoga be my mission, to live Judaism
workshops, at Temple Beth through our physical self.”
Glassman begins each of her
Zion-Beth Israel. Now that the
pandemic has forced partic- practices with a short d’var
Deborah Glassman practices yoga at Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel.
ipants into isolation, she has Torah on the weekly parsha
moved the classes to Zoom that introduces the theme of the
and created new programming session. Poses and sequencing are centered around the theme.

However, Shabbhakti’s
On Rosh Hashanah, Glassman coronavirus pivot is more than
led a class focused on the simply transferring in-person
Name: Rothenburg
binding of Isaac and themes classes online. Glassman is also
Width: 3.625 in
of trust.

reenvisioning the role yoga can
Depth: 5.5 in
“We talk about how it is really play in her students’ lives with
Color: Black
a test for Abraham and Isaac and the creation of the workshop
Comment: -
Ad Number: -
that it was truly about letting go “Finding the Chutzpah to
of ego, learning to trust and Exist in this Meshugganah
simultaneously learning that by World.” This new class, which
being bound to something we Glassman plans to run in the
can find greater freedom,” she winter, focuses not simply on
said. “Where can we use our stress relief but on cultivating
body to hold ourselves and find inner strength and courage in
greater freedom of movement? the face of adversity.

® Where can we, when we are
“It’s still using all of the
 challenged, let go of our ego and same principles of Jewish spiri-
realize that we are in a space tuality with the intention of
that we need to be in?”
finding the chutzpah, finding
Sharri Horowitz,
a the nerve, finding our guts to
Shabbhakti participant, enjoys navigate this uncertain world
traditional services at BZBI but we’re living in right now,”
OUR ROOFTOP SUKKAH
appreciates Glassman’s alter- Glassman said.

native approach to prayer and
She plans to expand her
WILL BE OPEN THIS YEAR
spirituality. For her, the physical roster of Jewish yoga workshops,
From October 5th to October 9th | 9AM - 5PM
aspect of yoga emphasizes the either online or in-person if
*weather permitting
presence of God in individuals, circumstances allow, in the
Rothenberg Center
and the mind-body connection coming months.

feels moving and spiritual.

Glassman is not the only
1420 Walnut Street | Second Floor
Like many
classes during
the instructor
combining Judaism
Single-serving, pre-packaged light refreshments will be provided
pandemic, Glassman’s Zoom and yoga practice.

Social Distancing and Face Mask Required
sessions are still attracting
Jewish communities all
participants, with people from over the country offer yoga
PHILADELPHIA | CHERRY HILL | LAKEWOOD
Massachusetts and Florida classes at synagogues, Jewish
NEW YORK | HACKENSACK | MONSEY
joining the BZBI regulars.

mindfulness retreats, stress
ARTS חמש גח
20 OCTOBER 1, 2020
JEWISH EXPONENT
Photo by Josh Thornton.

relief sessions and other forms
of yoga practice designed to
appeal to those who want to
take a different approach to
their spirituality. Judaism
and yoga also have certain
practices in common, like
meditation. “Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
Moses and many more Jewish
holy men were shepherds who
spent long hours in meditation,
while the tradition of medita-
tion before prayer was common
for the sages, the mystical
Kabbalists, and for many
Chassidim from the days of the
Ba’al Shem Tov to the present,”
Rea Bochner wrote in Jewish
Community Voice in 2019.

Glassman expects the
trend to continue to grow. She
believes there are many people
who, whether due to the social
isolation of the pandemic or
other personal reasons, find it
difficult to connect to tradi-
tional prayer now.

“My goal is to help people
find their Jewish spirituality in
a way they may not have been
able to previously,” she said. l
spanzer@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0729
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM