Over the last weekend, a group of Or Ami families traveled to the central coast of California, in order to spend a beautiful weekend together at Pismo Beach.

We call it: The Family Retreat.

A tradition of many years, previously held at Camp Alonim in Simi Valley and this year, for the first time ever, on the site of a gorgeous resort on the shore of the Pacific Ocean.

It was truly magical.

After a very challenging year and a very long month of High Holy Days, it was so nice to just be together, breathe the ocean air, sing, pray, eat, create, and stroll on the beach while enjoying existing friendships and making new ones, watching our kids feel free, relaxed, and excited about being with one another and strengthening our community ties even more.

The theme of the weekend was Creation, following the first Torah portion, B’reshit, In the beginning. As we were admiring the stunning colors of the sunset, we were humbly reminded about the Divine presence in this world, and it made us think about our role in helping God in the continuous creation process and making this world a better place for all. As part of our Shabbat morning service, we learned about the details of creation, what was created on which day, and why, in a fun and playful way. We had time for music, meditation, nature walks, ice cream, seashells, and delicious meals.

As we were preparing to say goodbye, we were invited to use our imagination and dream this new year for our families, our community, and the world.

I truly hope that the inspiration we received together on that beautiful piece of land, on the shore of this great ocean, and by being there together, will help us move forward, filling our hearts with joy, gratitude, and hope for a better future.

A big thank you to all members of our Education team who worked hard to make this retreat happen and to all the families who joined this beautiful journey. Every single person is important and valuable to a holy community. This retreat would not have been the same without every single soul that was there.

May we enjoy many more beautiful moments and retreats together in the future.

Take a look at some of the highlights here.