An Experience to Last a Lifetime
Below are comments and letters men have sent to us after attending a Men’s Retreat. If you’d like to attend the coming year’s retreat (usually held in Mill Valley in March), please send Robert Friedberg an email at . To view photos from prior years’ retreats, click here.
Robert Friedberg:
I had never experienced a real Sabbath…a whole weekend devoted to the joy of a group celebrating one of God’s true commandments. Giving up my weekend for one of the 52 Sabbaths per year did not seem to be too much to ask for, so I signed up and had a wonderful experience…a great time with new and old friends. We ate together, sang together and prayed together. We had discussion groups, we hiked and played volleyball in the afternoon, all surrounded by the beautiful hills of Marin county on the foot of Mt Tam.
Roger Lamm:
The Men’s Retreat was an extraordinarily unique experience. While many of the attendees knew each other for a long time, we newcomers were welcomed with tremendous warmth and friendliness.
I am not sure what I found most moving about the experience: being with 30 men who could so naturally bond with one another; being with a group of Jewish men who have so many similarities while having very different backgrounds; meditating for the first time; participating in a series of self-led religious activities that were infused with a spirituality seldom felt in services performed for larger groups; seeing so many men show up for early morning services; the pleasure of seeing so many Reform Jews easily participating in religious practices and traditions usually associated with Orthodox Jews where everyone wore a tallit and kippa, not as a decorative article of dress, but truly as a prayer shawl; feeling the flow of Jewish tradition seem almost spontaneous among us regardless of our personal depth of knowledge and experience; hearing the richness of our all-base chorus lustily singing so many different melodies; spending 36 hours where the focus of discussions was not wives, children, jobs or sports but rather ourselves, our thoughts and feelings; experiencing the true meaning of the word “fellowship”; the moving memorial discussion of Gil, whom I did not get to know until that evening in which men openly shared their thoughts and feelings; the pleasure of one another’s company at meals and in between; the beautiful setting, the richness of the landscape for walks and hikes, the good wines, the nasherei, the evening of card playing, ping pong and other pursuits, and the perfect weather.
It was surely an experience not to be forgotten. I look forward to doing it all over again—many times in the future.
Pierre Hirsch:
I’ve been to three retreats and each one has been special because they took me away from the distractions of my usual weekend experiences and allowed me to enjoy the separateness 
that is such an important part of Shabbat. Each retreat gave me the opportunity to visit in a more relaxed way not only with people I knew but also with those I met for the first time. In fact, several of my most meaningful friendships stem from contacts, which began at retreats. Not only have I always had fun getting to know other people better, the retreats have represented for me a time for prayer, learning and personal reflection that I have tried to leverage into making me a better person when I returned to my normal routine.
I find no downside to the experience and I sincerely recommend it to everyone.
Bruce Dresser:
I’ve found the men’s retreat to be a fabulous experience. From the camaraderie, the spiritual aspects, the chance to make new friends and to build on older ones, the entire weekend is special. It’s a great way to get involved, and a great way to stay involved.
Maynard Lichterman:
I’ve been going to the Men’s Retreat since the preliminary planning meeting at Peter Metzner’s house, almost 7 years ago. And I’ve gone every year since. Simply put, I wouldn’t miss it. Not only is the retreat an escape from the day to day, it’s spiritually uplifting. I’ve enjoyed a deepening relationship with so many of the men who have attended. It’s always interesting to hear the life stories of people who, without this forum, would be little more than passing acquaintances. And, if that were not enough, there’s also good wine, a good hike in a beautiful setting, and good, deep conversation. It’s an all around good time. Oh, did I mention good wine?
Elliott Lowen:
For me, the best parts of the men’s retreat include:
- The personal connection both within Judaism as well as the time between activities.
- Hugging the torah Acceptance and inclusion of everyone.
- Beautiful surroundings—a hidden jewel in Marin.
- Joel keeping everyone on beat and in tune.
- Roberto keeping it real.
Terry Matzkin:
In a large congregation like Temple Isaiah it can be difficult to connect with other guys. The Men’s Retreat gives us the opportunity to get to know 30 other guys much better and much quicker than the normal process of seeing them only at temple. We share wonderful stories as well as some of our most important issues. It’s a great place to build friendships and community.
Jim Simon:
The retreat is a tremendous opportunity to turn faces you’ve seen around Temple into friends you are proud to know by name.
Dave Solomon:
After attending 4-5 of the retreats, I would have to say that the removal of oneself from the day to day activities of family and work has really enabled me to reflect on my spiritual self as 
well as my place in our religious and cultural community. I find it a very non-threatening and relaxing environment where a true “Day of Rest” can be experienced.
It is a rare opportunity to spend time with a group of very unique and caring individuals who are trying to create a real sense of community and helping each other discover what is really important in life.
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