W. J. Colen Freshmen Retreat
Our annual freshmen retreat is a long-time favorite of Jewish Cal Students, and is most often cited as the program that creates long-lasting friendships among students! Retreats present an invaluable opportunity to get to know fellow students, meet and get to know the Hillel staff and student leaders, engage in bonding and learning activities, and most importantly, have FUN!
- The W.J. Colen Freshmen Student Retreat will be held from the evening of Saturday September 21 to Sunday, September 22nd
- It will be at Nature Bridge campus in the Marin Headlands
- Register by Friday, August 30th at midnight to receive some Hillel SWAG! There are limited spots left, grab one now!!
Some things to look forward to:
- Campfires and song circles
- Hiking trails and stargazing
- Team building with other Jewish students
- Three meals, transportation, and lodging
All for only $25.00!
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Hannah, our Program Associate, at hsnyder@berkeleyhillel.org.
*We are fortunate to offer the Retreat at a subsidized cost through a generous donation by the Colen family. If the price of the retreat is a barrier for your attendance, please reach out to us. It’s important that all members of our community are able to join us!
Sample schedule:
Saturday
- Arrive and check in at Hillel
- Ice breakers and activities
- Dinner followed by Havdallah
- Leave Hillel
- Arrive at Retreat Center
- Campfire, evening activities, free time
- Arrive and check in at Hillel
- Ice breakers and activities
- Dinner followed by Havdallah
- Leave Hillel
- Arrive at Retreat Center
- Campfire, evening activities, free time
Sunday
- Optional run
- Breakfast
- Jewish spiritual practice options
- Team building activity
- Lunch
- Free Time
- Creative options (hike, arts and crafts, games, etc).
- Reflection and closing
- Depart Retreat Center
- Arrive back at Hillel
- Re-fillable water bottle, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- Good shoes for walking/hiking
- No snacks or food in dorms please! (We’ll bring plenty, don’t worry!)
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Bring your own blanket or sleeping bag in case the night gets cold
- Towel, toiletries, flip flops
- Yoga mat
- Dress in layers as it can get COLD where we’re going!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is this retreat anyway?
Answer: The retreat is a great introduction to the Jewish community at Cal! Most of the retreat is socially oriented, so you’ll get a chance to meet other new students, as well as a few upperclassmen leaders and staff. It’s also a way to get off the busy campus, and be a little more immersed in nature. Plus, you’ll get to learn about Hillel and think Jewishly a little bit too! (also you get to make new friends and have fun, and what could be better than that??)
The retreat this year will be at NatureBridge’s retreat center in the Marin Headlands. We’ll be immersed in nature on the Northern California coast surrounded by sea cliffs and redwoods. Expect lots of sun and beach time!
Answer: Click HERE!
Answer: Hillel is a pluralistic Jewish institution, which means that at any time you can choose how “religious” you want your experience to be. The explicitly Jewish ritual practice is in the morning, and the experience will include either traditional morning prayer, or different things like a hike, or yoga. Our staff, as well as our students who plan the Retreats, come from a variety of backgrounds and at any given point you can find someone to engage religiously (or non-religiously) in the way you’re looking for.
Answer: We will all be sleeping in bunk beds in a few large cabins. We will have a women’s space, men’s space, and an all gender inclusive space. Meeting your housing needs is important to us, so please reach out to us if you’d like to chat about how we can accommodate your needs.
Answer: Definitely not! Our Jewish community is diverse and there will be students from lots of different backgrounds and experiences.