Last October, TC Jewfolk reimagined vacationing for life during a pandemic, and this weekend, the ultimate Jewish staycation is back for a second year!
TC Jewfolk is proud to present JCation 2021, a sundown-to-sundown celebration of 10,000 ways to be Jewish in Minnesota and beyond. We’ll kick off with Havdalah with author and activist, Abby Stein, at 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 16; and conclude Sunday evening with a private, live concert with our fave Jewish Bluegrass band, Nefesh Mountain.
You can enjoy one, two, or ALL the experiences planned over 24 hours of JCation — all comfortably and safely from your cabin (or other home base)! We’ve planned something for everyone – plus, family and friends who live anywhere can join. Register for free to add JCation to your calendar, receive login info to attend JCation over Zoom, and learn more about each experience.
Jewfolk, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that depends on community support, and we have a goal to raise $25,000 during this event. We appreciate and welcome donations when you RSVP or during the event! Brand new this year, we even have JCation merch to remember the weekend by!
All JCation experiences this year will be held virtually in order to honor the Jewish value pikuach nefesh, placing the utmost value on human health and safety. All sessions will be hosted on Zoom (register for info). You can also watch the live stream at jcation.org.
Saturday, October 16
6 p.m. Havdalah with Abby Stein
Ease out of Shabbat and kick off 24 hours of JCation ’21 with an intimate Havdalah led by Abby Chava Stein! Abby is a rabbi, educator, activist, parent, woman of trans experience, and author.
Raised in a Hasidic family, and a direct descendent of its founder the Baal Shem Tov; she was ordained in 2011. Her first book, “Becoming Eve,” is a powerful memoir and coming of age story that poses the enduring question: How far will you go to become the person you were meant to be?
7 p.m. Virtual Open Mic
Enjoy local talent with the JCreate Jewish creators community! With polyglot actress, singer, songwriter, dancer, and teaching artist Lea Kalisch presenting music, storytelling, and poetry from Amanda and Berek Awend, Dan Israel, Enzi Tanner, Daniel Goldschmidt, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein, and more—there’s going to be a lot to laugh and cheer for!
PLUS: we’ve got a pair of tickets to Fiddler On the Roof opening night, November 30, at the Ordway, and we’re giving them away to one lucky supporter who makes a donation during Open Mic!
Laila tov!
Sunday, October 17
9 a.m. Kids’ Stories, Songs & Games
There’s something for everyone at JCation ’21. Our Sunday program starts with an energetic hour for kids and their families with Minnesota Mammalehs!
Enjoy storytelling and games with Carrie and Stacy from PJ Library, then get ready to sing with Wendy’s Wiggle Jiggle and Jam!
10 a.m. Unleash Your Inner Power mindfulness workshop
In the first of 3 Sunday workshops, work with holistic practitioner Liat Scheffer Ben-Yakov to learn how anyone can use mindfulness practices to unlock their inner powers. Participants will leave with skills to help:
– create more peace, focus, and joy;
– improve health and relationships; and
– achieve better, more fulfilling results, using the powerful forces that lie within us all.
11 a.m. Nosh Your Business panel
It wouldn’t be a Jewish event if we didn’t at least talk about food!
You’ll be ready for lunch after this conversation with Twin Cities Business Editor-In-Chief, Ali Kaplan; Owner/CEO at Alakef Coffee Roasters and City Girl Coffee, Alyza James; and Restauranteur-Marketer Yoni Reinharz! JLink co-founder, Josh Awend, moderates the panel on topics from staying ahead of the curve to showing up Jewishly at work.
Break for lunch!
1 p.m. State of the Jews 2021 with Robin Washington
A special podcast recording with Robin Washington, acclaimed veteran journalist in Duluth, and The Forward’s Editor-at-Large. Raised in Chicago by Black and Jewish civil rights activists, Robin was participating in sit-ins and protests at three years old—events he recalls fondly as “family outings.”
Robin will help answer questions of where our community finds itself today by reexamining local, national, and cultural myths through a Black and Jewish lens.
2 p.m. Pop Art Apple art workshop
Bold, confident, and current. Use paint, pencils, crayon shavings with wax paper and an iron, scrap paper and glue, chalk—any medium on hand to connect with and channel the enigmatic, always on-trend apple with Aarah Aizman!
Set up at your table or other work surface with an apple (enjoy shopping for THE one that makes your mouth water and your heart flutter; make sure it has a stem), and a table lamp or spotlight to throw some shadows.
Materials flexible to what you have and like using! If using acrylic paint, have a favorite brush or two (#6 and #2 bright suggested), a palette knife if you wish, rinse water, rag, wax paper or plastic plate for your palette (prep ahead of time), another plate for mixing, and small to medium-sized canvas or 8 x 8 paint board.
3 p.m. Krav Maga with Scarlett O’Donovan
Get the blood pumping with an introduction to Krav Maga led by Scarlett O’Donovan, an expert teacher with 13 years’ experience in Krav Maga, and the lead instructor for the women’s self-defense program at Krav Maga Minneapolis!
Krav Maga was developed to help people of all fitness levels learn how to defend themselves from common attacks on the street using their natural reactions. Wear comfortable workout-type clothing, athletic shoes, and make sure you have room to move.
4 p.m. Nefesh Mountain in Concert
Returning to our screens fresh off the release of their third studio album, Song for the Sparrows, we’re so excited to welcome Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg of Nefesh Mountain as our JCation ’21 headliner!
Since their arrival on the scene in 2015, Nefesh Mountain has been hailed as one of today’s formative boundary pushing Bluegrass/Americana bands. They’re among the first to truly give voice and openly represent Jewish American culture, tradition, values and spirituality in the world of American roots music.
