Jewish Meditation Meets Zen: A Special Practice & Conversation

Meditation & Dharma Conversation

with Kerith Spencer-Shapiro and Ben Connelly

The morning will explore both commonality and difference in Jewish meditation and Zen meditation

We are delighted to welcome Ben Connelly, Zen teacher and newly appointed Head Teacher at the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center, for a special joint meditation session and teaching as he visits Los Angeles on his book tour.

Kerith teaches online with the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, leads Jewish synagogue meditation groups (including at Der Nister and for Tiferet), serves as a visiting scholar and guest teacher in communities across the country, and offers guided meditations using Jewish wisdom sources as a featured teacher on Insight Timer. It is a joy and a calling to open the door to Jewish mindfulness—grounded in tradition, attuned to breath and spirit, and accessible to all who seek a deeper connection. Kerith is also head of worship, campus cantor and lecturer at Hebrew Union College.

Ben is a Soto Zen teacher and Dharma heir in the Katagiri lineage, author of Inside the Flower Garland Sutra, Mindfulness and Intimacy, Inside the Grass Hut, Inside Vasubandhu’s Yogacara, and Vasubandhu’s “Three Natures”. He teaches widely across the U.S. and works with multifaith communities committed to intersectional liberation, racial justice, and climate justice.

No previous meditation experience is required. This is a welcoming space for all who wish to encounter Jewish and Buddhist wisdom through the lens of mindfulness, presence, and contemplative practice. Together, we will enter into community and allow it to nourish us in the present moment.