Provisional Schedule & Conference Activities
Tuesday, June 20 | |
10 am-2 pm | Participants arrive at set windows throughout the day and are guided to their campus housing. (shuttles provided) |
4 pm | Hors d’oeuvres |
4:30-6 pm | Welcome ceremony |
6-8 pm | Shared dinner with welcoming remarks from Alicia Ostriker |
Optional check-in after dinner for late-arrivals | |
Wednesday, June 21 | |
Early Morning Activity (w/Rodger, others?) (optional) | |
8-10 am | Breakfast |
*Fellows meet with Scholar mentees during breakfast or lunch | |
10 am-12 pm | Morning generative workshops |
12-1:15 pm | Lunch (shared) |
1:30-2:45 pm | Craft/subject talk(s), discussion panels (TBD) |
3-4:15 pm | Alicia Interview |
Dinner (off-campus) | |
Doors open 7:30, reading at 8-9:30 | Evening Readings (open to the public) |
Thursday, June 22 | |
Early Morning Activity (w/Rodger, others?) (optional) | |
8-10 am | Breakfast |
10 am-12 pm | Morning generative workshops |
12-1:15 pm | Lunch (shared) |
1:30-2:45 pm | Craft/subject talk(s), discussion panels (TBD) |
3-4:15 pm | Participant Reading (details TBD) |
Dinner (off-campus) | |
Doors open 7:30, reading at 8-9:30 | Evening Readings (open to the public) |
Friday, June 23 | |
Early Morning Activity (w/Rodger, others?) (optional) | |
8-10 am | Breakfast (Conversations/workshops about the potential future offerings of Yetzirah) |
10 am-12 pm | Morning generative workshops |
12-1:15 pm | Lunch (shared or off/campus) |
1:30-2:45 pm | Craft/subject talk(s), discussion panels, other–or participant reading, possibly open to public (TBD) |
4-5 pm | Substantial snacks available before our later dinner |
Doors open at 5, start at 5:30-7 pm | Evening Readings (open to the public) |
7-7:45 pm | Kabbalat Shabbat (optional & open to the public) |
8 pm | Shared Shabbat dinner |
Tische (optional) | |
Saturday, June 24 | |
8-10 am | Breakfast (available for all on campus) |
Contemplative Shabbat Service and/or… | |
Lunch (for people staying on campus) | |
Free day for participants to enjoy Asheville and surrounding areas. · Some activities will be offered to those interested. |
|
Dinner off-campus or available on-campus for those staying there | |
Culminating celebration of Havdalah, with bonfire and chance for community to share poems newly drafted at the conference. | |
Sunday, June 25 | |
Room checkout by 10 am | Conference ends and interested participants are given guides for things to enjoy in the Asheville area |
Activity Descriptions
Breakfast
- Meditation or spiritual practice during breakfast
- Morning prayers given and explained/expounded upon
- Writing Prompt: Creating your own prayers for different occasions of the day (waking, eating breakfast, being in company for the first time)
Morning workshops
- Each writing faculty will offer the same workshop each morning
- Workshops will be generative, allowing all participants to find something of value
- Participants will be divided into three groups to rotate through each workshop
Some possible topics for afternoon craft/subject talks and discussion panels
- Introduction to specific Jewish poet or type of poetry
- Considerations when trying to publish poetry grounded in religion and spirituality
- Opportunities for Jewish poets (Followed by extended Q&A)
- Study of a specific text (biblical and/or literary)
- What’s Jewish about Jewish poetry?
- Writing contemporary Midrash
- Exilic studies
- Writing the Holocaust
- Divine gender (i.e. addresses to Adonai vs. Elohim vs. Shekinah, etc.)
- Writing trauma (personal and generational)
- Jewish poetry in translation/Translation as a Jewish act
- The Jewish vernacular(s)
- Uses of humor
Wednesday & Thursday off-campus dinners
- Outreach will be done to local Asheville restaurants and vendors to offer discounts to Yetzirah participants
Readings
- All readings open to public and advertised in both secular and Jewish local channels
- Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday readings given by conference faculty and selected conference participants
- Friday reading to feature interested participants
- Each night:
- 3 short readings by fellows
- 2 established poets
- 1 workshop faculty