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 and Thursday readings given by conference faculty
• Friday reading to feature interested participants
• Each night:
• 3 short readings by fellows
• 2 established poets
• 1 workshop faculty