Summer Retreat 2025

JUNE 26-29th at Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center | Falls Village, CT

The Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat - our signature offering - is a four-day gathering centered on Jewish communal singing for healing and liberation. This immersive song experience is structured around Shabbat and features programming led by our fabulous teaching team, participant-led workshops, community sings, multiple prayer options, and a participatory concert on Saturday night.

now open!

Financial assistance application period

& early registration for BIJOCSM, trans women & trans femmes

We will be opening early registration for people who are Black, Indigenous, Jews of Color, Sephardim, Mizrahim, trans women, and trans femmes, starting February 3rd.

Financial assistance applications will be open from February 3-14th.

General registration will be open to everyone, available on a first come first serve basis through the Isabella Freedman website on March 25th at 12pm EST. 

All are welcome and encouraged to come sing! And, in alignment with our values of building multi-racial, multicultural, genderful and intergenerational community, we are working to prioritize the participation of BIJOCSM, trans women and femmes, disabled people, raised poor or working class folks, elders, teens and families with young children.

Registration Process

Timeline Summary

Monday,  February 3,  11am EST:  Financial Assistance Applications Open + Early Registration for BIJOCSM, Trans Women and Trans Femmes
Friday,  February 14, 11:59pm EST:  Financial Assistance Applications Close
Tuesday, March 25, 12pm EST:  General Registration Opens

For more detailed information check out our FAQ section below.

2025 Teaching Team

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to have singing skills to come?

Not at all! At LMPS, we believe that everyone can sing. Part of the power of communal singing is creating a collective voice that is made up of a beautiful multiplicity of voices, and is much bigger than any one voice individually. We need all of our voices to make that larger voice. We need your voice, whatever authentic singing looks and feels and sounds like for you. That is what makes the magic. Whether you are excited to deepen into your voice, your musical lineages, to expand your breadth of singing experience, or are new to Jewish communal singing altogether, you are welcome wanted in this space!

Schedule

Do you have a schedule yet?

We do not yet have a sharable schedule for this summer’s retreat, however you can check out our 2023 Summer Retreat Schedule as a sample. The retreat will start Thursday June 26th in the afternoon and end midday on Sunday, June 29th. Please plan to arrive no later than Friday afternoon.

Registration & Pricing

What is the registration process this year?

All are welcome and encouraged to come sing! And, in alignment with our values of building multi-racial, multicultural, genderful and intergenerational community, we are working to prioritize the participation of BIJOCSM, trans women and femmes, disabled people, raised poor or working class folks, elders, teens and families with young children.

General registration will be open to everyone, available on a first come first serve basis through the Isabella Freedman website on March 25th at 12pm EST. 

We will be opening early registration for people who are Black, Indigenous, Jews of Color, Sephardim, Mizrahim, trans women, and trans femmes, starting February 3rd.

Financial assistance applications will be open from February 3-14th.

How much does this retreat cost?

Isabella Freedman has a variety of room types, which can accommodate individuals and families of various sizes. More details on accommodations can be found here.

Here is the pricing for registration (inclusive of meals, programming, and housing):

• Standard Room (Private bathroom): $905 per adult in double occupancy | $1,420 single occupancy

• Basic Room (Shared full bathroom between two rooms): $710 per adult in double occupancy y | $1,100 single occupancy

• Dormitory Style (shared half bathroom between two rooms) multiple occupancy: $585

• Camping: $480

• Commuting: $465

• Child (5-12 years old): $275

• Toddler (2-4 years old): $135

• Infant: (Under 2 years old): $0

Financial Assistance

Will there be financial assistance available?

Yes! There will be a two-week financial assistance application period before registration opens - February 3-14th. Anyone is welcome to apply for financial assistance, and we will do our best to offer what we can. Due to limited funding, we are prioritizing financial assistance for people who are BIJOCSM, trans women, trans femmes, raised poor and working class, without a financial safety net, and disabled.

Can I donate to the financial assistance fund?

Yes! 100% of your donation will go towards directly supporting folks to attend this summer’s retreat. Help make this summer's retreat more financially accessible to more people by donating to the Financial Assistance Fund!

TRAVEL

How do I get there?

Please refer to the information linked here about how best to get to Isabella Freedman. 

• If you are arriving by air you should plan to rent a car or arrange a carpool to/from the airport if you're flying in from out of town.

• We are offering a shuttle for folks coming from the Wassaic Train Station to and from Isabella Freedman, as long as two or more people sign up. There will be one shuttle on Thursday afternoon *to* Isabella Freedman, and one shuttle on Sunday *to* Wassaic Train Station from Isabella Freedman. Please note: there will be one shuttle per day, Freedman registrar will be in touch about the timing. There is a $35 fee each way to ride the shuttle. You can sign up for a shuttle upon registration (step 2).

• We will provide a ride share board for participants to find each other upon registration. We will not be coordinating rides.

Accessibility & COVID-19

What are your COVID-19 policies and practices?

Please read our 2025 COVID-19 Protocols Document carefully as the COVID-19 protocols for Let My People Sing! are different than those for other retreats at Isabella Freedman. Following the protocols will be required for all participants.

What can I expect in terms of accessibility?

In the meantime you can check out our Accessibility Document for more information on access at this retreat. You may also go to Isabella Freedman’s Guest Information page to learn more about Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center.

Families & Childcare

I would like to come with my kids, are kids welcome at LMPS, and will there be childcare available?

Yes! Families and kids are very welcome! Camp Adamah is our kids programming space that is offered during the retreat. It is led by fabulous Teva educators, and available during various programming hours.

Thursday there will be an orientation for all the kids and parents.
For kids 2-4 we have Gan Adamah from 9a-12p on Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
For kids 5-12 we have Camp Adamah from 9a-12p & 2-5p on Friday, Saturday & Sunday (just until programming ends)
For children under 2, folks are welcome to join Gan or Camp Adamah as long as they stay with their child there. 

Halachic Observance & Practice

Will I be able to participate in programming on shabbat if I am shomer shabbat?

Yes! Electronics will not be used on shabbat in public spaces other than for access reasons for individuals, and will be noted on the schedule as such. We do not use instruments on shabbat in public spaces or in programming unless noted. Our creative minyan often uses instruments and amplification, other than that we aim to schedule all sessions that use instruments for Friday day or Sunday. If that is not possible, we will indicate the session as using instruments on the schedule. There are always multiple options to choose from.

Will I be able to attend minyan three times a day?

We will have Traditional Egalitarian services each day for Shacharit, Mincha & Maariv/Arvit. We cannot guarantee there will always be a minyan of people present at each service, but most often that is not a problem! We will not be organizing an Orthodox minyan this year.

Will there be kosher food?

Yes! The Isabella Freedman kitchen is glatt kosher under supervision of the Hartford Kashrut Commission.

Culture & Community

What is the culture of Let My People Sing!’s gatherings?

Check out our Building the Culture of Let My People Sing! page to find out how we create culture together at our gatherings.

I'm coming by myself, is there a way to connect with other participants?

This year we’re trying out something new, Affinity-Based Mishpacha / Home Groups! These small groups will come together daily around a shared interest, allowing participants to build connections around their passions and curiosities.  Some examples include: emerging song leaders, intergenerational relationships, new to singing, and arts & crafts processing space. 

How will we approach gathering in a time of heightened polarization within the Jewish community?

You can check out our Community Guidelines for this summer’s retreat. Please read over this document, before registering for this retreat.

A taste of retreats past

Song Sessions

Sessions are led by a wide array of song leaders using a variety of formats.  Some include histories and stories, others just be about singing the songs themselves.  No instruments are used on Shabbat unless otherwise noted.

Shabbat Services & Practice

Shabbat services are offered Friday night and Saturday morning. with multiple prayer options including Traditional Egalitarian and Creative services. Creative services often use instruments and amplification, and will be noted as such on the schedule.

To keep this space accessible to folks with varying relationships to halchic observance, we ask everyone to refrain from using electronics in public space on shabbat. If there is a session that uses instruments it will be noted.

Community Sing

Let My People Sing!’s format for sharing and learning songs in community. A space for leading, teaching, singing and sharing.

Participatory Havdalah, Concert & Dance Party

Beginning with havdalah, the Saturday night concert features the lead teachers and Let My People Sing! staff sharing songs we’ve sung throughout the weekend, and ends with a dance party!

Jewish Outdoor, Food & Environmental Fun!

Make pickles, explore the woods, and take a tour of the Isabella Freedman farm alongside their Adamah fellows.

Sample Schedule

Here is a sample schedule to give you an idea of the flow of the retreat. We will be adjusting this schedule as we continue to plan and refine the program for this summer’s retreat.