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We will explore the cyclical nature of the Hebrew calendar as a map for inner development, supporting both individual and collective healing and transformation. The course is inspired by the energetic gateways of the Tree of Life and teachings from Kabbalah.
This is primarily a movement-based course, and we will be dancing for a significant part of each session.
Each class is structured as an expressive arts and movement-based ritual space, where participants explore the themes of the Jewish calendar through the body.
Each session includes dancing guided by the theme of the Hebrew month and its corresponding holidays, as well as work with the new and full moon cycles as anchors for intention, reflection, and integration. The course begins with Rosh Hashanah, focusing on intention-setting and reflection—clarifying what to release and what to invite in—and continues as an exploration of the cyclical phases of opening, contraction, reflection, and renewal.
Each session also includes short teachings on the monthly themes and holidays, inspiration from Kabbalistic frameworks—including the Tree of Life as a map of inner human experience—expressive arts elements such as writing, drawing, and symbolic reflection (with a primary focus on movement), partner or small-group reflection (chevruta-inspired), and simple ritual elements connected to the time in the calendar.
A central element of the course is working with tikkun (תיקון), a Hebrew concept meaning repair, restoration, or alignment. In this context, it refers to an ongoing process of growth, in which a person becomes more whole by engaging with and transforming patterns, wounds, and potentials. Participants are invited to “dance their tikkun,” exploring their inner landscape through movement, in dialogue with the rhythms of the Jewish year and the symbolic maps of the Tree of Life.
Course Structure
The approach is experiential, embodied, and relational, with an emphasis on learning through direct experience.
The methods used in the course are:
- Guided movement and dance (embodied learning)
- Expressive arts (writing, drawing, symbolic exploration)
- Improvisation, including elements of theatre and clowning
- Short lectures/teachings
- Chevruta-style paired and small group reflection
- Group discussion and sharing
- Simple ritual practice connected to the Jewish calendar
Home preparation before each session is optional, estimated time 0-2 hours.
Prior Knowledge
The course is given in English.
No prior knowledge of dance, Jewish studies, or Kabbalah is required. The course is open to applicants who are curious about exploring the Jewish calendar in an embodied and experiential way, interested in movement, personal reflection, and expressive arts, and open to engaging both individually and as part of a group process.
The movement practice is gently guided and accessible to all bodies and abilities. There is no expectation of performance. Participants will be supported in following their own inner rhythm and energy, rather than external choreography. A central part of the process is learning to listen to the body as a source of insight, developing the ability to notice, trust, and follow what the body is expressing in each moment.
Course Material
Course material is included in the cost for this course.
About the Teacher
Melissa Abecassis is an artist, relationship therapist, and facilitator based in Stockholm, working at the intersection of relational dynamics, embodiment, and Jewish thought. Her practice integrates somatic approaches, expressive arts, movement, and dialogue-based methods to explore themes around identity, relationships, and the dance of life. She creates participatory spaces that support reflection and transformation, with a particular interest in the Hebrew calendar and Kabbalistic perspectives as frameworks for lived, experiential learning.