Tu B’Av in the Garden – Full Moon Celebration
This past Tu B’Av gathering celebrated the ancient Festival of Love under the full moon.
3,000 years later, in Boulder, Colorado, this dance endures. How miraculous it is to be part of this living legacy—listening, loving, celebrating our wholeness and the fierce strength of our hearts to rise after a fall.
Participants dressed in white and connected with the cycles of the heart, the moon, and the season’s abundance. Inspired by the ancient tradition of the daughters of Jerusalem, this ceremony wove together Kabbalistic wisdom, embodied practice, and community connection.
Led by Jenna Zadaka, Mitten Lowe, Ora Levi, and Rachael Brody
The Kabbalists teach that the gateway into Love in this month of Av is through the sense of listening.
Shema—the quintessential declaration of Jewish faith—means to hear, to listen, to pay attention. It’s not only about hearing with our physical ears, but with our hearts and bodies. As Rebbe Nachman taught, “the heart hears.”
We are called to listen: to the plants around us, the earth beneath us, the loved ones beside us, the ancestors whispering to us, and the Divine holding us. The three sounds of the Shema invite us into a deep state of receptivity.
With petals in our palms and rose oil pressed to our hearts, we welcome the highest forms of love.
Tu B’Av 2025, Av 5785
Flow / Highlights:
5:00 pm – Arrival: Grounding in the garden, settling into the magic of Tu B’Av
5:15 pm – Botanical Natural Dye Project: Create intuitive botanically printed wall hangings on organic linen with Ora Levi
6:15 pm – Shabbat Dinner & Song: Nourishing meal, guided prompts, soulful songs, poetry, and conversation
7:15 pm – Shema Chant, Heart- Meditation & Full Moon Dance: Guided meditation led by Mitten & Jenna, barefoot dancing under the full moon with Dance Guide Rachael Brody
8:00 pm – Closing Circle: Final reflection, blessings, and integration
Tu B’Av Gather 2024, Av 5784
