For my 50th birthday, I was looking for an adventure. I wanted to do
something completely removed from my everyday life, something that would expand my experiences and teach me something about myself. I found what I was looking for in Teshuvah in the Wilderness.

Not much of a camper, I'd never been in the desert and never fasted for
more than a day. This was definitely a challenge. I also chose it because it was in a Jewish context and presented an opportunity to explore my connection to God.

Before going out on the solo retreat, I was excited and scared. Rabbi Mike Comins and Marty Peale spent days preparing us for the physical, emotional and spiritual challenges ahead.

At the outset, I wasn't sure I'd make it through the four days alone. But the desert was beautiful and the fasting was easier than I expected.

Still, being out there was one of the most difficult things Iíve ever done. It was also very rewarding. I discovered a lot about myself, learned to push past my fears, got answers to questions I didn't know I had and deepened my connection to God.

Not bad for a 50th birthday adventure.

Robin Silverman

The wilderness retreat was one of the most profound experiences I've ever had. I was a little nervous about the trip, as I had not done very much camping previously. But Mike and Marty prepared us incredibly well — physically, psychologically, and spiritually — during the days before the solo, so well, in fact, that at no time during the four days and nights alone did I ever experience fear or a feeling of being out of my element. On the contrary, the time out there felt like coming home, to my Self, to the natural world, and to God.

The location of the retreat was quite spectacular, and I witnessed many magical and awe-inspiring sights, including beautiful sunrises, glorious full moon rises, brilliant rainbows, and a sparkling canopy of stars to gaze at all night. It was quite powerful to combine Jewish prayers, meditations and teachings with the experience of being in the wilderness; I felt a great affinity to our ancestors who also had to face themselves in the solitude of the desert, and in that place found their connection to God.

The days alone were often challenging, but I always felt 100% safe and well-taken care of by the leaders, even from a distance. After the trip was over I felt both confidence and profound humility, and had many new insights about myself and about life that I am continuing to work with. My experience of the earth has been permanently altered, and I sense a deep personal connection with nature that is far more profound than what I had felt before.

36 hours after I returned home from this trip, the events of September 11 occurred. Not an ideal situation with which to transition back into the"real world"! And yet the inner peace and connection with Spirit I had tapped into stayed with me through the horror, and helped me to never get overwhelmed with despair or lose perspective.

The retreat changed my life, and I will always be grateful for the experience.

Donna Zerner