TEMENOS PRESENTS feast of mystics
PASSOVER RETREAT
April 23-24, 2024
Feast of Mystics is two day passover retreat offered by Rabbi Zach Fredman, Lala Tamar. Tickets are available for the individual evening programs each night, or as a package for the whole retreat, including accommodations. A 20% discount on accommodations is available for guests coming for individual programs. Book the two-day package below, or scroll down for links to the individual events.
The 2-day retreat package includes a special Passover workshop with Rabbi Zach Fredman on Wednesday afternoon, and there will be ample time for spending time in the woods, visiting the waterfall, reflecting in a hammock by the fire or volunteering at Mumbet’s Freedom Farm.
Package rates start at $320 for each adult, including two nights accommodation with breakfast, the Passover Seder celebration and dinner on Tuesday evening, the concert on Wednesday evening, and the Wednesday afternoon workshop. Lunch and dinner on Wednesday will also be available separately on the property.
Day 1: Passover Seder with Rabbi Zach Fredman & Duo Andalus
Tuesday April 23, @630pm
Temenos Center presents an evening of magic and beauty as we gather for a Passover Seder infused with wisdom and music. Rabbi Zach Fredman will lead us through spiritual teachings, delving into the myth, mysticism and liberatory ethos of this sacred celebration. Over wine, food, music, questions and stories we will illuminate the Passover narrative, exploring its ancient resonance in an unparalleled year.
The Seder will be accompanied by the enchanting melodies of Duo Andalus, as the sounds of the Magreb and Flamenco, mirror the essence of the Passover journey. Lala Tamar is a lineage holder in the Moroccan tradition, and will lead us in the melodies of Moroccan Passover. Come join us for a rare night of enlightenment and inspiration, darkness and freedom where we distill prayer to its essential elements through music and meditation.
Tickets include a four course meal at our community tables in the barn. The food and ceremony is offered in four movements echoing the four seder cups of wine - Sanctification, Deliverance, Redemption, Praise. All integrating together in a nourishing of all sides of our collective being.
Day 2: Concert with The Epichorus featuring Yacouba Sissoko
April 24 evening - 7pm
Rabbi Zach Fredman leads The Epichorus, featuring 70th generation Malian kora master Yacouba Sissoko. The ensemble will perform new music from the upcoming Epichorus album featuring Lala Tamar.
The Epichorus performs music drawn from the great lineages of Arabic maqam, Hebrew piyut, and the fusion of influences moving through Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 2012 by oud player, composer, and bandleader, Zach Fredman, they have released three studio albums and one book, performed in venues across North America, and have received radio play on New York Public radio and in the Middle East. The chameleon ensemble, built around Fredman’s oud and compositions, features violin, hammered dulcimer, percussion and upright bass. They have performed as an instrumental ensemble and with special guests including: Sudanese singer Alsarah, master Kora player Yacouba Sissoko, poet James Stone Goodman, Arabic vocalist Zahra Zubaidi, and Grammy nominated vocalist Priya Darshini. No matter the arrangement, their ethereal sound bewilders and transports.
Master kora player Yacouba Sissoko devotes his musical gift to expand the awareness of West African history and culture, spread the word of peace, and empower his listeners to take charge and realize their imagined futures. His performances have a magical effect on audiences as he skillfully transforms traditional songs and stories that he learned from his forefathers into modern day messages of peace, love, and harmony.
FEAST OF MYSTICS EVENTS:
Rabbi Zach Fredman is the Creative Director of the Temenos Center for the Arts, a New York non profit organization that creates projects, wisdom and ceremonies that live at the intersection of spirituality and the arts. Zach is composer, oud player, and bandleader of the Epichorus, an ensemble performing new music rooted in classical Arabic maqam and Hebrew poetry. They have released three studio albums and a book of stories.
Lala Tamar is a vocalist, musician and the winner of the New Israel Fund’s Grant for Essential Arts. Born to Jewish Moroccan - Brazilian parents Tamar is an independent artist and researcher in the fields of North African, Ladino and Andalusian Jewish music.
She plays percussion instruments, Guembry, composes and writes original music based on the north africans jewish and muslim feminin traditions. Tamar performs and collaborates with musicians worldwide, amongst them: Mehdi Nasuli, Karim Ziad, Mnat Aishta, Yossi Fein, Omri Mor, Aminka and many more.
Lala Tamar has created the first Album ever to be recorded in the lost language of “Haquetia” (Moroccan jewish ladino) and is active in promoting awareness of North African Jewish heritage preservation worldwide. She performs and creates with the Award winning choreographer - Orly Portal. She is a voice teacher and holds North African women’s sacred singing workshops for women all around the world. mostly works between Israel and Morocco.
Ofer Ronen is a guitarist, oud player, composer and producer who investigates the connections between the music of the Mediterranean with flamenco. Following years of studies of flamenco guitar in Andalucia, and later of Arabic maqam and oud in Israel, Ofer began creating his unique sound that synthesize naturally flamenco sounds with Arabic and Jewish Mediterranean musics
. His musical career includes various projects he led such as Ancient Groove, Hamsa Hamsa, PorMedio, Duo Andalus, Las Tres Granadas and more, Ofer played in various countries such as, Israel, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Canada, France, Morocco, Cyprus, and more. Some of the musician Ofer collaborated with includes Yair Dallal, Mor Karbasi, Fuensanta La Moneta, Lala Tamar, and many more. Apart of a performing artist, Ofer has a b.a degree in musicology and has worked for 6 years in the Jewish Music Resarch Centre in Jerusalem with Prof. Edwin Seroussi investigatig and writing about Jewish Music.
The Epichorus performs new music drawn from the great lineages of Arabic maqam, Hebrew piyut, and the fusion of influences moving through Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 2012 by oud player, composer, and bandleader, Zach Fredman, they have released three studio albums and one book, performed in venues across North America, and have received radio play on New York Public radio and in the Middle East. The chameleon ensemble, built around Fredman’s oud and compositions, features violin, hammered dulcimer, percussion and upright bass. They have performed as an instrumental ensemble and with special guests including: Sudanese singer Alsarah, master Kora player Yacouba Sissoko, poet James Stone Goodman, Arabic vocalist Zahra Zubaidi, and Grammy nominated vocalist Priya Darshini. No matter the arrangement, their ethereal sound bewilders and transports.
The Epichorus released their third studio album, Ten at Dreamland; Healing & Lineage, December 2021, along with a 70 page book of artwork, photographs, and stories.
Master kora player Yacouba Sissoko devotes his musical gift to expand the awareness of West African history and culture, spread the word of peace, and empower his listeners to take charge and realize their imagined futures. His performances have a magical effect on audiences as he skillfully transforms traditional songs and stories that he learned from his forefathers into modern day messages of peace, love, and harmony.
His flexible virtuosity, which enables him to move seamlessly from one musical genre to another, has attracted the attention of an array of musicians who have sought him out as a collaborator.
All the while, Yacoba exposes new audiences to the enchanting sounds of the kora—a 21-stringed instrument that is plucked and produces a distinctive sound that is quickly associated with West Africa.
Yacouba continues to blend his virtuosity effortlessly with other musical styles, whether in Indian ragas or Appalachian tunes. Currently, Yacouba can be seen performing regularly with Regina Carter and his own band, SIYA.