We are living in a moment of deep unraveling — of systems, identities, existential assumptions, and inherited strategies for holding it all together. Jewish leaders, like so many others, are being asked to lead through this uncertainty, to hold complexity with care, and to sustain vision without clear maps. And they are often doing so without spaces for their own nourishment, grief, or inner reckoning.
To help support this critical moment in American Jewish life, we are honored to offer The Idra Project–a week-long, legal psilocybin retreat for small cohorts (4-6 individuals) of Jewish leaders ready to open, reflect, and reweave connection — to self, to tradition, to one another, and to something larger than themselves. This leadership retreat is not a summit or a strategy session. It is a protected circle, an idra–a sacred space of discernment at a time when Jewish leaders must be better resourced for a world which desperately needs their presence, humility, and moral imagination.
What Makes This Experience Unique
The Idra Project is Shefa’s programmatic offering to access Oregon’s, legal statewide psilocybin service program, which was passed by voters in November 2020 and is now regulated by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). The two psilocybin ceremonies for this retreat will take place at the Fernlove, a licensed psilocybin service center located one hour outside Portland. Our ceremonies are guided by professionally licensed facilitators in collaboration with Shefa, providing the highest levels of medical safety, cultural and spiritual responsiveness, and ethical consideration.
Tucked away on 30 private acres of forest near Henry Hagg Lake, cohort participants will prepare for and integrate their psilocybin ceremonies together through shared spiritual practice, nourishing walks in nature, facilitated Jewish learning and conversation, kosher meals, and space for rest and recovery.
Because we are dedicated to having all of our offerings be data-driven, we may invite participants to complete optional, short, and anonymous surveys created by our scientific research advisory team before and after their experiences.
Who should apply?
We welcome applications from leaders who are Jewish, who are:
Feeling a genuine need for this kind of space
Experiencing professional burnout
Facing financial constraints
Long drawn to this work but need a legal, structured setting to pursue it
Can meet the following criteria:
Fulfill the medical eligibility requirements set by our partner psilocybin service center
Feel a deep personal calling to explore psilocybin-supported self-exploration within a Jewish communal framework
Able to fully commit to the entire arc: preparation, retreat, and integration
You’ll need:
Openness
Respect for confidentiality
Curiosity
Care — for themselves and the group
What is Involved?
1. Applications & Screening
Beginning March 17th, rolling until full- apply here.
Applicants complete a written application. Selected applicants are invited to an initial interview with the Shefa team to determine fit. If you move forward after the first round of interviews, you may be asked to place a non-refundable deposit to continue into medical and psychological screening with the Shefa and Fernlove teams. This deposit secures your place in the cohort and is applied toward the program cost if you are accepted
2. Preparation
Each participant receives 2 intakes call with Shefa staff facilitators, a 1:1 preparation call with a Fernlove facilitator, and (3) 1.5 hour group preparation calls to support their preparation process.
Group Preparation Calls (Zoom)
Monday September 28th (4-5:30pm PT)
Monday October 5th (4-5:30pm PT)
Monday October 12th (4-5:30pm PT)
3. The Idra Retreat
October 19-23
Cohort gathers outside of Portland for a five-day residential retreat, including two psilocybin journeys facilitated by Fernlove’s licensed team with support from onsite Shefa staff. The retreat includes daily opportunities to integrate, learn, grieve, celebrate, rest, and process together as Jewish leaders.
4. Integration
Post-retreat support includes three group sessions, along with continued access to Shefa’s integration resources and community.
Group Integration Calls (Zoom)
Monday October 26th (4-5:30pm PT)
Monday November 2nd (4-5:30pm PT)
Monday November 9th (4-5:30pm PT)
Pricing & Commitment
In deep gratitude to The Sheri Eckert Foundation and the Community Leaders Resilience Fund we are able to offer this retreat at a significantly subsidized rate.
Retreat Fee of $1,800 includes:
Application and interview
Medical screening
Logistics assistance and coordination
Individual and group preparation sessions
All shared meals
Retreat activities in-between ceremonies
Group integration sessions
*Retreat fee does NOT include plant medicine or airfare (see FAQ for more details)
Participants are required to book and pay for their own travel to and from Oregon.
Payment is due within seven days of acceptance to confirm your spot. Due to the limited number of participants and the depth of planning required, we are unable to offer refunds, though extenuating circumstances may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
This retreat is being co-curated by three organizations: Shefa as retreat provider, Fernlove as ceremony provider, and the Sheri Eckert Foundation as retreat sponsor. While working in unison, each has a separate application form to ensure compliance with their own processes. We thank you for your time and patience while going through each of these necessary steps.
Testimonials
“I have no words to describe my gratitude for this experience. It was indeed one of, if not the, most profound and meaningful experiences of my entire life. The amount of care and healing I got is indescribable. The combination of traditional indigenous South American and Jewish music and wisdom was beautiful and incredible and I was able to touch and heal some of my deepest wounds which were so in need of healing.”
—Idra 2026 Participant
“This was a perfect professional development opportunity. I came back to my rabbinate feeling refreshed and renewed and inspired. I came back with deep connections to colleagues I might never have interacted with that I know will be helpful to my work. Finally, I came back feeling so much gratitude for the amazing world we live in, wild adventures (even at my age), and the mysteries and miracles of The Eternal.”
—Idra 2026 Participant
“I don’t think I have ever experienced rest like this. The Shefa and Cora team held space with sacred intention and deep, profound meaning and kavanah that I was able to be present in my life and being in a way I have never encountered before. Thank you for this tremendous gift.”
— Idra 2026 Participant
Sample Schedule
FAQ
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The word Idra (from Aramaic, meaning “threshing floor” or “circle”) refers to the mystical gatherings described in the Zohar, where sacred truths were shared among an intimate group of seekers. The Idra Retreat humbly invokes this lineage of intimate, courageous inquiry in seeking personal and communal healing.
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This is not a professional development seminar. It is not a summit or skills training. This is a container for deep personal work — a sanctuary in which Jewish leaders can soften the roles they hold in public and turn toward inner needs: for healing, honesty, and reconnection with Source.
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Oregon Measure 109 created a regulated framework for supervised adult psilocybin services. All psilocybin sessions take place at The Cora Center, a state-licensed psilocybin service center, and are facilitated by trained, OHA-licensed professionals.
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Participants ingest a personalized dose of psilocybin-containing mushrooms in a group setting with individual support. Doses and session plans are discussed in advance with licensed facilitators during the preparation phase.
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Yes. Medical and psychological screenings are conducted to ensure safety and appropriateness for this work. Licensed psilocybin facilitators are present throughout each journey, along with Shefa’s spiritually grounded support team. The environment is carefully prepared to be safe, trauma-informed, and nurturing. We take your safety seriously.
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The retreat is shaped by Jewish time, ritual, and spiritual care. Practices include:
Framing each day with Jewish wisdom and ritual in a pluralistic context
Integrating sacred texts, Hasidic and kabbalistic teachings
Creating a Shabbat-like atmosphere of resourcing and reflection
Kosher, vegetarian meals
Respectful space for a diversity of Jewish practice and orientation
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Not at all. This retreat welcomes participants across the spectrum of Jewish belief, practice, and affiliation. What matters most is a sense of Jewish connection and a willingness to engage with our tradition as a living source of meaning, no dogma required.
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We are making room for all types of needs with regard to observance. Communally, all food will be prepared with hekhshered items in a kashered kitchen. Individually, please reach out if there are particular issues you would like to discuss with our staff.
Application + Participation
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That’s okay. Many participants will be first-timers. This retreat is designed for beginners and experienced journeyers alike. The key is openness and a sincere readiness to engage the process.
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Before: 2 private onboarding calls with Shefa staff members, a 1:1 with a licensed facilitator, and 3 group preparation sessions
After: 3 group integration sessions, plus ongoing access to Shefa’s integration network.
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No. To ensure the safety and integrity of the work, all participants are required to attend all preparation and integration sessions and commit to the full five-day retreat.
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All participants, facilitators, and staff sign confidentiality agreements. Your participation will not be publicized. You may share your experience afterward if you choose, but the space is held in trust.
Cost + Commitment
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$1,800 covers everything except psilocybin itself and your airfare. The fee includes preparation, retreat lodging, meals, transportation within Portland, and integration support. A portion of this fee helps support sliding-scale access and program development.
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Oregon law requires that psilocybin be paid in cash by participants directly to the licensed service center. Instructions will be shared once accepted.
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We are greatly appreciative of the Sheri Eckhart Foundations generous Community Leaders Resilience Fund scholarships which are making the Idra Project accessible to our community. At this time, we cannot provide more subsidies to participants.
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Due to the small cohort size and depth of planning, the fee is non-refundable once accepted, except in extreme circumstances.
Logistics
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Participants will be housed on site at Fernlove. The environment is comfortable, serene, and conducive to rest and reflection.
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A typical non-journey day may include:
Morning prayer, meditation, movement, and singing
Kosher breakfast
Facilitated group learning and preparation/integration circles
Quiet time for reflection, journaling, or walking
Shared lunch and dinnerInformal offerings (songs, texts, poems etc.)
Evening group check-in or rest time
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We encourage participants to unplug as much as possible during the retreat. Emergency contact information will be provided to loved ones. You’ll have access to your phone as needed, but the space is designed for deep presence and digital disconnection.
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The home has stairs and limited ADA access. Please let us know your needs—we are committed to making participation possible for as many people as we can.
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All meals are vegetarian and kosher. We can accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free, and other dietary restrictions. Please share details in your intake form.
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Participants are required to book and pay for their own travel to and from Portland, and will be picked up and dropped off at the airport together by the Shefa team.
Who is leading the retreat?
Jessie Duke Gerzon
Jessie Duke Gerzon is the Program Director of Shefa, where she designs and stewards programs that integrate Jewish wisdom, somatic awareness, and psychedelic-informed approaches to healing and transformation. She is also the founder of Bendichas Manos Ceremonial Cacao & Experiences and the host of the Embodied Judaism podcast, which explores the intersection of Jewish identity, ritual, plant medicine, and embodied Torah. Jessie’s work is shaped by her own journey through illness, healing, and teshuvah, and by a commitment to creating spaces for meaningful personal and communal growth.
More facilitators to be announced soon.