Finding a Way to make Yoga Kosher
Tucked away in an unassuming brownstone basement on a leafy Crown Heights side street, a pioneering group of Jewish women at Crown Heights Fitness are stretching and bending, kosher-style. These women did not start this yoga process in a casual way; they had to examine their beliefs. Would yoga contradict their spiritual views as Orthodox Jews?
Mainstream Western yoga classes are off limits for observant Jews for a number of reasons. Jewish modesty requires women and men to exercise separately. And references to Hindu deities, chanting, and the idols or symbols that grace many a studio altar are in direct contradiction to these women’s beliefs about G-d.
Still, they are drawn to yoga for the same physical, mental, and emotional benefits that have created the yoga boom in Western secular culture. Here in Crown Heights, these women are forging a path that offers them the best of both worlds.
Before Tuesday night’s power Vinyasa class, I sat down with studio director Sarede Switzer and a few of her dedicated students to learn more about what it means to practice yoga in an environment where you’re more likely to hear “Oy!” than “Om.”
“The challenge of yoga intrigued me,” said the athletic and exuberant Sarede, “but I was worried that it might not be compatible with Judaism.” She consulted numerous rabbis and got varying opinions. Some religious authorities pronounced yoga ‘strictly forbidden!’- but Sarede kept digging. “It didn’t make any sense, as there’s nothing inherent in yoga that contradicts Judaism. Maimonides and other religious teachers urge us to take care of our bodies as well as our spirits,” she noted.
Fortuitously, Sarede re-connected with Kinneret Dubowitz-Feuer, an old acquaintance who also happened to be a yoga instructor. Kinneret was in the process of developing a Yoga Alliance 200-hour certification appropriate for Orthodox Jewish women, and Sarede became her first student.
“We clicked right away,” recalls Sarede. The women now work in partnership, training over sixty women to date in cities including New York, Montreal, Jerusalem, and Toronto.
Dini, one of Sarede’s students who has also become a Kinneret-certified instructor, agrees that it’s the physical and mental benefits that hooked her into yoga. “I like the holistic feel. It’s fun and powerful – and I’ve also come to appreciate the more restorative aspects as well.”
Baila, a young mother of two, says “Sometimes your mind just needs a break. Yoga has helped me learn to truly relax, breathe, and just ‘be.’ I am also a jogger/power walker and it helps me not get too ‘tight.’ It has also helped me with weight maintenance, and having more energy during the day.”
As a Jew who has strayed from my religious roots, I was both eager and apprehensive about experiencing kosher yoga for myself. Would I be appropriately dressed? Would an ‘outsider’ to the faith be offensive in any way? My worries melted as I spread out my mat and sensed the welcoming presence of Sarede and the group of six other practitioners.
The class itself was similar to a typical gym Vinyasa class. We moved through opening stretches, core work, flows of invigorating and strength-building poses (similar to Sun Salutations but not called that due to the connotations with sun worship), backbends, inversions, and concluded with seated forward bends followed by supine relaxation. Sarede’s playlist included both Jewish artists and secular favorites. Sarede’s assistant Mushkie roved the room providing juicy assists reminiscent of partner yoga, like splaying over my back as I rested in child’s pose.
Sarede’s teaching emphasized a holistic view of body-mind unity with a strong focus on the breath. “The breath is a way of expanding your being into the world around you, so you can be very unabashed about your presence here. Let the breath be like a metronome, giving you a rhythm to practice to,” she said as we emerged from a long forward bend.
She included anatomical cues and technical tips to help us refine poses like Headstand and Full Wheel. “See if you can release a sense of control and just let go into this posture,” she said as we wiggled into Pigeon pose. “Maybe you feel something above that might be protecting you.”
“This is a pose just like any other pose, so arrange yourself symmetrically” she reminded us as we lay down to rest (Sanskrit terms are not used here, so this was not called ‘Savasana’). “Stillness doesn’t mean stagnation, but finding a place in you that’s quiet.”
After class I lingered to find out more about the connections between the yoga practice and the Jewish observances. “I never think of yoga as substituting for my spirituality in any way,” clarified Sarede. “Yoga helps me keep my body healthy, my mind clear, and my emotions settled – so I can be more effective in my worship and in carrying out the mitzvot [commandments of G-d].”
“Elements of yoga infuse my spiritual life,” she continued. “For example, I might come into mountain pose for centering and grounding before beginning the Shemona Esrei [one of the prayers said thrice daily by observant Jews]. Through the practice of yoga I’ve come to appreciate the amazing power the body has, and to apply it in the service of God.”
Baila echoed this sentiment, saying “Yoga for me is not something spiritual, but rather, I look at it this way: one of the mitzvot in the Torah is “venishmartem meod lenafshoseichem,” which means that we need to take care of ourselves and do the best we can to keep healthy.”
As I discovered, the studio is welcoming to secular women or women of other faiths who want to derive the benefits of the physical practice without the religious trappings. In addition to Tuesday evening’s power Vinyasa class, a more restorative class is offered on Monday nights.
For more info on Yoga and other fitness classes for women in Crown Heights visit www.crownheightsfitness.com or email crownheightsfitness@gmail.com
For more info on our Yoga Teacher Training for Women in New York and Israel visit www.kinneretyogatraining.com or email kinneretyogatraining@gmail.com
cher
Yamillee, best yoga teacher ever!!!! try her!
Aliza
i find that one of the nice things about Yoga is when the people in the studio have positive energy. Sarede provides plenty of that. some Yoga practitioners tend to be overly disciplined. Sarede provides the discipline but does not let that distrub the open, restorative, happy energy. Crown Heights is lucky to have such a dedicated Yoga instructor who does not get discouraged.
i recommend to Crown Heights women – instead of spending time in a doctor’s office – try Yoga as preventative medicine.
and i believe there is interest in a class for men. knowledgable men practice Yoga. it can provide much needed focus and relaxation.
nokosheryoga
if the root is rotten even if you make it kosher and beautiful will not help the yoga comes from idolatry lets dont forget that> Can you make the pork kosher? What about learning what the rebbe said about yoga> or going to mystical path.com you can learn all about it
Chana-s Husband!
Go Chana !
Moishele
When someone who is an expert in yoga and in Hilchos Avoda Zara steps up and says that “form x of yoga is kosher”, I’ll believe it. So far we’ve seen experts in one field of the other make various statements, but nothing from an expert in both. That could be due to 2 reasons.
1. Such experts don’t exist.
2. They exist and don’t believe that kosher yoga is possible.
I’m happy to be proven wrong, as I am sure the benefits of yoga are not imaginary. But there are legitimate concerns of Avoda Zara, and those can’t be whitewashed away with some hokey pokey about being healthy.
Akiva
“Elements of yoga infuse my spiritual life,” she continued. “For example, I might come into mountain pose for centering and grounding before beginning the Shemona Esrei — there you go, direct quote that Yoga is affecting your yiddishkeit.
AlephBeisMovement
To Moishele and nokosheryoga:
Yes there are Kosher forms of yoga. Please visit
http://www.kabalahyoga.com
Audi Gozlan studied the Rebbe’s letters on yoga and meditation. He defines yoga as “klipas noga,” based on the Rebbe’s letters. The Rebbe worked with Dr. Yehuda Landes in the 1970s to develop a Kosher Meditation center. The Rebbe said that if something can provide such healing benefits, it is crucial that people be able to use it in a way that is stripped from Avoda Zara. So to answer your post 1. Such experts do exist: Dr. Yehuda Landes, the Rebbe and Audi Gozlan and 2. The all believe that kosher yoga is possible.
to#3
Pilates would be better.
reb chaim :)
yoga is just fine! and heyyy i want some PICTURES :P
yoga ettendee
sarede is an exceptional instructor!
OOT
Ur all just jealous that these women take care of themselves! I wish i had such a group wher i live! Kudos to Sarede!!
to#11
That wasn’t nice. lol.
President Street Clan
Go Mushky!!!!
<3 President Street
Great and Calm Yoga Teacher who really cares!!
dl
perhaps you could put out a dvd?
to AKIVA (number six)
AKIVA – what do you do to center and ground yourself before going into Shmona Esrai?
or do you just go from one level of Tefila to another without meditation? or do you not see concentated efforts and meditation as part of Davening?
fyi – there is a balanced, upward movement of the body and breath in tree pose – that can ready the soul to enter Shmone Esrai. try it.
An Avid Exerciser
I really enjoy the exercise classes given at this studio . The room is spacious, clean and and pretty too …….it only makes exercising that much more enjoyable.
Anonymous
My rav actually strongly discouraged me from doing yoga- unless there was a specific need for it- like when my daughter had to do it as a therapy for weak muscle tone.
This was based on the rebbe letter where he mentions medicine is okay for those who are ill…
But in any case I was told that even when doing the pose we should not call it by its name… Salute to the sun, mountain pose, etc,,,
But there is yet to be a RAV who will publicly authorize yoga, al pi the Rebbes words!
nokosher yoga
Regarding Rabbi Ginsburgh’s statement that the idolatry of Tai Chi and Yoga bring tumah (spiritual uncleanliness),Rabbi Ginsburgh wrote; “These exercises draw down energy from impure sources.”
I read an article by the well known Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh on the same subject
Are Tai Chi or Rai Kei permissible practices? What about yoga?
Yoga has negative energy which is connected to avodah zarah, and is thus unacceptable, even if the person practicing does not have these negative thoughts.
The very usage of the name “yoga, tai chi, etc.” whether prefaced with the word “Jewish or not, does not allow for true clarification. In fact, the juxtaposition of the two terms “Jewish yoga” is shatneiz, (an improper mixture).
to read more http://www.mpaths.com/2012/…
to#17
Please think for yourself.
Torah Torah yo, yoga, yoga nine
When you think for yourself as a Torah Jew, you come to the clear conclusion that at best, yoga needs major modifications to be acceptable.
It is part of an avoida zoro, whereas meditation per se as the Rebbe referred to it with Dr Landes is not. I have meditated by repeating perek 23 of Tehillim to reduce my pulse rate after strenuous activity. That’s kosher. “Mountain pose,” whatever that is, is no more kosher than kishka pose or vishniak pose (vehamayvin beavoda zoro yavin, because I can’t write the name of either getschke :)).
Audi Gozlan is trying to reinvent yoga and his approach is worth a look for those who really want whatever benefits it offers. What is written about here is more feel-good, New Age Chabad lite nonsense that I thought disappeared after the early 70s.