A Journey into the Expanses of the Soul
The Yichuda College Retreat in the Heart of the Desert
- A 3-Day Journey
- In the Heart of the Desert
- Limited Spots
There are moments when the routine simply closes in. The noise outside, the thoughts running nonstop, and the feeling that something deep inside is asking for quiet — asking for real connection. We invite you to stop everything, leave the familiar behind, and head out with us to the place where the sky touches the earth — and the soul can finally breathe.
If this speaks to you — the desert is calling you!
This is not another getaway. This is a meeting with yourself.
Your Journey into the Expanses of the Soul
“A gateway to inner experience — an opportunity to touch what is above nature, within nature itself.”
- A 3-Day Journey
- In the Heart of the Desert
- Limited Spots
The Yichuda retreat is not a vacation, and not just "a few days in nature." It is a deep space of inner transformation, combining ancient tools from the world of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) and Chassidut (Chassidic teaching) with a living, direct experience. A few days in which we stop talking about life — and start experiencing it. No screens, no masks, in the heart of the most powerful landscape there is.
Who Is This For?
Spiritual Search
For those who want to discover how the world of Kabbalah offers practical knowledge and tools for a balanced, fruitful life — and to move through a personal process of deepening self-awareness and inner transformation.
Meeting Your True Self
For those who want to touch something beyond words and knowledge, and to have a direct spiritual experience that reaches the depths of the soul.
A Need for Clarity and Direction
For anyone standing at one of life's meaningful crossroads, who wants clarity, meaning, and tools for a life of joy and purpose.
What Awaits You in This Space?
Every day of the retreat is a journey in itself: learning that opens the mind, movement that frees the body, silence that heals the soul — and a living experience that cannot be explained in words, only met. These are the spaces that will accompany us through the days in the desert:
Jewish Meditation (Hitbonenut)
A dive into the depths of consciousness through the secrets of Chassidic hitbonenut. Not an escape from your thoughts — but a meeting with them from a new place: quiet, clear, and connected to the Source.
Movement Through the Holy Letters
The body prays too. Through movement guided by the shapes of the holy Hebrew letters, we release physical and emotional blockages and let the soul move. No prior experience needed — only a willingness to listen to your body.
In-Depth Learning — the Map of the Soul
Live classes that give you an inner roadmap: understanding your spiritual and psychological makeup according to the Ten Sefirot (the divine attributes) — and recognizing where you are, and where you're headed.
Silence and Solitude
Hours of complete quiet facing the desert expanses. A direct, face-to-face meeting with yourself and with the Creator. The place where silence stops being frightening — and starts to heal.
Real, Unfiltered Friendship
A small group walking the road together. Around the campfire, between a nigun (a soulful melody) and a conversation, real connections form, free of masks — the kind that stay with you long after you return home.
Breath and Soul
We'll learn to breathe anew — uniting with the Infinite Light and quieting body and soul in the clear desert air, with an intention and connection that send calm and healing flowing through the body and into every part of life.
What Does a Day in the Desert Look Like?
Sunrise
We wake with the sun — meditation and prayer facing the open expanse. When possible, a mikveh (ritual bath) immersion in the heart of nature.
Morning
Learning and hitbonenut: an in-depth class and practical tools for the soul.
Midday
A hike through primeval landscapes, time for silence and personal solitude in the heart of the desert.
Afternoon
Movement, an experiential workshop, and personal inner work.
Evening — Campfire
Nigunim and open conversation under a sky full of stars.
Who Guides the Journey?
Rabbi Dror Shaul
Founder and director of Yichuda College and the Lubavitcher Rebbe's emissary in Dharamsala, India. For over 27 years he has led workshops, journeys, and hitbonenut sessions in India, in Israel, and around the world. Author of Hitbonenut in Ma'aseh Merkavah ("Contemplating the Divine Chariot") — a practical guide to Jewish meditation.
Rebbetzin Michal Shaul
Co-founder and co-director of Yichuda College and the Lubavitcher Rebbe's emissary in Dharamsala, India. She specializes in leading Jewish meditation workshops and in guiding individuals, couples, and groups through deep personal processes, in Israel and around the world.
So, When Do We Meet?
The retreat is held on the beautiful, lovingly tended grounds of Neot Smadar — an oasis kibbutz deep in Israel's Negev desert.
Monday through Wednesday
and finish on Wednesday afternoon at Neot Smadar.
Everyone who registers receives a message with the full, exact schedule, the program contents, travel directions to the meeting point, and a personal packing list.
This is a unique and profound retreat — come with an open heart, and you'll carry its gifts with you for the rest of your life.
Lodging
Lodging at the center is in double rooms or five-person cabins; every room and cabin has its own private bathroom and shower. Men and women sleep in separate rooms, except for married couples.
Meals
On Monday, breakfast and lunch are on your own — please bring food with you. All other meals, from Monday dinner through Wednesday lunch, are included in the program price and served at the retreat center. The food is kosher l'mehadrin (strictly kosher), with a dedicated mashgiach (kosher supervisor) on site — vegetarian-dairy, with no fish or meat.
Participants
Space is limited. The retreat is open to both men and women.
Answers to Your Questions
- A 3-Day Journey
- In the Heart of the Desert
- Limited Spots
Your Journey into the Expanses of the Soul
The Yichuda College Retreat in the Heart of the Desert
The desert is waiting. The silence is already there. All that's missing is your decision to give yourself this gift. To keep the experience intimate, deep, and focused — the number of spots is strictly limited.
Want to hear more — and to make sure this journey is exactly right for you? Leave your details below, and we'll get back to you with all the details about the upcoming retreat, plus a personal call to make sure it's the right fit: