The Vision
Baderekh (בַּדֶּרֶךְ) is a Hebrew phrase meaning "on the way," "in the process," or "along the path". In Jewish life, it is used both literally to describe being on a journey and, more commonly, metaphorically to describe a state of spiritual growth, personal development, and engagement.
Wherever you are on your path, BaDerekh’s hikes, outdoor experiences, and meet-ups can be a way to deepen your relationship to Jewish life and nature, and help build Jewish community in the Hudson Valley.
BaDerekh is based on the belief that Jewish is a verb not just an identity and that:
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we need more experiences and communal gatherings where everyone who feels that being Jewish is important to them (75% according to most studies) can express, live, and find meaning in being Jewish
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living a Jewish life inherently fosters a deep spiritual and ethical connection to nature
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the mid and upper Hudson Valley is an underserved Jewish population with few alternatives to experience Jewish life outside of synagogues (and roughly 60% of American Jews don't belong to a congregation)
If shul doesn't inspire you, or you crave something in addition, we know there is a place where so many of us who live in the Hudson Valley find spiritual connection and meaning: through nature and outdoor activities! So join BaDerekh, and bring your friends and family, as we hit the region’s trails, orchards, and kills to find meaning and community in Jewish life and nature.
BaDerekh outings blend outdoor activities (especially hikes) with Jewish teachings and practices, promoting the techniques and philosophy of experiential and informal learning. Hopefully, connections made on the trails will lead to social and holiday gatherings.
from Rabbi Jason Gitlin
I first encountered experiential learning through wilderness education programs in the American West (where I hiked the Colorado backcountry, rafted the Green River, and climbed Mount Rainier) and a summer backpacking and kayaking in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
These formative experiences helped establish my lifelong relationship to nature, a conservation ethic, and the power of experiential education -- and led me to the University of Colorado at Boulder.
After graduating, I worked in community journalism and became, through stints as a reporter and columnist for Jewish and Israeli publications, an observant Jew.
An NYU Master's in Middle Eastern Studies, Jewish community work, and study in Israel followed before pursuing the rabbinate. After ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary, I led a field program at the Seminary's Davidson School of Education that trained and collaborated with educators across North America to bring experiential Jewish education to various settings.
Over the next decade, I focused on engagement, small groups, and education work, serving as Kane Street's Engagement Director and Congregation Beth Elohim's Small Groups and Community Engagement Specialist. I am now Educator in Residence at the Florence Melton School for Adult Jewish Learning.
As a teacher, I have particularly focused on helping people learn and apply Jewish wisdom in their lives, leading study groups on Pirkei Avot, Maimonides Mishneh Torah, and Mussar, along with experiential outings.
Meanwhile, the mountains continued to call. So after a decade of summer vacations and holidays spent hiking the Shawangunks and other Hudson Valley trails, our family happily moved to Ulster County in 2023.
In may ways BaDerekh reflects my own path and passions: Jewish life, nature, and experiential learning. I hope it can bring meaning to your path as well, and contribute to more opportunities for Jewish life and community in the Hudson Valley.