We are exhausted…not because we lack discipline but because we’ve lost our relationship to time.

Rest to Return is a seven-episode podcast for a restless world.

Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host.

This series is rooted in Shabbat - an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is not a reward for finishing our work, but a sacred rhythm woven into who we are.

Each episode gathers around questions we’ve been taught not to ask:
What is work, really?
Who decides when it’s time to stop?
Why does rest feel like a transgression?
What makes time sacred?
And who might we become if we actually honored it?

Rest to Return is not a productivity hack. Rest to Return is an invitation to slow down, to remember ourselves, and to reclaim time as a place of belonging.

The first episode drops June 10.

Join us for the journey and check out the live music video of the theme music written by Keshira.

Rest to Return is a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We begin by gathering around a single question: What do we need in order to sustain our sacred purpose?

1. I received Kohenet smicha from The Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute in July 2017.
2. The chorus of voices affirming that I am a Kohenet was recorded during the ceremony.
3. The Torah reference about ceasing from work comes from Breishit 2:2.
4. My understanding of Jewish people as “people of the book, body, and earth” has been informed by a number of sources and teachers; notable among them is Rav Kohenet Taya Mâ.
5. Though I have come to understand that many somatic therapists and practitioners have written about the way that trauma can cause people to dissociate from their bodies, I learned it from a variety of sources and forums, none of which credited a source.
6. The Kabbalistic concept of the Four Worlds is outlined in greater depth here.
7. Octavia Raheem is an embodied practitioner and author who you can learn more about here.
8. Asher Yatzar by Dan Nichols
9. Helen Marie is a psychotherapist who you can learn more about here.
10. The story of Reb Zusha is paraphrased from Martin Buber's Tales of the Hasidim.
11. I learned the concept of makom kavuah (our fixed place) from Rabbi David Jaffe, Founder of Kirva, during a session about the Mussar concept of anavah (being right-sized).

Check out the Rest to Return webpage for photos, info about the Rest to Return retreat, and more!

If Rest to Return has evoked something in you, if these episodes have helped you slow down, breathe a little deeper, or reconnect with what matters most, you might be interested in Rest to Return: A High Holiday Deceleration Retreat, which I'll be co-hosting this September. Nestled amidst New England beauty, 25 Jewish leaders - some Jewish professionals, some people who are Jewish and leaders - will gather for a retreat centered around rest as a form of teshuvah, returning to ourselves. Through creativity, reflection, and connection, we'll immerse in slowness and spaciousness as a way to prepare ourselves for 5787. If you're a Jewish leader and you've been longing for something like this, check out www.keshirahalev.com/sacredpause to learn more and express interest before July 10.

This episode is brought to you by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Rest to Return exists because we believe slowing down is a spiritual act. IJS believes that too. For over two decades, IJS has been helping people go deeper, through Jewish mindfulness meditation, contemplative prayer, sacred text study, and embodied practice. Their offerings range from online courses and silent retreats to immersive cohort programs for seekers of all experience levels, clergy, and spiritual leaders who are ready to live and lead from a more grounded place. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is part of IJS’s core faculty, and the wisdom you'll hear in this series is very much in that spirit. If this podcast is stirring something in you, IJS is a place to go further. Explore their programs, and more ways to learn and practice with Keshira, at jewishspirituality.org, including:

• View the latest offerings from IJS in our program catalog
• Join Keshira and others on retreat this August: Returning Anew
• Learn more about Shevet, IJS's community for younger adults (20s-30s)
• IJS has several online free practices with Keshira and our other faculty including our live Daily Sit, our weekly Shevet Sit for younger adults (under 40), and monthly Affinity Sits for Jews of Color, LGBTQ+, and individuals with disabilities. Click here for more information.
• Join our mailing list to be notified about our upcoming fall courses, including Keshira's Earth, Moon, Mindfulness year-long class.

Rest to Return is a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We continue by gathering around a single question: How do we know when to work and when to rest?

1. I learned about spiralinear time from Kohenet Sara Esther Richards who wrote her Masters Thesis, Spiralinear Time: Religious Calendar Formation, Momentum, and Change within a Dynamic Time Structure, on the topic.
2. We learn about the shmitta in Exodus 23:10-11
3. Here is a photo of us at the beginning of our first shmitta year; this was taken in Kyoto, Japan in January 2009.
4. The Jonathan Sacks quote, “Shabbat is the day we stand still and let all our blessings catch up with us.” comes from his book, Radical Then, Radical Now.
5. The words to Lecha Dodi by Shlomo Alkabetz can be found here. “Shamor” (keep/guard) and “zachor” (remember) are in verse 2.
6. The 39 melachot can be found in the Mishnah (Shabbat 7:2).
7. If you want to find out whose land you’re on, https://native-land.ca/ is an excellent resource.
8. You can find out how the moon is cycling in your particular location here.

Check out the Rest to Return webpage for photos, info about the Rest to Return retreat, and more!

If Rest to Return has evoked something in you, if these episodes have helped you slow down, breathe a little deeper, or reconnect with what matters most, you might be interested in Rest to Return: A High Holiday Deceleration Retreat, which I'll be co-hosting this September. Nestled amidst New England beauty, 25 Jewish leaders - some Jewish professionals, some people who are Jewish and leaders - will gather for a retreat centered around rest as a form of teshuvah, returning to ourselves. Through creativity, reflection, and connection, we'll immerse in slowness and spaciousness as a way to prepare ourselves for 5787. If you're a Jewish leader and you've been longing for something like this, check out www.keshirahalev.com/sacredpause to learn more and express interest before July 10.

This episode is brought to you by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Rest to Return exists because we believe slowing down is a spiritual act. IJS believes that too. For over two decades, IJS has been helping people go deeper, through Jewish mindfulness meditation, contemplative prayer, sacred text study, and embodied practice. Their offerings range from online courses and silent retreats to immersive cohort programs for seekers of all experience levels, clergy, and spiritual leaders who are ready to live and lead from a more grounded place. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is part of IJS’s core faculty, and the wisdom you'll hear in this series is very much in that spirit. If this podcast is stirring something in you, IJS is a place to go further. Explore their programs, and more ways to learn and practice with Keshira, at jewishspirituality.org, including:

• View the latest offerings from IJS in our program catalog
• Join Keshira and others on retreat this August: Returning Anew
• Learn more about Shevet, IJS's community for younger adults (20s-30s)
• IJS has several online free practices with Keshira and our other faculty including our live Daily Sit, our weekly Shevet Sit for younger adults (under 40), and monthly Affinity Sits for Jews of Color, LGBTQ+, and individuals with disabilities. Click here for more information.
• Join our mailing list to be notified about our upcoming fall courses, including Keshira's Earth, Moon, Mindfulness year-long class.

Rest to Return is a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We continue by gathering around a single question: What is my sacred purpose?

1. You can find more info about Tzedek Lab here.
2. Settled back into his room, my dad was a bit frail…but he could still kiss us and us that he loved us!
3. The list of 39 melachot can be found here.
4. Olam haBah is often translated as “the world to come” and is used in reference to the afterlife. In this context, I’m using it to describe “the world as it could be” which includes dignity, equity, and liberation.
5. The idea that each person is a letter in the Torah is rooted in Megaleh Amukot (Va'etchanan 186:1).
6. I learned about the concept of “ratzon” from my teacher, colleague, and friend David Jaffe, Founder and Executive Director of Kirva.
7. Rabbi Tarfon’s quote comes from Pirkei Avot 2:16.
8. One source for Rabbi Simcha Bunim’s teaching is Tales of The Hasidim Later Masters by Martin Buber.
9. The Mary Oliver line comes from her poem, entitled “The Summer Day”.
10. This quote has been misattributed to Courtney Carver. It is instead referenced by Carver in her book, Gentle: Rest More, Stress Less and Live the Life You Actually You Want. The quotation itself comes from Psychologist Nicola Jane Hobbs who teaches, “Instead of asking, 'Have I worked hard enough to deserve rest?' ask, 'Have I rested enough to do my most loving, meaningful work?'”
11. The practice in this episode was inspired by a practice that I learned from Rabbi David Jaffe, Founder of Kirva, and it is one that I’ve enjoyed practicing with each Cohort of “Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out” that I have the privilege of co-facilitating for People of Colour, alongside Yehudah Webster. The next cohort begins in Fall 2026 and you can find more info here.

Check out the Rest to Return webpage for photos, info about the Rest to Return retreat, and more!

If Rest to Return has evoked something in you, if these episodes have helped you slow down, breathe a little deeper, or reconnect with what matters most, you might be interested in Rest to Return: A High Holiday Deceleration Retreat, which I'll be co-hosting this September. Nestled amidst New England beauty, 25 Jewish leaders - some Jewish professionals, some people who are Jewish and leaders - will gather for a retreat centered around rest as a form of teshuvah, returning to ourselves. Through creativity, reflection, and connection, we'll immerse in slowness and spaciousness as a way to prepare ourselves for 5787. If you're a Jewish leader and you've been longing for something like this, check out www.keshirahalev.com/sacredpause to learn more and express interest before July 10.

This episode is brought to you by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Rest to Return exists because we believe slowing down is a spiritual act. IJS believes that too. For over two decades, IJS has been helping people go deeper, through Jewish mindfulness meditation, contemplative prayer, sacred text study, and embodied practice. Their offerings range from online courses and silent retreats to immersive cohort programs for seekers of all experience levels, clergy, and spiritual leaders who are ready to live and lead from a more grounded place. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is part of IJS’s core faculty, and the wisdom you'll hear in this series is very much in that spirit. If this podcast is stirring something in you, IJS is a place to go further. Explore their programs, and more ways to learn and practice with Keshira, at jewishspirituality.org, including:

• View the latest offerings from IJS in our program catalog
• Join Keshira and others on retreat this August: Returning Anew
• Learn more about Shevet, IJS's community for younger adults (20s-30s)
• IJS has several online free practices with Keshira and our other faculty including our live Daily Sit, our weekly Shevet Sit for younger adults (under 40), and monthly Affinity Sits for Jews of Color, LGBTQ+, and individuals with disabilities. Click here for more information.
• Join our mailing list to be notified about our upcoming fall courses, including Keshira's Earth, Moon, Mindfulness year-long class.

Rest to Return is a podcast for a restless world. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is your host. This series is rooted in Shabbat, an ancient Jewish practice that teaches us how to belong to time. Here, rest is a sacred rhythm woven into who we are. We continue by gathering around a single question: Where do we find permission to rest? 

1. Here is the Rauh Jewish Archives entry about Congregation Torath Chaim.
2. You can learn more about the Torath Chaim Cemetery here (23:12-25:10).
3. The concept of b’tzelem Elohim comes from Genesis 1:27.
4. You can learn more about Kohenet Jo Kent Katz and her work here.
5. You can learn more about Kohenet Jo’s work with Transcending Jewish Trauma here.
6. Abraham Joshua Heschel calls Shabbat “a sanctuary in time” in his book, The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man.
7. You can learn more about Octavia Raheem and her work here. The quote that I refer to in this podcast comes from her podcast, Leaders Devoted to Rest.

Enjoy the live version of Lay it Down, Let it Go here.

Check out the Rest to Return webpage for photos, info about the Rest to Return retreat, and more!

If Rest to Return has evoked something in you, if these episodes have helped you slow down, breathe a little deeper, or reconnect with what matters most, you might be interested in Rest to Return: A High Holiday Deceleration Retreat, which I'll be co-hosting this September. Nestled amidst New England beauty, 25 Jewish leaders - some Jewish professionals, some people who are Jewish and leaders - will gather for a retreat centered around rest as a form of teshuvah, returning to ourselves. Through creativity, reflection, and connection, we'll immerse in slowness and spaciousness as a way to prepare ourselves for 5787. If you're a Jewish leader and you've been longing for something like this, check out www.keshirahalev.com/sacredpause to learn more and express interest before July 10.

This episode is brought to you by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Rest to Return exists because we believe slowing down is a spiritual act. IJS believes that too. For over two decades, IJS has been helping people go deeper, through Jewish mindfulness meditation, contemplative prayer, sacred text study, and embodied practice. Their offerings range from online courses and silent retreats to immersive cohort programs for seekers of all experience levels, clergy, and spiritual leaders who are ready to live and lead from a more grounded place. Kohenet Keshira haLev Fife is part of IJS’s core faculty, and the wisdom you'll hear in this series is very much in that spirit. If this podcast is stirring something in you, IJS is a place to go further. Explore their programs, and more ways to learn and practice with Keshira, at jewishspirituality.org, including:

• View the latest offerings from IJS in our program catalog
• Join Keshira and others on retreat this August: Returning Anew
• Learn more about Shevet, IJS's community for younger adults (20s-30s)
• IJS has several online free practices with Keshira and our other faculty including our live Daily Sit, our weekly Shevet Sit for younger adults (under 40), and monthly Affinity Sits for Jews of Color, LGBTQ+, and individuals with disabilities. Click here for more information.
• Join our mailing list to be notified about our upcoming fall courses, including Keshira's Earth, Moon, Mindfulness year-long class.

If Rest to Return has evoked something in you, if these episodes have helped you slow down, breathe a little deeper, or reconnect with what matters most, you might be interested in Rest to Return: A High Holiday Deceleration Retreat, which I'll be co-hosting this September. Nestled amidst New England beauty, 25 Jewish leaders - some Jewish professionals, some people who are Jewish and leaders - will gather for a retreat centered around rest as a form of teshuvah, returning to ourselves. Through creativity, reflection, and connection, we'll immerse in slowness and spaciousness as a way to prepare ourselves for 5787. If you're a Jewish leader and you've been longing for something like this, check out www.keshirahalev.com/sacredpause to learn more and express interest before July 10. I would love for you to join us!