What You Need to Know Before Arriving
Shabbaton Led by ALEPH Ordination Students
Friday, January 10th - Sunday, January 12th, 2025
OHALAH Conference
Sunday, January 12th - Wed., January 15th, 2025
Where: Delta Thornton Marriot Hotel, Northglenn, CO
Friday, January 10th - Sunday, January 12th, 2025
OHALAH Conference
Sunday, January 12th - Wed., January 15th, 2025
Where: Delta Thornton Marriot Hotel, Northglenn, CO
Arrivals AND Departures
The ALEPH Shabbaton begins Friday, January 10th evening with services starting at 5:15pm MT and will conclude with the smicha ceremony on Sunday, January 12th starting at 3pm MT.
The OHALAH Conference begins Sunday, January 12th starting at 6pm MT with dinner. We conclude our time together on Wednesday evening, January 15th, 2025 with a closing ritual that begins at 8pm MT. This year we are back to a full programmed schedule with workshops and plenaries on Wednesday! Please plan to stay through Thursday morning. Visit our workshop and plenary presenters here. Please see below in Transportation for ways to share and organize rides to and from the airport.
The ALEPH Shabbaton begins Friday, January 10th evening with services starting at 5:15pm MT and will conclude with the smicha ceremony on Sunday, January 12th starting at 3pm MT.
The OHALAH Conference begins Sunday, January 12th starting at 6pm MT with dinner. We conclude our time together on Wednesday evening, January 15th, 2025 with a closing ritual that begins at 8pm MT. This year we are back to a full programmed schedule with workshops and plenaries on Wednesday! Please plan to stay through Thursday morning. Visit our workshop and plenary presenters here. Please see below in Transportation for ways to share and organize rides to and from the airport.
Conference and Shabbaton Health and Hygiene Policy. Rvd 11/2024
OHALAH 2025 will follow current CDC guidelines at the time of the meeting and any applicable protocols required by our venues, state, and local governments. More comprehensive details about our health and hygiene policy here.
Covid Tests: Attendees are required to take and show negative COVID tests:
- 1 within 24-48 hours before arrival (take a selfie)
- 1 upon arrival at the Shabbaton if attending, and
- 1 at the start of the conference (even if you attended the Shabbaton)
Masking: Masks are optional, but recommended in public indoor spaces to protect our most vulnerable members.
Vaccination: Attendees are strongly encouraged to be up to date on recommended vaccinations for flu, covid, TDap, RSV as appropriate, etc. at least 2 weeks prior to the conference.
Clean Hands: Hand Sanitizers will be placed in public areas and by the washing station. Participants are encouraged to regularly wash and disinfect their hands, particularly before sharing objects (such as netilat yadayim).
Do not attend the conference if you are experiencing COVID-19, flu or upper respiratory symptoms. We will refund registration fees for health reasons. If you become ill during the conference, please quarantine in your room and contact our Administrator, Denise Casey, at 443-695-9264.
Please Bring Your Own COVID Tests
OHALAH 2025 will follow current CDC guidelines at the time of the meeting and any applicable protocols required by our venues, state, and local governments. More comprehensive details about our health and hygiene policy here.
Covid Tests: Attendees are required to take and show negative COVID tests:
- 1 within 24-48 hours before arrival (take a selfie)
- 1 upon arrival at the Shabbaton if attending, and
- 1 at the start of the conference (even if you attended the Shabbaton)
Masking: Masks are optional, but recommended in public indoor spaces to protect our most vulnerable members.
Vaccination: Attendees are strongly encouraged to be up to date on recommended vaccinations for flu, covid, TDap, RSV as appropriate, etc. at least 2 weeks prior to the conference.
Clean Hands: Hand Sanitizers will be placed in public areas and by the washing station. Participants are encouraged to regularly wash and disinfect their hands, particularly before sharing objects (such as netilat yadayim).
Do not attend the conference if you are experiencing COVID-19, flu or upper respiratory symptoms. We will refund registration fees for health reasons. If you become ill during the conference, please quarantine in your room and contact our Administrator, Denise Casey, at 443-695-9264.
Please Bring Your Own COVID Tests
- Starting at the end of September, the US government is offering 4 free COVID 19 tests per US household. You can order yours here.
Transportation Options
- Room and Ride Share List: There is no direct public transportation to the hotel from the airport this year. Please add your name and arrival/departure information to our Ride and Room List here to collaborate ride shares, offer rides, or share rooms. All arrangements on this list are self-organized.
- Lyft/Uber from the airport is $50-100 weather dependent.
Who May Attend
Shabbaton and Conference Programming
Conference Registration
- Rabbis, cantors and rabbinic pastors in good standing are welcome to attend the OHALAH conference and pre-conference Shabbaton regardless of whether they are members of OHALAH. Ordained clergy who are not members are welcome to attend the conference one time without membership.
- Students in good standing who are studying for these professions are also welcome to attend.
- ALEPH trained Mashpi’im/Spiritual Directors and students training in the ALEPH Hashpa’ah program.
- ALEPH Board, Staff and Ethics Committee are also welcome to attend.
- Specially invited clergy of other faiths. Attendees may invite clergy of other faith traditions as guests, not to exceed 20 guests (first come, first served).
- Spouses/partners and families. Spouses and partners of all conference attendees are welcome to attend the pre-conference Shabbaton. Non-clergy spouses and partners are welcome to attend pre-conference Shabbaton, davvenen (worship) and all conference plenaries.
- Teens and Children. We offer a discounted rate for teens and children 12 and under who need to attend the Shabbaton and/or conference with their parent(s). Parents bringing children and teens are asked to bring appropriate amenities and activities for them. Parents of children are also asked to make their own childcare arrangements. Please note that children must be under adult supervision at all times.
Shabbaton and Conference Programming
- Shabbaton — The conference is preceded by a Shabbaton where worship and other sessions are led by ALEPH clergy students. The Shabbaton provides a wonderful opportunity for ordained clergy to enjoy shabbat with colleagues and kvell from the next generation as they prepare to enter our ranks. The Shabbaton is open to everyone qualified to attend the conference. The Shabbaton is also open to guests of those who will be ordained in the ALEPH Ordination Program (see Ordination below).
- Ordination of ALEPH rabbis, cantors, and rabbinic pastors — On Sunday afternoon celebrate the smicha (ordination) of rabbis and cantors in the ALEPH Ordination Programs. The ALEPH smicha ceremony is free and open to the public; however, everyone must have a conference name tag. Email [email protected] for more information. Family and friends of those being ordained are welcome to register for the pre-conference Shabbaton. However, the conference itself is open to clergy, clergy students, spouses and partners only.
- Conference Program — The annual conference includes davvenen, plenary sessions, workshops, delicious kosher meals, and time to get to know one another, schmooze with friends and share praxis and chevraschaft. Presentations include everything from teachings, text study, movement, meditation, and performances.
Conference Registration
- Paying for the Conference and Shabbaton — Your conference registration is not complete until you are paid in full. If you need to pay your fee in monthly payments, please choose the Payment Plan application when you register and Lynn will help you set up monthly payments.
- Apply for Financial Aid! Financial aid is available ONLY to OHALAH members attending the conference. For clergy students interested in becoming a member of OHALAH, learn more about becoming a member here. Financial aid awards may cover part or all of the Conference fee, but does not cover the Shabbaton, travel or lodging. Deadline for financial aid is Nov. 30th.
- For OHALAH members living outside the US- Use the discount could WORLD110 to apply a $110 discount to your registration fee.
Hotel ReservationsA block of rooms is reserved for our event at the Delta Thornton Marriott Hotel at the rate of $119/night for single and double occupancy. These rates are guaranteed until the room block fills. To secure this rate, rooms must be booked through our unique group discount here. After the room block fills, rooms will be based on availability and accepted at the prevailing hotel rates.
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Offset Your Carbon Footprint
The OHALAH Board would like to remind all attendees about how we can offset our carbon footprint attending the conference by 1) calculating your footprint here and 2) offsetting that by planting trees at Eden Reforestation Projects here.
Kashrut and Special Dietary Needs
Our kashrut is milchik (vegetarian, dairy, fish) under the supervision of Rabbi Victor Gross, Rabbinic Pastor Leigh Copeland and Rabbinic Student Krishna Alexandra.
The OHALAH Board would like to remind all attendees about how we can offset our carbon footprint attending the conference by 1) calculating your footprint here and 2) offsetting that by planting trees at Eden Reforestation Projects here.
Kashrut and Special Dietary Needs
Our kashrut is milchik (vegetarian, dairy, fish) under the supervision of Rabbi Victor Gross, Rabbinic Pastor Leigh Copeland and Rabbinic Student Krishna Alexandra.
Shuk/bazaar
The conference shuk provides an opportunity for conference attendees and members of the public to browse and purchase books, jewelry, music, art, judaica and other items sold by Shabbaton and conference attendees. The shuk will be open for business following the smicha ceremony late Sunday afternoon and throughout the conference. Register here.
Ethics
All applicants to, and attendees of, the OHALAH conference or the pre-conference Shabbaton, and all members and student members of OHALAH and the RPA are subject to the Ethics Code which is available to read here.
The conference shuk provides an opportunity for conference attendees and members of the public to browse and purchase books, jewelry, music, art, judaica and other items sold by Shabbaton and conference attendees. The shuk will be open for business following the smicha ceremony late Sunday afternoon and throughout the conference. Register here.
Ethics
All applicants to, and attendees of, the OHALAH conference or the pre-conference Shabbaton, and all members and student members of OHALAH and the RPA are subject to the Ethics Code which is available to read here.
