In-Person and Online: Yom Kippur – A Day of Silence and Reflection
with Elaine Retholtz and Jon Aaron
Thursday, October 2nd, 2025 | 10:00am – 7:00pm ET
In-Person Location: New York Insight at 115 West 29th Street, 12th Floor
For over two decades New York Insight has been offering a day of reflection and practice on Yom Kippur. This year, we ask:
What is Yom Kippur to you? What brings you to this day? Is it simply a ritual? An instinct (like animals and birds and fish migrating home)? Is it the memories of past experiences at NYI’s Yom Kippur retreats?
Is there a belief that by going through the rituals of the day that somehow we will be forgiven?
Or is it something deeper? An invitation to a journey of deep transformation? Trusting that if we are willing to go deep, to face our fears, regrets, our karma that something unknown will emerge?
While we are aware of the culture of “shul hopping,” we strongly encourage you to stay for the entire day to engage in this internal and communal process of purification.
All are welcome to join us in this exploration. The day will end with a symbolic break-fast.
This daylong retreat is a dana (donation) based event. Thank you for your generosity!
CLICK HERE to download the Outline of the Day
CLICK HERE to download the Handout Booklet
CLICK HERE to download the Chant sheet
In-Person Registration:
Please register below at the level of support you are able and willing to provide. Whatever you offer will be greatly appreciated.
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Online Registration:
If you are registering via a mobile device such as a phone or tablet, you can scroll right and left and up and down within the below form if it is partially obscured or cut off.
CLICK HERE to open the registration form in a new browser window.
Volunteering
All of our programs rely on volunteers to support our teachers and staff with various tasks and responsibilities. Volunteering allows you to participate in our programs at no cost. To inquire about volunteering opportunities, please fill out our inquiry form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Teacher(s)
Elaine Retholtz
Elaine Retholtz has been studying and practicing the Dharma since 1988. In addition to teaching Dharma at New York Insight, she is certified as both a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher and MBSR teacher trainer. She has a deep interest in helping students integrate mindfulness practice into daily life.
Jon Aaron
Jon Aaron is a Dharma and mindfulness teacher based in New York and Chicago. Since 2006, he has taught at the New York Insight Meditation Center, offering Dharma and MBSR classes. He regularly leads retreats around the U.S. He is primarily grounded in the Theravāda tradition, alongside non-dual and Mahayana approaches. His teaching emphasizes integrating Dharma and mindfulness into daily life to foster clarity in addressing personal and social challenges. His teachers include Matthew Flickstein and, more recently, Kittisaro and Thanissara through their Dharmapala program. Jon also studied contemplative care at the Zen Center for Contemplative Care and completed the Integrated Study and Practice program at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. He is a certified MBSR teacher and teacher trainer and a Somatic Experience Practitioner®. In response to the pandemic, he and his partner, Upayadhi, launched the Space2Meditate community, offering daily meditation since March 2020. Additionally, he co-hosts the podcast Diggin’ the Dharma with scholar Doug Smith, now in its third season. JonAaron.net