Embark FAQs

Embark cohorts consist of 6-12 couples and meet weekly for 6 sessions + an immersive retreat + a shabbat dinner. The cohort sessions are led by an Embark rabbi and follow a core curriculum that gives you the time, space, and community to deepen your relationship with one another while exploring Judaism on your own terms. The goal of Embark is to make Judaism feel meaningful, relevant, and accessible through learning and conversation.

In addition to full cohort sessions and the retreat, you and your partner will also meet with the cohort rabbi, offering the opportunity to discuss anything you might want, maybe topics that didn’t come up in a session or questions that you don’t feel comfortable asking in a public setting. The time is dedicated towards deepening your relationship with the Embark rabbi.

Session 1: What’s Your Story

Retreat: How We Collaborate, How We Disagree, Core Values

Session 2: Jews, Diversity, and Connection

Session 3: Seasonal Holiday

Session 4: Mitzvot and Belonging

Session 5: Shabbat

Shabbat Dinner

Session 6: Building Our Family Rituals

Embark is for couples in their 20s and 30s!

The Embark participant fee is $90 per person ($180 per couple). If cost is prohibitive, scholarships are available – please reach out to us at embark@memglobal.org.

Embark uses interfaith and mixed heritage broadly to include the following: 

1. Jewish + non-Jewish 
2. Jewish + in conversion process 
3. Jewish + Jewish (recent convert) 
4. Jewish + Jewish (both Jewish by birth but only recently beginning to be intentional around crafting a Jewish life together) 

We’re not here to judge. At all. We’re simply here to say “welcome” and  “we’re glad you’re here, too”. The point is to explore together, and to make Jewish tradition relevant and meaningful to you. There are no pre-reqs or expectations – just showing up is enough.

Like most things, rabbis come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities. We can’t speak to the shapes and sizes of ours, but as far as personalities go, they are certified warm, welcoming, and approachable. Their goal is to support you and talk through anything you want to bring to the table.

Yes, we need to have each person’s registration for them to officially be a participant of Embark. By registering, we get access to information like dietary needs, questions they’re looking to answer during the program, conflicts with dates, etc, so it’s important we hear from each person individually.  

No. We have no expectation or assumptions around conversion. The goal is to create opportunities for you to connect with Jewish life and community in a meaningful way – one that accepts you for who you are as a couple.

Yes, Embark is designed knowing that people will likely need to miss a session here or there (or even the retreat). We have designed the experience so even missing a session or two, couples will still get to experience the arc of the program, through the beginning, middle, and end. If the couple will miss 3 or more sessions, then they can weigh joining the next cohort for the fuller experience. Embark is designed to work within the bounds of our couples’ lives, understanding that sickness, travel, etc come up. Often our community becomes so tight that if one member of the couple can’t come, the other still feels comfortable and wants to attend as a solo for that session.  

That’s a great question. We’re working on launching in as many cities as possible – and it sounds like we haven’t quite gotten to yours yet. That doesn’t mean we don’t want to! Reach out to us at embark@memglobal.org.