Together, we are Da'at Elyon

The Kabbalah, Jewish mystical teaching, speaks of two types of knowledge: da'at elyon, the higher knowledge, and da'at tachton, the lower knowledge. The lower da'at relates to intellectual ideas, facts, and figures. The higher da'at is something else entirely. It is an intuitive impression of the essence of a person or an object. Da'at elyon is a direct experience
where we merge with the object of our investigation and comprehend its
true nature as it exists in the mind of God.

A common analogy that is used by the mystics to explain this type of
knowledge is Genesis 4:1, “And Adam knew his wife Eve.” It is this kind
of intimate knowledge that is at the heart of the inner life. This higher knowledge leads to a transformation in awareness that becomes the catalyst for spiritual evolution and growth.

The Da'at Elyon community is for anyone who is seeking transformation and connection to the Divine. Our community includes Jews who are connected to synagogues, Jews who worship and find meaning in small groups and other alternative spaces, seekers who are Jewish by birth but find their spiritual nourishment from other traditions, seekers of other faiths who are intrigued by the wisdom of Kabbalah and find Da'at Elyon's universal approach to be uniquely profound and inspiring. All our community is united by the bonds of spiritual friendship and our shared search for Higher Knowledge—Da'at Elyon.

No.  The synagogue tradition places them in a particular locale and they usually focus on Avodah -- religious services, rites, and traditions, as well as education. The locale of Da'at Elyon is worldwide, and the focus is on personal transformation. Both organizations focus on education, but Da'at Elyon's focus is on spiritual wisdom and experience.

My search for God began in my late teens, though my father would say that I always was a dreamer. It is true that the big questions of life have always interested me. However, it was not until I was nineteen that I began to see a connection between these inner questions and how we live our lives. When this insight dawned, it totally transformed my life.

This insight did not happen without a number of external factors coming into play. My search began in earnest at a time of crisis in my life. My mother was ill and dying. Our family structure and the reality I had known since childhood was falling apart. My mother’s illness made me seek a new understanding and a stronger anchor to hold onto in my life. At this critical juncture, the singer and neo-Hasidic teacher Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach married my father’s youngest sister.

Reb Shlomo’s teaching and music provided a powerful answer to my call. In the world of the Carlebach chevreh (community) I found a spiritual home for my soul. His Hasidim were warm and open people. They were also searching for deeper meaning and purpose in their lives. 

Inspired by my new life, I decided to become a rabbi and went to Yeshiva University to study Talmud under the great Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and to earn my semikhah—rabbinic ordination. I also asked Reb Shlomo to give me semikhah and he agreed. I became the first student upon whom he bestowed ordination.

In 1981, my wife, Nomi, and I moved to the Old City of Jerusalem, where we started a center for Jewish studies called Hochmat Halev—the Wisdom of the Heart. The yeshiva provided religious education to both men and women and was revolutionary in its approach to learning and its emphasis on the spiritual life.

In 1985–86, I began to question some of the premises of my life. I had many doubts about the path I was following and the teaching I was offering to others. I closed the doors of Hochmat Halev, and in 1988, I moved to a little village in the south of France with Nomi and our two young sons, Adir and Navonel.

In France, I plunged into the exploration of the wisdom of other religions. I made contact with a number of spiritual communities, befriending monks, nuns, and other fellow seekers on the path. A woman swami, whom I had become close to, was my central guide and teacher during this phase of my journey. Under her guidance, I began to delve into my inner reality and learn the mysteries of the higher worlds. I lived a contemplative life, where I strove to deepen my experience of meditation and the process of inner awakening.

My life continued on in this fashion for 15 years. Then, on an autumn trip to Israel in 2004, an old friend of mine asked if I would consider beginning to teach meditation again. My friend’s words struck a chord inside me. The following year I formed a new meditation group in Jerusalem and began to fly back and forth to Israel three months of the year. I also started teaching and leading meditation workshops in North America.

In January 2018, my wife Nomi and I returned to live in Israel and opened Daat Elyon Jerusalem. During 2018-2020, the center held weekly meditations, classes, and workshops, as well as monthly meditation retreats.

When COVID came, Daat Elyon moved online and I began holding weekly meditations, teaching webinars, and providing personal guidance to seekers of different faiths from around the world. Between 2020-2023, I developed the core curriculum for the Daat Elyon Academy. Since September 2023, I have been building the Daat Elyon website together with a dedicated team of volunteers to offer the wisdom and practices from the core curriculum to a wider audience of seekers searching for meaning, purpose, and inspiration. At Daat Elyon, we are creating a community of like-minded seekers who yearn to transform their being and to heal, repair, and uplift the world.

During our millennia of Exile, the Jews were exposed to new cultures, energies, and ideas, which they then integrated into Judaism. The way in which we analyze Jewish Law, Halacha, comes from the Greeks. Sufism enriched the inner life of many medieval Jews, including the son of the famous Jewish philosopher Maimonides. Maimonides, himself, integrated Aristotelian philosophy into his famous treatise The Guide for the Perplexed, and the wider principles of philosophy brought a whole new approach into the teachings and practices of Judaism.

Later, the Kabbalah came into being as a response to this rational philosophical approach. It was influenced by the spiritual movements in the south of France and Spain. The mystical circles of Islam and Christianity became a fertile source of inspiration and innovation for the Jewish mystics of the 12^th - 15^th century.

All these influences are what has made Judaism what it is today. By being constantly exposed to new perspectives and ideas, our minds were opened to receive new angles of vision. In each situation, we were given a way to renew and refresh our religion—to develop multiple paths that would keep our ever-unfolding relationship with the Divine vital and alive.

Today, there is unprecedented interaction between the world religions. A great cross-fertilization of spiritual wisdom and inspiration is flowing out of this encounter between the different traditions. Insights and innovation are spreading far and wide to renew and expand the teachings and practices of the world religions. One such encounter is the meeting of Judaism and Hinduism. Hundreds of thousands of Jews have sought inspiration from the East. Some of them have brought the wisdom they received in the East back to Judaism to enrich and vitalize our faith.

We have one level of membership. It's monthly, and there is no specified period of membership. There are no other requirements and membership provides discounts on new course offerings.  As people have asked to be able to donate to improving the outreach of Da'at Elyon, we do accept donations. 

What is required of me?

We are beginning the process of creating in-person events in different locations several times a year. Community members have also begun to meet with each other on an individual basis to get to know each other and strengthen their connection.

Da'at Elyon has both Jewish and non-Jewish members. No belief, or even non-belief, disqualifies a person from seeking the Divine's help in personal transformation.

Da'at Elyon is perfectly situated for you. During the three years that COVID dominated life, we held 250 hours of classes, asked and answered thousands of questions, and pursued growth and development of our meditation practices. All of these are available for self-study, or study in small groups called Chevruta.

The modern state of Israel is the fulfillment of two thousand years of longing. It is the homeland of the Jewish people. For the past 3,500 years there has always been Jews living in Israel, and those who lived outside the land, yearned to return home. It is in our prayers and our culture. It is engraved upon our soul.

The modern state is made up of a wide spectrum of nationalities, religions, and races. Its people come from all around the Middle East and the four corners of the globe. It is an old-new land with a forward-looking, open, and thriving modern culture that looks toward the future, while venerating the wisdom and traditions of the past.

The modern state is a society that loves life, seeks peace, and honors the rights of every individual. It is a democratic country that is struggling to survive and flourish in one of the toughest neighborhoods in the world. The State of Israel is still in its infancy and has many flaws, but it is also a great source of inspiration and hope. It is the first stirring of a greater process of transformation and redemption.

There is no dogma that members need to accept or believe. In Da'at Elyon, we believe that everyone has the right to hold their own beliefs and opinions. Everyone needs to be respectful and open to the beliefs and opinions of the other individuals in the community.