A retreat is merely one long program, or a series of them put together as one! It is a wonderful way to bring people together for an extended period of time and perpetuate a great deal of momentum for your group. Try to get a core group of people to help in the planning of a retreat. They can even be their own committee with this as their yearly project.

In the early stages of retreat planning, the most important thing is to pick a date that will be most accessible to all students. Check out the school’s schedule far in advance to find a time when it is not parents weekend, the middle of midterms, or a major campus event. Also, consider the schedule of North American KESHER’s programming. While there will never be a perfect weekend, try to find one with the least amount of competing factors for your target audience.

UC-San Diego used a KESHER grant to create a "Jews in Nature" theme for their Shabbat in the hills of California. Hofstra created a "Chai on Life" weekend, which took place at their own Hillel from Friday through Saturday night.

Even if you don’t have a place chosen, send out a teaser mailing/e-mail message early enough so that people can save the date and can look forward to the upcoming event. You must also decide if you wish to plan the event for an overnight, the entire weekend, or an all-day stay. Each has its own advantages and drawbacks. Factors that play into your decision are cost, availability, and location.

Research possible locations to have your retreat. Make sure to factor in driving time and transportation into your overall schedule. If there are nearby UAHC camps, you can call to see if they are available. Some universities have affiliated retreat locations.

Choose a theme or topic for the retreat so there can be cohesion among the programs. This way, all participants can come away with a better overall understanding of one issue versus a little information about many. From there, your speakers and programs can revolve around it. For speakers and further information, see Appendix 10.

Follow a publicity plan similar to that of any program; spread it throughout campuses nearby or others in the general area if you are extending. Send postcards, flyers, and e-mails, and don’t forget to make phone calls!

It may be difficult to get an accurate count until the day before your event begins, because many people are hesitant to commit to a weekend ahead of time. One way of getting a response is to offer an early registration deadline with the incentive of a discounted fee for the weekend (or this can be the actual price and you can increase it after the set date).

Also, remember to give all participants the pertinent information for the weekend such as what to bring (including towels, bedding, etc.), and have enough copies of directions for those who are driving there rather than taking the bus.

Be sure to bring enough supplies, snacks, candles, wine, service copies, and anything else you might need. The program checklist in Appendix 2 provides some guidance and the following is a skeletal schedule for a typical Reform retreat.

Friday
5:00 p.m. Arrival and registration; get ready for Shabbat
5:30 p.m. Welcome and introductions (mixers and icebreakers, too!)
6:00 p.m. Shabbat services
7:00 p.m. Dinner
8:00 p.m. Song session
8:30 p.m. Program 1
10:00 p.m. Snack and Israeli dancing

Saturday
9:00 a.m. Optional breakfast
9:45 a.m. Shabbat morning services
11:00 a.m. Program 2
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 p.m. Free time
3:30 p.m. S’udah Shlishit (Shabbat snack), singing
4:00 p.m. Program 3
5:45 p.m. Free until dinner
6:30 p.m. Dinner
7:45 p.m. Havdalah
8:15 p.m. Program 4
9:15 p.m. Evening entertainment and late night fun

Sunday
8:00 a.m. Wake-up and pack before breakfast
9:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:45 a.m. Wrap-up program (taking the topic back to campus)
10:30 a.m. Bye-Bye!

Friday

You want to keep the momentum alive after the weekend is over. Make sure to keep a roster of everyone’s e-mail, address, and phone number, and make follow-up calls to invite them to future events. In the middle or at the end of the retreat, you might want to have a planning session to come up with new, interesting ideas. This is a great time to empower others with both excitement and responsibility.