Gilla Nissan
gilla29@msn.com
www.thehebrewletter.com
Education
1966-1970 Seminar Hakibuzim Tel-Aviv High School, Graduated as Education Major
1970 – 1973 Tel Aviv University Art History and Philosophy Major
1974-1976 Yeshiva University West Coast (Los Angeles) Teacher Credential
1976-1978 University Of Judaism Los Angeles. Bachelor of Arts, Jewish Studies and Hebrew Literature
1984-2011 Metivta A Center for Contemplative Judaism (Los Angeles) Senior Student of Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man
1991 – 1996 Writing / Poetry with Jack Grapes, Los Angeles
1980-1985 Voice work- with Chava Lesser
1982- Present Alexander Technique with Michael Fredricks
1997-19999 The Alexander Training Institute in Santa Monica
2010-present Persian Singing with Mamak Kadem
Teacher
1977 – 1981 Stephen S. Wise Temple Day School, Milken Community High School, Emek, Valley Torah and other Jewish day and religious schools/institutions in Los Angeles. Courses: Teacher of Biblical and Modern Hebrew elementary through high school students
1997 – Present Public and Private Adult Education Courses in Los Angeles: The Spirituality of The Hebrew Language, Kabbalah,
2000 – 2008 American Jewish University (University of Judaism, Los Angeles) Continuing Education courses: Classical and Modern Hebrew, Bible, Siddur, Holidays, and Hebrew Literature.
Art Exhibitions Curator
1984 -1985 Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles, Art Committee / Exhibition Curator
1986 Stephen S. Wise Temple
2001 Sephardic Day Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
Publications
Parabola
“Dancing Letters: The Play of Vowel and Consonant, Vol. 4, No. 3, (Number & Symbol), Fall 1999.
“Ahavah: A Monotheistic Model of Love”, Vol. 35, No. 1, (Love), Spring 2010.
“A Password to the World That is Coming: The Wedding Celebration of Rabbi Shim’on Bar Yochai”, Vol. 31, No.2 (Life After Death), Summer 2010.
“Tiferet: Beauty in the Realm of the Divine”, Vol. 35, No. 4, (Beauty), Winter 2010 – 11.
“Accepting the Mystery: A Conversation with Rabbi Jonathan Omer Man”, Vol. 36, No. 1 (Suffering), Spring 2011.
Contributions of Poetry
13 LA Poets
On the Bus
Spillway
Anachnu B’america
Hadoar
P’sifas (Israeli Poetry magazine, www.eked.co.il)
Chapbooks
Powdered Light
A Moment Before the Truth
Precise Spontaneity
Excuse Me, I Have to Go Sing Now
All That Space
Literary Prize
First Prize (1993) Miriam Felicia Lindberg Israel Poetry Peace Prize: “On the Sixth Day”
Journalism
Urim Lahorim (Tel Aviv, Israeli Educational Magazine) “Educational Solutions”, 1970
Israel Shelanu (Los Angeles), 1990-1995
Chadashot L.A (Los Angeles), 1990-1995
Workshops / Lectures / Seminars /Retreats / Rituals/ Study Circles
The Wilber Persian Center in the valley- lead a women group on Parashat Hashavouah/the portion of Torah
1992- Present – Creative Writing Circles in Hebrew and English
2000- Present – Metivta – Center for Contemplative Judaism (Planning committee and presenter at annual retreats, High Holy Days and holidays workshops (Encino and Berkeley)
2003- Present Community organizer and leader of The Circle of Kabbalat Shabbat and Holy Day
2007-2008 Introduction courses to Gurdjieff’s Cosmology – American Jewish University
2010- present – Leo Baeck Temple Minyan – Introduction to Kabbalah and meditation.
“New Light on the Hebrew Letters” Presentations
2010 National Havourah Committee- Jewish renewal organization (Annual Retreat / East coast)
2011 Alef Kallah (Annual conference of Jewish Renewal national organization) (Riverside CA)
2011 Golden Bridge (Los Angeles)
2011 Hamifgash (The Gathering) Educational foundation – (Los Angeles)
2012 Havourat Shir Chadash- A Jewish renewal community (Ashland OR)
2012 Wesack annual retreat (Mount Shasta)
2012 Parliament Group Meditation Group (Santa Monica)