Silent Vipassana retreat
4 Days in Naot Smadar With Stephen Fulder & Simi Levi
The retreat takes place in the peaceful, magical beauty of the desert in Neot Smadar and the desert, so that we will have the opportunity to experience the combination of practicing meditation in silence with spending time in nature, in good conditions with a pleasant hall, comfortable and air-conditioned rooms.
In the midst of the complex times we have been going through over the past year, our need to find inner spaces that are beneficial, balanced, and clear within our lives has become even clearer. Meditation practice provides us with an anchor from which we can find resources of inner freedom and resilience that help us and those around us.
A retreat is an opportunity to return to ourselves, to fully engage in our lives, and to develop clarity of mind and qualities of the heart. We will dedicate the days to remembering our deep nature with a soft and gentle presence, exploring our fundamental freedom.
In practice we will deepen the possibility of moving from guilt, shame, anger and fear. To softness, trust, closeness and stability. The retreat will give space to the two wings of Buddhist practice – wisdom and compassion.
No prior experience is necessary for the workshop. A list of rides for the retreat will be provided.
About the Workshop
In the midst of the complex period we have been going through over the past year, our need to find beneficial, balanced and clear inner spaces within our lives has become even clearer. The retreat offers a quiet and safe space that allows us to use the tools of Buddhist wisdom (ancient and modern) to cope and strengthen ourselves during this period. The meeting will take place in a charming and intimate, air-conditioned hall made of earth bricks.
We will be together for four days, the silence offers a meditative space of practice and introspection, to develop the possibility of strengthening our inner resilience and connection to ourselves. The desert offers us peace, beauty, a starry sky, inner and outer silence. Participating in a Vipassana retreat is a rare opportunity to disconnect from the complexities of everyday life. By temporarily distancing ourselves from noise and stress, we create an ideal environment for inner work.
The retreat is intended for practitioners and participants without prior experience.
Silence helps to quiet the mind and allows us to observe thoughts and feelings without the stress around us. In the retreat we will deepen the possibility of practicing moving from guilt, shame, anger and fear to softness, trust, closeness and stability. We will meet the whole range of experiences with clarity and give space to the two wings of Buddhist practice – wisdom and compassion,
The retreat also provides a supportive community and guidance from veteran teachers with decades of practice experience. It is a transformative experience that promotes awareness, self-discovery and inner peace. The retreat will be held in silence, and will include the study and practice of sitting meditation, standing meditation and meditative walks in the desert silence, lectures on Buddhist spiritual teachings, meetings with the teachers in small groups. Telephones are provided at the retreat and the production backs up the retreat with an emergency phone that will be provided for everyone for messages from home when necessary and will assist each participant with a request or help to get to the retreat to relax and practice.
The retreat will serve delicious and precise vegetarian and vegan food, a coffee and tea corner will be open all day. Gluten-free bread will be available at meals.
We are here for any questions you may have, we will be happy to assist
Neot Smadar
The workshop will be held at the Naut Smadar Hospitality Center, which offers the tranquility of the magical beauty of the desert in beautiful and pampering ecological rooms, with lovingly maintained green garden corners and a connection to the powerful nature that surrounds the place. The quiet space of the desert together with the beauty of the hospitality center greatly supports our ability to put aside the stresses of everyday life and give us time to heal.
Kibbutz Naut Smadar – Located in the southern Negev above the Arava, the kibbutz was established in 1989, with the intention of creating a learning community where questions about the state of man in the world will be examined in practice through relationships, action and observation that is tested every day in the common life and joint action of members who live permanently and volunteers engaged in organic agriculture. The trip from Tel Aviv is about three hours without stopping. There will be a list of rides to the workshop to share the ride together.
The retreat teachers
The teachers
Dr. Steven Polder is one of the leaders of Buddhist practice in Israel, the founder and senior teacher of “Amomat Tovna”. His involvement in mindfulness meditation and Vipassana meditation began in 1975, since then he spent many years in India and received the guidance of various teachers from Burma, India and the West. Steven has been teaching for about 30 years years, and was also engaged in teacher training in Israel. Steven advocates the use of dharma to promote peace in society. Steven has published fourteen academic and popular books on the subject of internal and external healing. Two recent books include the best-selling book: “Awakening in Everyday Life”. Lives in Kell with his family, A Galilean ecological village in the establishment of which he took part.
Practicing, teaching and learning dharma and meditation since 1989. Of that, four and a half years as a nun in Buddhist monasteries (Tharveda) in Thailand.
Simi leads Vipassana workshops and in doing it sees the importance of bringing attention to everyday life. Pioneers of the field of mindfulness and its suitability for children. Develops the “Language of Attention” program to cultivate mindfulness skills in children and in the education system. Lives with her family in Maagan Michael.
TO TEACHER’S SITE
TEACHERS’ “DANA” – the Buddhist heart economy. According to Buddhist traditions, teachers do not receive a salary or a fixed income, but allow each student to pay their tuition at the end of the retreat in a way that takes into consideration customary prices for such workshops in western society, as well as your financial abilities and generosity. ‘Dana’ is a term originating in the East, meaning ‘giving’. Giving is an integral part of spiritual practices: when we give ‘dana’, we practice charity and generosity in our lives, articulating the deep bond and solidarity among all living things. From the times of the Buddha and until today, teachers have been offering their teachings to us unconditionally, regardless of gender, class or the financial state of the student. Supporting our teachers expresses the solidarity and nourishing bond between giving and receiving, between teacher and pupil.
‘Neot Smadar’ room selection
All room prices include a 3-night stay, meals & production.
Twin/Double Room:
The room is made of the local bricks and includes air conditioning, private bathroom facilities and twin beds.
PRICE PER PERSON: 2750 NIS
Private Room:
The room is made of the local bricks and includes air conditioning, private bathroom facilities and a double bed
PRICE: 3,350 NIS
4-5 person in a pagoda house:
A spacious, special, air-conditioned ecological mud hut, with a large balcony overlooking the desert and the Red Mountains. With air conditioning, shower, toilet and single beds.
PRICE FOR 5 IN A ROOM: 1,950 NIS PRICE FOR 4 IN A ROOM: 2,250 NIS
Register for the workshop at the bottom of the page
Payment and registration terms
Please attach any further inquiries to the bottom of the registration forms and we’ll get back to you by email.
Upon registering, your reservation will be saved for 4 business days. A link to a payment page will be sent to you by mail.
Payment can be made in up to 3 installments without interest.Early registers of over 4 months prior to start date may pay in up to 5 equal installments starting with a 500 NIS advancement, while the rest of the installments will be deducted starting 3 months prior to the workshop.
Cancelation policy
During this complex period, in the event of cancellation of the retreat by the production, the payment will be refunded to the participant immediately, less registration and cancellation fees of 150 NIS per participant or the option of participating on a new date in the event of a postponement.
Cancellation policy:
Cancellation of participation up to a month before the retreat costs 200 NIS
Up to two weeks before the retreat costs 500 NIS
Up to a week before the retreat costs 900 NIS
Cancellation of participation between a week and two days before the retreat costs half the amount.
Two days before and until the start of the retreat costs the full amount.
Personal or family emergencies due to war until the start of the retreat, full refund less the registration fee of 200 NIS, (at the discretion of the production)
Possibility of finding a participant in your place at any time
Retreat registration Form
Silent Vipassana retreat “Naot Smadar”
May 7-10th 2025
Please fill out the forms and an email with a link to a payment page will be sent to you shortly (according to your room selection). Please note that this form does not guarantee your reservation. Reservations will be finalized upon completion of the payment. Thank you.