Day Eight is pleased to open applications to attend a capacity-building retreat for DC area Jewish poets from 1:00 to 4:30pm, Sunday, March 22nd, 2026 at Sixth and I Synagogue in downtown DC. The retreat is designed to support publication opportunities for Jewish poets, and appreciation for the work of Jewish poets.
Ori Z Soltes and Robert Bettmann, editors of the 2024 “Jewish Experience” special section published in the Mid-Atlantic Review, are faculty directors for the retreat, alongside featured faculty Vanessa Hidary and David Ebenbach.
Poets of all heritages are invited to participate and Jewish poets can apply for a $250 honoraria. Eight poets will be selected to attend receiving the honoraria. Poets of all ages and experience levels are encouraged to apply. Admittance will be “first come, first served” and attendance will be capped at 14.
Retreat Outline
1:00 – 1:30 Welcome and icebreaker with Robert Bettmann and Ori Z Soltes
1:30 – 2:45 Generative writing workshop led by Vanessa Hidary
2:45 – 3:00 Break, kosher snacks and water provided
3:00 – 4:30 Poetry reading/performance featuring Vanessa Hidary and David Ebenbach followed by open mic/reading by workshop participants
Retreat Faculty
Vanessa Hidary is an internationally acclaimed Jewish spoken word artist, performer, and writer, and Israel activist. Her work reflects her upbringing in New York City among a diverse community during the rise of hip hop culture. She featured on ‘Def Poetry Jam’ on HBO and in the award-winning film, “The Tribe”. She has taught at numerous LIMMUD conferences and been a featured speaker at the Lion of Judah conference and Tribefest. Her poem, “The Hebrew Mamita”, went viral garnering more than half a million YouTube hits, and she has conducted poetry workshops with groups including BBYO, The Yeshiva of Flatbush High school, Congregation B’nai Tikvah Of New Jersey, and Harlem School of the Arts.
David Ebenbach is the author of ten books of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, winners of such awards as the Drue Heinz Literature Prize and the Juniper Prize, among others. He lives in Washington, DC, where he teaches at Georgetown University. His non-fiction book, The Artists Torah, is a practical guide interfacing weekly study and creativity.
Ori Z Soltes is a professor teaching at Georgetown University’s Center for the Study of Jewish Civilization. A pre-eminent scholar of Jewish art, culture, and history, Soltes has authored or edited nearly 30 books as well as scores of articles and exhibition catalogue essays. His poetry has been published broadly and he is a 2024 artist grant recipient from Prince George’s County, Maryland for a forthcoming book of poems.
Robert Bettmann is founder and managing editor of Day Eight’s literary magazine, the Mid-Atlantic Review. He serves as director of Day Eight’s book publishing arm and editor for the majority of books acquired and published by Day Eight. He is the author of the book, Somatic Ecology: Somatics, Nature, Humanity, and the Human Body and co-editor with Susan of the interfaith poetry anthology, Falling Leaves.
This event is produced by Day Eight and is not produced in partnership with Sixth and I Synagogue. This retreat was made possible through support from DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of Community Affairs and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Day Eight’s mission is to contribute to the healing of the world through the arts through the publication, production, and promotion of creative projects. Day Eight publishes the literary magazine, The Mid-Atlantic Review, the annual DC Poet Project competition, and ongoing programming with the Jewish Artists of the National Capital Region.