Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Zadaka
Hi Jenna, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey began in the world of Speech-Language Pathology, working intimately with adults navigating cognitive disorders. Yet, beneath the clinical framework, I wove in threads of spirituality and mindfulness, witnessing firsthand how these holistic practices ignited healing. Though I didn’t fit the conventional mold of my graduate cohort, I was fortunate to have visionary mentors who encouraged me to follow my intuition. This led me to immerse myself in the study of mindfulness, yoga, breathwork, sound healing, and somatics—modalities that would later become the foundation of my work.
Drawn to the feminine mysticism within Kabbalah, I found myself in the ancient mountaintop city of Tsfat, Israel, studying with master teachers of Jewish esoteric wisdom. It was there that I discovered the sacred ritual of Rosh Chodesh—blessing the New Moon—a practice honoring the Shekhina, the feminine Divine Presence. Over time, and from place to place, these New Moon circles evolved as I did. From making flower crown prayers in my crowded Brooklyn apartment, to candlelit Rosh Chodesh yoga sessions in my studio in the heart of Nachlaot, Jerusalem, to dancing under the moon in lush backyard gardens in Boulder,CO, Rosh Chodesh has been an anchor in my life wherever I have lived. Through it, I have witnessed the blossoming of community, abundance, and an ever-deepening connection to the sacred rhythms of life.
At the heart of my work is the art of creating sacred space—guiding seasonal gatherings that honor the Divine as inherently connected to the cycles of our inner and outer being. From Rosh Chodesh (New Moon) circles to Jewish meditation retreats, healing ceremonies, and threshold-crossing rituals, each gathering is an invitation to reconnect with the sacred in an organic, embodied way. The spirituality that worked before—rooted in rigid hierarchical systems—is no longer resonating for many. People are yearning for a more wholesome, connected experience to their spirituality, and I am passionate about offering a shared space where everyone’s presence contributes to the whole.
Stepping into my role as a Practitioner of Kabbalistic Mysticism through an embodied, feminine, and earth-based lens, I am deeply passionate about guiding others toward wholeness through present-moment awareness and the psycho-spiritual energies of the Hebrew months. My work is rooted in the Sefirot—the Divine illuminating energies of the Tree of Life—and the wisdom of the four elements, helping individuals find balance, alignment, and deeper embodiment. At the heart of all my offerings is a sacred prayer: to lead others back to their Home of Wholeness.
Some new offerings that I am SO excited about this year is:
1. The Radiant Body: Embodied Kabbalah, a virtual course on the Sefirot (Divine Illuminating Energies of the Tree of Life)
2. The Circle of Embodied Wholeness: a virtual group container for wellness and transformation &
3. Seasons to Wholeness- a membership cycling through the Hebrew months with plant, ritual, meditation, prayer and deep community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have walking through immense grief and pain and yet, Rosh Chodesh (the ritual of blessing the new moon, in community) has been an anchor in my life through all the struggles. Living through the rhythms of the Hebrew Calendar has allowed me to embrace wholeness: there are months to explore Joy (like Adar) and other months to embody grief and sadness (like Tammuz and Av), teaching me that the same heart that can be present with pain and sorrow can also be present with joy and light. Being in tune with sacred time has allowed me to feel held and connected on my journey to something greater.
One of the biggest struggles in my journey was leaving the world of Orthodoxy and forging an authentic spiritual path for myself and my family. While I used to serve religious people, leaving that world meant I lost a lot of clients and had to find a new community. I had to rebuild not only my career but my entire sense of belonging. This big transformation, although ultimately better for our family, was faced with distress and community backlash (like when I stopped covering my hair, and suddenly we lost many friends). Leaving the religious world was both deeply terrifying, and also freeing. We needed to follow our own authentic path in connection to the Divine. Living in Jerusalem in a religious neighborhood during this transition was not easy, but ultimately strengthened our trust and bond as an internal family, and helped us renew our relationship to spirituality and Spirit. And still, I hold immense gratitude for my years in the Chassidic, Orthodox world. Without being immersed in that world, I could not have seeped so deeply in Kabbalistic and mystical teachings. Those 10+ years were a sacred initiation, a foundation that continues to infuse my work and my being. Though I have stepped beyond its walls, the wisdom I gathered there remains with me, ever expanding, ever guiding me home.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a trauma-informed somatic coach, Educator in Kabbalistic Mysticism, author, and ceremonialist, I am passionate about guiding others to trust their Divine Bodies as a source of inner-directed healing.
I am most known for my ability to practice Kabbalah from a feminine, embodied, earth-based approach, which is rare to come by. I am proud of my ability to bridge Spiritualty & Somatics together, offering creative, healing visualizations, embodied prayer and ritual, and mystic moving meditations.Seekers are yearning for a more wholesome, connected experience of spirituality. My calling is to bring this direct experience to community where belonging meets the sacred.
What does success mean to you?
Success is Embodying your Tree of Life:
– A soft, open front body: receptive to the world
-A strong, sturdy back body: a pillar of resilience and support
-A flowing, enlivened inner channel. (In Kabbalah- Tiferet, Spiritual beauty/harmony, is the heart of your Tree)
You are nourished by your roots; your fruits flow effortlessly without depletion.
You are connected to the Source of All Abundance; you know how to renew yourself daily.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.awethenticroots.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breathandsoul_jenna?igsh=MWw2Y3l4aHJybm91MQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenna.basman
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-zadaka-43142564/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@breathandsoul_jenna
