Although yoga is not a religious practice, through the eyes of Jewish yoga instructors the connections between Judaism and yoga can be seen. 

Many Jews participate in yoga classes, either as students or teachers. Lisi Weinstein, a member at Temple Israel, teaches a yoga class for the kids at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School.

“We talk about the different holidays and what they would do to try and make themselves better and stronger,” Weinstein said.

Former United Hebrew congregant Edward Rudolph has been studying yoga for about 62 years. He also taught yoga on and off for the past 40 years.

“I’ve taught Jewish people yoga and they’ve enjoyed it [tremendously],” Rudolph said. “The ideas involved in yoga, the ethics and the thinking, are very Jewish in many aspects.”

Jewish ideals help shape yoga for some Jews because the ideals make them feel closer to G-d. In addition, some people believe that simply the act of yoga is holy.

“I think that Hashem wants us to have healthy bodies and healthy minds,” Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Sha’arei Chesed congregant Nathanne Gitt said. “In my view, yoga is one of the tools, it’s certainly not the only tool, to keep us healthy and I think that making good use of our physical self is one thing that Hashem wants us to do.”

Gitt teaches classes at Wellbridge Athletic Club in Clayton. She has been teaching yoga for 15 years and most of her students happen to be Jewish.

“For me, [yoga] is a form of exercise that not only invigorates the body, it stretches the body, and there’s an element of quiet in the mind that yoga can offer to people that’s different from other activities,” Gitt said. “When you’re doing yoga, you’re not in competition with anybody except your own potential that [G-d] gave you. And I think that’s a very wholesome thing to be engaged in.”

The three Jewish fitness instructors agree that teaching yoga to others proves rewarding on many levels. They want to encourage students to open up their senses and improve every session.

“To impart something that is important to you and that you put a high priority on and to teach someone else and see them blossom is incredibly uplifting and incredibly satisfying,” Gitt said. “Yoga is something you can do by yourself in your own house… All you really need is a yoga mat, a space in which to do it, and [music].”