Mission

To transform lives through music, nature and Jewish Wisdom.

Values

When you gather with Ma’alot, we strive to ensure that:

We see one another ~ recognized, respected and celebrated for what each of us brings .

We feel nourished ~ spiritually, emotionally, and physically cared for through care and connection.

We feel a sense of belonging ~ connected to others and the values we share.

We co-create meaning and beauty together ~ through song, study, art, and ritual that transform ordinary moments into sacred experiences.

We cultivate resilience and wellness ~ drawing from Jewish wisdom to restore balance and bring healing to ourselves and the world.

Vision

A flourishing Jewish culture of spiritual wellness — where embodied practices, creativity, and authentic connection awaken resilience, belonging, and healing.

What We Do

For the past five years, Ma’alot has been at the forefront of a new movement in the Jewish South —one that unites spiritual practice, creativity, and community care. We’ve hosted family programs, neighborhood meals, musical services in gardens, holiday gatherings, and grassroots Circles — reaching thousands of participants across Atlanta.

Through these experiences, we’ve learned that transformation happens when we embody Jewish wisdom — when text, music, movement, and mindfulness awakens our entire selves to the riches in our tradition and the wisdom of our ancestors.

Our Core Offerings

Wisdom Circles

Facilitated groups of 12–16 participants integrating Jewish wisdom with personal growth. Circles cultivate trust, resilience, and leadership, creating brave, restorative spaces where people are seen and supported.

Mindful Shabbat Gatherings

Creative, musical, and embodied celebrations of sacred time — in homes, gardens, and parks. From Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat Yoga to family-friendly services, these gatherings bring hundreds into joyful connection.

Immersive Experiences & Retreats

Retreats and High Holidays that weave meditation, creativity, and Jewish tradition in nature — restoring balance, belonging, and the possibility of revelation.

Is Ma’alot a Synagogue?

Yes and no. Ma’alot is a spiritual home, the essence of what a synagogue should be, but without many of the expectations that institutional Jewish life holds. We experiment with tradition to help us come alive through our rituals and practice, and make decisions about what and how we do Judaism from community conversations and feedback. We care about the holistic wellbeing of Atlanta’s Jewish community and prioritize the excellence of our offering, continually doing outreach and opening more eyes to what Jewish spirituality can offer. This allows us to experiment with intensive gatherings that serve deep needs and to uncover meaningful, impactful ways of practicing Judaism.

We come together to feel the magic of Shabbat, build relationships through circles, and dedicate ourselves to deep learning immersion to strengthen our relationships with one another, the Holy One, and our own selves.

What “Ma’alot” Means

The Hebrew word Ma’alot means “elevate” and is used in the Book of Psalms to invoke inspiration and spiritual heights through music, nature and divinity. It is commonly paired with shir, song, for an obvious reason: music has always elevated Jewish ritual and sacred inspiration. Ma’alot is dedicated to the tradition of invigorating the soul through Judaism’s rich musical heritage and making accessible, spiritual experiences through song for all levels of Jewish knowledge. Ma’alot founded the Niggun Collective, a now independent collection of seekers who gather at neighborhood homes to sing wordless, traditional melodies.

Music, Nature, and Embodied Wisdom

Each year brings us rituals of celebration and remembrance directly tied to the cycles of the days and the seasons, and harkens back to the revelation our ancestors received journeying through the wilderness. Through outdoor education and rituals that center song and embodiment, Ma’alot offers a new, vibrant way of experiencing Judaism that stretches far beyond the walls of any institution. In order to ascend, we must first develop a firm grounding in where we came from and who we are, and that begins with the connection of adam, the first earthling, to adamah, the earth.

You bring your own Torah to Jewish community. We discover so much when we explore the wisdom of our own experiences in tandem with the inherited wisdom of our ancestors. When we listen to one another, to our past, and to our innermost self, we transform the way we understand our world and our purpose in it. Through this process, we break the stigmas that many of us carry about what Judaism “should” look like, and instead discover a tradition that speaks to our heart and soul. This is true embodiment of our heritage, and the way the sages have practiced Judaism throughout the centuries.

Who We Are

Rabbi Ariel is a mother, musician, and spiritual educator. Originally from Philadelphia, Ariel studied religion and music as an undergraduate at Emory University and was ordained at Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, where she focused on Hasidic commentaries and feminist interpretations of Jewish history and ritual. After ordination, Ariel studied Jewish music as a Rising Song Resident and in Philadelphia. She founded Ma’alot in 2021 and has been serving in the roles of spiritual leader and executive director since then.

To learn more about Ariel, read teachings she’s shared with Ma’alot, visit her personal website or read her vision for Jewish community and spiritual life.

Rabbi Ariel Root Wolpe, Spiritual Leader

Samantha “Sam”, Operations Manager

Sam brings a background in large-scale event planning and a passion for building community to Ma’alot. After earning her degree in Event Management from the University of Central Florida, she spent 3 years in the cruising industry—first living at sea as a Cruise Director/ Shore Excursion Manager, then traveling as a Charter Specialist creating events for thousands of guests with Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Outside of work, she is a certified personal trainer and fitness coach, an avid rock climber, and firm believer that every great event needs a little adventure. Sam@maalotatlanta.com.