All posts by Judy Fleischman

Judy grew up in NYC and after years of study in astrophysics, moved to Oregon and began Zen practice in 1998. She continued in NYC in 2002, feeling called to return there after 9/11, and began to train in healthcare chaplaincy. She arrived at BZC in 2013, where she has been practicing along with Everyday Zen/Makor Or (guiding teacher Norman Fischer) and Mindful Peace building. Judy sees sangha life as celebrating creativity, connection, and community and this has informed her myriad adventures ranging from rocket science (astrophysics) to chaplaincy, community building, and arts/activism. She received lay ordination in 2001 from Chozen Jan Bays at Great Vow Zen Monastery in Oregon and priest ordination in 2005 from Enkyo O’Hara at Village Zendo in NYC. From each of these women, Judy learned expressions of Zen, which include Soto and Rinzai practice, and integrate arts, inter-religious dialogue, social justice, and peacebuilding. Judy brings these perspectives in appreciating koan practice (inhabiting a zen story) and group dialogue in interplay with the heart of our practice, zazen. Recognizing also the importance of deep inquiry into systemic expressions of exclusion in our psyches and communities, she sees our practice opening new pathways to transformation, healing, and the joy of living in wonderment.