a creative writing workshop

Levantine Cultural Center & The Writing Studio present Writing for Peace: War, Peace & the Path to Freedom. This workshop in creative writing with Elana Golden is for new and experienced writers—limited to 10 participants.

Turning wounds into literature is an act of self-preservation, self-discovery—a journey toward personal and global healing and peace. Elana Golden is a Los Angeles writer and teacher who works and corresponds with Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel. She has taught creative writing at Levantine Cultural Center for  the past two years. She has worked with new and established writers from many countries, including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Pakistan, Egypt and the United States.

Whether among nations, classes or families, the workshop provides a peaceful, respectful and inspiring space in which to write stories born of war, conflict or occupation. The skills of creative writing will be taught and explored, as well as effective methods to put aside the critical mind.

In the safety of the writing group, we take one moment from our lives and enter it fully. We slow down and look at it through the lens of the writer, allowing the story to emerge from the silence within. Learning to follow rather than lead the story, our writing is fresh, free, original, unexpected.

Previous Workshop Attendees Have Said:

"I attended Elana's writing classes at Levantine Cultural Center in May/June 2009. It was so uplifting. I had so much to release, and with Elana's facilitation and direction my writing poured out effortlessly. This tidal wave of writing and the support from other participants were truly healing, and inspired me to make serious decisions about my life. I am grateful to Elana for opening this door." —Bita Sharif, multimedia artist

“I really enjoyed the workshop. It was a safe and cathartic experience. I would love to see more of this.”

“I loved [the workshop]. Elana wholly dedicated the hours with care so that I felt secure with her, with the group, with the space. I would absolutely recommend it to friends.”

“Thank you again for facilitating the creative writing workshop.  I very much enjoyed it and would like to see more this type of cultural/artistic event at the center.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and the group…Personally, learning a craft and creating together is a very good community builder, much better than readings, etc. which are less interactive. At the end of the workshop, it was incredible to see everyone exchange their contact info voluntarily. I am assuming this sort of ‘feeling close’ and ‘offering personal information’ is rare to none during other types of events.“

“Thank you again so much for the wonderful workshop.  It was very healing and uplifting.  I definitely enjoyed it and would recommend it to friends.  I have been talking about it to everyone I know.”

To register, please call Levantine Cultural Center at: 310.657.5511, or Elana Golden at 323.936.2601 or email elanaji@earthlink.net.

Elana Golden, MA, writer, director, educator, founded the Writing Studio^TM in 2000, and has taught since then over 3000 classes and workshops to new and experienced writers from a diversity of cultures. A student of eastern philosophy and meditation, peace and human-rights activist, Elana creates workshops that nurture the soul and are an exceptional educational experience in the art of creative writing. Elana holds a BFA in film from New York University and an MA in spiritual psychology from the University of Santa Monica.