[ NISSIM SULTAN ] 
Resident researcher, La Sphère
Nissim Sultan was trained in Talmudic academies (yeshivot) and at the Rabbinical School of France. For twenty-five years he served as a rabbi in several cities across France, accompanying congregants, developing teaching, and strengthening community life. Deeply engaged in bioethical reflection, societal issues, and interfaith dialogue, he furthered his research in medieval and contemporary Jewish philosophy, with a commitment to intellectual exchange and the sharing of knowledge. At the end of his rabbinical career, he has spent the past five years—alongside his research—dedicating himself to the Hebrew calligraphy of sacred texts and overseeing the programming of a Talmudic training institute.

 

[ JOSH PAYNTER ]
Specialist in Quanzhen Daoism
Josh Paynter is the co-abbot of Parting Clouds Daoist Temple, an international community of students of Quanzhen Longmen Daoism. He has translated the major liturgical scriptures of this sect, and centers his teachings on these established doctrines.
He has been a practitioner of Chinese medicine for over thirty years. He has also been a participant in the development of this field by participating in the accreditation of institutions and the standards of certification exams. Josh teaches in doctoral programs in the United States, specializing in the introduction of Daoist medicine.
Josh is the third generation, in his family, to study Chinese painting. He has studied with many great teachers in China and the United States, but has a special affinity to his grandmother’s lineage. His focus is the cultivational aspects of Chinese calligraphy, particularly the grassy script.

 

[ TAMARA STAUDT ] 
Shan Ren Dao practitioner and instructor
Tamara Staudt offers annual Shan Ren Dao retreats in the United States. The indescribable experience of aliveness, intimacy and “realness” that occurs within the powerful alchemy of those coming together with common purpose has become a highlight of her year since the first United States retreat in 2011.
In addition to facilitating retreats, her passion for companioning those desiring a deeper connection to their own inner wisdom and the transformation which can follow, expresses through her private practice, practitioner mentor groups and qigong classes. Her foundational training as a naturopathic physician and classical Chinese Medicine practitioner, further informed by the teachings of Wang Fengyi, Inner Dialogue, spiritual systems and her own healing experiences, underlie her integrative approach.
The former Dean of Clinical Education at the National University of Natural Medicine, Tamara continues to serve there as a faculty member. She has taught qigong and its medical applications for over 27 years and has led retreats worldwide. The teachings of Wang Fengyi and the Shan Ren Dao have deeply interwoven into all areas of her personal and professional life since attending her first retreat in China. That retreat was and continues to be a significant and radical transformational point in her life.

 

[ HÉLÈNE GRATET ]  Hélène Gratet is an actress and artistic director who trained under Philippe Sire. She has performed under the direction of leading theatre makers in works ranging from Shakespeare to Sarah Kane, while also developing projects that bring together theatre, music, and literature.
A member of the reading committee of Le Troisième Bureau since 2005, she has worked closely with numerous contemporary writers and poets. She is particularly committed to preserving and sharing the work of Christian Bobin, of whom she is the goddaughter.
A qualified drama educator, she currently teaches at the Annecy Regional Conservatory, where she has headed the theatre department since 2024. She also serves as a mentor at the Saint-Étienne School of Drama.

 

[ ALAIN KLINGLER ] 
Singer and pianist
Alain Klingler is a singer-songwriter and stage director. He has released five albums, several of which have been praised by Télérama, and has performed in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Quebec.
He is also involved in the musical creation of a sound poetry project featuring Arthur H., Anne Calas, and Jean-Michel Alberola.
Since 2015, he has developed a body of stage work at the intersection of music and literature, drawing inspiration from the works of Annie Ernaux, Christian Bobin, Allain Leprest, and Arthur Rimbaud.
In 2017, he formed a stage duo with Hélène Gratet. Their collaboration has given rise to several productions: Chansons d’Écrivains (2017), Et si en plus il n’y a personne (2021), and Shakespeare in Songs, which premiered in 2025.