Nefesh

Nefesh Saturday Shabbat in Echo Park
2026-04-25 09:30 - 12:00, 2026-04-11 09:30 - 12:00, 2026-03-28 09:30 - 12:00, 2026-03-14 09:30 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | St Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90026, United States
Come join Nefesh for a special Saturday Shabbat Morning Family Jam and Service together in person or on Online

Join our Saturday Shabbat Zoom

RSVP for in person Shabbat

Nefesh Shabbat Morning Services are on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month – all are welcome!

In Person Check in starts at 9amLivestream opens at 9:25am Family Jam starts at 9:30amShabbat Morning Service starts at 10amOneg follows the service

Location: St. Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles CA 90026

ASL interpretation. Nefesh provides an ASL interpreter at our Shabbat services. If there is no one in attendance either in person or remotely who needs ASL within the first 60 minutes of the service, we will release the interpreter. We also provide closed captioning in person and online. If you want to follow the captions, we suggest you grab a seat in the front row on the left section, closest to the monitor. Speech and music are almost entirely amplified – there are moments in the service when you are invited to speak directly to the people sitting near you.

Childcare provided from 10am-12pm. Family Jam is a Shabbat morning service for young children and their families filled with prayers, lively music, and storytelling. Caregivers are warmly welcome to stay for the Shabbat Morning service while the kids do crafts and hang out until 12pm.

Health & Safety: There will be indoor and limited outdoor seating. Masks are encouraged indoors and at your discretion – please protect yourself and others!

Parking & Accessibility: Garage parking is available with elevator access to the gathering space on Level 1, where all surfaces are paved or carpeted. Please enter the garage from Echo Park or Laguna Avenue and press 001 to be buzzed in. Street level access is on Echo Park Ave by staircase (2 flights) or elevator. Biking, carpooling, walking, etc. are also encouraged. NOTE: For the safety of our community, please do not attempt to enter or exit through the back gate on Laguna Ave.

ASL interpretation will be provided at our Shabbat Family Jam on Saturday mornings. For those who would like to request interpretation for the entirety of the Shabbat morning service, please reach out to Melissa Martin at melissa@nefeshla.org

Speech and music are almost entirely amplified – there are moments in the service when you are invited to speak directly to the people sitting near you. Please reach out to info@nefeshla.org with any accessibility questions and concerns.

Don’t miss a Shabbat: Join the Nefesh mailing list for once-weekly updates

Weekly Parsha Study
2026-04-23 19:30 - 20:45, 2026-04-16 19:30 - 20:45, 2026-03-19 19:30 - 20:45, 2026-03-12 19:30 - 20:45
Join Rabbinic Intern Sarah Livschitz every Thursday for a study of the Parsha (Torah portion) of the week.

Every Thursday evening at 7:30pm on Zoom. Register below for the link!

RSVP for Weekly Parsha Study on Zoom

Tuesday Shacharit
2026-04-21 09:15 - 10:00, 2026-04-14 09:15 - 10:00, 2026-04-07 09:15 - 10:00, 2026-03-31 09:15 - 10:00, 2026-03-24 09:15 - 10:00, 2026-03-17 09:15 - 10:00, 2026-03-10 09:15 - 10:00
Both to meet a request from our community for more regular daily prayer practice, and to create a supportive space for mourners who are saying Kaddish, including Rabbi Susan and her family, we have launched a weekly Tuesday Morning Shacharit Minyan. You can join in person at St. Paul’s Commons or on Zoom.

Sign Up for Tuesday Shacharit

When: Tuesdays from 9:15-10am

Where: Jonathan Daniels Room on the 2nd floor of the South Building at The Commons (840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90026) or on Zoom (details provided upon sign-up)

What: We will gather for a brief Shacharit morning service to pray in community, share some words, and say Kaddish. We will need a minyan of 10 people for each gathering.

Suggested Contibution: $18-$36/per person, no one turned away for lack of funds.

Health & Safety: Masks are encouraged if you are indoors but are not required.

Parking & Accessibility: Garage parking is available with elevator access to the gathering space on Level 1, where all surfaces are paved or carpeted. Please enter the garage at 850 Echo Park Avenue or 850 Laguna Ave and press 001 to be buzzed in. Street level access is on Echo Park Ave by staircase (2 flights). Biking, carpooling, walking, etc. are also encouraged. NOTE: For the safety of our community, please do not attempt to enter or exit through the back gate on Laguna Ave unless you have an accessibility issue.

Service animals are welcome; please leave other furry friends at home.

Please reach out to info@nefeshla.org with any accessibility questions and concerns.

Singing with Sally
2026-04-19 10:30 - 12:00
Sign Up for Singing with Sally

Join at any point in the series! Singing with Sally is a chance to deepen your relationship with the music and get more of that good feeling, while exploring new harmonies and meeting new people. Anyone is welcome, no matter your experience level. We’ll dig into familiar Nefesh repertoire, and learn new songs, prayers, and niggunim.

When: First Sundays from 10:30am-12pm

Where: St. Be’s, 2109 Chickasaw Ave

Tisch with Rabbi Aaron
2026-04-17 21:00 - 22:00, 2026-03-20 21:00 - 22:00
For those looking for more ways to sing, learn, and lean into some extra oneg Shabbat (enjoyment of Shabbat), join us for a tisch (Yiddish for table) at 9pm (following Erev Shabbat services) upstairs at the Commons! Rabbi Aaron will host all who are interested after services for more drashot (words of Torah), niggunim (songs without words), plus snacks and drinks (alcoholic and non).

For those who joined our tisch at last year’s Nefesh retreat, you’ll recall how raucous it can get. Let other folks know this is a night not to be missed!

Nefesh Friday Shabbat in Echo Park
2026-04-17 19:00 - 21:00 | St Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90026, United States
Come join Nefesh for a special Friday Shabbat together in person or online

Join us on Zoom

RSVP for in person Shabbat

Nefesh Friday Night Shabbat services are on the first and third Fridays of the month – all are welcome! Bring a dessert to share.

In Person Check in starts at 6:30pmLivestream opens at 6:55pmErev Shabbat Service starts at 7pmDessert Potluck Oneg follows the serviceTisch follows the service upstairs in Jonathan Daniels

Location: St. Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles CA 90026

Health & Safety: There will be indoor and limited outdoor seating. Masks are encouraged and at your discretion – please protect yourself and others!

ASL and Childcare provided. Nefesh provides an ASL interpreter at our Shabbat services. If there is no one in attendance either in person or remotely who needs ASL within the first 60 minutes of the service, we will release the interpreter. We also provide closed captioning in person and online. If you want to follow the captions, we suggest you grab a seat in the front row on the left section, closest to the monitor. Speech and music are almost entirely amplified – there are moments in the service when you are invited to speak directly to the people sitting near you.

Service animals are welcome; please leave other furry friends at home.

Parking: Garage parking is available with elevator access to the gathering space on Level 1, where all surfaces are paved or carpeted. Please enter the garage at 840 Echo Park Avenue and press 001 to be buzzed in. Street level access is on Echo Park Ave by staircase (2 flights) or elevator. Biking, carpooling, walking, etc. are also encouraged. NOTE: For the safety of our community, please do not attempt to enter or exit through the back gate on Laguna Ave.

Don’t miss a Shabbat: Join the Nefesh mailing list for once-weekly updates

Laundry Love
2026-04-15 17:30 - 21:00
Laundry Love Sign up

This is volunteer-led, monthly laundry help for those in need of this support at Luxe Laundry in Echo Park. We are very much looking for volunteers!

When: Every third Wednesday of the month, 5:30pm to 9pm

Where: Luxe Laundry in Echo Park, 1448 N Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Shabbat of Passover in Echo Park
2026-04-03 19:00 - 21:00 | St Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90026, United States
Come join Nefesh for a special Friday Shabbat of Passover together in person or online

Join us on Zoom

RSVP for in person Shabbat

Nefesh Friday Night Shabbat services are on the first and third Fridays of the month – all are welcome! Bring a dessert to share.

In Person Check in starts at 6:30pmLivestream opens at 6:55pmShabbat of Passover Service starts at 7pmKosher for Passover Dessert Potluck Oneg follows the service

Location: St. Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles CA 90026

Health & Safety: There will be indoor and limited outdoor seating. Masks are encouraged and at your discretion – please protect yourself and others!

ASL and Childcare provided. Nefesh provides an ASL interpreter at our Shabbat services. If there is no one in attendance either in person or remotely who needs ASL within the first 60 minutes of the service, we will release the interpreter. We also provide closed captioning in person and online. If you want to follow the captions, we suggest you grab a seat in the front row on the left section, closest to the monitor. Speech and music are almost entirely amplified – there are moments in the service when you are invited to speak directly to the people sitting near you.

Service animals are welcome; please leave other furry friends at home.

Parking: Garage parking is available with elevator access to the gathering space on Level 1, where all surfaces are paved or carpeted. Please enter the garage at 840 Echo Park Avenue and press 001 to be buzzed in. Street level access is on Echo Park Ave by staircase (2 flights) or elevator. Biking, carpooling, walking, etc. are also encouraged. NOTE: For the safety of our community, please do not attempt to enter or exit through the back gate on Laguna Ave.

Don’t miss a Shabbat: Join the Nefesh mailing list for once-weekly updates

The Wanderers: A Pre-Shabbat Passover Book Talk & Nosh
2026-04-03 17:30 - 19:00
RSVP for The Wanderers Book Talk & Nosh

Before Shabbat of Passover on April 3, join us for a special pre-Shabbat Book Talk & Nosh with writer and Nefesh Kin and Board Member Daniela Gerson. She will read a passage from her new book “The Wanderers,” followed by a discussion with Daniela, Talia Inlender, and Rabbi Susan about the themes of the book and its connections to Pesach. We’ll then enjoy some delicious matzo ball soup, matzo with herring, and vodka (while supplies last!), and head downstairs for Shabbat services.

Daniela will sign copies of “The Wanderers.” You can purchase a copy via the RSVP link above by including an extra $30 in your suggested donation (profits of book sales will be donated to Nefesh and CLUE’s Detained Immigrant Bond Fund).

About “The Wanderers”

Daniela Gerson and her wife, Talia Inlender, met at a picnic in Los Angeles, not knowing that 75 years earlier, their grandparents had left homes only blocks away from each other in a small Polish town, and fled east to Ukraine. The Gersons and the Inlenders would go on parallel odysseys of 5,000 miles to survive the Holocaust—one that would, after a deceitful loyalty test from Stalin, put them on cattle cars to a Soviet Gulag, years in limbo in Central Asia, and would end, after a decade on the run, with new lives built on secrets and lies.

Part genealogical detective story, part gripping history, part contemporary reporting on war-torn territories, THE WANDERERS chronicles Daniela’s journey to unearth this past with her wife, and reveal its echoes in still-contested lands from Ukraine to Israel. THE WANDERERS is a groundbreaking narrative history, and a meditation on how a home left behind and a desperate journey to survive reverberates across borders andthrough generations.

About Daniela Gerson

Daniela Gerson is an award-winning immigration reporter whose work has appeared in outlets including The New York Times, WNYC, Der Spiegel, and Financial Times. An associate professor of journalism at California State University, Northridge and editor-at-large at Zócalo Public Square, she previously co-founded Migratory Notes, worked as a community engagement editor at the LA Times and as a staff immigration reporter for the New York Sun. Daniela lives in Los Angeles with her two children and wife, an attorney specializing in immigrants’ rights.

Date: Friday, April 3

Time: 5:30pm to 7pm (before Shabbat of Passover service)

Location: Echo Park Commons

Passover Morning Service
2026-04-02 10:00 - 12:00 | St Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90026, United States
Come join Nefesh for a special Passover Morning Service together in person or on Online

RSVP for Passover Morning Service

RSVP for Passover Morning Service Zoom

In Person Check in starts at 9:30am

Zoom opens at 9:55amPassover Morning Service starts at 10amKosher for Passover Potluck follows the service (sign up to bring a dish here!)

Location: St. Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles CA 90026

ASL interpretation. Nefesh provides an ASL interpreter at our holiday services. If there is no one in attendance either in person or remotely who needs ASL within the first 60 minutes of the service, we will release the interpreter. We also provide closed captioning in person and online. If you want to follow the captions, we suggest you grab a seat in the front row on the left section, closest to the monitor. Speech and music are almost entirely amplified – there are moments in the service when you are invited to speak directly to the people sitting near you.

Health & Safety: There will be indoor and limited outdoor seating. Masks are encouraged indoors and at your discretion – please protect yourself and others!

Parking & Accessibility: Garage parking is available with elevator access to the gathering space on Level 1, where all surfaces are paved or carpeted. Please enter the garage from Echo Park or Laguna Avenue and press 001 to be buzzed in. Street level access is on Echo Park Ave by staircase (2 flights) or elevator. Biking, carpooling, walking, etc. are also encouraged. NOTE: For the safety of our community, please do not attempt to enter or exit through the back gate on Laguna Ave.

Speech and music are almost entirely amplified – there are moments in the service when you are invited to speak directly to the people sitting near you. Please reach out to info@nefeshla.org with any accessibility questions and concerns.

Join the Nefesh mailing list for updates

Story of Freedom: a Passover Text Study
2026-03-26 19:30 - 20:45
In place of our usual Weekly Parsha Study, Rabbinic Intern Sarah Livschitz will teach Story of Freedom: a Passover Text Study on Zoom on Thursday, March 26 at 7:30pm.

What is the role of a seder, really? What does it mean to celebrate Passover – a story of freedom – in times like these?

Together, we will read rabbinic wisdom that can challenge us and guide our celebrations this year.

RSVP via the button below (same Zoom as used for Weekly Parsha Study).

RSVP for Weekly Parsha Study on Zoom

Spring Mussar (Session #2)
2026-03-22 10:30 - 12:00
We are living in BIG times — so much unfolding around us, between us and in us. Our ancestors’ wisdom and practices, passed down from generation to generation, give us a compass to navigate our own times. The compass is the middot, our deepest spiritual values, values like Trust Bitachon, Faith Emunah, and Compassion Rachamim. They are a compass for us to navigate but they are not specific directions. We each have to find our own turn by turn directions and thank G!D we do not need to do that alone!

Come and join us for Spring Mussar, as we do this very thing together with the teaching and guidance of Rabbi Susan. Mussar is Jewish wisdom perspective and a discipline of spiritual PRACTICES centered on our deepest values.

This series will meet monthly and focus on Trust Bitachon, Joy Simcha, and Zerizut Enthusiasm. Together we will learn, come to deeper awareness about our lives and engage in specific practices. This series is designed for both those who have studied Mussar before and those who have not. There will be an orientation for those who are new. You are welcome to invite others in your life who are needing a compass in these overwhelming times!

Rabbi Susan’s brings her creative, feminist and embodied approach to Mussar and elevates a focus on growth and transformation within our inner lives, relationships, communities, and the world around us.

Classes are offered both in person and virtually, and will involve text, discussion, journaling, spiritual practices including some movement (for all bodies).

Please note: This series does not have a drop-in option for one class. We ask that you plan on committing to all four sessions with Rabbi Susan when you sign up to participate.

When: Four Sundays: Feb 22, Mar 22, Apr 26 and May 31, from 10:30am – 12pm

Where: St. Be’s (2109 Chickasaw Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90041) and on Zoom

Suggested Participation Contributions for entire series:Kin – $72-144Non-Kin – $144-216

Please reach out to info@nefeshla.org with any accessibility questions and concerns.

Nefesh Friday Shabbat in Echo Park
2026-03-20 19:00 - 21:00 | St Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90026, United States
Come join Nefesh for a special Friday Shabbat together in person or online

Join us on Zoom

RSVP for in person Shabbat

Nefesh Friday Night Shabbat services are on the first and third Fridays of the month – all are welcome! Bring a dessert to share.

In Person Check in starts at 6:30pmLivestream opens at 6:55pmErev Shabbat Service starts at 7pmDessert Potluck Oneg follows the service

Location: St. Paul’s Commons, 840 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles CA 90026

Health & Safety: There will be indoor and limited outdoor seating. Masks are encouraged and at your discretion – please protect yourself and others!

ASL and Childcare provided. Nefesh provides an ASL interpreter at our Shabbat services. If there is no one in attendance either in person or remotely who needs ASL within the first 60 minutes of the service, we will release the interpreter. We also provide closed captioning in person and online. If you want to follow the captions, we suggest you grab a seat in the front row on the left section, closest to the monitor. Speech and music are almost entirely amplified – there are moments in the service when you are invited to speak directly to the people sitting near you.

Service animals are welcome; please leave other furry friends at home.

Parking: Garage parking is available with elevator access to the gathering space on Level 1, where all surfaces are paved or carpeted. Please enter the garage at 840 Echo Park Avenue and press 001 to be buzzed in. Street level access is on Echo Park Ave by staircase (2 flights) or elevator. Biking, carpooling, walking, etc. are also encouraged. NOTE: For the safety of our community, please do not attempt to enter or exit through the back gate on Laguna Ave.

Don’t miss a Shabbat: Join the Nefesh mailing list for once-weekly updates

Laundry Love
2026-03-18 17:30 - 21:00
This is volunteer-led, monthly laundry help for those in need of this support at Luxe Laundry in Echo Park. We are very much looking for volunteers!

When: Every third Wednesday of the month, 5:30pm to 9pm

Where: Luxe Laundry in Echo Park, 1448 N Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Laundry Love Sign up

Antisemitism and Solidarity
2026-03-15 13:00 - 15:30
Purchase Tickets

We are living in a moment where antisemitism is rising up from many contexts and sources. Join us as we explore the complex terrain of antisemitism at this time in the United States and the importance of ensuring a pluralistic democracy for Jewish safety and thriving. This will be a unique afternoon of participatory learning as we hear from a panel of experts and engage in facilitated dialogue among attendees. We will unpack antisemitism and learn what safety in solidarity means and how we can fight antisemitism in alignment with our values. Join us for this highly informative and meaningful experience.

About the Panelists

Elad Nehorai — A progressive thinker, writer, and activist. Elad’s writing often focuses on extremism, antisemitism, marketing, and how the three intersect. Since October 7th, he has also drawn on his Israeli background to inform his work building coalitions among those who share a vision of solidarity for the future. Elad is an ex-Hasidic Jew who, before leaving Orthodoxy, led a creative Jewish community in Brooklyn called Hevria as well as the largest politically progressive Orthodox Jewish advocacy group, Torah Trumps Hate. Today, he runs a marketing agency for good called Justice Marketing.

Rabbi Susan Goldberg — founder of Nefesh, an open hearted, progressive spiritual community capturing the energy and vitality of LA’s east side. A fourth generation Angeleno raised in Red Hill (that’s Echo Park and Silverlake), Rabbi Susan has a special focus on revitalizing LA’s east side Jewish community to again be an active part of the multicultural beauty of these neighborhoods. She helped to lead the renewal of the historic Wilshire Blvd Temple in Koreatown from 2013 -2019 and Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park from 2008-2013. She also served as rabbi in residence for East Side Jews, a project of the Silverlake Independent JCC.

Jonathan Jacoby — President of the Nexus Project, which he helped found in 2019. With the rise of authoritarianism, the Nexus Project now focuses on the intersection and interconnections of Israel, antisemitism, and democracy. Its mission is to push back against authoritarianism in order to fight antisemitism, and to combat antisemitism in order to resist authoritarianism. Jonathan was also previously the first Executive Director of the New Israel Fund and the founding Executive Director of Israel Policy Forum.

When: Sunday, March 15, 1-3:30pm

Where: SIJCC, 1110 Bates Ave, Los Angeles CA 90029

Experienced Mussar Book Group: "Changing the World from the Inside Out" (Meeting 4)
2026-03-15 10:00 - 11:30
RSVP for Mussar Book Group

For those experienced in middot study, please join Nefesh Kin co-facilitators Eve Rubell and Tessa Milman on a deep dive into the book “Changing the World From the Inside Out” by David Jaffe, an inspiring and accessible guide, drawn from Jewish wisdom, for building the inner qualities necessary to work effectively for social justice. The book emphasizes introspection, understanding motivations, and using moral qualities to improve the world, integrating Mussar literature and practice.

This offering will meet on Zoom. Additional dates: January 11, February 15, March 15, April 19.

You can purchase the book HERE or at many other online book retailers.

Dates: December 14, January 11, February 15, March 15, April 19

Time: 10am to 11:30am PST

Location: On Zoom only (Link will be sent after you register)

Suggested Contribution: $18-$36 sliding scale

Singing with Sally
2026-03-08 10:30 - 12:00
Sign Up for Singing with Sally

All are welcome, no matter your experience level. Learn new songs, prayers, niggunim, and familiar Nefesh favorites.

Join at any point in the series! Singing with Sally is a chance to deepen your relationship with the music and get more of that good feeling, while exploring new harmonies and meeting new people. Anyone is welcome, no matter your experience level. We’ll dig into familiar Nefesh repertoire, and learn new songs, prayers, and niggunim.

When: First Sundays from 10:30am-12pm

Where: St. Be’s, 2109 Chickasaw Ave
