Nefesh High Holy Days 5786: Refugia

Our ancestors created a sacred vessel of holy days. A path inside, outside and through. We move within the whole. The whole moves us. Honestly and tenderly, we lay bare who we are, who we can be, who we are imagining and becoming. And together we create a sanctuary, a refuge: refugia.

In the ecosystems of the earth, refugia are safe havens or places of protection, where individual species create communities and find sanctuary from external threats or adverse conditions. A community of organisms takes care of each other in the midst of great distress.

Our tradition offers us wisdom, texts and practices on sanctuary, and there is much we can do in our lives to create refuge for each other and ourselves as we enter the new year. We look forward to creating sanctuary together with you in these holy days.

The High Holy Days come with special practices to elevate our soulful reflection and growth. On Yom Kippur we refrain from eating and drinking, washing, sexual activity, oils and perfumes and wearing leather shoes. It is also a custom to wear white. You can of course participate in these aspects of the ritual or not. Whether or not you do, we ask that on both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur you are mindful of the spiritual tone of the day and help to create a space for everyone's diverse experiences.

Nefesh welcomes you.

In Person: Founders Church of Religious Science (3281 W 6th St, Los Angeles 90020)

Livestream: Nefesh YouTube channel

Our registration rates are based on what is needed to sustain this community. We invite those who are able to contribute the suggested amount to do so. We also deeply value accessibility and want to be sure that all are able to participate, regardless of financial capacity. If you aren’t in a place to make the suggested contribution, please choose the ticket type PAY WHAT YOU ARE ABLE in the Donation section of the ticket page and enter the amount that you are able to pay.

Sometimes we have a little extra to share. If you find yourself in this position at the end of 5785 and would like to contribute to support those who are unable to donate the full amount, please use the SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY, SPONSOR A FRIEND ticket in the Donation section of the ticket page.

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Timing and details for individual services are in the Agenda section.

• YouTube livestreaming with captions for those joining from afar
• Live ASL Interpretation
• Kid-centered programming (TK to 7th grade) & childcare (ages 2-4)
• Reserved Parking at UTLA (for an additional fee)

• Live ASL Interpretation & captions (on YouTube) provided at all services.
• All locations, including all gender restrooms, are fully accessible per ADA specifications.
• Voices and music will be amplified.
• All services will be held indoors. You are welcome to wear a mask and there will be a mask-only section. Please do not attend if you are not feeling well.

We offer child-centered programming for kids in TK through 7th grade during all services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Learning & T’fillah morning services for kids will start at 10:00am with Nefesh clergy and friends, followed by the kids joining both morning services to bring out the Torah. Singing, movement, art projects and special supervised holiday activities will run concurrently with the main services. Our lively Family Service & Jonah play is held in the main sanctuary on Yom Kippur afternoon.

Children are welcome in the services. Kids are welcome to sit with their parents and caretakers for as much of the main service as they wish.

We offer childcare for little ones (2-4 years old), supervised by licensed preschool teachers.

For each of the offerings, we will provide guidance on the appropriate age for participating kids and whether parent accompaniment is advised. If you have any questions about planning your family's experience of the High Holy Days with Nefesh, please be in touch our Director of Youth Education, Rabbi Yechiel Hoffman at ([email protected]).

We are grateful for the support of our HHD volunteers! During the High Holy Days, volunteers play essential roles in ensuring that our gatherings run smoothly, feel warm & welcoming to all attendees, and that we leave our environments cleaner than we found them. Areas where volunteers make all the difference: checking in attendees, welcoming guests & handing out prayer books, setting up and breaking down our spaces, serving food, and helping people find their way.

There is a place to sign up to Volunteer on the check-out form. We strongly encourage all volunteers to an Orientation & Safety Training/Site Visit (with an appreciation lunch included) on Sunday, September 14 from 12-2:30pm. Please mark your calendars, but don't worry - you can still volunteer even if you aren't available for the Orientation. If you have any questions about volunteering, please be in touch with Melissa Martin ([email protected]).

The suggested donation amount for your registration helps Nefesh to cover all of the many expenses involved in providing the High Holy Days services for the community: location, sound, Zoom, and of course the hours of dedicated work of the wonderful musicians, clergy, and staff.

Pay what you are able registration is available - no one turned away for lack of funds. Please consider contributing additional funds to support those who cannot contribute the suggested rate for High Holy Day tickets.

Registration is Free for Nefesh Kin, with a suggested donation. Click here to learn more about Kinship, Nefesh's unique sliding scale membership model.

Your Kin Registration, Childcare Registration for KIN & an option to Donate will appear here after you enter promo code for Nefesh Kin at the top of the ticketing window - if you have not received this code, please reach out to [email protected]. PLEASE NOTE: Parking is a separate Add-on.

Available to reserve on the ticketing page in the ADD-ONS section.

• Adult (31+): $120 / person
• Teens & Young Adults (8th grade-30 years old): $75 / person
• Kids (2-4 years old): $20 / person
• Kids (TK-7th Grade): $50 / person
• Yizkor/Ne'ilah: $100 Adult / $60 Teen & Young Adult / $40 Kid
• Yom Kippur Family Mincha Service: $75 / household
• Kids under 2 are free and must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Available to reserve on the ticketing page after the Single Service options.

• Parking for All Services: $55*
• Per Service Parking: $15*
• Rosh Hashanah Picnic Boxed Lunch: $25
• Tote bags & Middot Journals: $18-25

*No one will be permitted entry to the parking structure without proof of purchase. Note: All parking must be purchased in advance; there will be no day of purchases of parking.

The following services will be live-streamed on YouTube:

• Erev Rosh Hashanah - Sept 22 at 6pm
• Rosh Hashanah Morning - Sept 23 at 9am
• Erev Yom Kippur (Kol Nidre) - Oct 1 at 6pm
• Yom Kippur - Oct 2: Morning Service at 9am | Afternoon offerings at 1pm | Family Mincha Service at 3pm | Yizkor & Ne'ilah at 5pm

When you register for a LIVE-STREAMED SERVICES ticket in the Donation section of the ticket page, you'll get a confirmation email with a link to our YouTube page, where you can find all the lives-streams of the services. We'll also send reminder emails with the YouTube links before each service.

Please consider making a contribution to support our production expenses. We work with a really talented team to provide you with high-quality production value during these most important days. We offer this guidepost as you think about what is meaningful and manageable for you: we estimate it comes to about $50/person to cover the production costs. So glad you will be with us.

Info: Please bring a vegetarian dish to share!

Info: After the community potluck, we pray, sing, connect and welcome the new year together as the sun sets. Sermon: Rabbi Aaron Leven

Info: Drop off and pick up your kids at any time while the service is going on. All kids must be signed in and signed out by an authorized guardian.

Info: The new year is here. We greet her with intention as we explore what we want the year to hold for us. We return to what we hold most sacred, the soul values that we grab and draw near. Sermon: Rabbi Susan Goldberg; Participatory Reflection and Discussion during the Service.

Info: Drop off and pick up any time from 9am-1pm. All kids must be signed in and signed out by an authorized guardian.

Info: There will be special programming and services for kids in TK-7th grade starting at 10am. Additional information about service times and programming for kids based on their age group is coming soon. Regardless of age, children will be escorted to the main service to participate in the Hakafah (Torah processional). Before and after their participation, there will be arts and crafts and other holiday activities to meaningfully engage them until 12:30pm.

Info: Lunch starts immediately following the service. You may choose to participate in community-facilitated Middot Circles during lunch in the social hall, or enjoy your meal with friends in the outside courtyard and Rose garden. Pre-order a vegetarian lunch in the Add-on section. There will be options to choose from on site, including vegan and gluten free.

Info: Kol Nidre, the soul song of the Jewish people. Our ancestors sing to us - heeding their call, we let go of pretense and defense, we enter ourselves and the world from right where we are, creating sanctuary. Sermon: Rabbi Susan Goldberg

Info: Drop off and pick up your kids any time during the service

Info: A day, a full day, to dive deep into our hearts, our lives and each other with tools to guide us. We seed the possibility of our collective growth, sustenance and thriving in times of challenge and distress. We create refugia. Yom Kippur is an invitation for repair, growth, commitment, and transformation. Prayer, dialogue, reflection, t'shuvah, community.

Info: There will be special services and programs for kids in TK-7th grade starting at 10am. Children of all ages will be escorted to the main service to participate in the Hakafah (Torah processional). Before and after their participation in the main service, there will be arts and crafts and other holiday activities to meaningfully engage them until 12:30pm.

Info: Drop off and pick up any time during the morning service

Info: The Afternoon Offerings on Yom Kippur Day will be announced soon! These are free will offerings of learning, discussion, and movement for anyone who has registered with a ticket to any service on Yom Kippur.

Info: Song, prayer, t'shuvah, AND a very big whale with a guy named Jonah. Warm, participatory, family service. All are welcome.

Info: Also available on Livestream

Info: Yizkor is a service that honors the memory of those in our lives and community who have died this year or in any year. It is a moving memorial service. Ne'ilah is a special Yom Kippur final service that only happens at this one time of year. The energy of the day, of the season, builds as the gates are closing. We sing, we pray, we release, we find each other, we find ourselves entering the New Year. We will break the fast with challah and juice at the close of the service.

Info: Drop off and pick up your kids any time from 4:30-6:30pm

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