Expanding the Table of Thanksgiving Traditions
Thanksgiving is a day that celebrates gratitude, togetherness, and—of course—traditions. Every family has its own way of marking the holiday, whether it’s watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – what happens with those balloons when it rains or is windy?; the precise method of cooking the turkey (to brine or not to brine?); or the […]
Holding Onto Hope and Doing the Work
Has it only been a week? It feels longer. Honestly, some days, it’s tempting to just stay in bed, pull the covers up, and wait for a better moment. Anyone else feel like that? This week has been heavy, and the news keeps coming at us, each headline more overwhelming than the last. We’ve had […]
HaNefesh Songs of Gratitude Event: A Successful Celebration of Four Years of Jewish Life
Music brings people together and our Songs of Gratitude event was successful in bringing HaNefesh together to celebrate four years of doing and living Jewish. Thanks to everyone who joined us on Friday, HaNefesh Shabbat services with Sue Horowitz and then Saturday’s concert, Songs of Gratitude. The event was everything we hoped it would be […]
Take Two Minutes to Remember
This weekend we observe Memorial Day. This is a time that we are to remember the people who gave their lives in service to our country and defended our country so that we can live as a free nation. Memorial Day has become a time of sales and the start of the summer barbecue season. […]
We Come From the Garden
Last weekend, we did a thing…we planted a garden. We started with some grow bags and then a trip to a nursery for vegetable plants we knew we would like to eat. Admittedly, we could have bought a lot of vegetables for the amount we paid for plants and soil, but the activity is hard […]
Let Us Celebrate Israel’s 76th Birthday!
Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel Independence Day begins on Monday night, May 13. This year, as with many of the holidays since October 7th, it seems even more important to celebrate Jewish life. In 1948, the world watched as Ben Gurion, the Chairman of the Jewish Agency, stood at the Tel Aviv Museum amongst a large crowd […]
Yes, It Can Happen Again
Why did we let it happen? Why didn’t we just get out? How could we just let them lead us to the gas chambers? How could we let people push us out of businesses, schools, and our communities? These were questions from not only after the Holocaust, but these are questions we ask today, in […]
HaNefesh Olive Oil Tasting
Recipes! There is so much you can do with olive oil, including baking. Here is the link to the Pasolivo recipes page.
What is Freedom? Especially Today
Judaism exists because of freedom. Our text says often, ‘remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Eternal freed you.’ Shortly after our leaving Egypt and being free, we were given the responsibility of Torah and the 613 commandments. Our Jewish journey began here with learning the commandments and integrating them into our new […]
Invest in HaNefesh at the End of 2021
Checks can be sent to: HaNefesh15333 Culver Dr.Suite 340-2AIrvine, CA 92604 HaNefesh is about building Jewish life without “Building Funds.” Our concrete and mortar are the strong relationships that bind our community together, the learning that provides a foundation of knowledge and enrichment, and the spiritual connections that uplift our souls toward wholeness, breath, and […]
