Nefesh Retreat 5783

Dive Down, Rise Up

Join us as we head into the desert and deeper into our spiritual lives and community at our first Nefesh Retreat since 2019.

Just as the Torah portion of the retreat – Ki Tissa – is about Moses going up and down and down and up the mountain, we will explore DESCENDING and ASCENDING.

Music, prayer, discussions, hiking, art making, games, storytelling, hanging out and MORE. We would love you to join this special Nefesh experience.

Arrivals

Joshua Tree Retreat Center, 59700 Twentynine Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, CA 92252

You are welcome to arrive any time after 2pm on Friday, March 10. Our first retreat event will start at 5pm. We recommend you get on the road as early as possible to avoid traffic and get to the center in time to welcome Shabbat.

Please commit to attending the whole retreat. If needed, we can allow for you to attend beginning Shabbat morning at 9:30am and staying for the duration. The residential price is the same whether you sleep at the center one or two nights.

Departures

The last gathering of the retreat will conclude by 11am on Sunday, March 12.

Accomodations

All rooms and suites at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center have a private bathroom.

At this time, all room options are shared – there are no more single rooms available. Rooms contain 2 twin beds or 1 queen bed, with an adjoining private bathroom. Suites contain one room with 2 twin beds and one room with 1 queen bed, with one adjoining bathroom shared between the two rooms.

Suites are prioritized for folks attending in groups of 3 or more with children under 12. If all suites are reserved and you are attending as a group of 3 or more, every effort will be made to put your party in adjacent rooms.

5 meals are included for folks staying at the Center: dinner on Friday; breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday; and breakfast on Sunday.

Please note that there are limited quantities of each room type. We will do our best to meet your needs and appreciate your flexibility as we do so.

Accessibility

There’s ample parking at the Center. Roads are primarily dirt roads, some are partially paved. Rooms with accessible bathrooms are available. All common areas are wheelchair accessible.  Music and speech will not be amplified.

Attending the Retreat as a Non-Residential Participant

You may also attend the retreat and opt to stay in other accomodations (click here for recommended campsites, hotels, and guest houses). The non-residential rate includes dinner on Friday and lunch and dinner on Saturday.

Health & Safety

Children need to be supervised by an adult at all times. Group meeting facilities are limited to the ones reserved for our group, which will be designated with Nefesh signage. Ask a Nefesh staff member if you are unclear about a space at the retreat. We will NOT have access to the onsite pool. Please be mindful of people’s personal space, especially when sharing rooms. Do not enter someone else’s room without permission, and please ask for consent before hugging or touching other guests in any way. No alcohol served at the Cafe – the retreat center is a drug free facility.

Proof of COVID vaccination required or a negative test within the last 24 hours is requested. There are also rapid tests on site, if needed. There will be seating outdoors and indoors. Masks are encouraged indoors for all Nefesh gatherings.

Please be aware that masks may be required in public spaces in accordance with county and state guidelines, such as the Main Office, Bookstore and Food for Thought Café. All rental rooms will be sanitized a minimum of 4-hours prior to group’s arrival. Please note that your visit to the JTRC is at your own risk. JTRC is not liable for any medical conditions, which may develop during or subsequent to your retreat. 

Pricing

• Individual in a Shared Room / two single beds – $450
• 2 People in a Shared Room / one queen bed – $875
• Children 5-12 / under 5 – $350 / free
• Non-Residential Individual – $250
• Non-Residential Child – $175

Questions

If you have any questions, please reach out to Ellen Kennedy, Program Director at ekennedy@nefeshla.org.

Cancellation policy: Full refund less a $50 cancellation fee will be honored for any cancellations before Friday, February 10. After that, we cannot process refunds for cance