Nava Tehila- "beautiful praise"- is an emerging prayer and study community in Jerusalem. We welcome people of diverse backgrounds who wish to experience various expressions of spiritual life with a Jewish flavor. Our community gathered for the first time on Shabbat Shira - Sabbath of Song - 5764 (2004). Twenty neshamot (souls) gathered to pray in a private home in Jerusalem. Over the past few years, this group of friends has become a spiritual community under the guidance of Rabbi Ruth Gan Kagan.
Nava Tehila grows and develops in its own pace. Some of us are drawn to prayer, some come to our potluck meals, some find their spiritual anchor in music and devotion. There are those whose path is Torah study in our co-ed classes and workshops, while others enjoy virtual connection with us through Facebook. The atmosphere in our community is welcoming and our practice non-coercive.
Our community and prayers are egalitarian and inclusive. We welcome members of other religions and "spiritual, but not religious" people who want to pray and sing with us. Our prayer is experiential because we are constantly seeking ways of connection to the Living God in each and every moment. This past year we had the merit to receive an abundance of new tunes that were composed especially for our Kabbalat Shabbat by our gifted musicians and prayer leaders. We are planning record those tunes so that we can share them with others in the very near future.
Currently, the community meets for Kabbalat Shabbat once a month in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Baka'a. After prayers we meet for a dairy potluck meal, which is always interspersed with devotional singing, acoustic music and Torah teachings that last until the wee hours of the morning.
Under the umbrella of our community we offer classes and workshops in Jewish spirituality, meditation, Kabbalah and Chasidut.
