Refa’einu is a healing service open to everyone seeking community and comfort. The services are designed to build a community of healing; to bring well-being and wholeness to those and their loved ones facing challenges, and offer others the opportunity to stand with them. Each service will be followed by a dialogue focusing on a specific life challenge that we might confront.
There is no charge to attend Refa’einu.
Upcoming Service
TBA
Past Speakers
The following is a selected list of past speakers. Please contact us for more information.
A Healing Service of Silence and Solidarity
Rabbi Carla Howard, Jewish Healing Center of Los Angeles
Presented February 13, 2017
Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer
Dr. Cathie Chung, M.D. from The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
Presented November 14, 2016
Mindful Movement
Guild-certified Feldenkrais trainer Ynez Anthony
Presented May 18, 2015
Mindful Movement
Guild-certified Feldenkrais trainer Ynez Anthony
Presented April 27, 2015
Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (C.A.S.T.)
Kay Buck, Executive Director (C.A.S.T.)
Presented March 30, 2015
Healing With Humor
Rabbi Mendy Pellin
Presented February 23, 2015
Heart Disease in Women: What You Need To Know
Dr. Puja Mehta, MD, FACC, Barbara Streisand Women’s Heart Center, Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute
Presented January 26, 2015
Thanksgiving: A Conscious Harvest of Food and Gratitude
Devorah Brous
Presented November 24, 2014
Devorah Brous, Founding Executive Director, is a community organizer with Masters degrees in both Development Studies and Israel Studies from Hebrew University and has been trained extensively in facilitation, mediation, and non-violent communication. She immigrated to Israel and lived there for 15 years, where she organized on the front lines of the human rights movement. She is the founder of BUSTAN (orchard), a Jewish/Bedouin civil rights and environmental justice NGO, where she served as Executive Director for 9 years. Since moving to LA in 2008, she completed the UC Master Gardener and Master Composter programs and became certified in Bio-intensive gardening and Permaculture design. She founded the Ikar green team, and co-founded the Food Justice track of the Hazon food conference. She is passionate about reclaiming roots; and learning to ferment and can homegrown food for family and friends! Devorah lives with her husband Laurence Weber, their little people Sela and Zeke, and four happy hens.
It’s Not All in Your Head: Female Brain Chemistry, Hormones, and Moods
Vivien Burt, MD, PhD, Co-Director, Women’s Life Center
Presented October 27, 2014
Mindful Movement: An Introduction to the Feldenkrais Method
Guild-certified Feldenkrais trainer Ynez Anthony
Presented June 23, 2014
An Evening of Jewish Meditation
Rabbi Carla Howard, Founder of the Jewish Healing Center
Presented May 19, 2014
Are Your Parents Keeping You Up at Night? Successfully Navigating the World of Senior Care
Leslie Peters & Jill Love, Senior Care Consultants
Presented April 7, 2014
Breast Cancer: Are You At Risk?
Dr. Kristi Funk of the Pink Lotus Breast Center
Presented February 24, 2014
Dr. Funk is a noted breast cancer surgeon who was thrust into the global spotlight after performing a preventative double mastectomy on actress Angelina Jolie. She is the Medical Director and Co-Founder of the renowned Pink Lotus Breast Center, a leading provider of breast cancer treatment.
The Healing Power of Storytelling
Stephen Tobolowsky
Presented January 27, 2014
Noted actor Stephen Tobolowsky has appeared in over 100 films, including Groundhog Day, Memento, and Sneakers. He has held recurring roles on the TV series Glee, Californication, Heroes, Deadwood, The Mindy Project, and CSI: Miami, and has made guest appearances on countless other shows. Mr. Tobolowsky co-authored the film True Stories with David Byrne and Beth Henley, and received a Tony Award nomination for his role in “Morning’s at Seven.” In his spare time, he hosts a monthly podcast of autobiographical stories called “The Tobolowsky Files.”
Vegan Holiday Cooking
Ann Gentry
Presented November 21, 2011
Breast Cancer
Dr. Cathie T. Chung
Presented October 24, 2011
Women and Heart Disease
Dr. Daniel Wohlgelernter, Board Certified Cardiologist, Director of ICU at St. John’s Hospital
Presented March 28, 2011
The Healing Power of Pets
Jack Barron, Jr., Director of UCLA’s People Animal Connection
Presented February 28, 2011
I am not My Disease: a Model for Healthy Living
Dr. Edison De Mello, Founder and Executive Director of Akasha Center for Integrative Medicine
Presented January 24, 2011
Depression and Care-Giver Stress
Dr. Helen Lavretsky, Associate Professor In-Residence in the Department of Psychiatry at UCLA
Presented November 15, 2010
Breast Cancer: Innovations in Diagnosis and Treatment
Dr. Silvana Martino and Dr. Cathie Chung of the Breast Cancer Program at the Angeles Clinic
Presented October 25, 2010
Yoga in Judaism: A tool for increasing awareness and intention
Ida Unger, M. Ed., Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor
Presented June 28, 2010
Pediatric Psychiatry
Lance Steinberg, M.D.
Presented March 22, 2010
The Healing Power of Pets
Jack Barron, Jr., Director of UCLA’s People Animal Connection
Presented February 22, 2010
Getting Older… and Better: Tools for preserving health and vitality
Hyla Cass, M.D.
Presented January 25, 2010
Living With and Managing Chronic Pain
Dr. David Wallenstein, Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA
Presented November 30, 2009
Breast Cancer
Dr. Sylvana Martino, Director of the Breast Cancer Program at Angeles Clinic
Presented October 19, 2009
Depression: Integrating Medical and Psycho/Spiritual Approaches
Dr. Robert Ashley, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA’s Geffen School of Medicine
Presented May 18, 2009
Infertility
Debra Sussman of Resolve, the National Infertility Associatiion
Presented April 27, 2009
Ms. Sussman spoke on infertility, stress reduction and various treatment options
Prostate Cancer
Dr. David Josephson
Presented February 23, 2009
Breast Cancer
Dr. Susan Love, author of Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book
Presented January 26, 2009
Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimers – New Developments
Dr. Helen Lavretsky, Associate Professor In-Residence in the Department of Psychiatry at UCLA
Presented November 17, 2008
Dr. Lavretsky is a geriatric psychiatrist with research interest in geriatric and caregiver depression, as well as complementary and alternative medicine and mind-body approaches to treatment and prevention of mood and cognitive disorders in older adults.
Cancer care and Complementary Medicine
Dr. Mary L. Hardy, Director UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology
Presented May 12, 2008
Diabetes
Dr. David Aftergood, Assoc Clinical Prof at the UCLA-Geffen School of Medicine
Presented April 12, 2008
Sexual Assault and its aftermath
Gail Abarbanel, LCSW, Founder and Director of Rape Treatment Ctr, SM-UCLA Med Ctr
Presented March 24, 2008
Caring for Seniors
Steve Barlam, LCSW, Founder of Livhome
Presented January 28, 2008
An intimate conversation with…
Sylvia Boorstein, Ph.D., Meditation teacher and author
Presented December 10, 2007
Breast Cancer
Dr. Susan Love, author of Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book
Presented November 18, 2007
Health and Healing via Yoga
Ida Unger, Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor
Presented October 29, 2007
You are what you eat
Ann Gentry, founder of Real Food Daily
Presented February 26, 2007
Are you paying attention to your heart?
Margo B. Minissian, ACNP, Pgm Director of Women’s Heart Center, Cedars-Sinai Med Ctr
Presented January 22, 2007
Stress, Environment and Diet in Cancer and other serious illness
Dr. Soram Singh Khalsa
Presented November 27, 2006
Breast Cancer
Dr. Susan Love, author of Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book
Presented October 23, 2006
