Known as Nellie, Elkali Bush was born in Philadelphia, the twelfth of Tabitha and Matthias Bush’s fourteen children. Her father was from Prague, one of the first known Bohemians in America, and was naturalized in 1749. A merchant, shipowner, and, during the French and Indian War, an army purveyor, Matthias was also a leader in Congregation Mikveh Israel. He was a signatory to the Philadelphia Merchants Non-Importation Act.

In 1792, Nellie married Moses Sheftall, son of Mordecai and Frances Sheftall. The Sheftalls were prominent in the small Jewish community of Savannah but following her father’s imprisonment by the British during the Revolutionary War, they had settled for a time in Philadelphia. It was there, in Philadelphia that the wedding took place, and the couple then made their home in Savannah. Nellie gave birth to ten children, and the family was active in Congregation Mickve Israel, for which Moses helped lead the effort to build a synagogue. A leading physician in the city, Moses was twice elected to the Georgia State Legislature and served as a judge on the county court.