Sign In Forgot Password

Project Shabbat

I’m 16 years old. It’s Friday evening. I’m at a Jewish summer camp in upstate New York. I’m sitting in a barn-like “Beit Am” building with other Jewish kids from around the country. There’s a girl from Hawaii, a boy with long blonde hair from Florida, another boy from Texas, and some cool kids from California. There’s a bunch of really tan kids from Puerto Rico who are  jabbering away in Spanish. Who knew there were Jews outside of New York City? Let alone from Florida, Texas, and Puerto Rico? We are singing Lecha Dodi, with our arms around each other’s shoulders, and I am experiencing the joy of welcoming Shabbat through song, with all these amazing people.

Fast forward to today. My age has reversed. I am now 61. I now welcome Shabbat with my BHA friends and  community. I feel relaxed and peaceful in their presence. We sing beautiful songs together, though most people call them “prayers”. I now realize that the joy I am experiencing is holiness.  And I want more.

This feeling of holiness, is sparked by what we do together on Shabbat: our singing, our rituals,  and our special potluck meals that we eat together. This separation between the work week and the sweetness of Shabbat is what I look forward to finding by welcoming Shabbat each week with you, my people, my tribe.

During a recent vacation, I reflected on the many things I have studied throughout my life; for my Bar Mitzvah, for college degrees, for work, for  health, for improving skills, for fixing things, for mindfulness. I've learned how to speak other  languages, to lose weight, to cook, to play guitar, to exercise correctly, and so many other things. But I have never intentionally learned about one of the greatest gifts that Judaism has given to the world, Shabbat, the day apart, the day of rest and of holiness.

And so I came up with a plan: I will spend a year learning and experiencing the fullness of Shabbat. I want to welcome Shabbat at BHA on Friday night and maintain that holiness for the next 25 hours, and end it with meaningful Havdalah traditions. And, I'd like to do this with you. 

Consider joining me on this year-long journey. Together, we will co-create an intentional small community within BHA that explores Shabbat in depth. Let’s learn about the practice and observance of Shabbat, let’s  learn to chant the Shabbat prayers, perform the rituals, and understand the why of it all. Let’s eat a Shabbat meal together once a month (or more)  and share our goals and reflections on our experiences. Let’s improve our Hebrew reading and chanting of prayers, and strive to move each other further along on our paths of observance, whatever that means to each of us. There will be eating, singing, studying, walking, and sharing, suggested readings and discussions, all in the service of a purposeful striving for weekly holiness. Let us become a focused learning community within our larger BHA community.

If you are interested in participating, discussing, or learning more, please fill out the form below.

 

Ben Sherman, BHA Board of Trustees

To experience holiness by exploring and practicing Shabbat in a small, voluntary community for one year. To study observance of Shabbat. To attend shul. To improve Hebrew prayer book reading proficiency. To learn the Shabbat prayers and customs. To eat a Shabbat meal once a month with other project members in someone’s house, and to share reflections on the experience.  To gradually increase Shabbat observance (whatever that means to each individual). To teach others the same. For one year. 

 There will be self-study, optional online learning, and more active participation in Shabbat at BHA. We will meet in a small group once a month to share reflections. 

Please fill out the survey below to indicate your interest in Project Shabbat. Your responses are confidential and will help to shape the project. 

 

Mon, February 17 2025 19 Shevat 5785