The weekend of October 23 – 24th was the Shabbos Project. This weekend has become a global initiative for Jewish People all over the world to participate in and enjoy the beauty and depth of keeping Shabbat. The event weekend started on Thursday night where thousands of women around the world participated in the mitzvah of Challah. I attended last year, which was a wonderful meaningful experience.

Shabbat is the very heart and soul of the Jewish people

Once again this year I decided to spend Shabbat with my friends in the Thornhill Woods Shul community. I have spoken in many posts about this community and how amazing they are. It is a place where I can walk in by myself and feel at home. There aren’t a lot of places I like to go on my own, but this is one of them. I never really feel alone there.

Upon walking into the building, I was greeted by one of the event co-ordinators. He greeted me warmly and said, “So nice to see you again. We need to do this more than once a year”.  The next person I met in the hall was one of the Rabbis of the Shul. The husband of the Rebbitzen who accepted me on the JWRP trip to Israel that I took in Jun 2012. He also said, “It is so nice to see you again this year”. Within minutes of arriving I instantly felt I was amongst friends. Hugs and catching up with some of the women in the community. Then it was time for learning.

Shabbat is the mitzvah that has held the Jewish people together for thousands of years.

The two classes I participated in were completely different yet were intertwined in the thoughts put forward. The first one was Jew-ish – our uncomfortable relationship with Jewish identity, and the second was Stepping out to step up – Foundation for building my Judaism.

What does it mean to be Jewish vs. Jew-ish? What do we mean when we say we are “Culturally Jewish”? There were a lot of interesting questions raised during this discussion. Why are we more comfortable for example if someone says they are becoming a vegan than if someone says that are going to start eating Kosher? If you want to ask me more about this discussion, you can send me a message and we can talk about this wonderful talk. My only regret – that the talk wasn’t long enough.

Shabbat is a mitzvah with a special power and resonance for our times. It can hold Jewish families together in a society where everything seems to be pulling us apart.

After services and learning, there was lunch. The event organizers created a banquet hall event space, with table cloths, centerpieces, chair covers and set seating. It was really a special meal to be shared with the community. I was grateful to be sitting with two families that I know well as well as a few that I had never met before. What a great meal it was. Challah, chicken, kugel, salad, and a beautiful dessert display.

We had a table discussion revolving around the following question: If there were a pill that would induce a constant state of happiness with no dangerous side effects, would you take it? Lots of interesting discussion around the table.

After lunch was over we walked back to my friends house to spend time together. Once we arrived at the house, their 6 year old daughter was so excited to read a book with me. A book about the Torah Parshas. We started to read together a Torah study book for children. With the chapters broken down by the Torah portion, and then questions at the end of each chapter. It was just between her and I and I let her be the leader (the Morah) and teaching me what she knows. It was fully engaging and so fulfilling. Another blessing about Shabbat, time to engage each other. Disconnect to connect.  

Another family came over and we talked a lot. We also ate the Seudah Shleshis (the third meal). After that Shabbat was over. My friend went for evening services and then when he came home we said the beautiful Havadallah prayers. Since Shabbat was over before he left for services he had me repeat:

Baruch Ha-mavdil Bein Kodesh L’Chol
“Blessed is The One Who distinguishes between the holy and the regular”.

It is customary to say Shavua Tov at the end of Shabbat or even on Sunday morning. It means to have a good coming week.

Shabbos restores us, not just in a physical sense, but emotionally and spiritually as well, so we emerge on Saturday night as new human beings ready to face the week with all its challenges and opportunities.

I felt that. I felt very connected after spending the day connecting with myself and others on spiritual, personal and emotional. I know it is always an open invitation – after all they do joke that they are there every week.

Thank you for reading and I would love to hear your comments. Please feel free to share this story of my wonderful Shabbos Project experience. It may come weekly, but it is always special.

Life your best life,

Lisa