The Shabbat that took place on Nov. 15 and 16 was the Shabbat of Parshat Vayera, in which God first reveals himself to Abraham and commands him to sacrifice his son, Isaac.
But this Shabbat’s importance is more than the pivotal Torah passage it focuses on: It was also the date of a global initiative for Jewish people around the world to observe and study together.
The Shabbat Project was founded in 2013 by Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein, the chief rabbi of South Africa. Initially, it was solely focused on South Africa’s Jewish community. But starting in 2014, the initiative went worldwide, and now more than 1,500 cities
host Shabbat Project events. Some even host multiple events.
The initiative is meant to be inclusive of Jewish people from all denominations and levels of observance, with different congregations and community organizations hosting Shabbat services, challah bakes and educational events to take part in this global celebration.
While the Shabbat Project has grown considerably over the years, Goldstein has called the 2024 event the most important since the project’s inception. This is largely due to the events of Oct. 7 and ensuing concerns about antisemitism and safety within the Jewish community.
“Since October 7, Shabbat has emerged as a source of strength and comfort — a fortress of faith and family, a shining light of inspiration and meaning amidst the pain and uncertainty,” Goldstein said. “Now, especially, the Shabbat Project is a chance for Jews everywhere — in Israel, the U.S. and throughout the world — to rally together, to unite around Shabbat, to stand proud and say, ‘This is who we are. We will not be defined by those who hate us, and with God’s help, we will not allow our enemies to defeat us.’”
As a result, while many Shabbat Project events focused on Torah learning and community get-togethers, there were just as many that called back to the events of Oct. 7 and the people directly affected by them.
The Aish Center of Greater Washington was one of many organizations in the DMV to host an event centering on the Shabbat Project. While the Rockville-based center holds a community Shabbat lunch monthly, the most recent event was based on the Shabbat Project.
“We had an excellent turnout,” said Rabbi Baruch Frankel, executive director of the Aish Center. He and his wife, Shani, planned the event together.
“So many more people really want to connect with Shabbat. It provides a sense of comfort, community, belonging and tranquility from the hectic pace of the other six days of the week. Since the beginning, the Shabbat Project has been an opportunity for Jews worldwide to connect and celebrate together,” he added. “Ahad Ha’am once said that ‘More than Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.’ That’s really what the Shabbat Project is all about.”
In 2023, Goldman wrote and published the book Shabbat: A Day to Create Yourself, which focuses on the day of rest as a keystone of Jewish community and remarks on its history and how its meaning has changed over time. This book has become integrated into the Shabbat Project, with participants receiving digital downloads of new chapters every week to continue their learning.
Some of the learning groups held for the Shabbat Project focused on this book in addition to regular Torah study. Chabad houses from colleges across the U.S. participated in a Chabad International Shabbaton in Crown Heights, New York, that centered around the text, including students from Johns Hopkins University; University of Maryland, College Park; and Towson University.
