ב׳׳ה

17 Cheshvan 5780
November 15, 2019

The Jewish “holiday season” is behind us now, yet we have one holiday which we celebrate every week: Shabbat. There is no other mitzvah that reminds us regularly how much we need it like Shabbat does. On this day we disconnect to connect.  It does not allow us to answer – or even read – our emails; Shabbat gives us permission to take a break from the things that stress us out and tune into our inner worlds.

Shabbat has been with us for thousands of years, and yet it almost seems like a radical, innovative idea. This is Judaism’s response to our fast-paced culture, centered around beeping cellphones and social media distraction. Our attention is constantly divided between various tabs and apps, but Shabbat presents us with a “sanctuary in time,” in the words of Abraham Joshua Heschel, an island of time to focus on those closest to us – and on ourselves. So the mindfulness concept has actually been around since the creation of our world.

Once a week, we are treated with the opportunity to take vacation from creating and laboring. We can relax our pace and choose to spend time doing things that matter most, things we can’t find the time to do during the week. The Torah describes the rest that Hashem took on Shabbat with the word “vayinafash” – renewal of the soul. This is what this gift of a day offers us, too.

Shabbat is an opportunity to spend time with family, and to make memories with those who matter most. As we head into this Shabbat, we are warmed by the memories of our recent Grandparents’ Day events at all three campuses. Click here to see a video that captures just a taste of the special grandparent-grandchild bonding that took place on those days.

This Shabbat, Shabbat Vayera, is the Shabbat of the Shabbat Project. Jews all around the world will be commemorating this Shabbat with community activities, learning, prayer, and family gatherings. We encourage you and your families to participate in the Shabbat Project by finding a meaningful way to celebrate Shabbat with your children, whether in your own home or as part of a community event. Click here for some suggested ways to make Shabbat special for young children.

In the Kiddush we say on Friday night, we describe how Hashem gave the Jewish People the gift of Shabbat, “b’ahava u’v’ratzon” – “with love and willingness.” This is the spirit in which we create our family Shabbat traditions and memories – with love and willingness.

Wishing you and your families a Shabbat Shalom – may we continue to infuse the spirit of Shabbat into everything we do, throughout the week

Ora Shulman
Head of School