Over 750k Israelis to join 2024 Shabbat Project

When Sapir Cohen was taken into Gaza on October 7th, she promised God and to herself that she would begin to observe Shabbat. The first Shabbat following October 7th, a survivor of the Nova Music Festival, Tomer Weiner, decided to shut off his phone, shut out the noise around him, and kept Shabbat for the first time. At Columbia University, a student named Eli Shmidman found refuge among all of the protests and upheaval on campus because students banded together and observed Shabbat together.

Recently, all three individuals sat down for an interview with The Shabbat Project, an initiative over ten years old but more important now than ever. Speaking to The Jerusalem Post, South African Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein, the founder of the Shabbat Project, explained, “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.” 

The Shabbat Project is a global grassroots movement uniting Jews of all backgrounds and levels of observance to experience one full Shabbat together in unity. Launched in South Africa in 2013, it has grown to over 1,500 cities in 100 countries, driven by a team of dedicated volunteers.

>> Watch additional episodes by Rabbi Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa: https://www.youtube.com/@chiefrabbigoldstein

The initiative is truly worldwide. From coast to coast across the United States and throughout Europe, hundreds of events are happening in cities such as Prague, where a guest rabbi and rebbetzin from Israel will oversee a full program, including a challah bake, a kids concert, challahs distributed to elderly members of the community, a musical havdalah and a Shabbat workshop for bar mitzvah boys.

A unique international Shabbaton in Switzerland will bring together students from Paris, Lyon, and Geneva and will include a Challah Bake, Shabbat dinner, learning and activities throughout the day, and a post-Shabbat “melave malka” party.  

New cities participating in this year’s Shabbat Project include Casablanca (Morocco), Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), and Tahiti, a small island in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, which is organizing a gala seudah shlishit (third meal) to join their celebrations with Jews around the world.

In Israel, the project is reaching more people than ever before. Ongoing partnerships with more than a hundred municipalities, NGOs such as Zehut, and department of education municipal representatives will see this year’s project reach more than 800,000 Israelis across the religious and political spectrum in more than 250 towns and cities.

One of the significant innovations this year is to have a volunteer in each apartment building in Israel driving events, creating awareness, and distributing Shabbat-themed educational materials and items among residents. Thanks to a high-profile social media campaign, more than 10,000 “building captains” have already been recruited, driving events for nearly half a million residents. At the same time, a Shabbat picnic kit will be distributed to 6,500 families. 

The initiative takes special significance in a post-October 7th world where hostages still remain in Gaza. Talking to the Shabbat Project, Sapir Cohen explained why it’s so important to observe Shabbat. She said, “I have always believed there is a God. And so I decided, and I said to myself, if you are in Gaza, it’s because God sent you here. And I felt that it gave me energy to go into another new week.” 

Cohen was taken into Gaza with her boyfriend, Sasha Troufanov, who still remains a hostage today, over 400 days after October 7th. Like Cohen, Sasha’s mother Yelena was also captured and taken into Gaza, and she too began to observe Shabbat. 

In a recent interview, Yelena explained her realization after her release, “I study Torah every day. I keep Shabbat. I kashered my home. I’m living my life as a Jewish woman now… This is what Hashem wants from me,” she said quietly. “To live as a Jew.”

Cohen has come to believe in the critical importance of observance for the merit of the return of the hostages, including her boyfriend, Sasha. She shared a message to those who were considering taking part in The Shabbat Project, “Dedicate Shabbat to the hostages who are still in Gaza, and to all the soldiers, or somebody who is important to them. I want everybody to feel connected to what is happening in Israel. Although they are far away, they should know that they can do something to help.” 

Hundreds of Jewish communities in North America are joining the Shabbat Project with unique events. Los Angeles is matching hosts with guests for Shabbat meals, Savannah is organizing a city-wide lunch, and first-time participants Summerlin are hosting a Shabbaton for students and their families. In Phoenix, families observing Shabbat will receive a $100 gift card, while New York’s Chabad on Campus has organized a Shabbaton for 1,700 students. San Diego is running a “Shabbat shuk,” and Tampa Bay is launching a learning group for learners from a local public school around Rabbi Goldstein’s book, Shabbat – A Day to Create Yourself – one of more than 300 similar learning groups happening across the US.

In Latin America, citywide challah bakes took place in Guatemala, Colombia, Honduras, México, and Argentina, some of these events drawing thousands of women. At the same time, the “Pick a Mitzvah” campaign saw people throughout the region committing to keep one aspect of Shabbat. 

Across Europe, hundreds of Shabbat Project events are taking place. In Prague, a guest rabbi and rebbetzin from Israel will lead a full program, including a challah bake, a kids' concert, and a Shabbat workshop. Switzerland is hosting an international Shabbaton for students from Paris, Lyon, and Geneva. And in France, youth-focused Shabbatons and challah bakes are happening on campuses and schools nationwide. 

The Shabbat Project will be taking place on 15/16 November 2024. To sign up or for more info, click here.

>> Watch additional episodes by Rabbi Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa: https://www.youtube.com/@chiefrabbigoldstein