This is the 32nd Shabbat since October 7th.

For the 32nd time, as we light the Shabbat candles, we will desperately cry out to HaShem to bring every hostage back to their families.

This evening, as we light Shabbat candles, let’s storm the heavens and pray that next Shabbat will be different. That next week, we will light the Shabbat candles, make Kiddush, eat Challah, and enjoy our Shabbat meals, knowing that every hostage is reunited with their families, celebrating Shabbat where they belong.

Bring Them Home Now! 🎗️

Willow: I’m not really a practicing Jew, but when we started dating, Tara was quite interested in learning about Jewish rituals and that made me more willing to celebrate some of them

Tara: Since I’m sharing a lot of my beliefs with her, I think it’s a good thing for her to share the ones she was raised in. And, Jewish celebrations are really pretty. 

Willow: I specially remember that Shabbat dinner we had in your dorm room… we used a box as a makeshift table… 

I know the answer, don’t everyone rush to tell me “no, that would be cooking” all at once.

As I learn more and venture into Judaism with what seems to be very little guidance I’m going to make mistakes. So, the chopstick story…let me start with my first Shabbat dinner.

I tried going through Shabbat.com and there aren’t a lot of folks in my area who host. I had one lady say she would but she was moving and to contact her the following month. The following month rolled around and she hasn’t responded to my email letting her know I was still interested but if she needed more time just to let me know. Oh well.

So I tried it on my own. The problem is my family wanted to support me and participate. That in itself is great but it was a serious case of the blind leading the blind.

First, I didn’t have wine but I did have sake. Sort of wine but it isn’t fruit of the vine it is made from rice. I did make a nice challah though.

Second, no Shabbat candles. I did have some emergency tea lights which did the trick but for a verrrry short time.

Third, I checked out YouTube for the blessings. I still couldn’t remember them though. I ended up writing them on sticky notes. When I got around to blessing the kids you probably guessed it - I stuck the post it to the back of their heads. Not the most holy of times but it was a fine first little Shabbat dinner. At least I didn’t make pork chops.

All in all I’ve tried to make each Shabbat better and better but I don’t always succeed. I have candle sticks, kosher Shabbat candles, wine (not always kosher but I try with the local store), but I’ve managed to muck up the bread. I cannot seem to make bread every week. Does everyone do this? Is there some challah store I don’t know about?

My solution? Bagels. Yeah, I know it’s probably the most cringe worthy thing I’ve done yet. But I looked it up and as long as everyone can have a piece about the size of half an egg (we buy big bagels) it’s good. We bless bread, not challah specifically. Anyone filling me in on the weekly challah thing, it would he much appreciated.

Then we come to ‘that week’ the chopstick bread roasting over Shabbat candles. (Did I just hear every chabad door in America closing on me?) So it was a busy week and I didn’t have time to cook before Shabbat and hubby picked up some noodles from the local teriyaki place. Not fancy but at least the family was together, we were saying the blessings, discussing Torah and things would be good. Out comes the sad bagel of shame. Not only are my teens laughing their butts off at me but one proceeds to stick her piece on a chopstick and start roasting it over a candle. People, I can’t make this stuff up…

Let’s say for the sake of argument that you’ve never seen the Sabbath celebrated before in a private home. And, just hypothetically of course, you don’t know how to pray over the candles. And you know…you want to start making a Jewish home. How does one go about asking to see this?

Heschel’s book Sabbath is one of my faves. What we can do to invite in Shabbat as the bride is spiritually wonderful, as is going to Shabbat morning service. While it is beautiful in an ethereal and esoteric sense there is a longing to celebrate Shabbat in a more practical way to tie the practice to the feeling. To do this I need a practicing reform family to take me under their wing.