Contemporary Shabbat Practice

“The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation; from the world of creation to the creation of the world.” –Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath, 1951

Latest Rituals

Radical Shabbat Guide

An easy-to-follow Shabbat guide that is informative and inclusive

at the shabbat table, candle lighting, family, motzi

illustration of a person closing their eyes and holding their hands toward their face above Shabbat candles

Sanctity in Time

“Evening and morning, ritual and rite, / making order out of chaos”

Leaves transitioning from green to red arranged on wooden planks with fallen leaves scattered around.

Wrapping, Embracing

“Every garment I inherited from you / is something to wrap in”

family, feminism, love, tallit

a person holds a blue tallit over their head

Eight Ritual Steps of Hakhnasat Orkhim (Welcoming Guests)

Bringing mindfulness to the act of welcoming guests through a chant and series of ritual intentions

audio, chant, food, guests, hakhnasat orkhim, welcoming

a person is setting a table

Kein Yehi (May It Be): A Song for Shabbat

Uplifting song for Shabbat with video

at the shabbat table, family

A family with children laughing and dining together at a table set with food and drinks.

The Pause that Re-nefeshes*

“God re-nefeshes Godself”

kabbalat shabbat

A hiker with a backpack stands on a rock, gazing at a sunset over mountains.

Each One of Our Ancestors

“I pray, but I didn’t used to call it praying”

ancestors, history, identity, immigration

Woman stands in nature, looking up with mountains in the background and a clear sky above.

Ruakh Elohim: A Song of Creation

“Before creation, music played”

Silhouetted woman joyfully running with a flowing scarf against a bright sunset backdrop.

Your Weekly Beckoning: A Shabbat Prayer

“In the flickering light, You beckon me.”

candle lighting

Two people standing with closed eyes, covering their faces, in front of a table set with candles and food.

Candle Lighting Blessings for Shmitah Year

Candle lighting blessings for a sabbatical year

candle lighting, shmitah

A vast wheat field under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds, showing two tracks leading into the distance.