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Contemporary Shabbat Practice

Two men play guitar and violin joyfully outdoors, while a seated man with a beard watches.

“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

An easy-to-follow Shabbat guide that is informative and inclusive
illustration of a person closing their eyes and holding their hands toward their face above Shabbat candles
“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.

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

a person holds a blue tallit over their head

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

a person is setting a table

Uplifting song for Shabbat with video

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

“God re-nefeshes Godself”

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

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

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

“Before creation, music played”

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

“In the flickering light, You beckon me.”

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

Candle lighting blessings for a sabbatical year

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

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

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The Reconstructionist Network