(Courtesy of The Shabbat Project) The annual West Orange Shabbat Project is scheduled for Thursday, October 25, through Saturday, October 27, 2018. The Shabbat Project is a global grassroots movement that started in South Africa in 2013, and is now in 1,416 cities in 97 countries throughout the world, bringing together Jews from all backgrounds and traditions.
Featured this year will be world-renowned inspirational speaker Rabbi YY Jacobson, founder of TheYeshiva.net. He will present on topics including “Living a Life Attuned to Your Inner Soul,” “Thinking Happiness: How Your Thinking Affects Your Reality” and “I Find Judaism to be Repressive: Is there Room in Judaism for Self-Expression?”
In addition, on Saturday night Shabbat Project 2018 will present the Global Webcast, and will live stream to the hundreds of thousands throughout the world who will tune in online. In the same manner that Shabbat Project has gained momentum since its inception, this Global Webcast with Rabbi Jacobson will spread the message of love and unity further than ever before.
The weekend will kick off with two community-wide challah bakes in West Orange, New Jersey on Thursday evening, October 25. The first will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the MetroWest JCC, located at 760 Northfield Avenue, and the second at 6:30 p.m. at the Shabbat House, located at 664 Eagle Rock Avenue. There is no charge to participate.
On Friday evening, October 26, at 5:30 p.m. Shabbat services will be held at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in West Orange, New Jersey located at 350 Pleasant Valley Way, followed by a sumptuous dinner and program featuring keynote speaker Rabbi Jacobson. Suggested couvert is $30/adult, $20/child, and $80/family. Sponsorships are greatly appreciated.
On Saturday morning, October 27, morning services will take place at 9 a.m. at Congregation AABJ&D[1] in West Orange, locate at 700 Pleasant Valley Way, followed by a presentation by scholar in residence Rabbi Jacobson. There will also be special programming for kids of all ages.
The event will culminate on Saturday evening at 8 p.m., with a community-wide Havdalah program at the MetroWest JCC, featuring Rabbi Jacobson, and kids’ programming. The Saturday night program will be a farbrengen or kumzitz style, an informal fun night of stories and songs and pearls of wisdom centered around the theme “Thinking Happiness: How Your Thinking Affects Your Reality.” A melave malka meal will be served. Suggested couvert is $18/person or $50/family.
“Bring everyone you care about. Don’t miss this opportunity. Shabbat Project will be celebrated around the world with Rabbi YY, but he’ll be live here in West Orange and you can be a part of it!” said Devorah Klar, co-director of The Shabbat House.
The West Orange Shabbat Project, now in its fifth year, is co-chaired by Ira Bloom, Moshe Glick, Rabbi Boruch Klar and Larry Rein.
To register for the Shabbat Project, visit www.ShabbatWO.com. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Larry Rein at [email protected].
