(Courtesy of the Shabbat House) The annual West Orange Shabbat Project, which commenced Thursday, Oct. 25, was part of the worldwide Shabbat Project, which took place in 1,416 cities in 97 countries throughout the world, uniting together Jews from all backgrounds and traditions.

Featured this year was world-renowned speaker Rabbi YY Jacobson, founder of TheYeshiva.net, who is known for his inspirational talks. The weekend included two community-wide challah bakes; Shabbat services and sold-out dinner, with more than 350 participants at the Wilshire Grand; a scholar in residence program at Congregation AABJ&D; Shabbat luncheon at The Shabbat House; and a Saturday night Havadala program at at the JCC MetroWest that was live-streamed globally. The Saturday night program took on a more melancholy tone as Rabbi Jacobson and the crowd of more than 200 commemorated the loss of the 11 Jews in Pittsburgh who were brutally murdered during Shabbat services at their synagogue.

“We were so fortunate to experience Rabbi YY Jacobson,” remarked Rabbi Boruch Klar, co-director of The Shabbat House, who helped coordinate the weekend. “He has a remarkable grasp on the human condition, and so adeptly makes Judaism relevant to our everyday challenges.”

Perhaps one of the most significant initiatives at the Shabbat Project this year was the official announcement of Kulanu, a Hebrew school and social network for Jewish kids in public school, including those who left yeshiva to attend public school. The new initiative is being driven by the Shabbat Project Chairs: Ira Bloom, Moshe Glick and Larry Rein, and is expected to launch in spring 2019.