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"More than Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews."
-Achad Ha’am

I have always appreciated a quote that makes me stop and think. This one was the theme of a recent “Shabbat Across America” we participated in at the beginning of the year and I have been thinking about it ever since. Every Friday evening, I enjoy the privilege of welcoming congregants and guests to Shabbat services. I haven’t had many Friday nights “out” since I started working at TI, and personally, I wouldn’t want it any other way. I love the community, seeing the familiar faces (shout out to our regulars!), and welcoming those who come to worship, honor a Yahrzeit, mourn loved ones, or celebrate simchas. I happily tell people that Shabbat services are my favorite part of the job. 

But how has Shabbat kept the Jews? Even for me, being at the doors on Friday evening often adds up to a long week and I remember times in my life when making it to services on time simply seemed too much. Especially in this super busy society we live in. After a long week of work, shuttling kids to and from Religious School, hockey and piano lessons, running errands, and doing chores, who wants to rush to Temple on a Friday night when all we want is to sit down, have a glass of wine, and start the weekend? Well, after pondering over this quote for a few months, I finally truly realized what the Rabbis mention almost every single week: while people come to Shabbat services for so many different reasons, interestingly enough, they all come to the same place at the same time and still seem to find what they are looking for. Isn’t that alone just the most magical and powerful concept?

While there are many answers, I guess we can agree on one of the reasons Shabbat has kept the Jews in generations past and generations yet to come; the deep knowing of rooted belonging as we come together all over the world, every single week at the same time, reciting the same words, and uniting in the realization that this is the one place we can always return to. And because over thousands of years, it’s proven to be a very effective way to simply sit down and literally begin to rest.

I invite you to join us for the original version of "Friday night lights" and explore how Shabbat keeps you. It may be a bit of a rush sometimes to get here, but we have that glass of wine waiting for you!

Find out more at: www.ti-stl.org/Shabbat

Martina Stern
Director of Special Events
mstern@ti-stl.org | 314-432-8050 x233