The Great Shabbat
The Shabbat immediately preceding Passover is known as Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Shabbat. It is best known for being the Shabbat on which the rabbi of the community (or another leading…
Counting Shabbat
“And the maiden [Esther] pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily provided her with her ointments, along with her appointed rations, and with the seven maids, which…
A Shabbat Addition
Feasting on Shabbat is one of the primary ways in which Jews observe the commandment to remember (zachor) the Sabbath day. With a special meal on Friday night, another for Shabbat lunch…
Shabbat Day Songs
Zmirot are the songs that celebrate the holiness and beauty of Shabbat. There are designated zmirot for each of the three Shabbat meals, and even post-Shabbat zmirot. Two of the most…
Who Lights The Shabbat Candles?
While lighting Shabbat candles is generally considered a “woman’s mitzvah,” and is traditionally performed by the woman of the house, it is actually an obligation of the entire household.…
Make it a Great Shabbat
Celebrate Shabbat HaGadol by learning more about Passover traditions and rituals. There’s also a significance to the name Shabbat HaGadol, the Great Shabbat, in that it focuses both on…
Who Lights The Shabbat Candles?
While lighting Shabbat candles is generally considered a "woman's mitzvah," and is traditionally performed by the woman of the house, it is actually an obligation of the entire household.…
The Erev Shabbat Israeli Declaration of Independence
Israeli independence is celebrated on the Hebrew date of the 5th of Iyar, rather than on the corresponding secular date of May 14th. In order to avoid any potential desecration of the…
This Shabbat
Make plans to celebrate Shabbat in honor of Shabbat Across America and Canada.
Wearing White for Shabbat
It is a well-known custom that Jews wear white on Yom Kippur in order to reflect the purity of angels on that holy day. It is a lesser known custom that Jews wear white at the Passover…