Celebrating Shabbat - Holy Blossom Temple

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Doing Shabbat:
H o w We A p p r o a c h S h a b b a t i n
t h e R e l i g i o u s S c h o o l
In the words of Ahad Ha’Am, the leading Spiritual Zionist
thinker, “More than the Jew has kept Shabbat, Shabbat has
kept the Jew.”
How is this observation relevant to the learning and
experience of Shabbat in our Religious School community?
Of everything we live, learn and breathe in school, Shabbat
is the core of what we’re about as Jews. Each grade explores
the rituals of Kiddush/wine,
motzi/challah, and more as
they are explained and taught
– there is nothing better than
hands-on programs that not
only talk Shabbat but do
Shabbat.
While we provide numerous
opportunities for families
to join together for Shabbat
experiences within the
Religious School program –
nonetheless, talking about a
Shabbat community is one
thing, but creating a Shabbat
community, celebrating
Shabbat – to experience the
beauty of the rhythm, the
cadence and spirit of the day –
that is quite another matter.
Shabbat by Grade is a
wonderful opportunity for
children, their parents, too,
to experience our Shabbat
morning Family Service (followed by a community lunch).
Children prepare a special song, a prayer, or skit during
our Religious School program and bring those teachings
and learning to life. Parents are amazed when their children
stand in front of their community! And, we make Shabbat
Debbie Speigal
Director of Education
dspiegel@holyblossom.org
come alive where it is lived: in our homes and in our
synagogue.
Other occasions of Doing Shabbat come at various
Grade-level Shabbat programs. How wonderful it is to
have students and their families enter our Synagogue
community for Kabbalat Shabbat services – our families
praying together, then sharing a delightful dinner together.
Animated text study compliments the evening. Families
joining together enhance the
community as the community
enhances the family.
Another opportunity, perhaps
the most significant experience
of DOING SHABBAT, is
the Shabbat when we take
our students away on retreat.
Whether our Grade 7 retreat
or the Shabbat we spend in
Jerusalem on the Confirmation
trip – these are different and
special, unique moments in
time, not often replicated: no
cellphones, no distractions, just
the self, the Jewish community,
and we hope, God. Here
our students understand the
importance of the time, as
well as the holiness of the
experience.
So, our Religious school strives
to learn and then live the
insight of Ahad Ha’am. We need our community for the
multitude of supports, but our community also needs the
people to celebrate, experience and learn together the beauty
of Shabbat, indeed, its glory.
Holy Blossom Temple