Over one million expected to participate in this year’s Shabbat Project

Shabbat Project 2015

Building on the momentum from last year’s inaugural Shabbat Project in Toronto, organizers are gearing up for another successful run that will bring thousands of Jews from across the religious spectrum together to keep Shabbat and take part in Shabbat-related programs. 

The Shabbat Project started in 2013 after the chief rabbi of South Africa announced at a Jewish leadership conference that he wanted to start an initiative that would have all South African Jews keep one complete Shabbat on a certain date. 

Although his idea was met with skepticism, it quickly caught on and spread to more than 460 cities worldwide.

Howard English, marketing director for the Shabbat Project Toronto, which this year will be held Oct. 23-24, said there are about one million people around the world who are participating in the international event.

“So when someone participates in Toronto, they are actually participating in one of the largest Jewish unity initiatives ever. It’s grown globally, and we’re excited to be such a significant part of it,” English said.

“Last year, about 7,000 people participated directly in some way, by going to an event, by being hosted in a home, by volunteering. We expect even more participants this year and we know from our research that we had done with those who had participated how meaningful it was for them.”

English said that last year, 43 synagogues in the GTA took part in the event, and he expects more to sign on this year. 

“Whatever their level of observance, no one should feel alienated from this project. We respect anyone who wants to experience Shabbat as never before at a different level, and we will do everything we can to help them fulfil that objective,” English said.

“Even for those who are shomer Shabbat, who observe Shabbat strictly, what we’re saying is, it is obviously a wonderful thing to do, but all of us who are shomer Shabbat can always move toward a higher level of appreciation and experience,” he added.

“So our emphasis this year is on experiencing something, being able to say that I tasted Shabbat, I absorbed Shabbat in a different way and a more substantial way than I have before.”

Dena Bensalmon, director of the Shabbat Project in Toronto, said the grassroots project has been built from the ground up. 

“We got some good advice from South Africa two years ago. They said, ‘Don’t get stuck on an organizational level,’” she said. “If you call an organization or school or shul, and they say they’re not interested, that’s OK, because the people within that shul or school or organization probably are interested. If you figure out a way to get to them, they’ll figure out a way to bring it back to their school.”

She said a 15-page shul resource package was sent to 98 shuls in the GTA. 

“It includes everything from links, to an unofficial guide on how to keep Shabbat to ice breakers for teenagers who want to meet each other in the afternoon.”

Although programming is still taking shape, some of the main events include a cholent cook-off and tasting on Oct. 19-20, the Great Big Challah Bake on Oct. 22 at the Scarborough Convention Centre, and Havdalah programs at various locations throughout the GTA on Oct. 24.

“At the Challah bake last year, we had 2,340 people and this year, we’ll have 2,500. We had 1,000 on the waiting list last year, and I assume we’re going to have 1,000 on a waiting list again this year,” Bensalmon said.

“The challah bake is huge. It is without a doubt Canada’s largest challah bake,” English said. “There is a spirit to the event, which is very moving and life-altering for some of the women.”

As for the programs being organized for motza’ei Shabbat, there will be a number of concerts and events held at various synagogues throughout the GTA.

“This year, rather than competing with synagogues that are organizing post-Shabbat Havdalah events, what we’re going to do is list the events that are taking place and a Shabbat Project representative will be at all the major events to thank everyone for participating, and particularly the shul for performing this wonderful mitzvah of celebrating Shabbat,” English said.