'Powerful and very inspiring': The Shabbat Project turns 12

Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein, nan main rabbi of South Africa, and his wife, Gina, started The Shabbat Project, a world activity to promote Jews of each levels of religion to observe Shabbat, successful 2013. This year, from sunset connected Friday, Nov. 15, until nan stars travel retired connected Saturday, Jewish group from astir nan world will travel together to observe this ineffable time of remainder and reestablish a relationship to God and pinch each other.

The Shabbat Project originates each twelvemonth pursuing nan Torah information Vayera, which shows nan hospitality of Abraham, whose shelter was ever unfastened to invited strangers. The first Shabbat Project was held successful nan Chief Rabbi’s location country, wherever 30,000 South African Jews filled synagogues, attended post-Shabbat concerts and attended a "dinner nether nan stars," according to The Jerusalem Post. The task has grown exponentially since past – Rabbi Goldstein said he expects location will beryllium complete a cardinal participants this year, from 1,500 cities and crossed 100 countries.

Rabbi Goldstein is seen speaking successful Johannesburg, South Africa, connected Nov. 9, 2023. (The Shabbat Project)

Festivities will see challah bakes, concerts and mitzvah (good deed) auctions dedicated to hostages and soldiers successful Israel, and group locally who request healing, according to Robin Meyerson, Director of nan North American Shabbat Project.

Rabbi Goldstein described Shabbat arsenic a "divine gift." He explained really watching Shabbat honors nan gift of family, faith, and connecting pinch others "in a world wherever each of these values are arsenic captious arsenic they are progressively elusive." He added that Shabbat gives "one time each week and we are free and blessed. And it is ne'er much than six days away."

Rabbi Goldstein told Fox News Digital that Shabbat has ever been a psyche mate and changeless companion that has accompanied Jewish group passim history, bringing "peace, inspiration, remainder and respite, nary matter what we person faced." During these formidable times, while warfare rages successful nan Middle East and location is simply a monolithic world surge of antisemitism, he emphasized that Shabbat "fortifies america pinch a consciousness of purpose, giving america nan courageousness and spot to withstand nan challenges of Jewish history."

Tomer Weiner, 26, relayed to Fox News Digital really he and his girlfriend, Shoval Roberman, 24, survived nan Oct. 7, 2023 Supernova euphony show massacre successful confederate Israel, wherever Hamas terrorists murdered 364 young festivalgoers, and abducted astir 40, done "thousands of miracles."

Tomer Weiner says he and his girlfriend, Shoval Roberman, 24, survived nan Oct. 7, 2023 Supernova euphony show massacre done "thousands of miracles." (Tomer Weiner)

Weiner relayed really his birthday, Oct. 14, fell connected Shabbat nan week aft nan panic attacks, and was "a ceremony of life." He said that he "thanked God for keeping maine safe aft what we've been through." In nan Shabbat Project motorboat video, he described nan holiness of nan atmosphere.

"People look astatine each other’s eyes without being connected nan compartment phone," he said. "Everybody is truthful united."

Columbia Law student Eli Shmidman, 27, said Shabbat has unified students connected campus. After a twelvemonth of battling antisemitism, students who had ne'er kept Shabbat earlier saw that Shabbat "is thing that uniquely identifies america arsenic who we are," and felt a beardown desire to link pinch it, he said.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a grounds 477% summation successful field anti-Israel incidents involving vandalism, harassment and battle passim nan 2023-24 schoolhouse year.

Shmidman described really non-Jewish friends who had offered their support besides wanted to acquisition what Shabbat was like.

Columbia Law student Eli Shmidman, 27, said Shabbat has unified students connected campus. (The Shabbat Project)

"They besides recovered it very powerful and very inspiring," he said. 

In The Shabbat Project video, Israeli released hostage Sapir Cohen, 29, described really she made a pact pinch God earlier she was abducted to Gaza. As terrorists collapsed down nan door, she promised, "God, I will support Shabbat. I will support Shabbat." She said that she ever believed successful God, and told herself, "If you are successful Gaza, it’s because God sent you here."

Robin Meyerson and Sapir Cohen are pictured, pinch Cohen holding nan book "Shabbat: A Day to Create Yourself," by Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein. (The Shabbat Project)

Cohen was abducted from her boyfriend’s parent’s location connected Kibbutz Nir Oz connected Oct. 7, 2023, wherever 40 group were murdered and 79 kidnapped, including her boyfriend, Sasha Troufanov, 28, who is still being held hostage, according to reports. 

Several months ago, Cohen said astatine Congregation Beth Tefillah of Arizona astir really putting everything speech connected Shabbat makes her consciousness free.

"I consciousness bid successful my assemblage and successful my mind," she said. "This bid gives maine a batch of power to commencement a caller week." 

In nan video, Cohen said that she dedicates Shabbat to nan soldiers and their loved ones, and to nan hostages who are still successful Gaza.

To spot The Shabbat Project commercial, please click here.