To me, Shabbat is a reminder of what truly matters in life. Connecting with good people, reflecting on our values and learnings and putting our busy lives on pause. Growing up, I was too focused on spending time with my friends and didn’t prioritize family time as much as I should have. But almost every Friday night my parents ensured we did Shabbat dinner together – friends were always welcome! – a tradition in my home that I’m especially thankful to my Mom for keeping.

Whenever we visit my Mom’s side of the family in Dallas, we always had Shabbat dinner at my Zaide’s house. That home was the central gathering place for my family for over 50 years. When my grandpa moved out, I took a plant and the house plans from 1962 which are still in my home in Baltimore.

OneTable Shabbat is a great platform to make Shabbat easy and engaging for you and your community. They have a human-centered approach to onboarding their hosts and help you get into the mood for a Shabbat every time you host.

Every Friday night, whether it’s a Shabbat dinner or just a gathering with friends, I try to ask those around me to reflect and share either a personal reflection or a spiritual learning from their week.

For me, being a YAD Shabbat Host has given me a reason to host unique gatherings in our “Reimagination” Shabbat Series, which has explored Endings and Permissions thus far.

Its an opportunity to apply the principles of unique gatherings we use in the values-driven social club I’ve co-founded.

I’ve also been a Justice Leaders Fellow with the Institute for Islamic, Christian, & Jewish Studies. These Shabbats provided an inter-religious opportunity for our Young Adult Jewish community and folks from a variety of backgrounds – some of whom have never experienced a Shabbat – to experience the joys of a Shabbat dinner: community, rest, meaningful dialogue and reflection!