Gut Shabes!
Good Shabes!
!שבת גוט
Welcome to our Second Friday Shabes gathering – a time to reflect, relax and connect.
Each monthly Shabes gathering is hosted by community members. Tonight’s hosts are (insert your names). Please make sure to sign your name and email address on the sign in sheet so we can send you a reminder each month. Also, we need two monthly hosts to keep this activity going, so if you would consider co-hosting or in joining the planning committee, please indicate that next to your name.
Poem: To Light the Candles (Feel free to insert your own poem or reading here)
To light candles for all the world-that is Shabes
To light Shabes candles
Is a soul-leap pregnant with potential
Into a splendid sea, in the mystery
Of the fire of sunset
Blessing over the Shabes candles (have someone light the candles while you say the following…)
The Lighting of the Shabes candles marks the transition from the every-day to a special, spiritual moment of reflection.
For the traditional Hebrew blessing, we say:
Boruch Atah Adonoi Elohenu Melech ho'olom
asher kedshanu b'mitzvasov vetsivanu l'hadlik ner shel shabbat.
In Yiddish, we say:
Mir bagrisn shabes.
Zol di likht bashaynen undzer velt mit sholem un sheynkayt.
In English, that means:
We welcome the week’s end in the tradition of our people.
May these candles bring warmth and light into our lives.
Hiney Ma Tov (or any other song, recording or nign you like)
Hiney ma tov uma nayim
shevet aḥchim gam ya-chad
Oh what a world it would be if
All men could live as brothers.
(Translation - Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity -Psalm 33)
Poem: (or insert your own)
Don’t walk in front of me - I may not follow
Don’t walk behind me - I may not lead
Just walk beside me and be my friend
And together we will walk in theland of HaShem
Six Days (This is lovely done with each person saying a “Six days” line, and the group responding with the “Tonight” line)
Six days we talk
Tonight we listen
Six days we build
Tonight we rest
Six days we take care of others
Tonight we nurture ourselves
Six days we work to change our world
Tonight we are renewed by what is eternal
Six days we plan for the future
Tonight we are enveloped in the present
Six days we eat and drink in haste
Tonight we savor the taste of bread and wine and feel the bond of the world that feeds us
Six days we teach
Tonight we learn
Six days we hear the clamor
Tonight we listen for clarity
Six days we struggle to expand our influence
Tonight we are dissolved in a greater influence
Six days we focus our vision on the task at hand
Tonight we look beyond what we can see
[Together]
May each of us find our Sabbath peace.
Shabes sharing: This is a time for the group to share/talk with one another. You can ask a question for discussion; ask people to share something from their life; etc., etc. Take 10-12 minutes for this section. Here are some examples you can use, modify or change completely:
What is one thing you could add/subtract/change in your life to help you take a breath and step out of your daily routine?
What do you remember about shabes from your childhood?
In a perfect world, how would you (and your family) mark shabes in your home?
What’s one thing that could help you feel the shabes mood tonight?
Blessing over the wine (have people pour wine into their glasses first)
In Hebrew:
Boruch Atah Adonoi Elohenu Melekh ho’olom
Bo’re pri hagofen.
In Yiddish:
Tsum sof-vokh, freyen mir zikh tsu nemen a glezele vayn tsuzamen.
In English:
As we come to week’s end, we are grateful
That we can share the fruit of the vine together.
Blessing over the challah (pass around the challah – everyone tears off a piece)
In Hebrew:
Boruch Atah Adonoi Elohenu Melekh ho’olom
hamotzi lekhem min ha'aretz.
In Yiddish:
Loytn yidishn mineg, teyln mir khale, di frukht fun der erd.
In English:
In the tradition of our people, we share bread, the fruit of the earth.
As the great doors of night are opening
We are welcomed into the clean quiet room of Shabes
Boston Workmen’s Circle • 1762 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02445• 617-566-6281