Shabbat Reflections from Head of School, Dr. Jonathan Levy

“More than the Jewish people keep Shabbat, Shabbat keeps the Jewish people.” —Ahad Ha’am

Last week, I had the privilege of spending Shabbat with the Holy Blossom Temple, Shaarei Shomayim and Forest Hill Jewish Centre communities. Since I live further north, I stayed in the Shaarei Shomayim neighborhood and was graciously hosted by Vizhnitzer Hassidim. Needless to say, it was an eclectic and memorable Shabbat experience that began Friday at 6:00 PM and continued well into Saturday night.

You might be wondering why I was in so many places… for the first time ever, TanenbaumCHAT hosted a community Shabbat, with services and dinners taking place at four different synagogues of various denominations all at the same time. Each was led by teams of dedicated TanenbaumCHAT staff and parent and student volunteers. Over 500 people attended, and were met with programs that offered a taste of what makes our school so special—spirited singing, student divrei Torah, prayers for Israel, and moments of guided conversation that reflected the values and diversity of our school.

What made the evening truly remarkable was how deeply it reflected our TanenbaumCHAT community. Families from across the spectrum of Jewish observance came together. Many tables were multigenerational, with grandparents, parents, students, and siblings sharing a Shabbat meal and meaningful conversation. With no requirement for synagogue membership or affiliation, we created a space for our community where everyone belonged.

Shabbat is an integral part of Jewish life, and it was a joy to experience it with our extended TanenbaumCHAT community, in all its diversity.

Special thanks to all of our staff who made this event possible, and to the Bloom family for their generous support.

Shabbat Shalom,

Head of School

To see photos from the first-ever Community Shabbat Dinner, click here.