TABLET MAG
A Different Spin on Shabbat
Flora Tsapovsky
September 15, 2024

This past summer, New York-based Jewish screenwriter Yoni Weinberg attended Sababafest, a three-day music festival in New Jersey that was advertised as “the happiest Shabbos of the year.” That weekend delivered something Weinberg has been increasingly craving: a relaxed, safe, good time. At the same time, Genevieve Medow-Jenkins, the founder of Secular Sabbath, was hosting a breathwork, gong bath, and tea ceremony event at a local spa in West Hollywood, California. Meanwhile, that same weekend in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Shabbat Club was gathering at Moabet, a chic event space, over hummus and wine…Shabbat now finds itself as the centerpiece of clubby parties, holistic wellness experiences, social singles outings and interfaith dinners. While the central characteristics of Shabbat—unplugging from devices and fostering human connection—have always been malleable and easy to harness for different audiences, this time around, the urgency feels palpable. READ MORE