A Chicago community-wide campaign
One small thing for Shabbos.
For one full month.
Every man, woman, and child takes on one extra way to honor Shabbos, held for the four weeks of the campaign. Learn at the table, set it Thursday night, sing the zemiros. Small commitments, taken on together.
Week 4 of 4 · Shabbos October 3
Participating Shuls:
📖 Week 4 raffle: mazel tov to The Dimbert Family! Everyone checked in — they’ve won a $100 gift card to Z Berman Chicago. Your family could be next: check in after Shabbos, all of you.
Why we’re doing this+
The Aruch LaNer tells us that when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos and the shofar goes silent, the year that follows tends to be extraordinary, for blessing or for tragedy. On that day it is not the shofar that pleads for Klal Yisroel. It is Shabbos itself that stands as our meilitz yosher, our advocate. How we hold Shabbos becomes how the year holds us.
This year, Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos again.
So this Elul we are doing our part, every man, woman, and child of the Chicago Jewish Community, to send Shabbos into the new year as our advocate. One small commitment, each week, together.
What our community has taken on
Every check-in adds to the count — watch it grow each week.
How it works
- 1
Pick your thing
Sign up with your name and email, and choose one or more Shabbos commitments to hold for all four weeks — for yourself, and for the children too.
- 2
Get a nudge
A friendly reminder arrives Thursday so you're ready before Shabbos, and again after Shabbos to check in.
- 3
Check in & keep going
Tap “I did it,” watch the community-wide numbers climb, and pick your commitment for next week — same thing, or something new.
What you can take on
When you sign up, adults and children each see the options meant for them.
Learn Hilchos Shabbos at the table
A few minutes of practical halacha at the seudah.
Prepare and say a dvar Torah at the table
Prepare something on the parsha to share at the seudah.
Be on time for brachos on Shabbos morning
Elevate your Shabbos through a committment to davening.
Set the Shabbos table Thursday night
Walk into Friday with the table already glowing.
Be fully dressed in bigdei Shabbos by zman hadlakas neiros (20 min before shkiyah)
Fully ready, dressed b'kavod, by the zman of candle lighting.
Say 3 perakim of Tehillim by candle lighting
Start Shabbos with Tehillim as the candles are lit.
Call someone who'd appreciate it before Shabbos
A parent, a grandparent, someone alone — a pre-Shabbos hello.
Wear bigdei Shabbos all through Shabbos
Your Shabbos best from candle lighting to havdalah.
Spend 15 minutes helping prepare for Shabbos
Set the table, help in the kitchen — 15 minutes of kavod Shabbos.
Sing zemiros at the table
Bring the niggunim — lead or join the zemiros at the seudah.
Children: come to shul and stay through Kabbalas Shabbos
Be there from Lecha Dodi through the end.
Be ready for Shabbos by zman hadlakas neiros (20 min before shkiyah)
Avoid the last minute rush into Shabbos.
Bentch from a bentcher at every Shabbos seudah
Word by word, from the page.
Invite a guest to a Shabbos meal
Share your table with someone new.
Clear the table after a seudah
A simple, real way to give kavod to Shabbos.
Refrain from speaking during at least one complete tefillah on Shabbos
Let's keep the focus on davening during this special day.
Purchase or prepare one special item each week in honor of Shabbos
A dish, a flower, a treat - something that exists only because it's Shabbos.
Set aside 20 min a week for hilchos Shabbos or kedushas Shabbos
Learn on your own or join a shiur.
🖍️ For the children: download the Shabbos Helpers Guide — fifteen jobs with titles worth owning, and a fridge checklist to go with them.
Weekly $100 Gift Card Raffle — every family where everyone checks in is entered to win a $100 gift card to Z Berman Chicago