What Is the Shabbat? Honoring a Sacred Tradition and Helping the Poor in Israel

What is the Shabbat?

Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, is a weekly day of rest, reflection, and spiritual connection. Beginning at sunset on Friday and ending at nightfall on Saturday, Shabbat has been observed by the Jewish people for thousands of years. It is rooted in the Torah, where God rested on the seventh day after creating the world.

More than just a day off, Shabbat is a cornerstone of Jewish identity. It’s a time to pause from work, gather with family, pray, and reconnect with what truly matters. By setting aside the hustle of daily life, Shabbat offers a sacred rhythm that nourishes the soul.

Key customs, rituals, and traditions

Shabbat observance includes a blend of customs and traditions that set it apart from all other days of the week:

• Lighting candles before sunset on Friday night
• Enjoying meals with family and friends
• Blessing wine and challah bread
• Attending synagogue services
• Refraining from work and active technology use to fully engage with the moment

   

When Shabbat is observed, it brings a peaceful atmosphere to the home and heart. 

Colel Chabad and its mission to support poor people in Israel

While many families joyfully welcome Shabbat each week, countless others in Israel face a different reality. Hunger, financial strain, and poverty make it difficult – if not impossible – for them to celebrate the way they yearn to.

That’s where Colel Chabad steps in. As Israel’s longest-operating Jewish charity, Colel Chabad is dedicated to ensuring that no one is left out of Shabbat. Through food packages, warm meals, and essential support, they help poor families honor this sacred day with dignity and joy.

Poverty in Israel: An ongoing challenge

Israel is a vibrant and thriving country, but poverty remains a serious challenge. Over 20% of Israeli households live below the poverty line, and one in three children is affected. The elderly, single mothers, and immigrants are particularly vulnerable.

These numbers are more than statistics – they represent real people who struggle daily to put food on the table and care for their families.

Impact of food insecurity

Food insecurity is especially painful around Shabbat and Jewish holidays. The joy of a shared meal, the richness of traditional foods, the comfort of togetherness –  these become sources of stress when resources are scarce. What should feel sacred and celebratory can instead feel like a time of anxiety, exclusion, and disappointment.

For many families struggling with new or continued financial hardship, the inability to celebrate Shabbat as they once did –  or in the meaningful way they believe it should be – creates a deep void.

Struggling to Celebrate Shabbat

Shabbat is meant to be a day of peace, joy, and spiritual elevation. It’s a time to step away from daily struggles and connect deeply with God, family, and community. But when poverty enters the picture, Shabbat can become a source of anxiety rather than comfort.

Instead of looking forward to candlelight, songs, and festive meals, families may dread the arrival of Shabbat, knowing they can’t afford even the most basic food –  let alone meat, fish, challah, or wine. These aren’t luxuries in Jewish tradition. They are staples of honoring the holiness of the day.

The inability to celebrate Shabbat the way it’s meant to be observed creates more than just a physical gap. It creates an emotional and spiritual one. It leaves families feeling disconnected from their community, unable to pass down traditions to their children, and burdened with a quiet sense of loss.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. When we support those in need, we help restore Shabbat to what it’s meant to be –  a day of rest, joy, abundance, and connection.

How Colel Chabad supports Shabbat for the poor people in Israel

Every week, Colel Chabad delivers Shabbat food packages to families across Israel. These boxes are filled with essentials like challah, wine or grape juice, fresh produce, and chicken – everything needed for a dignified Shabbat table.

In addition to home deliveries, Colel Chabad operates soup kitchens in over 22 locations, serving thousands of hot meals to those in need. For many elderly and isolated individuals, this is their only opportunity to celebrate Shabbat in a communal setting.

Emergency response efforts during crisis

When conflict or disaster strikes, Colel Chabad ramps up its efforts. Whether it’s during wartime, economic hardship, or natural disasters, the organization ensures that families still receive the support they need to keep Shabbat.

They’ve provided urgent food aid to displaced families, delivered meals during lockdowns, and stood by vulnerable populations through every kind of crisis.

Special programs for children, widows, orphans, and the elderly

Colel Chabad runs special programs for children, including after-school clubs and holiday camps, giving them a safe, nurturing environment steeped in Jewish values. 

They also operate a dedicated widow charity program that offers long-term support, financial aid, and dignity to women navigating life after loss.

For orphans, Colel Chabad provides financial support, therapy, and educational assistance – helping them rebuild their lives.

And for the elderly, Shabbat can be a lonely time. Colel Chabad addresses this by offering companionship, holiday programming, and warm meals that bring light back into their lives.

How you can help poor people in Israel

Ways you can support Colel Chabad’s efforts

Supporting Shabbat for those in need is a powerful act of цдака. Your help ensures that poor people in Israel can celebrate Shabbat with dignity, joy, and connection.

You can:

• Пожертвовать вдовам и сиротам who rely on Colel Chabad’s care
  
• Поддерживать Добровольные упаковщики, where volunteers pack food staples for hungry families
  
• Give with purpose – rooted in Jewish charity and tzedakah in the Torah
• Пожертвовать бедным в Израиле to make sure no one is left behind
  

The impact of individual and community action on Shabbat celebrations

Every gift-large or small-makes a difference. When individuals and communities unite in giving, they create a ripple effect of hope, dignity, and connection. A single donation can bring warmth to a table, a smile to a child’s face, and peace to an elderly heart.

Donation options, volunteering, spreading awareness

Whether you donate, volunteer your time, or share this mission with others, your actions help restore the holiness of Shabbat for families who need it most.

How can I help Israel now? It starts with one act of tzedakah that brings joy, dignity, and connection to those who would otherwise go without.

There are many ways to get involved:

• Set up a monthly donation
• Dedicate a gift in honor or memory of a loved one
• Volunteer with Colel Chabad’s local programs
• Share this mission with friends, family, and community networks
  
  

You can be part of something timeless and incredibly meaningful. You can help vulnerable people celebrate Shabbat with joy and honor.

Заключение

Shabbat is more than a day of rest. It’s a gift of peace, tradition, and community. But for many poor people in Israel, a real celebration of the day is out of reach. 

Colel Chabad ensures that no Jew is left behind. Through food, support, and compassion, they help families observe Shabbat with dignity and joy.

You can be part of that mission.

By supporting Colel Chabad, you bring light into homes, nourishment to tables, and hope to hearts. Together, we can ensure that the sacred tradition of Shabbat continues to shine for all.