By Justin Coskey, Special to the Jewish Sound
I recently had the opportunity to interview Daniel Cohen, an active young adult in the Jewish community of greater Seattle, on his most recent endeavor, The Shabbos Project. While the Shabbos Project is an international organization and event, Daniel came up with the idea for a Seattle chapter, and has worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality.
Jewish Sound: Daniel, tell us a little about yourself.
Daniel Cohen: I come from a traditional Jewish home. I always went to an Orthodox Jewish synagogue, but didn’t always identify as orthodox. I am a graduate of the Jewish Day School and Northwest Yeshiva High School. I’m currently at yeshiva in Israel.
Jewish Sound: What exactly is The Shabbos Project?
DC: The Shabbos Project, or the Shabbat Project, is an effort to bring together as many Jews as possible from every walk of life across the spectrum of religious affiliation (or lack thereof) to keep one Shabbat together on October 24-25.
Jewish Sound: Why are you doing this project? What’s your inspiration?
DC: My parents are South African, and I was inspired by South Africa’s Shabbos Project program last year. I thought, “Living in Seattle, so much of the community is really in its own little world. The Orthodox keep to themselves, the Reform and Conservative keep to themselves, and nobody really knows each other, so nobody really communicates.” This seems like the perfect opportunity for the Seattle Jewish community to unite under a banner of Jewish pride.
Jewish Sound: When you first proposed the idea for Seattle to have a Shabbos Project, what was the reception you got?
DC: When I proposed this, from all sides there was a lot of support. A meeting was held at the Stroum JCC, and many Jewish organizations jumped in and quickly got involved. There was a lot of excitement from all over the place.
Jewish Sound: You managed to raise a lot of money for the Shabbos Project. Could you talk a little bit about the fundraising process?
DC: We used J-Kick, the Seattle Jewish Federation’s platform for crowdfunding. We basically sent out lots of emails and put out lots of publicity on Facebook, encouraging people to donate to our J-Kick page. We also approached a number of larger donors, and in the end, thank God, our campaign had the most amount of money, and we reached the tipping point of our goal, so we received all the money that was donated to us.
Jewish Sound: How else is the planning process going?
DC: It’s going very well. We’ve already started the publicity for the Challah Make and Take, which is going to be held on Thursday, October 23. People can sign up online. We’ve also put up many posters publicizing the Shabbos Project as well as the challah bake all over Jewish schools and shuls all over the city. We also have many “Shabbat Kits” that are being distributed to families who are committing to the Shabbos project and who commit to having someone else over for a Shabbat meal. Schools across the city are making challah covers that will be in the kits. There will be Shabbat guides available as well for everyone.
Jewish Sound: What are the activities going to be like on Shabbat?
DC: Shabbat itself is really based on each sub-community within Seattle, and each individual, but our job is to provide information and materials to make that Shabbat experience as accessible as possible for everyone. In each community, different synagogues are doing different things. For example, many Synagogues will be serving Shabbat dinners, and others have Havdalah programs planned. Overall, though, everyone will have a warm, community oriented Shabbat experience.
Jewish Sound: What are your hopes and expectations for this project?
DC: My hope, expectation, and goal for the project are to have as many people as possible participating by stepping outside their comfort zone and doing one Shabbat-oriented mitzvah. If they usually leave their phone on, this week, they leave their phone off. If they usually don’t light candles, this week they light candles. If they usually don’t have a meal with their family, this week they have a meal with their family. If they usually don’t make Kiddush, this week, they make Kiddush. The more people that do that, the more people are united together in the Seattle community, and our community thereby will be united with world Jewry through our participation in this event.
Jewish Sound: What can people do to help and promote this cause?
DC: First of all, spread publicity and awareness. People can take the Shabbat guides to help them to create their Shabbat, and they can also come to the Challah Make and Take. People can organize Shabbat dinners for their neighbors and community, inviting over their friends and family. People can do that one thing that they usually don’t do during Shabbat. Everyone should also sign up for the Shabbos Project on our website, and participate in it on October 24 and 25.
JT: Assume that I’m just some Joe Schmoe, and I don’t know too much about the Shabbos Project. Why should I participate?
DC: Well Joe, just think about how building and powerful it is. In a world today where there’s a lot of pressure on Israel and the Jews, it’s extremely important for us to stick together, and to connect to what makes us who we are, which is our heritage. That’s why you should participate. Plus, the Shabbat experience is not something you can find easily. Just the atmosphere of sitting down with your family, lighting candles, making Kiddush, no devices. The whole world falls away and you have a chance to reflect on what matters most.
Jewish Sound: Thank you so much Daniel.
DC: Thanks. Be well.
For more information about the Shabbos Project, visit TheShabbosProject.org, like the Facebook page at Facebook.com/theShabbosProjectSeattle, or email Seattle@TheShabbosProject.com.
Justin Coskey is a senior at Northwest Yeshiva High School. He is the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Northern Light, and he fully supports the Shabbos Project.