The Chabad House is located on the 40th block of Spruce Street.
Credit: Amelia SharpePenn’s Jewish Heritage Programs hosted Shabbat Unlimited, an opportunity to celebrate Shabbat with over 1,000 students across campus, on Nov. 22.
Shabbat Unlimited is a semesterly program designed to support Jewish culture and traditions and foster a general sense of community among all students, according to the JHP website. By providing the resources to host a Shabbat dinner, including free meals, JHP hoped to encourage students from various backgrounds and religions to come together over food.
“One thing that we try to do is target larger groups,” Maddie Katz, Wharton junior and the interim president of JHP, said. “Whether they’re Jewish or not, we just want to have as many people on campus hosting a Shabbat dinner, and setting up mixers and big events.”
Katz and the other coordinators of Shabbat Unlimited began preparing for the event at the beginning of the semester. Students who were interested in hosting a dinner signed up with a form on the JHP Instagram. JHP members then assembled each individual order according to the size of the celebration and any specific food requests or other accommodations.
Each order included roasted chicken and carrots, mashed potatoes, challah, wine, and dessert, along with candles and a booklet about the celebration. The meals were prepared for pickup at the Chabad house, located on Spruce Street between 40th and 41st streets.
“JHP makes it so easy to celebrate,” Katz said. “I’ve heard a lot of excitement from some of the people that have picked up. They’re excited to either host again or host for the first time.”
Katz shared her own story of finding community within JHP. Self-described as “not Orthodox in any way,” Katz said that she came across JHP because of her sister.
“Coming to Penn my freshman year, they took me in like family,” Katz said. “It was so meaningful to me how strong and supportive the community, especially the Jewish community, was here on campus."
College sophomore and JHP Vice President Jake Ziman noted the value of gathering together over a meal.
“People are so busy,” Ziman said. “They don’t usually sit with all of their friends in the same room at once for a few hours uninterrupted, just catching up and talking about life. And that’s exactly what we’re able to do.”
The ease and excitement of Shabbat Unlimited resonated with Ziman, who not not only helped plan the celebration, but hosted his own dinner for around 30 people. Ziman recalled how some of his friends and other students were “taken aback” during the signup process and wondered whether the food was really free.
“They’re like, ‘what do you mean I get to host on my own terms, with my own friends?’” Ziman said. “It’s not every day that we get to do something like this – being able to connect over food.”
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