ANT KATZ

The international Shabbos Project has brought together over 1 500 partners in over 320 cities and 35 countries. Not to be left out, the women from the Women’s International Zionist Organisation (WIZO), initiated an affiliated global communal candle-lighting #SpreadingLight as part of the Project.

Diane Wolfson writes from Pretoria that Monday evening saw WIZO Pretoria kick-start the Shabbos Project with a ”Dessert Demo”, taste and tea, under the topic “Sharing the sweetness of Shabbat” and #SpreadingLight.

RIGHT: Amy Gamsu Price with Elayne Ossip, Chairlady, WIZO Pretoria

WIZO Pretoria Chairman Elayne Ossip, welcomed everyone and spoke about Shabbat, followed by a short message from Pretoria’s Rabbi Gidon Fox.

Each woman received a recipe book and Shabbos candle pack with beautiful cards with the prayer for candle-lighting. WIZO worldwide has joined the Shabbos Project, joining to light Shabbat candles, give tzedakah and add a special prayer for Israel and the Jewish people in unity and hope.

Pretoria’s WIZO women lighting their candles in unity

West Street Shul in Johannesburg will be having a truly unique Shabbat and have themed the whole Shabbat around a wedding as Shabbat is compared to a bride.

Garden cocktails

There will be a cocktail reception in the garden 45 minutes before Shabbat with drinks and cocktails. For the bedecking, the shul has committed to #SpreadingLight as part of the WIZO-initiated global communal candle-lighting. There will then be a chuppah in the garden for Kabbalat Shabbat where the chazzan will sing under the stars.

LEFT: WIZO women in Paraguay getting into the act

After shul on Shabbat morning there will be sheva brachot with shiurim and good food, making it a fantastic festive celebration.

Actress Mayim Bialik and fashion designer Joyce Azria have also joined the list of high-profile Nobel Prizewinners, international sports stars, a US vice-presidential candidate and Jews of every nationality, ethnicity and level of observance, who will be participating in the Shabbos Project.

WIZO women in Italy have also joined the #SpreadingLight component of the Shabbos Project
 

WIZO #SpreadingLight in countries around the world, such as Greece, Paraguay, Italy, Ecuador and Brazil. WIZO Frankfurt is holding a communal Shabbat dinner while WIZO India is holding a “Challah Bake” class, says Tamar Lazarus, president of WIZO South Africa.

WIZO will also be donating candles and matches with brachot in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Paula Abdul signed up

In aid of his brainchild, the Shabbos Project, Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein sent an e-mail to world-famous American singer Paula Abdul in the US, who is Jewish. Abdul had no hesitation pledging her support for this worthy project.

Fifteen million people have visited the Shabbos Project website since January and an estimated one million people will be participating in the global initiative.

WIZO women in Greece are also celebrating 

On Wednesday evening “The Great Cape Town Challah Bake” takes place and on Thursday October 23, “The Great Johannesburg Challah Bake.”

From LA to London, Melbourne to Moscow, Buenos Aires to Berlin, Jerusalem to Johannesburg, Toronto to Tokyo, in every corner of the globe, people are joining the biggest global Jewish unity event the world has ever seen.

A WIZO member in Quito with her candles lit 

“Together, in cities around the world, let us bask in the joy and serenity of Shabbat, and tap into the unique energies and opportunities that it affords us,” says Chief Rabbi Goldstein, who is spending the week in Israel co-ordinating the event. “By experiencing the magic of Shabbat just once, this is our chance to rejuvenate family and community life, restore Jewish pride and identity, and build Jewish unity across the globe!” he adds

Johannesburg

Among the shuls participating in the communal candle-lighting In Johannesburg are: Great Park, West Street, Edenvale, Chabad Savoy and Ohr Somayach, says WIZO, but “there are many others. WIZO is be donating candles and matches with brachot in Johannesburg and Cape Town.”

Great Park will be holding a massive street dinner while Chabad of Savoy and Ohr Somayach have joined forces to hold their own street dinner.

West Street Shul in Johannesburg will be having a truly unique Shabbat and have themed the whole Shabbat around a wedding as Shabbat is compared to a bride. There will be a cocktail reception in the garden 45 minutes before Shabbat with drinks and cocktails.

For the bedecking, the shul has then committed to #SpreadingLight as part of the WIZO-initiated global communal candle-lighting. There will then be a chuppah in the garden (with an aisle and all) for Kabbalat Shabbat where the chazzan will sing under the stars.

The shul hall will be adorned to resemble a magnificent wedding banquet with all congregants expected to dress the part. This will also involve dancing and a lot of festivities.

Brazil’s WIZO women have also got into the act

After shul on Shabbat morning there will be sheva brachot with more surprises, shiurim and good food, making it a fantastic festive celebration, rejoicing in the union of Am Yisrael and the Shabbos.

WIZO #SPREADINGLIGHT is still adding countries to their campaign daily.

At this stage Greece, Paraguay, Italy, Ecuador and Porto Alegra in Brazil have already started their activities and sent in pictures.

• WIZO Frankfurt is holding a communal Shabbat dinner.
• WIZO India is holding a Challa Bake class and also a Shabbat and its Preparation Class

Tamar Lazarus, president of WIZO South Africa and her team, have really played their part in helping take the Shabbos Project to the world.