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Swanky, secular Shabbat parties keep popping up in NYC

JL;DR SUMMARY In New York City, a novel trend is emerging where Shabbat dinners blend traditional Jewish Sabbath customs with stylish, secular settings. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish IdentityNew York CityShabbatJewish FederationJewish HospitalityCultural ConnectionCommunity BuildingSecular TraditionsShtick ShabbatShabbat Club

Places mentioned

New York City, New York, United States
"A general decline in synagogue affiliation among non-Orthodox Jews means that many Jews celebrating Shabbat are doing so outside the confines of Jewish institutions. And in New York City, that has brought a new wave of ways to celebrate Shabbat in a more secular and aggressively stylish manner, outside traditional Jewish spaces."
Chinatown, New York, United States
"In the fall, at a Shtick Shabbat dinner in Chinatown, an elaborate Rosh Hashanah-themed, edible centerpiece allowed diners to swipe challah in honeycomb imported from upstate."
Williamsburg, New York, United States
"And this past summer, dozens of 20- and 30-somethings dressed up in their Shabbat best and went to a Friday night dinner at Moabet, an event space in Williamsburg run by the Israeli restaurant Reunion."
Paris, France
"That Paris soiree was put together by a group formed after Oct. 7 to fight against antisemitism in the fashion and beauty industries."
SoHo, New York, United States
"The recent CFDA dinner held at a restaurant at a stylish SoHo hotel was inspired by a similar one held in Paris during last falls Fashion Week there."
Greenwich Village, New York, United States
"Next month, acclaimed Israeli chef Einat Admony will host her first-ever Kabbalat Shabbat service at her Greenwich Village restaurant, Balaboosta, featuring traditional dishes like chraime (a spicy fish stew) and challah as well as a live Moroccan band."
Lower East Side, New York, United States
"While Shabbat Club continues to pop around New Yorks trendiest Jewish restaurants, Shtick, with its elaborate centerpieces and tablescapes, courtesy of Lobels personal stock, is moving to a permanent location on the Lower East Side in the spring, because, according to Lobel, New York needs more cool Jewish spaces."

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