FROM THE EDITOR

SHABBAT: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
WHAT CAN IT BE?

O f all the Jewish holidays, Shabbat is arguably the most well-known — but it is also widely ignored. Lurking at the end of each week, Shabbat is prone to be taken for granted or to be seen as workaday — an odd paradox for a day meant to signify a cessation of work. With its sheer frequency, Shabbat easily morphs into a non-holy day, shorn of the pomp of Rosh Hashanah or the circumstance of a Seder. Added to this is its association with stringent strictures and prohibitive rules, and it is no wonder that a majority of Jews prefer Saturday to Shabbat.

And yet, historically, Shabbat has been a centerpiece of the Jewish calendar and a linchpin of Jewish cultural life. In every generation, its ideals have informed Jewish values and practice across the religious spectrum. Can Shabbat continue to be instructive and even inspiring to Jews for whom the strictures of religious observance have little appeal? Are the ideals at the core of Shabbat incompatible with modern life, or can elements of Shabbat find receptivity in a fast-paced society hungry for moments of peace?

The essays in this issue of CONTACT examine the potential of Shabbat for individual sustenance and communal reinvigoration. Whether through explorations of the evolution in the ways in which we perceive Shabbat, visions for the future of Shabbat in Jewish life and in American society, or glimpses into novel and unique ways of commemorating the weekly holiday, the articles share a passion for Shabbat and a dedication to sharing its age-old message of Shalom.

Eli Valley