JEWiSH MNers.... would you mind describing how you celebrate Shabbat please?

[Alambil]

Just so I get an idea of differences between families / Orthodox / Reform etc....

TIA

Bumping for you.

um - I'm rather lapsed - but when younger used to go with my mum and step-dad to my step-gran's for Friday night dinner, and lighting candles. my step-dad sometiems goes to the Saturday morning service, then goes shopping. We are all "orthodox" by upbringing. I intend to start lighting Friday night candles with DS.

Thanks PR

TC, that's really interesting.. thanks

It's just for my teacher training - we've been asked to get an idea of what happens and how various family traditions alter

I light candles to bring Sabbath in (Friday night)

we say blessings over wine and bread and the we all eat together (chiecken soup, roast chicken etc)

if DS is up he gets a special blessing from DH

we go to synagogue on Saturday (sometimes )

I also light candles on Friday night. My husband goes to synagogue. We say blessings over wine and bread and eat as a family (if it's winter and early enough for DD), sometimes have friends to join us or go out to friends. We also say grace after meals. All of the food is cooked in advance as you aren't supposed to cook on the sabbath. Our lights are timed to go on and off as is the oven. We don't use the TV or go out in the car.
We go to synagogue on Saturday- well DH does and DD and I turn up for the children's service.
We then have another family meal with or without friends and husband tries to go back to synagogue (if he's not fallen asleep). Its a great time to have friends with kids for lunch and to play. It's a great family time - it's a pleasure not having the TV on (my husband is a bit addicted and 'has to' watch it to fall asleep).

We're quite observant orthodox.

That sounds lovely Pecanpie...

May I ask something really stupid? Are the lights etc timed because it's considered work to put them on? (because you have to rest from work on Sabbath)

Apologies for the ridiculously stupid question!

yes to your question Lewis

and it isn't a stupid question

We light candles, eat challah and DC's drink copious amounts of grape juice. If DH is home we do the full kiddush (prayers) if it's just me we just do the blessings. I make a nice meal, roast chicken or chicken pieces and roast potatoes or rice and either chicken soup or chopped liver to start and a dessert. We go to family or have family over about once a month and do the same.

We rarely go to synagogue on a saturday although DH sometimes takes the children to the childrens service. My IL's are a lot more religious so we sometimes go to them for Shabbat lunch but do not observe saturdays as a special day. In theory we're Othodox in practice we're pretty lapsed and we're considering looking at masorti.

pecanpie - I'm orthodox too. I didn't think there were any other orthodox mners. Would love to know where you live in the country etc !!!

We (sometimes) light the candles. We say the blessings for wine & challah & do the full roast and all eat together as a family. Sometimes we go to Mum & Dad or they come to us. DH DD & DS go to synagogue on Saturday. I go occasionally!

Oh I am loving this! Brings back wonderful memories of Shabbas at my Granny's, Cheder, my Grandad saying the brocha and celebrating the festivals. Sadly my Mum died when I was 17 and my Dad just wasn't interested (mum married out) . I'd like to give DD some experience of the Jewish faith tho'.
Sorry for hijack op, I just miss that part of my family

MadameOvary have you tried to get in touch with the local synagogue to see if they have any communal Shabbat meals? Or you could always recreate what you remember one Friday night at home with your DD....

We light the candles and do the challah and wine (grape juice) blessings. Sometimes we sing some songs too. We go to a liberal synagogue and dd attends cheder there.

We're Reform.

We light candles, do the chollah and wine. The children stay up until DH gets back from work so that we do kiddush together.

DH goes to synagogue on saturdays, we go if there is a children's service.

We are not that observant though, ie will watch telly, drive, switch on lights, etc but even for us Friday nights are special.

I love hearing/ seeing my children saying the blessings.

To the OP -it is amazing how levels of observances vary even within the same family/ community.

My DH's uncle/ aunt won't travel on Shabbat but will switch on appliances/ lights -yet they have a big urn for boiling water (so it's there on demand) and prepare all their food in advance.

DH's cousins go the whole way & won't even answer the phone, open up an umbrella.

We have friends who are regular synagogue go-ers yet eat pork & shell fish.

Malfoy, I agree - a lot of variation, isn't there?

I hate to ask yet another stupid question but is the chollah the bread bit and the kiddush the prayers / blessings (to / about the mum??)

Sorry if I've completely messed the translations up - I've somewhat forgotten what each bit is

Challah is bread, kiddush is prayers.

When I lived in Warsaw there was a local bakery which used to make fantastic challah. I would buy it on Friday and eat an entire loaf walking home.

pecanpie - er, me too.......! Now I'm dying to know who you are?????

What school do dcs go to ? You can just put first initial? That's probably safer anyway.

sorry, can i hijack and ask how you would write a name in hebrew that contained the letter j? would you use y instead? tia

what is name and then we can help