The Shabbat Project: A Movement That’s Uniting Jews Worldwide

From South Africa to the World: The Birth of the Shabbat Project

If we weren’t people of faith, it might be hard to grasp how thousands, and eventually tens of thousands, of Jews around the world could unite around a single mitzvah. But in 2013, that’s exactly what happened with the launch of the Shabbat Project.

Initiated by South Africa’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Warren Goldstein, the project began with a simple but powerful call to South African Jews: come together and keep one full Shabbat, as it was meant to be kept. The results were extraordinary. For many, it was their first true taste of Shabbat observance.

A study by the Pew Research Center highlighting the alarming rise in Jewish assimilation emphasized the need for a bold and dramatic response. Rabbi Goldstein and his supporters believed that the collective observance of Shabbat by Jews of every background, religious or secular, young or old, could offer that very response.

What began in just 10 cities across South Africa has since grown into a global movement. Today, Jewish leaders from cities like Jerusalem, Atlanta, London, Baltimore, El Salvador, and Sydney are eager to bring the Shabbat Project to their own communities.

Setting Aside Differences, Embracing Shabbat

The heart of the Shabbat Project is simple: to put aside ideological and political divides and come together under the banner of Shabbat.

To understand the project’s success, organizers conducted a survey led by Mark Faker and Nadine Lewis from a data and statistics firm. The results were striking:

• 96% of the 2,000 participants said they would join another Shabbat Project.

• 90% said they were inspired to keep more Shabbats.

• 52% experienced a halachic (Jewish legal) Shabbat for the first time.

Most participants expressed overwhelmingly positive reactions. Many shared how meaningful it was to feel deeply connected to their Jewish identity and how proud they were to be part of a global Shabbat celebration.

Partnership Is the Key to Global Impact

The Shabbat Project's supporters emphasize that it must not remain a South African initiative alone. The project’s success depends on a global partnership model, encouraging as many communities as possible to adopt and publicize it.

Under this structure, the South African headquarters provides guidance, while local partners are responsible for promoting the project, organizing events, and covering staffing costs. This shared model ensures the project can expand its reach and fulfill its mission.

The core commitments of the Shabbat Project manifesto are:

• To keep Shabbat together, from sunset Friday until nightfall Saturday.
• To fully observe Shabbat, including all its detailed laws and customs, just as our ancestors did.
• To create a warm, loving atmosphere that strengthens family bonds.
• To set aside the weekday stress and immerse in Shabbat’s spiritual elevation.
• To renew our spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being through the unique blessings of Shabbat.
• To embrace and carry our Jewish heritage proudly, like a treasured jewel.
• To rediscover the precious gift Hashem has reserved for us: Shabbat.