Pride
SHABBAT One of the queer community’s greatest strengths is
resilience. During these isolating times, we at OneTable and JQ International honor the many queer people who remind us everyday how to dream and laugh in spite of fear and oppression.
Our hope is that you use this guide to rest, to feel, and to celebrate. So take a pause for Shabbat dinner, relax your body and mind, and join us in celebrating the resilient, sparkling, joyful LGBTQIA+ community.
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TWILIGHT PEOPLE PRAYER As the sun sinks and the colors of the day turn, we offer a blessing for the twilight, for twilight is neither day nor night, but in-between.
We are all twilight people. We can never be fully labeled or defined.
We are many identities and loves, many genders and none. We are in between roles, at the intersection of histories, or between place and place.
We are crisscrossed paths of memory and destination, streaks of light swirled together.
We are neither day nor night.
We are both, neither, and all. May the sacred in-between of this evening suspend our certainties, soften our judgments, and widen our vision.
May this in-between light illuminate our way to the God who transcends all categories and definitions.
May the in-between people who have come to pray be lifted up into this twilight. We cannot always define; we can always say a blessing.
Blessed are You, God of all, who brings on the twilight.
RABBI REUBEN ZELLMAN TRANSTORAH.ORG
ONETABLE.ORG | @ONETABLESHABBAT
Light Strike a match, create light, take a breath and enjoy the moment.
.שבָּת ַ ׁ בָּרוּך ְ ַא ּתָה יְי ָ אֱלֹהֵינו ּ ֶמל ֶך ְ הָעוֹל ָם א ֲׁשֶר ִקד ּ ְׁשָנו ּ בְ ּ ִמצְוֹתָיו וְצִו ָּנו ּ ל ְ ַה ְדל ִיק נ ֵר ׁשֶל Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat.
Blessed is the Oneness that makes us holy through commandments and commands us to kindle the light of Shabbat.
ONETABLE.ORG | @ONETABLESHABBAT
Drink So much depends upon us and our intention. Raise your glass and sanctify Friday night with a blessing and a toast. L’chaim! Kiddush sanctifies time. In order to raise your glass to the weekend, you have to put down something from the week that was. What do you want to leave behind? What baggage do you want to check? Let it go, raise your glass, and bless:
.בָּרוּך ְ ַא ּתָה יְי ָ אֱלֹהֵינו ּ ֶמל ֶך ְ הָעוֹל ָם בּוֹרֵא ּפְרִי הַג ָ ּפ ֶן . ַשבָּת ַ ׁ בָּרוּך ְ ַא ּתָה יְי ָ ְמ ַקד ּ ֵׁש ה Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam borei p’ri ha’gafen. Baruch Atah Adonai m’kadesh ha’Shabbat.
Blessed is the Oneness that creates the fruit of the vine. Blessed is the Oneness that sanctifies Shabbat.
ONETABLE.ORG | @ONETABLESHABBAT
Nourish More than satisfying hunger, challah truly nourishes. SLOW DOWN AND SAVOR.
. ַה ּמוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן ָה ָארֶץ,בָּרוּך ְ ַא ּתָה יְי ָ אֱלֹהֵינו ּ מֶ ֽל ֶך ְ הָעוֹל ָם Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam ha’motzi lechem min ha’aretz.
Blessed is the Oneness that brings forth bread from the earth.
ONETABLE.ORG | @ONETABLESHABBAT
The City's Love by Claude McKay
For one brief golden moment rare like wine, The gracious city swept across the line; Oblivious of the color of my skin, Forgetting that I was an alien guest, She bent to me, my hostile heart to win, Caught me in passion to her pillowy breast; The great, proud city, seized with a strange love, Bowed down for one flame hour my pride to prove.
Now By Audre Lorde
Woman power is Black power is Human power is always feeling my heart beats as my eyes open as my hands move as my mouth speaks I am are you Ready
Dreams By Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.
ONETABLE.ORG | @ONETABLESHABBAT
Gratitude AFTER THE MEAL You made it through another week — give thanks to your community, your friends, your family, and your chosen family.
.ָו ְ ָאכַל ְ ָּת ו ְָׂשבָעְ ָּת וּבֵ ַרכ ְ ּת V’achalta v’savata u’varachta.
When you have eaten and are satisfied, bless. — Deuteronomy 8:10
.בְ ּרִיך ְ ָרחֲ ַמנ ָא ַמלְכ ָא ְדעַלְמָא ַמרֵיה ְדהַאי פ ִיתָא Brich rachamana malka d’alma marei d’hai pita.
We are blessed with compassion by the Oneness that sustains us with bread.
ONETABLE.ORG | @ONETABLESHABBAT
LOVE WINS, A PRIDE PRAYER One day, the words ‘coming out’ will sound strange, Oppression based on gender or orientation will be a memory, History to honor and remember, The pain of hiding, repressing, denying, Honoring the triumphs of those who fought to be free, Remembering the violence and vitriol that cost lives. tween of this evening suspend our certainties, soften our judgments, and widen our vision.
When love wins, When love wins at long last,
,ואהבת לרעך כמוך
V’Ahavta l’ray’acha camocha ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ Will be as natural as breathing.
!ואהבת לרעך כמוך
V’Ahavta l’ray’acha camocha! One day, love will win every heart, Love will win every soul, Fear will vanish like smoke, And tenderness for all will fill our hearts. V’Ahavta l’ray’acha camocha!
!ואהבת לרעך כמוך Love wins. In the end, Love wins. Man for man, Woman for woman, Woman for man, Man for women, All genders, All orientations, All true expressions of heart.
!ואהבת לרעך כמוך
V’Ahavta l’ray’acha camocha! Let this come speedily, In our day, A tribute to the many And the diverse Gifts from heaven. A tribute to love deep and true, Each of us for one another.
!ואהבת לרעך כמוך
V’Ahavta l’ray’acha camocha!
ALDEN SOLOVY LITURGIST, POET, AND TEACHER
ONETABLE.ORG | @ONETABLESHABBAT