Inspiring Summer Sundays at Chabad

Charlotte Jewish News June 2021

This summer, Chabad will be launching an exciting new Torah study initiative in Charlotte.

Chabad of Charlotte will feature a unique chavruta-style learning program starting on Sunday night, June 13, followed by consecutive Sundays through the summer, culminating on Sunday, August 1. Participants will be paired with one of the rabbis and scholars in the community. Topics of Torah that will be studied will include Tanach, Talmud, Chassidic thought, Tanya, and much more. The Sunday evening program will begin with Mincha, the afternoon service at 7:30 p.m., followed by a one-onone hour of study with a partner in a chavruta-style learning. Maariv, the evening service, will be at 8:45 p.m., and the program will conclude at 9 p.m. On the two summer fast days, the 17 of Tamuz and Tisha B’Av, the study will focus on the inner meaning of Jewish fast days and the relevance of the past to our times. This program is free of charge.

In addition, Chabad will offer a parallel study program that will be an in-depth, advanced Yeshiva-style learning initiative. In this program, Chabad will offer eight round-the-year topics that will explore and delve into the deeper meaning and fascinating facts about the Jewish holidays and days of significance on the Jewish calendar. These eight subjects will cover the holidays of Tu B’Shevat (new year for trees), the counting of the Omer and Shavuot, Purim, Passover, High Holidays, Sukkot, and Chanukah.

The launch of this project will focus on the topic of the three weeks of mourning, during which we reflect on the destruction of the Temple and the long Jewish journey through the Diaspora. This subject will be taught in two sessions on two consecutive Tuesdays: July 6 and 13, at 7:30 p.m. These classes will be offered in person and by Zoom. There is a nominal fee for each class, or you can register for the whole series of eight topics throughout the year. Please check www.chabadnc.org and watch your email for registration information, or call Chabad at (704) 366-3984 in June for more information.

The Return of the Shabbaton Dinner: Mini Summer Shabbatons at Chabad

After a long break because of COVID precautions, Chabad of Charlotte will open our famed Friday night Shabbaton program gradually. This will allow us to provide social programming with three, small-scale, limited group Shabbaton dinners limited to between 25 and 30 people at each event. This series of Mini-Shabbatons will be held on the three Fridays during the three weeks of July 2, 9, and 16.

These three weeks coincide with the three weeks of mourning. Although the three weeks are thought of as a time of sadness and reflection, on Shabbat, we reflect with joy and hope for a better future, which will bring us extra joy into those Shabbats.

Each Shabbaton will begin with early candle lighting at 7:30 p.m., followed by Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat, and will feature a delicious gourmet Shabbat dinner prepared by Kosher Charlotte.

To follow the COVID safety guidelines, tables will be spaced apart from each other in the Social Hall at the Epstein Family Chabad Center of Jewish Life. One of the Chabad rabbis and rebbetzins will host each event.

These events will be first come, first served. Registration will close once each of these events fills up. Please send your request to sign up to rabbicohen@chabadnc.org. You will then be contacted to confirm your availability to participate. The cost of these dinners will be $25 per person. If you can’t make it to join one of these three Shabbatons, have no fear, as Chabad will have many more opportunities throughout the coming year!