Memories 2006 Welcome

Walk down memory lane and experience a taste of previous Shabbat 1000 events.

The first Shabbat 1000 in Pittsburgh, PA was a huge success on Friday night, March 24, 2006. Spearheaded by Chabad House on Campus, and co-sponsored by The Hillel JUC and The Jewish Heritage Programs, this event achieved a level of unity as never before. An overflow crowd of approximately 770 students filled the beautiful ballroom of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Museum directly across from the University of Pittsburgh campus. The evening began with Rabbi Shmuel Weinstein, Director of Chabad House on Campus, welcoming the crowd. "This is an awesome event! Tonight we're making history on campus. There has never been so many university students sitting together for one Shabbos meal in Pittsburgh. This event is especially meaningful this week. In the parsha that Moshe gathers all the Jews together to discuss the mitzvah of Shabbos, we are gathered here in unity, tonight. Some of you have experienced a Shabbos meal before, and for some of you, this is your first time, but all of us are celebrating together! I want to thank each of you for making this a reality!"

Special guests included the Director of the United Jewish Federation, and other community leaders. Also attending was Pittsburgh's mayor, Bob O'Connor, who addressed the enthusiastic audience wearing his own Shabbat 1000 t-shirt and yarmulka.

The meal began with a hearty "Shalom Aleichem," followed by kiddush made by Rabbi Yosef Silverman, and hamotzi made by Mr. Zev Rudolph, President of Yeshiva Schools. The students were treated to a full Shabbos meal, with plenty of challah, fish and salads, and a hot buffet of chicken, kugel, and broccoli souffle. Platters of gourmet pastries and cookies rounded out the generous spread for this delicious and memorable experience.

"I looked around and saw everyone I know sitting together in one room! It was amazing," commented a Carnegie Mellon University student. Another CMU freshman, who had never attended a Shabbos meal at Chabad House, approached Sara Weinstein and said, "Thank you so much, this is beautiful! I'm coming next Friday!"

Riding on the wave of previous Shabbat 1000 success stories, this event was as worthwhile as it was challenging to pull off. In Pittsburgh, Chabad House on Campus, in the spirit of unity, brought in the Hillel-JUC and Jewish Heritage Programs as co-sponsors. This program was created as a grass-roots effort with students being hosts of tables, inviting their friends, and reaching out to unaffiliated Jewish students. Chabad House on Campus in Pittsburgh plans to continue the tradition by making this an annual event.