The American Jubilee & The Sanctuary in Time
As America turns 250, millions are rediscovering the ancient Jewish practice of rest. One night, one day, one table at a time.
Candle Lighting Begins In
George Washington · Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport · 1790
“May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants — while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.”
From its very founding, America has stood apart as a nation of extraordinary religious liberty. That promise has allowed the American Jewish community to flourish freely for over two centuries, observing Shabbat, raising families in faith, building communities, and contributing to the life of this nation. Shabbat 250 is a celebration of that extraordinary gift, and a grateful expression of what it means to be Jewish in America.
Shabbat 250 is a national initiative celebrating the U.S. Semiquincentennial by bringing Americans together around the timeless Jewish tradition of Shabbat.