Idea #2: Shabbos with the Hood

I’ve always wanted to organize something known as a shtetl Shul or shtetl Shabbat, whereby every Jew within a 20 minute walk of one another spends Shabbos together. Two or three host homes volunteered and instead of getting to choose the flavor of Judaism most “comfortable” (reform, renewal, conservative, orthodox.) you come together for Shabbat with Jews you share a neighborhood with. It may require two minyanim or Friday night may be egalitarian and Saturday a mechitza or vice versa. This way, like with family or when living in a small village, everyone is geographically brought together.

Divide Boulder into small (6-8) villages. Thanksgiving or Pesach could be challenging with family, all having different needs, but in the spirit of Shabbos and the directed kavannah of learning and growing by experiencing and honoring differences, it actually could inform a better gathering of mishpacha in the future. Certainly, the shuls could be half of the davenning centers but the areas in between and surrounding would have davenning hosted in homes. Meals would be divided amongst all those participating. Similar to the annual “Tefillin Wrap”, this would be a “Shabbos with the Hood” thing or something of the sort.

EDITOR’S NOTE: For more about “28 Days, 28 Ideas Local Edition,” click here.