Bringing Together the Community at UCSB Mega Shabbat

L’chaim!

This was the Hebrew word joyously shouted from the mouths of nearly 800 people throughout the evening I spent at the Chabad House at UCSB. For those of you who don’t know what “L’chaim” means, it’s a Jewish toast meaning “To life!” It’s a celebration of people, of unity, of the human experience — and it’s fitting for an occasion that’s all about bringing people together.

On Friday, May 19, Chabad at UCSB hosted their annual Mega Shabbat Dinner Party for the community, and I had the opportunity to attend the gathering. As someone who had little knowledge of what a Shabbat is, I was pleased to find that the Shabbat has had a long history with the purpose of celebrating life. For more than 3,300 years, the Shabbat has been a day of the week set aside for Jewish people to rest and reconnect with family and friends as well as their godly beliefs. While Chabad at UCSB regularly hosts a weekly Shabbat where up to 150 students get together for the night, the annual Mega Shabbat, started in 2012, is an event where the greater UCSB community is able to come and experience the Jewish tradition. This year, Chabad saw their biggest turnout yet with an evening full of comfort, laughter, and community.

“The great thing about eating dinner together is that no matter how different we usually are and however different the spaces we generally spend our days, eating together in a familial environment is something that can bring us all together,” said Rabbi Gershon of Chabad at UCSB. “There’s a power when we come together greater than the sum of our parts, and with so many precious individuals coming together, it’s going to be all the more memorable and powerful.”

Sponsored by AS Business and Finance and Isla Vista Community Recreation & Cultural Center, students were able to work with each other to plan, cook, bake, and decorate for the grand dinner party. Upon first arriving, a bat mitzvah purple balloon arch greeted us along with the welcoming smile of Rabbi Gershon while students of the Chabad handed out yarmulkes for the participating men. After entering, the sight of beautiful, hanging lights strewn above the yard and gorgeous table settings throughout the space met our view. With an evening program full of greetings, words of inspiration, and song, paired with a delicious three-course meal that included staple European-Jewish fare, the night was set to be a warm and wonderful event for the community.

You wouldn’t have guessed that earlier that morning, Chabad at UCSB found the grounds set to host the event later that day defaced with anti-Semitic rhetoric. Despite the act of hate, Chabad student co-presidents Ethan Blacher and Alexa Grines were able to come together and cover up the hate speech effectively, and event planning continued without fail. With welcoming arms, Chabad at UCSB was able to host the community and focus on creating a positive experience.

At the Mega Shabbat, the evening called for Jewish traditions such as the candle-lighting, where each participating woman lit their own candle at their respective table before sunset. During a Kiddush and Hamotzi blessing, we drank grape juice and broke bread as a part of Jewish custom. Each participant got their own mini challah, a bread typically eaten during the Shabbat. Toward the end of the evening, we joined together to sing UCSB’s version of “Big Gedaliah Goomber,” a fun-filled song about Shabbat Saturdays.

“The last verse is a UCSB-related verse, and everyone stands on their chairs singing loudly and proudly,” said Grines about the song. “In that moment, witnessing 800 people singing together as a community, I truly felt the far-reaching impact of Mega Shabbat. All the planning and stress that went into this mega-event was worth it.”

While I was going into the experience blindly, I found that I was not alone in this. As the Mega Shabbat welcomes those from all walks of life, I was one among the many people experiencing a Shabbat for the first time. At my own table, I sat beside an international student from China as well as a Jewish student and his non-Jewish friends. Throughout the evening, we were able to bond over the delicious food and the new experiences, despite our diverse backgrounds.

“Any time the greater community at UCSB can experience the native environment of a minority group helps to promote greater understanding and appreciation for each other. And that’s always a plus,” Rabbi Gershon said. “I also think that so often people come together in times of tragedy, and this is an opportunity for 800 students to come together in unity for a positive reason. We don’t need to wait for bad stuff to happen to deeply connect with each other.”

Overall, I’m grateful to have attended. Taking the time to learn about others and their cultures can bring us a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world we live in, and at events like UCSB Chabad’s Mega Shabbat, where the community can come together and bond over their experiences and differences, we can allow ourselves to do just that.

For more information about Chabad at UCSB, visit jewishucsb.com.