TEL AVIV—Known for its white beaches and tech startups, Tel Aviv is not widely associated with Jewish observance. But Tel Avivians and their visitors do love to socialize. So when Rabbi Eli and Sara Naiditch first arrived from Safed three years ago to serve the city’s English-speaking young adults, they found an apartment with a large dining room and bought a table that could accommodate 25 people—hosting was their No. 1 priority. The couple was immediately overwhelmed by the number of people who wanted to be a part of their Shabbat meals. Just about every Friday night, the Naiditches had an overflowing Shabbat table. In fact, demand grew so high that they began to outsource.

“One option was to host much bigger meals in other locations,” says Rabbi Naiditch. “The issue was in finding the right location, which took a lot of resources. But we noticed that people didn’t really get the full experience because it wasn’t personal and homey. People were going to socialize, and they were lucky if they met the few people near them at their table. It was also expensive. So we decided to scratch that and rewrite the playbook.”

The Naiditches have since gathered a team of 10 members from their community with the purpose of galvanizing them as Shabbat dinner hosts. The project, called First Fridays, part of the Chabad center’s YJPTLV Young Jewish Professionals-Tel Aviv program, provides the hosts—who themselves are not necessarily Sabbath observant—with kosher food and some training. Attendees sign up to be placed at a meal, which range in size from 10 to 20 people. About 100 people have signed up each time. There is a special Kabbalat Shabbat at the Chabad synagogue with a guest chazan, which all meal attendees join, before they are introduced to their hosts. The Naiditches ensure that at least one observant couple is present at each meal to provide a d’var Torah and other necessary guidance. They also print out divrei Torah for everyone. After a successful launch two months ago, the project is now happening every other month, or roughly six times a year.

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“I was a participant for the first meal I went to and a host for the second,” says Montreal native Adrienne Sholzberg, 35. “I loved it as a guest; the dynamics were amazing, so I decided to host. They put a blurb on Facebook saying fun, cool things about me. They made it really exciting, and it sold out quickly. It puts a spin on the typical Shabbat meal. It was a little nerve-wracking as a host because I wondered if I would get along with everybody who was coming, but when I met everyone, it was so wonderful and nice. There were no cliques; everybody was in the same boat. Most people knew only one person or no one, so we were all getting to know each other. The food was prepared for me, so I could just relax and enjoy the night.”

The program, like the big Purim meal here, is part of Chabad of the Coast's YJPTLV Young Jewish Professionals-Tel Aviv program.
The program, like the big Purim meal here, is part of Chabad of the Coast's YJPTLV Young Jewish Professionals-Tel Aviv program.

“Chabad on the Coast allows me the opportunity to express myself in a more observant way,” continued Sholzberg, “Moving to Tel Aviv, I was worried that I wouldn’t have an outlet for that. They give me the platform to express the faith that I have inside of me. That’s really important.”

Creating a Community of Leaders

The first Shabbat was a bittersweet one for the Naidiches. “It ended up that my dad passed away, and I wasn’t there for the first event, but it ran smoothly anyway,” shares the rabbi. “People were really involved and stepped up to the plate. That was something very special. It’s so much more meaningful for those people now. The idea to have it every other month keeps it exciting and allows us to plan properly and find the right hosts.”

Naiditch adds that the hosts are happy and excited to facilitate the Shabbat meals, and that he and his wife have received only positive feedback from both hosts and guests. They call the hosts after each meal to follow up with them, to ask how they are feeling, how it went, and what, if anything, could be improved.

Friends gather to help prepare for the Passover holiday meals.
Friends gather to help prepare for the Passover holiday meals.

The hosts’ enthusiasm speaks to the heart of how the Naiditches see their mission, as defined by the Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory. “The idea is to create a community of leaders,” Naiditch explains. “That’s our goal here. The strength of a community is not just having a bunch of people who participate; it’s to have them take on leadership roles in their own capacities. If you look on our website, we have a quote from the Rebbe that says, ‘Each individual has the capacity to build communities and endow communities with life. Every community member becomes a source of inspiration.’ Members by nature can be activated. Maybe some people think that then the initiators of that community lose their relevance, but I think it’s the opposite. You stay relevant by creating an active community that is capable of running on its own.”

Rabbi Eli Naiditch, left, with Dudu Asaraf, a 26-year-old recent immigrant from South Africa who has hosted two Shabbat meals as part of the First Friday program.
Rabbi Eli Naiditch, left, with Dudu Asaraf, a 26-year-old recent immigrant from South Africa who has hosted two Shabbat meals as part of the First Friday program.

Another First Fridays host, Dudu Asaraf, a 26-year-old recent immigrant from South Africa, shared his experience: “I joined Chabad two years ago on Simchat Torah. As soon as I came in, Rabbi Naiditch said, ‘Welcome home.’ I haven’t left since. I think a lot of olim [immigrants] miss the sense of community when they come to Israel. I found my community at Chabad on the Coast. I try to provide that same experience when I host. I want to show others that this exists on a massive scale in Tel Aviv. The dinners have been unbelievable, I’ve hosted two so far. I try to get everyone involved in making a contribution by saying a few words. We had people who don’t keep Shabbat next to those who have kept Shabbat their whole lives. The mixture was amazing.”

It is worth noting that there are more Jews in Tel Aviv per capita than anywhere else in the world. With tens of thousands of olim and hundreds of thousands of Jews visiting every year, Chabad on the Coast has no shortage of community members to activate. All their major events consistently sell out. Upcoming events include High Holiday services (with instruction and information in English), dinners on both nights of Rosh Hashanah and a High Holiday children’s program. Undoubtedly, the Naiditches will continue strengthening their community of leaders as time goes on.

To find out more about Chabad on the Coast and upcoming events, visit: https://www.facebook.com/Chabadonthecoast/

Upcoming events include High Holiday services (with instruction and information in English), dinners on both nights of Rosh Hashanah and a High Holiday children’s program.
Upcoming events include High Holiday services (with instruction and information in English), dinners on both nights of Rosh Hashanah and a High Holiday children’s program.