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Congregation Am Shalom hosts "Shabbat Across America"

Participants Join Over 75,000 North American Jews in Major Effort To Revitalize Sabbath Observance

(Bowling Green, KY, February 26, 2001) – On Friday night, March 23rd, members of Bowling Green's Jewish community will gather at Congregation Am Shalom in an unparalleled display of Jewish revitalization and interdenominational unity.  Conceived and organized by the National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP), "Shabbat Across America" represents a united effort by Judaism's four major movements to renew interest in the fourth of the Ten Commandments – observing a weekly day of rest (Shabbat in Hebrew). 

Am Shalom will be one of approximately 750 synagogues across the continent that will simultaneously open its doors to practicing and non-practicing Jews alike, so they may join together to experience and rejoice in a traditional Shabbat service and festive meal.  Led by President and lay leader M**** ****, attendees will experience an interactive Friday night beginners service and a traditional Shabbat dinner with all the rituals explained.  The meal will take place at 6:30 p.m., and the service will begin at 7:30 p.m.

"We just can not accept the common perception that North American Jewry is an endangered species," commented Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, founder and director of NJOP.  "While it is truethat the vast majority of Jews in this country have never experienced a traditional Sabbath experience and do not feel a connection to the Judaism that their grandparents practiced only half a century ago -- this should not be!  Shabbat Across America/Canada is an exciting and modern way of reintroducing friends and family members to a practice that has been with, and unified, our people for over 5,000 years, and which we hope will  be with us for at least 5,000 more." 

Prompted by the growing rate of Jewish assimilation in North America, NJOP is hoping that a memorable and rewarding experience at Shabbat Across America/Canada will infuse thousands of non-practicing Jews with a sense of  a greater commitment to Judaism.  Of the 5.6 million North American Jews, 2 million no longer identify themselves as Jews, 2 million are unaffiliated with any Jewish organizations,  and 1.2 million are marginally affiliated, meaning they rarely attend synagogue and have little to do with anything in Jewish life.  In addition, 52% of all American Jews intermarry and 54% of Jews below age 18 are being raised as non-Jews or with no religion.  Perhaps, the most poignant fact is that more than 2/3 of all North America Jews do not observe the Sabbath in any way. (1990 National Jewish Population Survey, Council of Jewish Federations) 

Designed to teach a generation of unaffiliated Jews about the beauty and significance of the Jewish Sabbath, Shabbat Across America/Canada is the first nationally orchestrated program which appeals to members of all major Jewish denominations.  It is also the first and only program aimed at uniting Jews across the United States and Canada through one single event.  Shabbat Across America/Canada will take place in every city where there is a Jewish presence – from major Jewish geographical centers, such as New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Nashville, to cities with smaller Jewish populations such as Kenosha, WI, Anchorage, AK, and Mobile, AL. 

The National Jewish Outreach Program was established in 1987 by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, and has become one of the world's largest and most successful Jewish outreach organizations.  NJOP offers free programs at more than 3,200 locations across North America and in 27 countries worldwide. Through programs such as Shabbat Across America and Read Hebrew America / Read Hebrew Canada, NJOP has successfully reached more than 530,000 North American Jews, and engaged them in Jewish life.

Congregation Am Shalom will also present Rabbi Randall Falk on Tuesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m.  Rabbi Fisk will be speaking on "Living Jewishly in a Non-Jewish Environment."  He is the Rabbi Emeritus at Congregation Ohabai Sholom (The Temple) in Nashville.  The Rabbi will speak at Am Shalom.  Congregation Am Shalom is located at ****, where they share a building with the Unitarian Universalist Church.  This talk will be free and open to the public.

Although there have been Jewish residents in South-Central Kentucky since the late 1700s, Congregation Am Shalom represents the first Jewish congregation in the history of Bowling Green.  Am Shalom is a Reform Jewish congregation, which is one of the four major denominations of Judaism.  Founded in in 1999, Am Shalom was accepted as a member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in June 2000.  Being the only Jewish group in South-Central Kentucky, Am Shalom serves as a unifying force for Judaism in the community.  This is their first year participating in the Shabbat Across America Program.

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