While the rest of the world is fretting over Y2K, the so-called computer millennium bug, a national Jewish outreach organization is more concerned with what it calls J2K, the Jewish 2000 Problem.
It is alarmed at statistics that indicate fewer than one-third of Jews in North America are affiliated with a synagogue or regularly observe the Sabbath, and more than half marry non-Jews.
In response, more than 700 synagogues in the United States and Canada, including several in Baltimore and its suburbs, will welcome nonreligious or marginally religious Jews to attend their services tonight during Shabbat Across America. The name Shabbat comes from the Hebrew word for Sabbath.
"As the year 2000 approaches and as Jewish assimilation continues to proliferate on this continent, too many Jews have no opportunity to participate in a traditional Shabbat service surrounded by friends and family members," said Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, founder and director of the National Jewish Outreach Program. "In one night, Shabbat Across America will expose tens of thousands of Jews to one of our religion's most beautiful practices and will empower them with a sense of connection to generations past and generations yet to come."
Most synagogues are offering traditional Sabbath services with a dinner afterward that might feature singing and dancing, or perhaps Torah study.
More than 550 people will attend services at Beth Tfiloh Congregation in Pikesville, where the event will feature a family atmosphere with activities for children, while Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg addresses the adults.
During the Sabbath service, explanations will be provided for those unfamiliar with the prayers and rituals.
"The rabbi will be explaining some of the whys, some of the background of the blessings and so forth," said Jane Oshinsky, who is coordinating the event at Beth Tfiloh. "It's basically going through the traditional steps to give people who may or may not have the background to have more of the inspiration or knowledge to do it at home. We want to inspire people who don't do it to take it home."
At Shomrei Emunah Congregation in Mount Washington, where nearly 200 people are expected, posters will be displayed on the bima, the stage in the synagogue where the service is conducted, to explain the structure of the Sabbath service.
"It will not be an abridged type of service," said Ellen Lightman, who is coordinating Shabbat Across America at Shomrei Emunah. "In our congregation, where all of the members observe the Shabbes [Yiddish for Sabbath] regularly, we thought of this as more of a community project: invite friends, neighbors, colleagues. Most of these people do not observe a traditional Shabbat. Last year one attendee had not been in a synagogue for about 40 years."
For Melissa Gordon and her husband, Scott, attending Shabbat Across America last year at Shomrei Emunah was a rare opportunity to celebrate the Sabbath in a communal setting. Normally, they light the Sabbath candles in their home.
"We saw some of the rituals for the first time. It was a very close, warm and loving experience," she said. "At Shabbat Across America, everyone got up and danced. Of course, men and women danced separately. But it was fun. It was fun seeing another side of Shabbes."
Other synagogues offering Shabbat Across America services include Har Sinai in Upper Park Heights, Beth Shalom of Carroll County, Etz Chaim Center for Jewish Studies in Owings Mills, the Harford Jewish Center in Havre de Grace and Beth Shalom Congregation in Columbia.
Pub Date: 3/12/99