Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Seven-hundred and seventy Orlando college students, faculty, staff and community members will gather together for a celebration of Jewish unity at the third annual Mega Shabbat on UCF’s campus.

The traditional Shabbat Dinner will be held in huge tent on Memory Mall on the UCF Campus on March 20, with appetizers at 6:30 p.m., at 7:15 women will light Shabbat Candles, and the Shabbat Dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m. The event is open to the entire Orlando community.

Shabbat 770 is a project developed by the Chabad on Campus National Foundation. Leaders of Chabad on Campus observed that, while many U.S. campuses have active Jewish student organizations, the majority of Jewish college students do not participate in Jewish life on their respective campuses. The goal of the Shabbat 770 program is to create an annual event, which is able to attract the interest of the entire Jewish student body. The program was first held at SUNY Binghamton, and has since been held at Harvard, UF, UGA, USC, Tulane and many other universities. 

“The event has really caught the imagination of the student population here in Orlando,” said Rabbi Chaim Lipskier, director of Chabad at UCF, “we have over 50 students working on making this program a success. I really hope that the faculty and greater Orlando Jewish community will be able to participate as well, helping to create a greater sense of Jewish community.” 

Shabbat 500 was held two years ago on UCF’s campus, for the first time. It was a great success, last year we had Shabbat 613 and this year, we are aiming for 770 people.

Nicole Erdfrocht, who served on the first year’s Shabbat 500 committee, commented on the ambitious and successful program, “Shabbat dinner is a celebration of Jewish life that brings people together,” said Nicole. “I believe that this dinner gave the entire student body a sense of fellowship and community.”

Shabbat is a weekly celebration in Judaism, beginning on Friday at sunset, and continuing until nightfall on Saturday. It commemorates G-d’s creation of the Universe, and the exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt. The Shabbat dinner is an important feature of the Shabbat celebration, with prayers recited over wine and bread, and traditional foods.

Shabbat 770 is uniting the entire Jewish Campus Community and is being co-sponsored by many campus organizations including Knights for Israel, JNF, Hillel, Judaic Studies Department, Aepi, Aephi, AZD and SGA.

To reserve a seat, contact info@jewishucf.com

For more information about the event,visit http://www.jewishucf.com/shabbat770 or call Rabbi Chaim Lipskier at rabbi!jewishucf.com or 407-949-8838.