Introducing Shabbat with Friends' Vision of Community.

The Shabbat with Friends NM Community

Our Vision 

What is Shabbat with Friends NM? 

Shabbat with Friends is a growing, Shabbat-centered Jewish community in Northern and Central New Mexico. We seek to revive the hospitality traditions of the Jewish Sabbath through joyful home-based gatherings that celebrate the holiness, beauty, music, and food of Shabbat. We do what our name suggests: We create joyful Shabbat gatherings. Everyone is welcome. We share a meal, sing together, and learn together. The result is a Shabbat experience that builds community through the joy of Shabbat, the wellspring of Jewish life. 

Shabbat with Friends began two and a half years ago through the leadership of our founder and convener, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg. Starting with 10 gatherings in Albuquerque in 2022 and expanding to Santa Fe in 2023, Shabbat with Friends now convenes more than 25 gatherings a year in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe areas. Over 25 households have hosted our Shabbat gatherings, and over 1000 people have participated since our inception. Participants are singles, young families, mid-age families, and seniors. Our community is multi-generational diverse and growing!  

How SWF Works: 

We work with volunteer hosts who open their homes—or backyards--to convene joyful gatherings for a minimum of 12 people and up.  Some people co-host with others. Some host at a local venue like a community center, restaurant, or public park.  Once the host and the location are set, we publicize the event to the community. Participants only need to register (so we know who’s coming) and sign up to contribute to our popular Shabbat potlucks. There is no cost to attend. Often, our hosts include family and friends in the gathering as well.

A Shabbat with Friends team helps each host to organize and support these gatherings with ritual leadership, potluck planning, setup, and cleanup. There is no cost to the host. More importantly, our hosts feel fulfilled and touched by the experience of Shabbat hospitality. Guests and our hosts enjoy gatherings full of friendly people, good food, singing and music by our talented Oneg Shabbat Music ensemble, and stimulating learning and conversation often led by our Convener, Rabbi Dov Gartenberg. 

The Shabbat with Friends Community:

SWF is committed to exploring new and creative approaches to Jewish life, both to revive traditional practice and experiment with new forms that fit our 21st century needs. If that speaks to you—or if you simply want to meet new people and expand opportunities for Jewish community in New Mexico, now is a great time to join with us. We are moving to becoming a cooperative organization based on a communal vision of membership. People who believe in our mission and want to see Shabbat with Friends grow are invited to become Chaverim-Friends of SWF. As SWF grows, there will be more gatherings, more hosts, and more moving and memorable experiences; more ideas to experiment. more learning and more music to share. SWF Chaverim-Friends are partners in this effort. 

What We Ask When Becoming a SWF Chaver 

To become a Chaver-a Friend of Shabbat with Friends, we ask each participating individual/household to make three commitments: 

1. Host:

Each Chaver household will commit to host or cohost at least one Shabbat with Friends gathering each year. There is no cost for hosting. We will guide and support you to help make your gathering a great experience.  

2. Learn:  

Because the Shabbat experience is enriched by deeper knowledge of Jewish tradition and culture, we encourage you to take part in the learning opportunities SWF offers or to pursue some other avenues of Jewish learning that fit your interests. (See suggestions in appendix A.)  

3. Sustain: 

To sustain the SWF community, we ask each Chaver individual/household to make a financial commitment of at least $360 per year ($300 for members of synagogues or similar type of Jewish communal institutions). If that poses a financial burden, please consider an amount you can afford. If you wish to expand your financial commitment above and beyond, SWF welcomes your support.

To be clear, SWF gatherings are open to all at no cost. Chaverim/Friends act intentionally by becoming active stakeholders, communal sustainers, and most important: practitioners of Shabbat hospitality.

Reasons to Become a Chaver in the SWF Community:  

• As a Chaver, you will be an active builder of this innovative community with the ability to have a say in what we do and how we do it.  

• You will have the opportunity to engage in ‘gemilut chasadim’ – communally oriented acts of loving-kindness organized by SWF.

• You have access to Rabbi Dov Gartenberg for rabbinic life cycle support for your family for counseling, and the support of the SWF community in times of joy and sadness.

• Most of all, you will be at the very core of our project to revitalize home centered, joyful, inclusive, and spiritual Shabbat experiences that bring us closer together and build an enriching and authentic Jewish community.

Please provide us feedback to this vision statement while it circulates for discussion from August 28th through September 15, 2024. Consult the cover letter HERE for information about feedback gatherings or make an appointment with Rabbi Dov or a member of the SWF leadership team. After September 15, a final version of this document will be distributed with an application and a process for becoming a Chaver/Friend of SWF. Thank you for taking the time to consider this vision.

Rabbi Dov Gartenberg, Wednesday, August 28, 2024 (24 Menachem Av, 5784).