By Rabbi Dov Gartenberg This is the third post in a series of 10 posts prior to the inaugural gathering of Minyan Midbar-Desert Minyan on Shabbat morning, April 25, 2026. RDG As an advocate for the centrality of Shabbat in Jewish life, I have long championed the inclusion and participation of children whenever we gather on Shabbat—whether for communal prayer, sacred meals, or spirited table singing. When my children were very young, we would clear the dishes and pile pillows in the middle of...

This is the second post in a series of 10 posts prior to the inaugural gathering of Minyan Midbar-Desert Minyan on Shabbat morning, April 25, 2026. RDG As many of you know the American/Jewish musician and educator, Joey Weisenberg, has been a profound inspiration for me for many years. His compositions and brilliant teaching is behind the founding of Shabbat with Friends in 2022 and our popular Musical Shabbat Gatherings. His teachings on building spiritual and singing communities is very...

One of my goals in founding Shabbat with Friends was to deepen and broaden the experience of Shabbat in New Mexico. I believe that Shabbat is the wellspring of Jewish life. The more ways people can experience profound Shabbat spirituality, the stronger and deeper our community becomes. Shabbat with Friends over the past three years has focused on the home traditions of Sabbath: shared meals, song and study, and the rich Jewish teachings on hosting and hospitality. The response to this focus...