Kabalos Shabbos
Tishrei 5787 · in partnership with Kedushas Shabbos
One small thing for Shabbos.
Every week. Together.
Take on one small thing for Shabbos and hold it every week of Tishrei 5787. Sign up your family in thirty seconds; we’ll remind you before Shabbos and check in after.
Participating shuls
What you can take on
Each person picks one or more of these at signup and holds it every Shabbos of Tishrei 5787. Small on purpose: the point is every week, not once.
For men
One person, one kabbalah, every Shabbos.
- Buy or prepare one special item each week lichvod ShabbosA dish, a flower, a treat — something that exists only because it's Shabbos.
- Add to your Shabbos on Erev ShabbosBe mekabel Shabbos five minutes earlier than you normally do.
- Daven Kabbalas Shabbos with hislavusWelcome Shabbos with real kavanah, from Lechu Neranena through Lecha Dodi.
- No talking during at least one complete tefillah on ShabbosPick one — Kabbalas Shabbos, Shacharis, Mincha — and keep it fully quiet.
- Be in shul on time for Pesukei D'Zimrah, with hislavusStart Shabbos morning davening from the beginning.
- Pause and concentrate on the words of “LaKeil Asher Shavas”Slow down for that one paragraph every Shabbos morning.
- Add to your Shabbos on Motzaei ShabbosWait five additional minutes before making Havdalah.
- Learn from a sefer on Kedushas Shabbos, 20 minutes a weekA fixed 20-minute seder each week in a sefer on the kedushah of Shabbos, i.e. Nefesh Shimshon, Shabbos Malkesa, Yoma D’nishmasa, Matnas Chaim.
- Learn Hilchos Shabbos, 20 minutes a weekOne siman or one melachah at a time — a fixed seder, not a one-off.
- Set a weekly chavrusa in Hilchos Shabbos or Kedushas ShabbosA chavrusa keeps the seder happening week after week.
For women
Your own kabbalah, every Shabbos.
- Anticipate the coming of Shabbos from early on in the weekStart preparing something for Shabbos early in the week, lichvod Shabbos.
- Buy and wear clothing specifically designated lichvod ShabbosSomething in the closet that is only for Shabbos.
- Uplift someone else’s ShabbosCall someone you wouldn’t have to, to wish them a Gut Shabbos.
- Be fully dressed in Bigdei Shabbos by candle lightingReady, dressed b'kavod, before the candles are lit.
- Add to your Shabbos on Erev ShabbosLight candles five minutes earlier than you normally do.
- Daven Kabbalas Shabbos with hislavusDaven all or some of Kabbalas Shabbos weekly.
- Stay in Bigdei Shabbos the entire ShabbosFrom candle lighting to Havdalah, at home and out.
- Eat Shalosh SeudosWash and eat a k’zayis every week.
- Enhance your Shalosh SeudosPut thought and effort into upgrading your Shalosh Seudos — the way you serve it or the foods you serve.
- Add to your Shabbos on Motzaei ShabbosWait five additional minutes before saying Baruch Hamavdil.
- Eat Melaveh MalkaEscort the Shabbos Queen out properly on Motzaei Shabbos.
- Become more fluent in hilchos ShabbosLearn hilchos Shabbos every week at the same time, even for a few minutes, to raise your level of Shmiras Shabbos.
- Learn Nefesh Shimshon Shabbos KodeshFrom R’ Shimshon Pincus zt”l — on your own, with a family member, or with a friend.
For children
Real jobs with real kavod Shabbos.
- Spend 15 minutes helping prepare for ShabbosSet the table, help in the kitchen — 15 minutes of kavod Shabbos.
- Come to shul and stay through Kabbalas Shabbos and really davenBe there from Lecha Dodi through the end, without leaving to go play.
- Sing zemiros at the tableBring the niggunim — lead or join the zemiros at the seudah.
- Bentch with RetzeiElevate your bentching: bentch with kavanah, looking in the bentcher.
- Clear the table after each seudahA simple, real way to give kavod to Shabbos.
For the whole family
Taken on together, at the table.
- Give every family member a role in preparing for ShabbosEveryone owns one piece of getting the home ready.
- Set the Shabbos table Thursday nightWalk into Friday with the table already glowing.
- Keep the seudah tables covered all ShabbosTablecloths stay on from Friday night through Havdalah.
- Sing at least one zemer at every seudahWarmth and simchah at the table — one zemer, every seudah.
- Learn two halachos together at a Shabbos seudahA few minutes of practical Hilchos Shabbos at the table, every week.
- Share a halachah, story, or Shabbos thought at the seudahTurn the seudah into a conversation about Shabbos.
- Set aside time on Shabbos to learn with the childrenA fixed slot, even ten minutes, every Shabbos.
- Eat Melaveh Malkah together every weekEscort the Shabbos Queen out properly on Motzaei Shabbos.
Don’t see yours? You can write in your own at signup.
What Klal Yisroel has taken on so far
What everyone is taking on this Shabbos
Week 5 of 5 · 190 people, 8 cities
How it works
- 1
Sign up
Thirty seconds on your phone, on your own or with the whole house. Each person picks what they'll take on. No app, no passwords — a personal link is your login.
- 2
Get the nudges
A reminder Friday with what everyone took on. Monday, a ten-second check-in: tap “I did it.” Miss it and we'll nudge again every couple of days.
- 3
Watch it add up
Your family's streak, your city on the board, and a national count of what Klal Yisroel has done for Shabbos this season.
Who’s in
Families across the country, city by city.
Where it started
One shul, Elul 5786
It began as the Elul Shabbos Project at Adas Torah in Los Angeles: a whole community, every man, woman and child, taking on one small thing for Shabbos for the Shabbosos leading into Rosh Hashanah. Within days, over a hundred families had signed up. Within a week, other shuls were asking how to do the same.
Together with Kedushas Shabbos, it’s now open to everyone, everywhere. Same idea, same tools.
Sign up your familyQuestions: support@kabalosshabbos.com