I grew up in San Antonio and came to Baltimore through a program called Venture for America (VFA) in 2018. One of my closest friends who I met through VFA, Ben Weinberg, is from Baltimore. His mom, Debs, was one of the first people to make me feel at home in Baltimore; she introduced me to The Associated.
Since then, I have participated in The Associated’s YAD (Young Adult Division) events, got to hear Wes Moore speak for the first time through The Associated and most recently have been a YAD Shabbat Host.
To me, Shabbat is a reminder of what truly matters in life. Connecting with good people, reflecting on our values and learnings and putting our busy lives on pause. Growing up, I was too focused on spending time with my friends and didn’t prioritize family time as much as I should have. But almost every Friday night my parents ensured we did Shabbat dinner together – friends were always welcome! – a tradition in my home that I’m especially thankful to my Mom for keeping.
Whenever we visit my Mom’s side of the family in Dallas, we always had Shabbat dinner at my Zaide’s house. That home was the central gathering place for my family for over 50 years. When my grandpa moved out, I took a plant and the house plans from 1962 which are still in my home in Baltimore.
OneTable Shabbat is a great platform to make Shabbat easy and engaging for you and your community. They have a human-centered approach to onboarding their hosts and help you get into the mood for a Shabbat every time you host.
