The Chabad Jewish Heritage Students Association tonight is hosting a "Shabbat Dinner Like Your Bubbe Used to Make" at 8:30 p.m. at the Chabad house at 107B Stewart Circle off of Preston Avenue.
Channa Mayer and her husband Rabbi Shlomo Mayer moved to the Charlottesville area in January to manage the new Chabad house.
Chabad is a sect of Judaism whose "focus is on the experimental spiritual side of Judaism," said Daniel Horowitz, third-year Law student and the association's president.
Although Chabad is strict about Jewish tradition, it concentrates more on the mystical aspects of the religion instead of the more scholarly facets, Horowitz added.
The purpose of the Chabad house is to "to provide the Jewish experience to show them that there is real light and joy in Judaism," Channa Mayer said.
Chabad takes a "hands-on" approach to Judaism, encouraging members to involve themselves by celebrating and truly experiencing their religion, Mayer said.
"We get students involved and show them that people still live according to the laws, but still fit into a modern society," Channa added.
The Shabbat dinner is a very important part of Jewish tradition, and takes place on Friday nights.
"It is what Jews do every week," Horowitz explained. "When you're a student, it's kind of hard to have a traditional Sabbath meal, so Chabad has opened its doors."
The dinner will start at sundown with the lighting of candles, Horowitz said.
What follows is a blessing over the challah (traditional Jewish bread), making l'chaim (a toast to life), and a lot of eating and a lot of singing, Mayer said.
"It creates a really nice atmosphere after a week of craziness. It's calming and everyone is happy," Mayer said. This is the first event of the academic year for the Chabad house, which still is trying to place itself within the University community.
The Charlottesville Chabad house is one of approximately 3,000 around the world, Mayer said.
The houses have a range of outreach activities, which include inviting local Jews to Shabbat dinners, visiting Jewish patients in hospitals and providing them with Kosher food, and hosting classes about Jewish life and culture at Newcomb Hall and other locations.
"Our main focus is making a real connection with Judaism, and making sure that they are aware of their Jewish culture," Mayer said. "We want to create a home away from home at the Chabad house."
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