Description

Shabbos comes every week. Are you prepared to run the Shabbos table?

From the booklet:

Introduction

A few years back, a very fine avreich called to ask about what to do at his Shabbos table. “My wife finds Shabbos boring” he lamented. It was not the first time I’d heard about people being challenged by the Shabbos table and it was not the last time. Sometimes the kids are restless and sometimes the parents are exhausted. Sometimes it’s a lack of knowing what to talk about and sometimes it’s simply a feeling of inadequacy in dealing with apathetic teens. I know that many families are missing out on something that could be both fulfilling and productive, and it’s a shame. This booklet contains ideas and techniques that can – with just a little preparation, effort, and forethought – help turn the Shabbos table into something the entire family will look forward to week after week. Remember: Perfection is rarely achieved in any realm. If there is even some improvement in the current situation, it should be seen as a major accomplishment.

The benefit of this pamphlet will be best achieved if the parents, especially the father, give it a quick review every few weeks. I have purposely kept the pamphlet as brief and concise as possible. It is, for the most part, straightforward instruction without any attempt to entertain or create literary interest.

The ideas presented here do not all apply to all families under all circumstances. All people are different, and the chemistry and structure of each family is different. Some of the ideas may actually seem to contradict each other. It is up to the parents to choose which are most suitable for their specific family. It would be very surprising if there wasn’t something here that every set of parents would find useful.

The pamphlet is aimed at conducting a Shabbos table in a setting of children and/or teens. It is not a guide for conducting a table where the guests are secular, and the goal of the evening is kiruv rechokim.

Certain points in the pamphlet are repeated in different sections. That should serve as an indication of how important these points are. I am grateful to Harav Noach Orlowek Shlit”a for all his input, and to Rav Simcha Fuld for all of his help.

Wishing You Many Wonderful Shabbosim,

David Kaplan
Yerushalayim