Shabbat Candle Lighting: From 2200 BCE to 2012 and Beyond

To many of us, the image of Chabad is that of bearded men dressed in black lighting a huge Chanukah menorah or showing men in the street how to put on tefillin. But Chabad has many other faces, including a strong showing among teenagers through their CTeen organization, which has been sponsoring a weekend Shabbaton in New York City for the last three years.

During the weekend, hundreds of Jewish teens from all across the country and overseas join together for an uplifting weekend of fun and Jewish pride in New York City. Shabbaton Highlights include a Circle Line boat ride, shopping in Manhattan stores, and a Jewish heritage tour. This year's upcoming Shabbaton will take place Feb-8-10th.

The CTeen organization has produced a video re-enacting the lighting of Shabbat candles from the tent of Abraham and Sarah in 2200 BCE to the present day, and projecting candle lighting in Jerusalem in 2042. Each of the scenes show women lighting candles wearing clothing appropriate for the period. The stops along the way include Judea in 207 BCE, Yemen in 1200, Spain in 1481, Russia in 1812, Germany in 1939, and Israel in 1967.

Below the Shabbat video you'll find another one revisiting the CTeen Shabbaton in New York last year.

Candle lighting time today is 4:30 pm in New York, 4:45 pm in Los Angeles, 5:30 pm in Miami, and 4;14 pm in Jerusalem. 

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)