About NoHo Community Shabbat

The first NoHo Community Shabbat on August 29th, 2022!

Above: Our first NoHo Community Shabbat on August 29th, 2022!

"More than the Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews."In 2022, founder Melanie Ehrlich started NoHo Community Shabbat, a free monthly outdoor community Shabbat dinner series for local Jewish folks to meet, eat, relax, and unplug from the demands of the rest of the week. With work not permitted on Shabbat, it's an opportunity to connect with each other not as "contacts" but on a genuine, personal level. Jewish, Jew-"ish" or otherwise, Jewish folks of all backgrounds are welcome.

L to R: Our 3rd, 2nd, and 1st Anniversary NoHo Community Shabbat dinners!

What people have to say after attending their first NoHo Community Shabbat meal

  • "Hi Melanie, I just wanted to thank you again for the community shabbat last night. You're a really excellent facilitator, and it was totally worth the epic drive!"

  • "Thank you so much...I had a great time...it's so beautiful and so meaningful!!! <3"

  • "Thanks again for the warmth friendship community sharing friends games food and AMAZING Shabbat!!! Had so much fun!"

  • "The Shabbat last Friday was awesome. My friend who I brought with me had an incredible time as well."

NCS Highlights

On August 25th, 2023 / Elul 8 5783, NCS co-sponsored the 1st SAG-AFTRA/WGA Jewish Actors, Writers, & Friends Special Picket in solidarity with our striking SAG-AFTRA & WGA workers, and once picket signs were down for the week we hosted our 2nd SAG-AFTRA/WGA Strike Solidarity Shabbat dinner and celebrated NCS' 1-Year Anniversary!!

Our first Seollal Shabbat (pictured) was extra special, celebrating both Shabbat and the Korean/Lunar New Year to honor our community members' unique cultural traditions and experiences. Our fully kosher and (almost completely) vegan Seollal Shabbat dinner is one of our most popular events every year.Every NoHo Community Shabbat is unique; additionally, thanks to amazing community members (like you!), we occasionally we have the opportunity for extra-special Shabbats like these. We would love to build a network of local folks with private indoor or outdoor space (backyards, patios, etc.) who are open to hosting us every once in a while to help facilitate this. If that's you, reach out to nohocommunityshabbat at gmail dot com and let's make it happen!

Support NoHo Community Shabbat

The gift of Shabbat belongs to every Jew, and our goal is to keep all NoHo Community Shabbat events -- including Shabbat dinners and seders -- completely free and open to the community. NCS particularly aims to make itself accessible to low-income, unaffiliated, single, and/or other Jews whose needs may not adequately met elsewhere, filling significant gaps in our community for those who often otherwise fall through the cracks of Jewish community involvement.While NoHo Community Shabbat dinners are free to attend, they are NOT free to produce, and relies 100% on donations from attendees and supporters. There are many ways to help! If you'd like to support NoHo Community Shabbat, here's how you can help us thrive:

  • DONATIONS: The most effective way to support our efforts is through monetary donations, which maximizes impact by allowing us to allocate funds where they are most needed. Currently, we can accept donations via PayPal via this link (please indicate "NCS" in the memo section), Zelle to nohocommunityshabbat at gmail dot com, or Visa gift cards (available in various denominations on our Amazon wish list).

Other ways to help:

  • WISH LISTS/REGISTRIES: The NoHo Community Shabbat Amazon wish list has a number of our most used/needed items, ranging from under $10 to over $100, for a convenient method of support. The NoHo Community Shabbat Bookshop.org registry also has written works that would enhance and support our programming and offerings. (Our most needed wish list items: Large stainless steel containers for transporting hot liquids, paper towels, battery-operated LED tealights, cups [4oz for kiddush, 8-10oz otherwise, preferably from 100% recycled material])

  • GIFT CARDS: Aside from the Visa gift cards (available in various denominations on our [Amazon wish list], some that are particularly helpful for our needs include Ralphs/Kroger, Trader Joe's, Target, Amazon, DoorDash, GrubHub, and Dollar Tree. Gift cards for local NoHo kosher establishments, such as Cambridge Farms, Continental Kosher Bakery, and Pacific Kosher, are also VERY helpful. That said, we're pretty scrappy and can find a use for just about any denomination or retailer -- try us.

  • IN-KIND DONATIONS: As our community is constantly growing, so are our needs; in-kind donations of both goods and services will greatly help us continue our plans for future growth. At this stage, we could benefit from both legal and accounting help, as well as in-kind donations of certain ritual items. Please reach out to nohocommunityshabbat at gmail dot com for more info.

  • VENUE/SPACE: In the interest of protecting our community, we would love to build a network of local folks with private outdoor space (backyards, patios, etc.) who are open to hosting NoHo Community Shabbats every once in a while. We will set up and clean up everything; all you have to do is provide the space and enjoy the meal! Please email nohocommunityshabbat at gmail if you can help sustain us in this crucial way.

  • SETUP HELP: Do you have some free time/hands before a NoHo Community Shabbat? Let us know if you can help prepare, transport items, or set up beforehand. It's a huge help!

  • CONNECT WITH US: Do you know someone who would dig what we're doing and can help us keep doing it? Please email nohocommunityshabbat at gmail dot com with info and we'll take it from there.

If you have any questions or another idea not listed, please email nohocommunityshabbat at gmail dot com.

THANK YOU to our supporters!

A HUGE THANK YOU to NCS family who have supported our efforts with recent donations and other valuable contributions that have kept us going:

Andy D. • Judd L. • Michael K. • Isra Y. • Boris P. • Lee C. • Tori M. • David A. • Meira G. • Daniel S. • Brooke G. • Roni L. • Leah L. • Max B. • Estee M. • Brian R. • Elizabeth S. • Nathan S. • Kimberly E. • Ange M. • Danit K.

Want your name here with the greats? Email us at nohocommunityshabbat at gmail dot com!

Contact NoHo Community Shabbat

If you have ideas, an offer to help, or questions about NoHo Community Shabbat, email us at nohocommunityshabbat at gmail dot com. We'd love to hear from you!