Bringing Together the Community at UCSB Mega Shabbat

L’chaim!

This was the Hebrew word joyously shouted from the mouths of nearly 800 people throughout the evening I spent at the Chabad House at UCSB. For those of you who don’t know what “L’chaim” means, it’s a Jewish toast meaning “To life!” It’s a celebration of people, of unity, of the human experience — and it’s fitting for an occasion that’s all about bringing people together.

On Friday, May 19, Chabad at UCSB hosted their annual Mega Shabbat Dinner Party for the community, and I had the opportunity to attend the gathering. As someone who had little knowledge of what a Shabbat is, I was pleased to find that the Shabbat has had a long history with the purpose of celebrating life. For more than 3,300 years, the Shabbat has been a day of the week set aside for Jewish people to rest and reconnect with family and friends as well as their godly beliefs. While Chabad at UCSB regularly hosts a weekly Shabbat where up to 150 students get together for the night, the annual Mega Shabbat, started in 2012, is an event where the greater UCSB community is able to come and experience the Jewish tradition. This year, Chabad saw their biggest turnout yet with an evening full of comfort, laughter, and community.