Celebrating Black History Month at the Shabbat Table
The Shabbat table is a beautiful place to celebrate the rich diversity, heritages + histories of the people who make up our community as we come together to share food, ritual and conversation. Shabbat gives us a weekly opportunity to imagine a better world, and consider the actions we need to take to make that world a reality.
We invite you to bring Black History Month celebration & learning to your Shabbat table — and use these tips + resources as inspiration to amplify Black voices at your gatherings all year long.
ELEVATE
Use our new Affinity Guide Workbook, created by Jews of Color, to organize a Black History Month-focused dinner with guests who have a shared identity (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ or any other identity that feels important to you.)
Bring a screening of Blewish Short Film to your community + have a post-viewing discussion over Shabbat dinner.
Check out these articles:
- 38 Ways to Intentionally Celebrate Black History Month from How to Celebrate Black from Good Good Good
- Black Jewish Lives Matter from BBC
- Observe Black History Month by Addressing Oppression in our Communities: Use These Jewish Resources from URJ
Head to our blog Hosting a Solidarity Shabbat for more resources to amplify Black voices and have intentional conversations at the Shabbat table.
NOURISH
Learn more about African American culinary traditions, and the stories behind them. Plan your next Shabbat menu with these amazing cookbooks by Black authors — both of these books are Nourishment options on our platform!
- Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew by Michael W. Twitty
- Watermelon and Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations
Use your Nourishment to support a Black-owned restaurant or grocery store.
- Our Nourishment options include many incredible Black-owned businesses nationwide, like Detroit Vegan Soul, LaRayia’s Bodega (Atlanta), and Mandela Grocery (Bay Area).
- Use an app like EatOkra or EatBlackOwned to find a Black-owned restaurant near you!
- If you don’t see one on your local Nourishment options, consider using the Local Nourishment form (if available in your city) or select the OneTable Nourishment Catalog to order from them on a food delivery app. (Doordash, Grubhub, and UberEats are all in our Nourishment Catalog!)
How are you celebrating Black History Month around the Shabbat table? Let us know!
About the Author
Dyanna Loeb (she/her) is OneTable’s Digital Marketing Manager and has been on the OneTable team since 2019. She is passionate about poetry, dance, celebrating the diversity of the Jewish diaspora, and creating Shabbat moments for connection.
