Rodef Sholom: A Reform Jewish Congregation in Marin County, California

More about Saturday morning services

A Palace in Time - our vision for Shabbat

"A palace in time" is what Abraham Joshua Heschel has called the Sabbath. What does he mean by this?  He claims, "All week, we may ponder and worry whether we are rich or poor, whether we succeed or fail in our occupations; whether we accomplish or fall short of reaching our goals. But who could feel distressed when gazing at . . . eternity, except to feel startled at the vanity of being so distressed." Heschel reminds us that Shabbat is here to lift us up from the worries and pain of our life, to infuse our lives with peace and hope and joy.

Some additional reflections on Shabbat from important Jewish thinkers:

Ritual as a source of connectedness

Shabbat Stories
In addition, in connection with our renewed focus on Shabbat at Rodef Sholom, we asked clergy, staff and congregants, young and old, to share some personal stories in answer to one (or more) of three questions:

1. What is your earliest memory of Shabbat?
2. What is your sweetest memory of Shabbat? and/or
3. What is your ideal vision of Shabbat?

We hope that you will be inspired by these stories (click the link below) and moved to answer one (or more) of these questions with a story of your own. Whether you tell it at your own Shabbat table or send it to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for publishing, we invite you to reflect and share on Shabbat in your life - past, present and future.