Zoe Bell
Rabbi Moshe Brennan of Chabad of Penn Wynne aimed to bring joy and happiness to the community following Tisha B’Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar.
He did so through Shabbat Nachamu — a Shabbat of comfort — including a dinner on Aug. 16 and a kiddush lunch on Aug, 17, followed by musical performances that evening.
Tisha B’Av is a time of mourning and fasting to commemorate disasters in Jewish history. It is tradition to follow the holiday with a more upbeat celebration.
“The truth of the matter is, Judaism is supposed to be joy, meaning, purpose,” Brennan said. “Even though we have to remember the negative times — it’s a time of mourning — that’s not the state that we want to stay in. We remember the destruction of the temple, but then we want to move on.”
The Aug. 16 event started with sushi and beer, and an hour-long Shabbat prayer service with “a lot of singing, a lot of joy” preceded the community dinner. About 80 congregants and family members shared in the festivities.
“It’s a really nice family-friendly Shabbat dinner that we had,” Brennan said. “I wasn’t even the last one to leave; everyone just comes and they want to stay and hang out, make friends, eat good food, celebrate and be happy.”
In-house Shabbat dinner is a years-long tradition for Chabad of Penn Wynne, where Brennan has been the rabbi for 12 years. This Shabbat dinner was open to anyone: “It really creates a very positive sense of community.”
Brennan said he left the shul around 11:30 p.m., and others stayed until midnight “enjoying the weekend.”
On Aug. 17, attendees ate at a free community luncheon.
“We had good food and words to keep everyone inspired, so it’s enjoyable and inspirational,” Brennan said.
The night was filled with musical performances, including three guitars and one violin, according to Brennan. The nearly 50 attendees ordered from a mixology bar and noshed on a light Melavah Malka — the fourth meal of the day. Some stayed until 1 a.m., as the event was “more of an adult thing that rounded out the weekend.”
Brennan said organizing and hosting these types of events is something he enjoys doing as he knows he is making a positive difference in others’ lives.
“When we have a lot going on, Shabbat’s the time to kind of dial that all back, spend time with family and friends and enjoy yourself,” Brennan said. “Take a break from life as we know it to enjoy ourselves for a day before we jump back into the chaos and crazy of the week.”
He said Chabad of Penn Wynne staff aim to host a Shabbat dinner once a month or once every six weeks because community members enjoy it so much.
Brennan said he tries to create a “very friendly, homey” atmosphere where people can converse in a laidback manner and connect with new and old friends.
He has gotten positive feedback from congregants, including a note that read: “Thank you so much, Moshe. We really enjoyed the evening and you have a real gift of hospitality.”
Some new congregants use these social gatherings as their entry points into the community. Brennan said he recognized lots of familiar faces as well, with some more familiar than others: “That’s how we grow.”
“This is indicative of what our organization is: welcoming to all regardless of their religious affiliation,” Brennan said. “You don’t need to be anything; you don’t need to know anything. It’s for people looking for a positive Jewish nonjudgmental experience where they don’t need to have any background knowledge; just want to be able to give it a shot; try it out. That’s what we’re here for.”
