Shabbat Dinner Hits Tamarama Beach

By Dan Hutton on February 10, 2016 in

Photo: Jane Evans

Bondi’s charitable community cooking hub, Our Big Kitchen, is giving diners the opportunity to sink their toes into the sand and their teeth into a traditional Shabbat dinner on the beach this month.

At sundown on Friday, February 12, Jews and the wider community will welcome in the Sabbath on the sand at Tamarama Beach. Over 200 people will enjoy a three-course meal on the beach for the third year running.

Traditionally, Shabbat dinners are in people’s homes, so this unique experience is one-of-a-kind in Australia. As the Shabbat is welcomed in, there will be a service, candle lighting and blessings over wine and homemade challahs (Jewish braided bread).

The event is a collaboration between Our Big Kitchen – a community run cooking facility that, with the support of volunteers, prepares meals that are distributed to people in need from all walks of life – and ‘Shabbat entrepreneur’ Leah Greengarten. Ms Greengarten infuses her creativity into this original experience, while honouring ancient traditions, and she is aiming to take Friday nights to a new level.

“I feel privileged to recreate a classic Jewish Friday night into something incredibly spiritual, surrounded by a quintessentially Australian scene – the beach,” Ms Greengarten said. “I know this will encourage people from the Jewish and wider community to get involved and experience this amazing event together.

“For me, Shabbat is a time of togetherness and a time to reflect on the week that was and pay gratitude for it. As attendees experience the night, I hope they are inspired to create similar experiences.”

The three-course meal to be served on the night will be prepared by former MasterChef contestant, Kevin Perry. An eruv (ritual enclosure) will be built around the event site to ensure it is completely kosher.

Tickets are just $50 (plus booking fee) and can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com.au (just search for ‘Tamarama Shabbat’).