For more than 10 years, the property near a busy intersection sat dormant. Deeded to Lubavitch Center of Essex County, it had potential. At least, that’s what Rabbi Baruch and Devorah Klar thought. The space was too small for a synagogue, so the Klars kept paying taxes on a chunk of land that was filled with weeds, but little else. “People kept saying to do something with it,” says the rabbi, who with his wife directs Lubavitch Center of Essex County. N.J. The question was what. After hearing from a number of people that they got involved with Judaism after spending “Shabbat around the Klars’ table,” a seed was planted. RELATED Enter the “Shabbat House,” a place where Jews of all backgrounds and affiliations are welcome to come and enjoy a home-cooked Shabbat dinner together. The Klars began mapping out their plans for the Shabbat House in 2015, with the facility officially opening in August 2016. Since then, more than 1,000 people have enjoyed a Shabbat dinner or holiday meal together. Rhonda Lillianthal recalls how the rabbi once said that for him, every Friday night is a party. “I think that’s what draws us there. It’s a place to really celebrate and be joyful, and to do that as a community,” says this local resident and Jewish communal professional, who serves as the JCC MetroWest director for the Center for Jewish Life in West Orange, N.J. She and her husband, Gary, usually have guests in their home for Friday-night dinner, but will sometimes go to the Shabbat House. There’s something special it, she says; it fills a niche. “I think there are people who aren’t connected to Shabbat and are perhaps intimidated to go to synagogue, where they might feel you have to know the decorum of a prayer service—when to sit, when to stand,” she explains. “This is a very casual way to experience Shabbat in a non-intimidating environment.” The Shabbat House in Essex County, N.J.

‘Come and Feel Comfortable’ Reminiscent of a ski chalet, the building interior is replete with Jerusalem stone and original artwork, a state-of-the-art kitchen and a light-filled main living space with a high cathedral ceiling where dozens of people gather each week for Friday-night dinner. It also has two bedrooms on the upper level, where the couple lives. With more than five large tables set up for Shabbat each week, the Klars can easily host between 50 and 60 people, though they have organized the seating for as many as 100. By contrast, their old home fit 40 at most—and that was pushing it. “Previously, to be at our house for dinner, you either had to be personally invited or come with somebody,” explains the rabbi. “But we thought to build an entity in the center of town where people would be able to just stop by and enter. It’s a community house. Anyone can come any Shabbat and feel comfortable.” People are encouraged to register, signing up beforehand online, but the Klars always try to be accommodating. All of the kosher food is home-cooked by them—with the help of a slew of volunteers—and served buffet-style. The couple has three fridges and freezers to stock the abundant amount of items they need to have on hand. Rabbi Baruch and Devorah Klar, co-directors of Lubavitch Center of Essex County. N.J. Of course, they note, the Shabbat House is not where you go for a quiet meal. It’s where you go for Jewish company—to meet new people and get an authentic taste of the beauty of the holiday. Guests often share memories of previous Shabbat experiences, be it at summer camp or as children in their grandparents’ home. For the Klars, who also run the Lubavitch Center Judaica store, which sits kitty-corner from the Shabbat House, the opportunity to do something different was definitely appealing. For decades, the couple offered a Jewish Renaissance Fair that attracted thousands of people to Essex County for a Sunday of entertainment and connection to their heritage. They were also the force behind Café Devorah, a weekly Saturday-night, post-Shabbat celebration that offered up Jewish entertainment. They ran a Chabad synagogue in West Orange, N.J., for a while, too, but as the rabbi says, “not everyone is going to go to shul. We are not going to get 1,000 people to come to shul, but we’ve already had more than 1,000 people come for Friday-night dinner at the Shabbat House.” Women and girls participate in regular challah-making workshops at the Shabbat House.