Guidelines for hosting Shabbat at 104 West!

As the host of the Shabbat, you really have the opportunity to run Shabbat dinner. Thus, if you choose you can reserve the center-back tables on the first floor in the dining hall to base yourself. Alternatively, you can simply disperse randomly throughout the room. Please do not isolate yourself on the second floor over-flow room.

Decorations

  • The dining hall is your canvas. Feel free to decorate as you please.
  • Decoration ideas include:
    • Balloons
    • Flags
    • A theme
    • Colors
    • Streamers
    • Decorating the poles
    • Tent cards on tables explaining your organization or your theme
    • Posters
  • Decoration restrictions:
    • May not be offensive
    • No quarter-cards are allowed (at least until there is an Eruv). Please use Tent cards.
    • All decorating must be complete one hour before Dinner/Shabbat starts.
    • Please communicate with the Dining Staff/manager in order to allow the staff to work with/around you. Please contact Daniel Kohn (dmk66 or (607)272-5810) to be put in contact with them.

D'var Torah

  • You have the option (recommended) of picking who will give the D'var Torah.
  • It is strongly recommended to try to keep the D'var Torah under 5 minutes.
  • Although you can technically say whatever you like, it would be greatly appreciated if you avoided insulting anyone or anything.
  • Additionally, try not to use a lot (if any) Hebrew. There are plenty of people who won't understand what you're saying.
  • The D'var Torah is the place to explain your theme as well as tie it to the Parsha.
  • Please contact the CJL President (president@cornellcjl.com) to inform us that you will be preparing a D'var Torah.
  • Additionally, If you would like help preparing one please contact the JLI Rabbinical Couple (rabbi@cornellcjl.com).

Advertising

  • Advertising for your Shabbat is a must.
  • The Center for Jewish Living will be happy to help you with both designing and distributing your advertisements including quarter cards, flyers, emails, banners, etc. Remember, you may only place tents as advertising for your future events on Shabbat (until notified otherwise).

Food

  • Although this is not guaranteed, your group is encouraged to request a type of food or dish that relates to your theme. Contact the CJL President (president@cornellcjl.com) about determining what you would like to request the dining hall to serve.
  • Please try to make this request at least 3 weeks in advance to allow the dining staff to properly evaluate it as well as research recipes
  • Ideas for types of food have included:
    • Moroccan
    • Persian
    • Mexican
    • Caribbean
    • Israeli
    • Russian
    • Getting the foods that you want is not guaranteed, but we will do everything that we can to accommodate.
  • No outside food may be brought into the dining hall without permission from the OU Mashgiach (mashgiach@cornellcjl.com).

Activities

  • If you would like to include any other type of activity, please include this AFTER dinner has ended (unless discussed otherwise).
  • Examples of such activities include:
    • Games
    • A speaker
    • A Cappella
    • A comedian
    • Singing
  • Your options as far as where to include such activities are both 104 West (the dining hall), and with the exception of singing, the adjacent Center for Jewish Living is also available for use.
  • Please discuss any such activities with the CJL President (president@cornellcjl.com) for approval prior to the event.