The Jewish sabbath, Shabbat, is a 25-hour period of rest lasting from just before sunset on Friday evening until nightfall on Saturday. The idea is to take a break from ordinary life, and focus on family, community, and spiritual growth. In our fast-paced lives it can be a welcome change to stop rushing from work to preschool to the grocery store and, instead, enjoy a weekly reconnection with the people and ideas that really matter in life.

In many families, the central observance of Shabbat takes place on Friday night, around the dinner table. This is a time for family and friends to spend relaxed time together, reconnecting at the end of a busy week of work and school. In addition to Friday night dinner, on Saturday many families partake in a festive lunch and a pre-sundown dinner.

Though Shabbat celebration at home tends to be meal-focused, other Shabbat pasttimes include reading, playing board games, talking, walking, and napping. It can be a major relief to have time set aside for these calming activities that aren't usually prioritized during the hubbub of the workweek.

Holiday descriptions provided by Kveller.com.