PRIDE Shabbat
Guide
Both Shabbat and Pride are all about radically welcoming ourselves and others to show up as authentic individuals. At OneTable, we know that when people can gather from a place of authenticity, connections feel deeper and more real. And that brings more joy + elevation to our Friday nights. We invite the OneTable queer and ally community to host Pride Shabbats all throughout June.
Famous scholar, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, spoke about Shabbat as a “palace in time” – a holy space of 25 hours carved out from the 168 hours of the week, dedicated to something beyond. The palace or sanctuary of Shabbat is sacred and beautiful because it is dedicated to rest rather than to work. In addition to all of the work that goes into a typical week, queer community members often end up having to do an extra layer of work: the work of passing, of proving that you are “ queer enough,” of educating family, peers, strangers, and/or repeatedly feeling pressure to come out Just by virtue of being queer, the burden of activism also ends up falling to the LGBTQIA+ community. Even when this work feels holy, it can feel tiring.
Shabbat is the time that can be set down and boundaries can be drawn to take a break so you can nourish yourself physically and spiritually as sacred beings. Shabbat is an invitation to cease this work, to put it down if only for a day (or even just a Friday night dinner!), and to lean into self-reflection, self-nourishment, and self-affirmation
In this Pride Shabbat Guide, we’ve included both the traditional (masculine), feminine, and nonbinary Hebrew options for the blessings as well as some additional blessings and readings to inspire and infuse your Pride Shabbats with queer Jewish wisdom.
Readings
We've included a few additional blessings and readings to inspire your Pride Shabbats all month!
BLESSING ON A RAINBOW
This is the traditional blessing to be said upon seeing a rainbow, feel free to incorporate it as you feel it fits your Pride Shabbat!
Baruch ata ado-nai elo-heinu melech ha’olam zocher ha’brit v’ne’eman bivrito v’kayam b’ma’amaro.
Blessed is the One who remembers and upholds the commitments established between the Divine and all of creation.
BIRKAT HODESH GA’AVAH
A Blessing for Pride Month by Rabbi Lily Solochek adapted
from RitualWell
May it be Your will, our God and God of our ancestors, God of Ruth and Naomi, God of David and Jonathan, God of Joseph, God of all our queer ancestors whose names have been erased, grant that this Pride month bring us joy and celebration, and bestow upon us a long life: a life of safety, a life of healing, a life of employment and housing, a life of love and support, a life of blessing and sharing of gifts, a life free of shame and reproach, a life of friendship, partnership, and love in the ways we wish to give and receive it, a life with dreams of the future.
May the One who delivered our ancestors from oppression to freedom, redeem us and all marginalized peoples.
May the Holy One instill in us the wisdom to know our liberations are entwined together.
May the One who creates liberation on high, bring liberation to us, to all oppressed communities, and to the entire world, V’nomar, and we say, Amein.
A BLESSING ADAPTED FROM SIDDUR SHA’AR ZAHAV
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam, m’shaneh habriyot.
Blessed is the Oneness who diversifies creation.
Light
Strike a match, create light, take a breath and enjoy the moment.
TRADITIONAL (MASCULINE) HEBREW
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat.
GENDER EXPANSIVE HEBREW
Bruche ateh Adonai Elohimoteinu Malket ha’Olam asher kidshenu b’mitzvoteihe, v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat.
FEMININE HEBREW
Beruchah at shekhinah, eloteinu ruach ha' olam, asher kidshatnu be mitzvoteha, vetzivatnu lehadlik ner shel Shabbat.
Blessed is the Oneness that makes us holy through our actions and honors us with the light of Shabbat.
or
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, Who commands us to kindle the light of Shabbat.
or
Blessed are you, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who has made us holy through God’s commandments, and commanded us to light the Sabbath candles.
Drink
So much depends upon us and our intention. Raise your glass and sanctify Friday night with a blessing and a toast. L’chaim!
Kiddush sanctifies time. In order to raise your glass to the weekend, you have to put down something from the week that was. What do you want to leave behind? What baggage do you want to check? Let it go, raise your glass, and bless:
TRADITIONAL (MASCULINE) HEBREW
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam borei p’ri ha’gafen. Baruch Atah Adonai mikadesh ha’Shabbat.
GENDER EXPANSIVE HEBREW
Bruche ateh Adonai, Elohimoteinu Malket ha’Olam, borat p’ri hagafen. Bruche ateh Adonai mikadesheh ha'Shabbat.
FEMININE HEBREW
Beruchah at Shekhinah, Eloteinu ruach ha'olam, boreit peri hagafen. Beruchah at Shekhinah, mikadeshet ha'Shabbat.
BlessedistheOnenessthatcreatesthefruitofthevine. BlessedistheOnenessthatsanctifiesShabbat. or BlessedareYou,LordourGod,Ruleroftheuniverse,Creatorofthefruit ofthevine.BlessedareYou,LordourGod,WhosanctifiesShabbat.
Cleanse
Ritual hand washing isn’t for everyone, and you shouldn’t feel any pressure to try it out until you ’ re ready to, um, get your hands wet.
TRADITIONAL (MASCULINE) HEBREW
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav vitzivanu al netilat yadayim.
GENDER EXPANSIVE HEBREW
Bruche ateh Adonai Elohimoteinu Malket ha’Olam asher kidshenu b’mitzvoteihe, v’tzivenu al nitilat yadayim
FEMININE HEBREW
Beruchah at shekhinah, eloteinu ruach ha' olam, asher kidshatnu be mitzvoteha, vetzivatnu al netilat yadayim.
Blessed is the Oneness that makes us holy through our actions and honors us as we raise up our hands. or
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, Who sanctifies us with commandments and commands us to raise up our hands.
Nourish
More than satisfying hunger, challah truly nourishes SLOW DOWN AND SAVOR.
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha’olam ha’motzi lechem min ha’aretz. TRADITIONAL (MASCULINE) HEBREW
GENDER EXPANSIVE HEBREW
Bruche ateh Adonai, Elohimoteinu Malket ha’Olam, Hamotziye lechem min ha’aretz.
Beruchah at shekhinah, Eloteinu ruach ha'olam, hamotziyah lechem min ha'aretz. FEMININE HEBREW
BlessedistheOnenessthatbringsforthbreadfromtheearth. or
BlessedareYou,LordourGod,Ruleroftheuniverse, Whobringsforthbreadfromtheearth.
Gratitude
After the meal...
You made it through another week give thanks to your community, your friends, your family, and your chosen family.
Brich rachamana malka d’alma marei d’hai pita.
We are blessed with compassion by the Oneness that sustains us with bread.
Blessed are You, Merciful One, Ruler of the universe, who sustains life with bread.
You are the Source of life for all that is, and Your blessing flows through me.
*Blessing for Pride by Rabbi Joshua Zlochower, Rabbi Erica Steelman and Dr. Gloria Becker adapted from RitualWell
N’varekh et ma’ayan hayyeinu, t’kadesh u’t’sa’me’akh otanu v'vet ha-Shabbat.
We bless the wellspring of life, may we and Shabbat be filled with joy and sanctity.*