Discover Shabbat in a New Light:

In partnership with UJA-Federation of New York, 14Y Selah is proud to launch the Shabbat Expansion Project, a movement to bring restorative, evidence-based, and heart-centered Shabbat experiences to Jewish communities across the region.

This isn’t a service, it’s an experience. A spacious, musical, and mindful gathering where people can exhale and reconnect with themselves and each other. Through poetry, song, silence, and shared reflection, Selah Shabbat invites participants to slow down, breathe, and rediscover what it means to feel whole.

Rooted in the values of recovery and community care, this project is grounded in both Jewish tradition and evidence-based practices that support mental health and emotional well-being. It’s about meeting people where they are, whether they’re navigating recovery, supporting a loved one, working in the field, or simply seeking a place to rest and belong.

Our vision is to bring this model of Shabbat to every JCC, transforming Jewish spaces into sanctuaries of connection, healing, and renewal. Together, we can weave a network of communities that see Shabbat not only as ritual, but as respite, a weekly practice of presence, compassion, and collective care.

Because healing isn’t separate from Jewish life. It is Jewish life.
And every time we gather, breathe, and bless the moment, we begin again.

Upcoming Experiences:

  • A Place of Presence

    Details:
    February 20, 2026
    Shames JCC

    In Parashat Terumah, the Israelites are called to build something sacred together, a home for the Divine in their midst. God says,

    וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ, וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם
    “V’asu li mikdash v’shachanti b’tocham”
    “Let them make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them.”
    (Shemot / Exodus 25:8)

    This verse holds a subtle but powerful truth: God does not say “I will dwell in it,” but “among them.” Holiness is not confined to a structure; it lives in the relationships, the offerings, and the shared spirit that make the space come alive.

    In Terumah, each person brings a gift from the heart: gold and silver, fabric and wood, skill and song. The Mishkan becomes a collective creation of love and generosity, a reminder that every contribution, no matter how small, is part of something holy.

    We see this as a vision of sacred community. Each of us brings our own terumah, our own offering of self. Together, we build a Mishkan made not of beams and curtains, but of care, honesty, and connection. Holiness happens when we show up for one another and make space for presence to dwell between us.

    This Shabbat, we gather to build that space anew, with song, with food, with open hearts. Join us as we welcome Shabbat and remember: when we bring our whole selves, we create a sanctuary big enough for the Divine to dwell among us.

    RSVP HERE

Past Experiences:

  • From Hidden to Seen

    Details:
    January 9-10, 2026
    Riverdale Y

    Shemot opens with a shift, from the safety of Joseph’s Egypt to a world where the Israelites are enslaved, their names recorded as the story begins anew. In the midst of oppression, small acts of courage spark the beginning of liberation: midwives who refuse unjust orders, a mother who hides her child, a sister who watches from the riverbank, a princess who chooses compassion over comfort.

    In this web of quiet bravery, a baby floats down the Nile, Moshe, who will one day lead his people to freedom. Before he becomes a leader or prophet, he begins as someone who sees: he sees suffering, he sees injustice, and he cannot look away.

    Shemot reminds us that transformation often begins in the smallest acts of noticing, of seeing what’s hidden, what’s hurting, and what’s holy. It’s a story about naming what has been silenced and finding our own voices in the process.

    This parasha speaks to the heart of recovery and awakening. Healing begins when we allow ourselves to be seen, when we speak what’s been unspoken, and when we stand with those still in the shadows. Like the midwives and Moshe, we, too, can be part of a story that turns pain into possibility.

    This Shabbat, we gather to honor the courage it takes to begin again, to be seen, to see each other, and to believe that liberation begins right where we are. Join us for a night of song, nourishment, and connection as we enter the book of Exodus and open our hearts to what is waiting to be revealed.

  • BETWEEN THE WATERS

    Details:
    January 30, 2026
    JCC Mid-Westchester

    In Parashat Beshalach, the Israelites stand trapped between the sea and the army of Egypt. Fear and faith collide. Then, in a moment of impossible courage, they step forward, and the waters part. What had seemed like the end becomes the beginning.

    When they reach the other side, they sing. אָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לַיהוָה “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to God” (Shemot 15:1). It’s the first collective song in the Torah, a melody of survival, gratitude, and awe.

    Beshalach is about what happens when we trust the unknown, when we step into the sea before we know how it will open. It’s about the moments between despair and deliverance, fear and faith, silence and song. It’s about the kind of courage that comes from community, the strength to walk through deep waters together.

    This parasha reminds us that freedom isn’t just about leaving what was behind; it’s about learning how to live in what comes next. Every recovery, every renewal, every new beginning asks us to take a step before the path is clear. And when we do, we make space for the miraculous.

    This Shabbat, we gather between the waters, to sing, to reflect, to remember the times we’ve stepped into the unknown and found each other there. Join us for an evening of nourishment, song, and spirit as we celebrate the crossings that continue to shape us.

Rabbi Yali Szulanski reflects on our Riverdale Shabbaton in The Times of Israel

Our Proud Partners:

Bring 14Y Selah Shabbat to Your Community:

The Shabbat Expansion Project is growing, and we’d love to grow with you.
If you’re part of a JCC, synagogue, or Jewish organization that’s passionate about mental health, recovery, and community connection, we’d love to collaborate.

We hope to bring 14Y Selah’s restorative, heart-centered Shabbat gatherings to Jewish communities across New York and beyond, including but not limited to the Bronx, Westchester, and Long Island.

To learn more or explore bringing this experience to your community, please reach out to us at Jpool@14streety.org or Ahalpern@14streety.org
Let’s build spaces of belonging, healing, and Jewish renewal together.