5 Reasons Why I Love Going to Families for Shabbos


I have been living in Israel for the past two years and while I don’t find anything wrong with staying in my own apartment for the weekend, and I have done it before there is just something about going to a family for the weekend that makes it feel so much more special. For me it is not about the food or not needing to clean my apartment for shabbos but rather it is more about the company.

1. Being With A Family
When you live on your own there are times when you just miss being part of a family. When I go to friends I don’t usually feel like I’m a part of the family but it is just the environment that makes it feel closer to home than being alone in your apartment or even just eating with friends. It is a more familiar feeling that sometimes we just miss when we are away from your own family.
2. Home Cooking
I will admit that I like to cook for myself. I’m not saying that I’m an amazing chef, but when all week I’m eating pasta and trail mix and the occasional pizza, having some home made food is great. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with ordering take-out but some times you really just need a home made chicken soup.
3. Seeing Friends
Everyone is living on their own schedule, we’re all busy and the weekend is the only time that everyone has off. It is a time when we can all just sit down and talk about what’s going on in our lives, without the technology of everyday life we get to talk with out distractions.
4. Houses
This is something that when you live at home you take advantage of and don’t even think about it anymore. But after living in a dorm and even an apartment some times I is the size of a house, or seeing a real kitchen with a stocked fridge, as a student you really begin to appreciate all the little things in life.
5. Going Different Places
Sometimes we can just use a change of scenery. While I do have a few families that I go to often in the area, on occasion I will make an effort to visit a friend in a different city just to be able to meet up with them and see a different place. Even going to different houses in the same place is a way that I use to change things up. Its interesting to see how different families are and how living in different parts of the same city can be so different.
The list is a little short but it’s the honest to goodness truth about why I love going to a family for shabbos. I try to make sure that it’s a family that I know, there are websites like “Anywhere In Israel” that will set you up with a family to go to if you don’t have any one but it just kind of scares me. IF you have somewhere to go, or somewhere you like to go then make an effort to go there, or to visit a new place to gain a new experience it is so interesting how different families are.