Welcome to FridayLight

I have yet to experience this wonderful concept. I read “Sense of Peace” and as an Employee of the VA here in Sonoma County, I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to read of this young woman’s experience.

I work with Mental Health patients who have suffered from the worse traumas imaginable. Many are newly returned vets from Iraq/Afghanistan who have witnessed what one can say, “the devil at play” events. At times I don’t know how I can cope after hearing of what they witnessed and trying to get these young men and women to be able to adjust back into society.

I pray that Sense of Peace’s husband will be able to adjust and may the power of Shabbos reunite them as a family both in mind and soul.

L’Shanah Tovah to all –

-hinda

I have been lighting the Shabbas Candles for two weeks now and I can’t tell you how peaceful the whole experience is and the wonderful memories it has brought back to me. My husband and I have looked forward all week long to lighting the candles together this Friday night. What a wonderful experience. Thank you so much for bringing this back into my life. Good Shabbas.
Rochelle

You see, I had a minor problem. I could no longer, safely, light Shabbos candles or any other candles or be near any kind of flame.

Why? I am waiting for a double-lung transplant and am now using oxygen to help me breathe. This precludes me from lighting our special Shabbos candles.

What to do? I thought there…where there’s a will, there’s a way.

I went to a good Chabad site and asked a scholar. I posed the question, ” What do I do if I cannot light candles?” The response, at first, was WHY could I not????

After the explanation there came the answer. An alternative. Simply turn off the light switch in the dining room (where I normally lit Shabbos candles) then flick it on, say the prayers and LEAVE the LIGHT ON.

Ah, so there you have it. Perhaps I cannot strike the match to entice the physical flame but I can create the Shabbos light within my soul, this house, our community, our collective Jewish neshama, one way or another.

Melody Masha Pierson/Montreal

I love lighting Shabbat candles.

Someone sent me a connection to this site, just as the war in Lebannon heated up.

I have family there and felt a bit powerless over what was happening.

So, I lit up. Friday night candles that is. The feeling of peace as I sent my best wishes to my family is amazing.

It’s a great step.

Why did you use a photo of a red-haired woman in an Asian dress holding a decorative candle rather than a shabbos candle???

I reconnected with Judaism after my daughter was born in September 2005. We began celebrating Shabbos and joined a synagogue. Every Friday I make challah with my 5 year old son and 11 month old daughter and I do the baking for our synagogue’s oneg. When my husband gets home he showers and we make kiddush. We usually have matzo ball soup and brisket for Shabbos and then we go to synagogue. My husband is not Jewish but wants to convert because of the peace and joy and love he has found in Judaism. Shabbos has become what we look forward to as a family, a renewal of spirit and life. My husband has been deployed for 6 months and we have celebrated without him but he is coming home in 2 weeks and we will once again be a complete family, celebrating and reconnecting by the flickering glow of our Shabbos candles.

I was walking on campus yesterday and saw two other women wearing the FridayLight necklace that came in our starter kits! I asked them where they got them and they said they had visited the site. What a blessing to see other women share the light!

I light candles every week. It’s a reward for working hard. I am a civil rights attorney and love my work but need a time that’s mine to regroup and Friday night is it for me. My roommate who is in med-school often lights them with me.