Back in March, Lahav Harkov wrote about White City Shabbat’s campaign to host the world’s largest Shabbat dinner in a hangar in the Tel Aviv port. Happily for Jewish number nerds the world over, the organization succeeded on Friday June 13 with a grand total of 2,226 attendees at Hangar 11—as verified by Guinness World Record adjudicator, Pravin Patel.

What goes into making the world’s largest Shabbat dinner a reality? Here are some stats from the press release: “800 bottles of wine, 80 bottles of vodka, 50 bottles of whiskey, 2000 challah rolls, 1800 pieces of chicken, 1000 pieces of beef, 250 vegetarian plates.” (Sorry, vegetarians! No food for you, only crockery.) And of course, no community-building endeavor is complete without some celebs/big machers. Counted among the 2,226 souls were former Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, basketball player Tal Brody, ex-Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren, and the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, Yisrael Meir Lau.

Turns out the standards for setting the Guinness World Record for Largest Shabbat Dinner are exacting and rigorous: “All 2000+ attendees needed to be in their seats and served their first course by the waiters within five minutes, and then be at their table eating… for a full hour. Table captains were appointed to report to Mr. Patel, and verify that everyone played by the rules. It was also important for the Guinness judge to know that the meal adhered to traditional Jewish customs for Shabbat, including the proper prayers, Kiddush, HaMotzei, and that the organizers weren’t breaking any Jewish religious laws. He had come having done his homework.”

Sounds like a relaxing Shabbat. Mazal tov, everyone!

Image via White City Shabbat

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The most interesting Jew in the world wants you to join him for Shabbat dinner—how could you say no?

This is the premise of White City Shabbat‘s campaign to crowdfund the world’s largest Shabbat dinner on June 13.

The parody of the Dos Equis beer video features Jay Schultz, founder of White City Shabbat and self-styled “International Mayor of Tel Aviv,” speaking with over-the-top Yiddish inflections, claiming he was born circumcised, and taught the Mossad to kill—and his Bubbe to make chicken soup.

Schultz then invites viewers to join him at the Guinness World Record-setting Shabbat dinner in Tel Aviv, “the most interesting city in the world.”

White City Shabbat is well-known to Tel Aviv’s young internationals for its monthly communal dinners and holiday services and meals, but now the non-profit, run by a volunteer group of young immigrants, is raising money to make a global name for itself.

The organization plans to host 1,000 people–including former chief rabbi of Israel Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, who contributed a video blessing, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, and Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan—for Friday night dinner in a hangar in the Tel Aviv Port.

“While White City Shabbat is going to be the first organization to attempt this record, our hope is than in years to come, communities around the world will come together to try and surpass the standard we set,” Shultz stated. “What a beautiful, holy race it would be to have Jewish organizations trying to outdo each other. It will be a real win-win for Am Yisrael.”

“Shabbat is the solidarity of the Jewish people,” Lau said, showing a poster released from the office of Tel Aviv’s first mayor, Meir Dizengoff, 80 years ago, calling for the city’s residents to keep Shabbat publicly. “This is our real heritage. The fathers of the city wanted us to follow in their footsteps and keep the unity and holiness of the Shabbat,” Lau added.

Eytan White and Deborah Danan, co-directors of White City Shabbat, focused on what the event could mean for Tel Aviv.

“With more and more young Jews from around the world choosing to make Tel Aviv their home, celebrating the first ever World’s Largest Shabbat Dinner with the Guinness Book will further establish Tel Aviv as one of the most important cities for the Jewish People today,” White said.

According to Danan, “Tel Aviv is a unique global city in that it has one of the highest percentages of young professionals. Coupling that with its mix of immigrants and natives, who are both religious and secular, and its overarching atmosphere of openness and inclusivity, makes Tel Aviv the perfect city to host an event of this historic magnitude.”

The Indiegogo campaign has already brought in $17,432 of White City Shabbat’s $25,000 goal. The dinner will be free of charge, but a $50 donation now can guarantee you a spot at the landmark event. Plus, White City Shabbat is looking for sponsors for all sorts of Shabbat event necessities, like kippahs, benchers and siddurs.

(Image: Shutterstock.)

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It’s not often that there’s reason to care about the Guinness World Records. The largest recorded breast size is not, technically, need-to-know or even want-to-know information. But just last week, Israel set the world record for hair donation for children battling cancer. Some 250 women gathered in Jerusalem’s Malha Mall, headed to the barber, and donated 117 lbs. of their locks. The drive was organized by Pantene Israel and Zichron Menachem Cancer Support Center in Israel, the Times of Israel reports.

“In order to make a child with cancer feel as normal and beautiful as possible, the goal is to fashion a wig that looks exactly like his/her hair,” Zichron Menachem’s website explains. “The child’s head is measured, and the wig is constructed from hair that is the closest match to his own. A curly-topped kid wants curls. A girl with red braids wants red braids. A teen with frizzy brown hair still wants… frizzy brown hair, even if she’s always complained about it!”

For those who couldn’t make it to Malha Mall, the drive is set for all of November at salons throughout the country—there’s even a DIY option for those who trust themselves enough to cut their own hair (you brave, brave souls).

Mazel tov, Israel! A record that’s certainly worth setting.

(Photo from Zichron Menachem)

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