On the eve of Yom Kippur we sent an email to alumni, parents and friends, wishing them a good year and sharing some links to inspiration and Yom Kippur enrichment. It was the first day of the current Government Shutdown (October 2025) due to the impasse between Republicans and Democrats in the US Senate without enough votes to overcome the 60-member filibuster threshold, so we currently do not have a fully functioning government.
In that spirit – we titled our email: “We’re Not Shutting Down!” and included this message/explanation in the email itself:
We’re not shutting down. Shabbos House is blessed to have a broad consensus of solid support from a diverse spectrum of students, alumni, parents and friends, each contributing in their own way, a feeling of connected family, all focused on the greater good. No filibuster here! It’s a team effort, it’s a communal endeavor, it means so much to see the collective continued investment of so many.
Indeed, that’s what keeps Shabbos House going!
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We did get lots of nice feedback on this email, and people did appreciate the message(s).
But this subject line and message also got many people worried! What’s the problem? Why would you write that you’re not shutting down!? What’s going on in Albany!?
Turns out many people were blissfully unaware that the US Government had shutdown and didn’t realize the pun/word-play message we were using here.
So what’s the message in that?
A primary goal of the High Holidays is to foster and build awareness and recognition of “our federal government”, or in our case, the authority and majesty of G-d. To feel G-d’s presence in our lives, to feel the closeness and connection. During the tumult and stresses of the year, it’s possible to lose touch, but the high holidays is a time of heighted connection and awareness.