When America Hits Pause

When a Nation Pauses: Rediscovering the Power of Shabbat 250

By Rabbi Anchelle Perl

Something unusual is happening this May—and it may be exactly what we need.

In a world that rarely slows down, where notifications never stop and schedules are always full, a surprising invitation has emerged from the highest levels of leadership. For the first time in American history, a sitting US president—Donald Trump—has called for a nationwide Shabbat observance, encouraging Americans of all backgrounds to pause from sundown Friday, May 15, through Saturday night, May 16.

It’s being called “Shabbat 250,” part of Jewish American Heritage Month—and it’s more than a symbolic gesture. It’s a reminder of something we may have forgotten: how to stop, reflect, and reconnect.

As someone who has spent decades teaching and living the rhythm of Shabbat, I see this moment not simply as a proclamation—but as an opportunity.

A Tradition That Helped Shape a Nation

Jewish American Heritage Month invites us to look back at the values that helped build this country. When George Washington wrote to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport in 1790 that America would “give to bigotry no sanction,” he wasn’t just offering tolerance—he was recognizing the moral strength that faith communities bring to public life.

And when Haym Salomon stepped forward during the Revolutionary War, using his personal resources to help sustain the Continental Army, he demonstrated that commitment to values is not theoretical—it is lived.

These are not just historical footnotes. They are reminders that the spiritual principles embedded in Jewish life—faith, responsibility, rest, and gratitude—have long been part of the American story.

Why Shabbat Matters Now More Than Ever

Shabbat is often translated as a “day of rest.” But it’s much more than that.

It’s a weekly return to what matters most.

For six days, we build, create, strive, and achieve. On the seventh, we step back—not to escape life, but to experience it more deeply.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, once called for a global “Shabbat of Unity,” a moment when people come together not as separate individuals, but as part of something greater—“as one person with one heart.”

That message feels especially relevant today.

In a time when so much pulls us apart, the idea of a shared pause—a collective moment of reflection—is both simple and profound.

Time, Reimagined

There is a beautiful way to understand Shabbat—not just as a day, but as a journey through time.

Shabbat gathers together past, present, and future.

On Friday night, we remember where we came from—our history, our story, our roots.
On Shabbat day, we celebrate the present—the blessings we often rush past during the week.
And in the quiet moments before Shabbat ends, there is a subtle sense of the future—a glimpse of the world as it could be.

In that sense, Shabbat doesn’t just mark time.

It elevates it.

A Universal Message

What makes “Shabbat 250” so powerful is that its message reaches far beyond one community.

At its core, Shabbat teaches something deeply human:

That life is not only about what we accomplish—but about who we become.

That relationships matter more than notifications.
That presence matters more than productivity.
That meaning is found not only in movement—but in stillness.

A Moment Worth Taking

We live in a culture that rarely pauses. And when it does, it often feels forced or fleeting.

This is different.

This is an invitation—to individuals, to families, to communities—to step into something timeless.

To experience a day not driven by urgency, but guided by intention.

As we approach May 15–16, the question is not simply whether a national Shabbat has been declared.

The real question is whether we will choose to experience it.

Because one Shabbat has the power to change a week.
A shared Shabbat has the power to strengthen a community.

And perhaps—just perhaps—
a national Shabbat can remind us of who we are, and who we can become.