I'm off for a week. The blog returns January 2nd with "Remember the Sabbath, part 2."

Until then, consider the extent of your personal Sabbath observance. How much do you "remember" Shabbat each week? And how much do you "keep" Shabbat? And what more will you do to deepen your connection to Shabbat? Light Shabbat candles. Unplug for 24 hours: no e-mail, no BlackBerry/Treo/etc., no cell phone. Invite friends and/or family to join you for a sit down meal at home. Walk. Sing. Learn together with your family. Can you commit to yourself and your family for something more than chasing the things you want and just being with the things you have for 24 hours?

I leave you with this poem by Rabbi Marcia Prager, posted on the URJ Shabbat website:

Tonight is a time to catch our breath.
Whatever we have been
doing,
making,
working,
creating...
Tonight is a time to catch our breath.

No matter how necessary our work,
How important to the world,
how urgent that we continue it;

No matter how joyful our work,
how fully and profoundly human;

No matter how flawed our work,
how urgent that we set it right;
No matter how hard we have worked to gather
our modest fame,
our honourable livelihood,
our reasonable power,

Tonight we pause to catch our breath.
Tonight we pause to share whatever we have gathered.