Getting Started With Shabbat Club: What to Expect Before Your First NYC Event
Getting Started With Shabbat Club in NYC
Shabbat Club is a culturally Jewish pop-up dinner party series and community in NYC: you pick an event from the calendar, apply through that specific event's link, and — if approved — receive the address, start time, and what to bring. There's no membership, no dues, and no walk-in tickets. Every seat is applied for and every room is built by hand.
If you've never been to a Shabbat Club night before, the process is straightforward but different from buying a regular event ticket. This guide walks through what to decide before you apply, what the application actually asks, and what happens between "approved" and showing up at the table.
Is Shabbat Club Right for Your Situation?
Shabbat Club is open to young professionals and, in the site's own words, "welcoming to everyone (Jewish or not)." It's built for people who want to meet others in New York around food, culture, and conversation — whether that's a seated Friday night dinner, a casual Thursday mixer, a holiday party, a sauna social, or a weekend trip. There's "no 'right' way to be Jewish" here: you can be deeply connected to your heritage or just starting to explore it.
This is a good fit if you're looking for a curated room rather than an open bar crawl — the club reads every application and builds the guest list rather than selling unlimited general-admission tickets. If you want a guaranteed walk-in experience with no application step, this isn't that format.
Before You Apply: What to Decide
Before you fill out an application, it helps to know:
- Which format fits your night. The club runs five kinds of events: Friday Night Dinner (seated, candles, challah, wine, assigned tables), Almost Shabbat (Thursday mixers at Jewish-owned bars and creative spaces), Holiday parties (Rosh Hashanah, Purim, Hanukkah, Passover and more), Shvitz Club (a sauna social), and Trips & Weekends Away (like the camp weekend in the Poconos). Each one has a different feel, so pick based on whether you want a seated dinner or a standing, casual mixer.
- Which date works. The full, current lineup lives on the events calendar — every listing has its own standalone application.
- Whether you're applying solo or want to attend with friends. Decide this ahead of time, since each event's application link is specific to that night.
What to Have Ready for Your Application
Applications close once a room fills, and popular nights fill quickly, so it helps to apply promptly once you've picked a date. Have basic information about yourself ready, since "we read every application and build each room by hand" — this isn't a first-come, first-served ticket purchase. Beyond that, the site doesn't publish specific application requirements beyond choosing your event and submitting through its link, so the fastest path is simply to go to the event you want on the events calendar and apply there directly.
What Happens After You Apply
Shabbat Club's process is a two-step model: you apply, and approved guests receive the address, the start time, and what to bring. There's no public ticket window — the room is curated from the applications that come in. If a specific date raises a question the calendar doesn't answer, the site directs guests to its press and about pages for background on how the club operates, or to reach out directly through the site.
What an Approved Spot Includes
What you get depends on the event format:
- Friday Night Dinner — cocktails and mingling, candles, challah and wine, a seated dinner with assigned tables, and sometimes music and dancing afterward.
- Almost Shabbat — a standing-room mixer with drinks and culturally Jewish bites at a Jewish-owned bar, restaurant, or creative space.
- Holiday parties — seated dinners or larger parties incorporating the rituals and food of the Jewish calendar, from Rosh Hashanah and Passover to Purim and Hanukkah.
- Shvitz Club — a sauna party built around steam room and cold plunge time with good company.
- Trips & Weekends Away — multi-day experiences like the summer camp weekend in the Poconos, volunteer trips, baseball games, and museum tours.
Pricing varies by format: the site's resources note a general range of roughly $18 to $1,000 per event depending on what's being hosted, with examples cited including $18 museum tours, $54 Almost Shabbat happy hours, $72 holiday parties, and $118 Shabbat dinners. There's no membership fee — you pay per event you're approved for.
Choosing Your First Event
| Format | Who It's For | What's Included | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Night Dinner | People who want a full seated Shabbat experience | Cocktails, candles, challah, wine, assigned-table dinner, sometimes music/dancing | Closest to a traditional Shabbat table, hosted socially |
| Almost Shabbat | People who prefer a casual, mingling format | Drinks and culturally Jewish bites at a Jewish-owned bar or space | Standing-room, easy to move and meet people |
| Holiday parties | People who want to mark the Jewish calendar socially | Rituals and food for Rosh Hashanah, Purim, Hanukkah, Passover, and more | Approachable take on major Jewish holidays |
| Shvitz Club | People who want something different than a dinner or bar | Sauna, steam room, cold plunge, conversation | A distinct NYC-rooted ritual format |
| Trips & Weekends Away | People who want more than one night | Multi-day experiences like the Poconos camp weekend | Extended time with the community beyond NYC |
How Long the Process Typically Takes
Timing depends entirely on the event you choose and how quickly its application closes — the site is explicit that "applications close when the room is full, and popular nights fill quickly." There's no fixed waiting period published beyond this: the practical approach is to apply as soon as you've decided on a date.
What to Expect on the Night
Once approved, you'll have the address, start time, and what to bring in hand before you arrive. From there, the experience follows the format you picked — a seated dinner with assigned tables, a standing mixer, a holiday-specific gathering, a sauna social, or a multi-day trip. Nearly 100 events have been hosted across New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Tel Aviv, ranging from intimate 18-person Shabbat dinners to 500-person Purim parties, sauna socials, karaoke nights, museum tours, volunteer trips, and a three-day adult summer camp.
After the Event
There's no ongoing membership to manage afterward — you're free to apply to the next event on the events calendar whenever a date interests you. Many guests follow the club's Instagram and check back regularly since new dates are added to the calendar on a rolling basis, including upcoming events like the Summer Camp Weekend in the Poconos (Sept 4–6).
Proof: Who's Behind the Table
Shabbat Club has been covered by Forbes, NY Jewish Week, Tablet Magazine, Ha'aretz, CBS News, NY Post, Bloomberg, and Nylon. Forbes described it as helping "Jewish adults find their tribe." Founder Morgan Raum was named to the New York Jewish Week's "36 to Watch" list in 2024, recognizing young innovators shaping NYC's Jewish life. Full coverage is on the press page. For a closer look at how pricing works across formats, see the club's resources.
Key Takeaways
- Shabbat Club is application-only — there are no walk-in or general-admission tickets.
- The club runs five formats: Friday Night Dinner, Almost Shabbat, Holiday parties, Shvitz Club, and Trips & Weekends Away.
- It's open to everyone, Jewish or not — there's no religious requirement to attend.
- There's no membership fee; pricing runs per event, roughly $18 to $1,000 depending on the format, with examples like $54 Almost Shabbat and $118 Shabbat dinners.
- Approved guests receive the address, start time, and what to bring only after their application is accepted.
- Popular dates close quickly, so apply as soon as you pick an event on the calendar.
- The club has run nearly 100 events across New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Tel Aviv.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be Jewish to attend Shabbat Club?
No. The site states Shabbat Club is "open to young professionals and welcoming to everyone (Jewish or not)," and that there's "no 'right' way to be Jewish" — guests can be deeply connected to their heritage or just beginning to explore it.
How much does a Shabbat Club event cost?
Pricing varies by format, generally in the range of $18 to $1,000 per event, with specific examples including $18 museum tours, $54 Almost Shabbat happy hours, $72 holiday parties, and $118 Shabbat dinners. There's no membership fee.
How do I actually get a spot?
Pick an event from the events calendar, apply through that event's specific application link, and wait for approval. Approved guests receive the address, start time, and what to bring.
What if the event I want is already full?
Applications close once a room fills, and the site notes popular nights fill quickly — so apply as soon as you decide on a date, and keep an eye on the calendar for newly added dates.
What kinds of events does Shabbat Club run?
Five formats: Friday Night Dinner (seated), Almost Shabbat (casual mixer), Holiday parties (Rosh Hashanah, Purim, Hanukkah, Passover, and more), Shvitz Club (sauna social), and Trips & Weekends Away (like the Poconos summer camp).
Where does Shabbat Club host events?
Events are hosted at Jewish-owned businesses across New York City, with additional events in Los Angeles, Miami, and Tel Aviv, per the site's about page.
Ready to Apply?
The current lineup — including the upcoming Summer Camp Weekend in the Poconos (Sept 4–6) — is live on the events calendar. Choose the format that fits your night, submit that event's application, and wait to hear back. For background on the club's story and founder, visit the about page.