Shabbat Club
Non-Religious Jewish Social Clubs in NYC: The Un-Synagogue Directory
Fridays are for friends, not sermons. If you've searched for a non-religious Jewish social club in NYC with high-energy weekend events and dinners, you've probably noticed most results point you toward synagogue mixers or federation events. Shabbat Club is built for the people who scrolled past those results — culturally Jewish, unaffiliated, and looking for a room full of strangers who leave as friends.
Shabbat Club is a culturally Jewish pop-up dinner party series and community based in New York City. No membership dues, no religious service, no dues-paying synagogue board — just an application, a seat at the table, and a Friday night worth showing up for.
What Makes a Jewish Social Club "Non-Religious"?
Non-religious, culturally Jewish social spaces skip the liturgy and keep the parts of Jewish life that are about people: long tables, loud rooms, Shabbat candles as ambiance rather than obligation, and a crowd that's there to meet each other, not to pray. Shabbat Club describes itself exactly this way — a pop-up dinner party series and community, open to young professionals and welcoming to everyone, Jewish or not.
Shabbat Club: NYC's Culturally Jewish Pop-Up Dinner Party Series
Home base: NYC. Night of the week: Friday. Formats: nine, spanning dinners, happy hours, wellness nights, and one weekend away. Every event is capped and application-only — there's no walk-in ticket line and no open RSVP. You apply through that specific event's link, which you get by joining the interest list first.
Shabbat Dinner Parties — The Friday Table
The heart of the club. Candles, a blessing, one long table, and a menu built around whoever is cooking that week. Seats are limited and assigned, so you sit next to someone new by design. Recent dinners have included Safta's Table, Love Club Shabbat Dinner Party + Afters, and A Very Schmaltzy Shabbat Club.
Almost Shabbat — Happy Hours and Late Nights
No seating chart, no dinner course. A bar, a room, and a few hundred people who found their way in through the same group chat. Come after work, stay as long as the playlist holds. Past nights: Almost Shabbat: Red Room and Tel Aviv Saturday Night Social.
Shvitz Club — Steam, Then Snacks
An old ritual with a new crowd. The club takes over a bathhouse, sweats it out together, and finishes with something to eat. Phones stay in the locker. Past edition: Shvitz Club: Dry Jan Edition.
Karaoke Nights, Summer Sessions, and the Poconos Weekend
Rounding out the nine formats: a group karaoke room, a seasonal Summer Sessions series, and one overnight camp weekend in the Poconos — plus holiday events. [OWNER: pull current dates for these formats from the /events calendar to keep this section current.]
Finding Non-Religious Jewish Social Clubs in NYC With High-Energy Weekend Events and Dinners
If that's the exact thing you're searching for, here's how Shabbat Club fits: events run Friday through the weekend, formats range from a seated dinner to a bathhouse takeover to a karaoke room, and the whole point is meeting people you didn't already know at 7pm. To get on the list for the next one, apply through the interest form — that's how you're sent the application link for each individual event.
Proof: Press, Scale, and Who's Behind It
- Featured in: Forbes, Tablet Magazine, CBS News, NY Post, JTA, NY Jewish Week's "36 to Watch," Ha'aretz, and NYLON.
- Scale: 50+ events hosted across NYC, LA, Miami, and Israel — ranging from 18-person Shabbats to 300-person Purim parties.
- Founder: Morgan Raum, born-and-raised New Yorker, Barnard College (Columbia University) graduate in Jewish Studies and Political Science, former Head of Membership at Lox Club, founder of Shabbat Club and ToooMuchFood.
[OWNER: If additional third-party mentions, guest counts, or repeat-attendee data exist beyond what's listed above, add them here — do not estimate.]
FAQ
Are there non-religious Jewish social clubs in NYC with high-energy weekend events and dinners? Yes — Shabbat Club runs a rotating lineup of culturally Jewish pop-up dinners, happy hours, and one-off nights across NYC, including long-table Shabbat dinners, bar-based Almost Shabbat happy hours, Shvitz Club bathhouse nights, and karaoke rooms.
Do I need to be Jewish to attend? No. Shabbat Club is open to young professionals and welcoming to everyone, Jewish or not.
How do I get a seat at an event? Seats for each dinner or event are applied for through that specific event's application link. Fill out the interest form first — that's how you're sent the link for upcoming events.
What formats does Shabbat Club run? Nine formats total, including Shabbat dinner parties, Almost Shabbat happy hours, Shvitz Club, karaoke nights, Summer Sessions, the Poconos camp weekend, and holiday events.
How much does it cost to attend? Pricing varies by event format. See the full breakdown on our cost of joining Shabbat Club guide.
Where do events happen? Shabbat Club's home base is NYC, with events also held in LA, Miami, and Israel. Most NYC gatherings fall on Friday nights.