Chabad at Binghamton University hosted its annual Shabbat 2400 on March 20 at the Events Center. Welcoming over 2,000 attendees, the event celebrated the Jewish Sabbath through singing, dancing and prayer, allowing students of all backgrounds to take part in a memorable Shabbat experience.

“Shabbat is a time where we take a break from our week and spend quality time with friends and family in a way that disconnects us from the outside world,” Elizabeth Rubin, the event’s public relations spearhead and a senior majoring in psychology, wrote in an email. “Being able to gather in one room with the entire Binghamton community to celebrate Shabbat is incredibly uplifting and meaningful. Shabbat 2400 is not just your average Shabbat dinner — it is an event where everyone can experience the joy and spirit of Shabbat despite cultural background and religious beliefs.”

Doors opened at 5:30 p.m. and the event began promptly at 6 p.m. As students and community members trickled in, they were greeted with a performance from the Y-Studs, an all-male Jewish a capella group from Yeshiva University. Rabbi Sruly Ohana and his wife Goldie Ohana came up on stage to welcome everyone into the Events Center.

Anne D’Alleva, Binghamton University’s president, made her debut at this annual event by welcoming everyone to this special celebration. Afterward, Rivky Slonim, founder of the Chabad house, came on stage to announce the winner of a free trip to Israel.

Afterward, Slonim instructed half the room to come to the stage and the other half to stand on their chairs as she introduced the guest speaker, Segev Kalfon, a former Israeli hostage who was abducted from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7, 2023. He was held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip for 738 days in the tunnels until his release on Oct. 13, 2025 from the ceasefire deal brokered by the United States.

After the speech concluded, the music struck up again and the event erupted into a mosh pit of dancing.

“For many, it’s their first experience with Shabbat, so I hope they feel more connected, both to Shabbat and to the community around them,” Lea Diamond, social chair of Chabad and a sophomore majoring in psychology, wrote an email. “I hope Shabbat feels like a place where everyone feels welcome, included, and part of something bigger than themselves.”

Rafi Rockman, Chabad’s major programs coordinator and a senior majoring in environmental science, worked alongside Chabad’s president Penina Kahane, a senior double-majoring in history and anthropology, vice president Sharon Mor, a junior majoring in economics, and the Shabbat 2400 spearheads to make this event a success.

Rockman shared how much preparation went into the event.

“There are several weekly meetings ranging from recruitment where we get people to sign up for the event, to publicity where we make fun videos, to our publicity stunt, to logistics, to food preparation (yes most of the food is homemade at the Chabad Center), to packing the boxes with everything that needs to get sent to the Events Center on the day of the event,” Rockman wrote in an email. “Each aspect of the event is overseen by one person called spearheads, and they lead committees which can be as big as 45 people or as small as 2. There are over 100 volunteers that help make the event possible long before the day of the event, and we can expect more volunteers on the day of the event. It takes a lot of people, meetings, volunteering, and patience.”

After the dancing, Slonim invited the women in the room up to the stage to light Shabbat candles. Attendees were instructed to put their phones away as Shabbat had officially commenced.

The main course was served buffet-style, where attendees could go up to tables along the sides and grab matzo ball soup, salad, chicken, potato kugel and green beans. Up by the stage were desserts like grapes, black-and-white cookies and rainbow cookies.

Daniel Parker, a junior majoring in business administration, attended Shabbat 2400. He explained what his favorite part of the night was.

“I had a great time at Shabbat 2400,” Parker wrote in an email. “My favorite part was dancing with my friends and really getting into the spirit of Shabbat. It made me realize how strong the Jewish community is at Binghamton.”

Rockman described what he hopes attendees will take away from the event.

“I really only want people to experience the joy of Shabbat and Judaism,” Rockman wrote. “I want people to feel the warmth and hospitality of Chabad at Binghamton and to know that every soul matters to making this Shabbat the special day that it is. All I want is for people to be happy and inspired by Shabbat.”