Everyone in

Parashat Noachנח

Ask for a seat on Oct 16 Open the presentation

Date: Friday, October 16, 2026
Candle-lighting: 6:00 pm
Havdalah, Saturday: 6:55 pm
Where: Santa Monica

The ten Fridays

Fridays, October 16 to December 18.

The story

The first of ten tables, lit at 6:00 pm while the sun is still above the water off Palisades Park.

In Noach, the rain comes and one family builds a boat with room for every kind of creature, two by two. When the water goes down, a dove comes back with an olive leaf and a rainbow shows in the sky. It is the first promise in the Torah that comes with a sign anyone can look up and check.

Fridays starts the same way, with everyone brought in and the promises written down. On October 16 the sun sets over Santa Monica Bay at 6:18 pm. If you can, walk along Palisades Park on your way over and watch the light on the water. Candles are lit at 6:00 pm, while the sun is still up.

This is the first table of ten, and nobody has sat at it before, us included. Come on your own or with someone. Every blessing is explained before it is said. You will leave knowing the names of the people on either side of you.

This Friday's theme

Noach: everyone gathered in, and a promise with a sign you can check

Candles at 6:00 pm. A seat with your name. Goodnight at 9:00 pm.

Six things the first Friday holds itself to. Each one can be checked on the night or by the date it names.

Candles are lit at 6:00 pm, 18 minutes before the 6:18 pm sunset, whoever has arrived.
Doors open at 5:30 pm. Dinner ends at 9:00 pm.
Every guest has a place card with their name on it, and the 24 seats are set before doors open.
Each blessing, over the candles, the wine, the hand washing and the bread, is explained in plain English before it is said.
Confirmed guests get the address on Wednesday, October 14 at 10:00 am. Nobody else gets it.
By Sunday, October 18 we post how many people came, how many were new to Fridays and how many partners took part.

What to count on

Candle-lighting is at 6:00 pm.

Hebcal for Santa Monica lists candle-lighting at 6:00 pm on October 16, 18 minutes before the 6:18 pm sunset, and havdalah at 6:55 pm on October 17. Checked on October 9, 2026.
There are 24 seats.

Capacity is set at 24 on the invitation, and every guest is approved by name before an invitation goes out.
We post the numbers after every Friday.

There are no past Fridays to point to. The first numbers, who came, who was new and how many partners took part, are posted on Sunday, October 18.
Every message for this Friday has a date and a time.

The send schedule on this page lists each one. The partner briefing (October 2), invitations (October 6) and press kit (October 9) dates came before the season opened, so anyone approved late gets what they missed on the day they are approved. Nothing goes out between candle-lighting on Friday and havdalah at 6:55 pm on Saturday.
The partners named for this Friday are examples.

The bakery, wine shop, florist and room in the guest and partner briefings are illustrative. A business is named only after it applies and is approved.

Press

Awaiting approval

Fridays opens a season of Shabbat dinners in Santa Monica on Oct. 16

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 9, 2026

The full release opens once it is approved and the embargo has passed.

Friday 1 of 10

Come to Friday 1, Oct 16.

Candles at 6:00 pm. Ask for a seat and you hear back within 2 days; the address goes to confirmed guests 48 hours before.

Ask for a seat on Oct 16 Or partner this Friday