The tent on the bluff

Parashat Vayeraוירא

Ask for a seat on Oct 30 Open the presentation

Date: Friday, October 30, 2026
Candle-lighting: 5:44 pm
Havdalah, Saturday: 6:40 pm
Where: Santa Monica

The ten Fridays

Fridays, October 16 to December 18.

The story

Four sides, no head seat, and a place by the door for whoever is still on the 10.

In Vayera, Abraham sits at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He looks up, sees three strangers on the road, and runs to meet them. He brings water first, then bread from Sarah's fine flour, then the best he has. The rabbis say his tent was open on all four sides, so a traveler from any direction could walk straight in.

Palisades Park works that way at dusk. There is no gate along the bluff. People walk in from Ocean Avenue on one side and climb the stairs from the beach on the other, and stand at the rail to watch the sun go down. On October 30 that happens at 6:03 pm, about 18 minutes after we light candles nearby. It is the last Friday before the clocks change, and the next night is Halloween, when front doors across Santa Monica open to strangers in costume.

So this Friday the table is a square. Four sides of six, open corners, no head seat. One person stays at the door with water, and the two seats nearest it go to guests who expect to run late, because 5:44 pm on a workday still finds people in traffic. If you are late, come in anyway. At the end of the night we walk every guest to the door, the way Abraham walked his visitors back to the road.

This Friday's theme

Hachnasat orchim, welcoming guests: a table open on all four sides, with someone at the door all night.

Someone is at the door until the last guest sits down.

Friday 3 is about how guests are received. These are the things you can check us on that night.

Candles are lit at 5:44 pm, on time, even if some guests are still on the road.
A greeter is at the door from 5:14 pm until the last confirmed guest arrives, and walks each latecomer to their seat.
Water is offered before anything else, at the door and on every side of the table.
The table is a square of four sides with six seats each. Nobody sits at the head.
Every blessing is explained in plain English before it is said.
Dinner ends at 8:44 pm, and every guest is walked to the door.

What to count on

Candles at 5:44 pm, sunset at 6:03 pm.

Hebcal for Santa Monica lists candle-lighting at 5:44 pm and sunset at 6:03 pm on October 30, and havdalah at 6:40 pm on Saturday, October 31. Hebcal sets candle-lighting 18 minutes before sunset and rounds each time to the minute. Checked on October 9, 2026.
24 seats, set as four sides of six.

The room plan for this Friday: eight 6-foot tables, two to a side, in a square with open corners. The two seats nearest the door go to guests who say on the RSVP they may arrive after candles.
This is the last Friday before the clocks change.

Daylight saving time ends Sunday, November 1, 2026,. Hebcal for Santa Monica lists candle-lighting at 4:38 pm on November 6 and earlier on every Friday after it, so October 30 has the latest candle time left in the season. Checked on October 9, 2026.
We post the numbers after every Friday.

This is the first season, and October 30 is its third dinner. After it we will post how many came, how many were new to a Shabbat table, and how many arrived after candles and were seated.
The partners listed for this Friday are examples.

No business is named until it applies and is approved. Partners are listed in the guest and partner briefings, each described by what it does and where, and labeled illustrative.

Press

Awaiting approval

Fridays sets a square table with no head seat for Vayera, the hospitality portion

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 23, 2026

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

Friday 3 of 10

Come to Friday 3, Oct 30.

Candles at 5:44 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 30 Or partner this Friday