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‘People tell us it is the best Shabbat they have ever experienced in their lives’
Five thousand expected for Friday night service at Burning Man in Nevada
Why is this Friday different to all other Fridays? On Friday 4 September at the Burning Man Festival in the US state of Nevada, five thousand people will be in attendance for the Shabbat evening service.
And this year’s service is particularly important because it is the 18th service, 18 being the Hebrew number to represent Chai (life), and it marks the remarkable growth of an event that started with just a minyan of ten people back in 2008.
“Shabbat is a day of rest,” said Erica Miles, marketing lead for the Burning Man, “and for many festival goers it is a welcome time for calm during what can be a very hectic and chaotic week. It is a time when people have the chance to pause, and to have the opportunity to connect with God.
“People tell us it is the best Shabbat they have ever experienced in their lives.
“The Friday night service is a very special occasion. It starts with the traditional prayers and a live musical service with singing and dancing, then there is the Night Shuk with a dinner of a shared meal, and an open-air, after-party with dancing, DJs, performances, a camp fire and vendors gifting food, drinks and experiences. And because it is Burning Man, everything is free – there will be no charge to be a part of it.
“Not everyone who comes will be Jewish, but we believe that, by inviting people in to enjoy the culture of Judaism, we are creating a wonderful way to build friendships and allies across the world. Over the years the Friday night service has become one of Burning Man’s most beautiful traditions.
“The Festival has always welcomed Jewish people and was tremendously supportive post October 7. This year’s Shabbat service promises to be one of the largest ever. We are expecting over 80,000 people to come to Burning Man and there will be 5,000 plus people at the service.”
Burning Man started back in 1986 when a large effigy, a burning man, was burnt on a beach in San Francisco. It is now a week-long event in the Nevada desert that focuses on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance.
Attracting tens of thousands of people from all over the world there is a large Jewish contingent. Unlike festivals like Glastonbury, tickets are readily available right up until the last week, and the festival prides itself on being non-commercial. There are no huge headline acts, and no-one is allowed to sell merchandise within the city – everything is about gifting and creation.
There are strict standards of behaviour within Black Rock City, the city that is created for the festival in the Black Rock Desert, and visitors must on the last day leave the desert without any trace of their visit. This year’s theme is Axis Mundi and celebrates interconnectedness, shared social realities, and ties to the natural world. The traditional Burning Man bonfire ceremony will take place in the evening of Saturday 5 September.
The festival runs from 30 August – 7 September. burningman.org
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