As a “grim battle for survival rages on,” public Shabbat celebrations “affirm our right to live as Jews, to be who we are, to celebrate our values with pride and confidence.”

They included a personal message from each sender to offer recipients comfort as the world reels from a pandemic and a divisive U.S. election.

The annual Shabbat Project is set to take place this weekend, with over one million people registered to observe the Jewish sabbath in communal gatherings across the globe.

The Shabbat Project is about to begin, bringing together Jews in over 500 cities around the world, secular and religious alike, for a Shabbat of unity and connection.