{"id":204910,"date":"2026-04-21T17:12:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/204910\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T17:12:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:12:11","slug":"weed-infused-shabbat-dinners-are-bringing-new-yorkers-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/204910\/","title":{"rendered":"Weed-infused Shabbat dinners are bringing New Yorkers together"},"content":{"rendered":"

They\u2019re praising and blazing. <\/p>\n

A toking tribe of ganja-loving Jewish New Yorkers <\/a>is lighting a match under the traditional Shabbat celebration \u2014\u00a0holding fun and 420-friendly \u201cinfused\u201d dinners where the brisket isn\u2019t the only thing that\u2019s smokin\u2019.<\/p>\n

Lighting up back in 2024 and celebrating a dozen or so chilled-out gatherings since, the semi-regular social event welcomes Jews and Gentiles alike for a multi-course, faith-based dinner while enjoying a wide selection of weed-related offerings \u2014\u00a0because \u201cJews who love cannabis deserve a community, too,\u201d according to organizer Danit Sibovits. <\/p>\n

A serious attorney by day and a not-so-serious comedian and influencer on her off hours, Sibovits, 42, told The Post that when it comes to spirituality, a little THC can definitely take you higher \u2014\u00a0an idea she\u2019s long wanted to share with others, and which led her to create the Infused Shabbat Dinner<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Danit Sibovits hosted her first-ever Infused Shabbat Dinner in November 2024. Kim Max for the NY Post)<\/p>\n

\u201cI have so many repeat people, but I also have so many people who\u2019ve come by themselves, made friends and now go every single time,\u201d Sibovits told The Post. \u201cCannabis makes you more relaxed, so many people come alone and leave with friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Held at Harlem sports bar The Fox, the idea for the doob and dinner event was sparked shortly after the tragic events of Oct. 7, 2023 \u2014\u00a0not just a difficult time for the Jewish community, but for Sibovitz personally. <\/p>\n

\u201cEverything changed for Jews in New York after October 7 \u2014 we lost everything standing up for Israel,\u201d she recalled of the politically-charged aftermath of the Hamas massacre. <\/p>\n

\u201cI lost almost all my \u2018friends\u2019 in comedy, all my opportunities. We felt so alone and scared, afraid to say who we are \u2026 so I felt called to create a community for us. Something less restrictive, more inclusive and more intentional,\u201d she told The Post.<\/p>\n

Danit Sibovits (L), Sammy Levy, who makes the infused challah loaves, influencer Brooklyn Barwick, and Rabbi Brian H. Denker (R) enjoying an Infused Shabbat this past Friday. Kim Max for the NY Post)<\/p>\n

\u201cThat first one definitely had a more somber vibe,\u201d Sibovits recalled of the first gathering. \u201cBut it was also upbeat, because everyone wanted to come together. <\/p>\n

And come together they do, paying as much as $190 for the dinners \u2014 noshing on grilled salmon fritters and truffle fries in between samplings of seltzers, gummies and pre-rolled joints, which range in strength from 5 milligrams to 1.5 grams and are provided by event sponsors like Wynk, Sigma, Hamsa and Curaleaf. <\/p>\n

Sibovits caps her guest list for each event at around 50. Kim Max for the NY Post)<\/p>\n

Sibovits estimates that around 10 to 15 percent of her guests don\u2019t partake at all, simply coming for \u201cfriends and vibes<\/a>\u201d \u2014\u00a0though reeferphobes will want to avoid the challah, which has 5mg of THC per serving.<\/p>\n

An avid fan and follower of Mary Jane since she was practically in Mary Janes, Sibovits said she and her school pals would secretly consume \u201cwhatever weed you could get from your friend who sold it.\u201d <\/p>\n

In 2021, shortly after former NYC governor Andrew Cuomo legalized weed under the state\u2019s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), Sibovits conceptualized \u201cThe HotBox,\u201d a \u201cstoner comedy show\u201d held at the entertainment venue Room 52 \u2014\u00a0where NYC comedians would light up on stage while sharing personal stories.<\/p>\n

Levy posing with the infused challah loaf she made for the dinner. Kim Max for the NY Post)<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no denying that, since its legalization in the Big Apple, cannabis use has gotten a bit out of control, with New Yorkers lighting up on practically every street corner. Considering it\u2019s the most commonly used drug in the U.S., 19% of Americans get high at least once a year, according to the CDC<\/a>, with that percentage most likely higher in states where weed is legal.<\/p>\n

While gatherings such as this one are unique and fun, it\u2019s important to note that habitually smoking marijuana takes a toll on the body<\/a>, irritating the lungs, damaging blood vessels and accelerating heart rate.<\/p>\n

And not to mention that chronic use can cause a decline in the brain\u2019s ability to retain and process information, according to a 2025 University of Colorado study<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Although I\u2019m one of the few New Yorkers who doesn\u2019t smoke, I was curious about the concept of a meal and social event where lighting up wasn\u2019t just allowed, but encouraged. So I threw on a silky, burgundy Zara halter top \u2014\u00a0in an effort to meet the evening\u2019s dress code of \u201clinen, silk, draped silhouettes\u201d \u2014\u00a0and hopped on the uptown D train last Friday.<\/p>\n

Puff the magic conversation starter<\/p>\n

When I showed up at the restaurant around 6:30 pm, which was beautifully decorated in earth tones and various floral decor in line with the dinner\u2019s \u201cSpring Fever\u201d theme, I entered a space where my fears of being an outsider melted away almost instantly.<\/p>\n

Post reporter Allison Lax was a bit nervous to attend an Infused Shabbat Dinner as a non-Jew and non-smoker, but quickly felt at ease after seeing how inviting it was. Kim Max for the NY Post)<\/p>\n

Attendees at last Friday\u2019s dinner were seated at long, wooden tables lining the venue\u2019s outer edges \u2014\u00a0dotted by aesthetically pleasing place settings (complete with cannabis swag, like glitter freckles and gummy packets, from various event sponsors) and accented with flickering candles. <\/p>\n

A large portion of the night\u2019s 50+ guests made the space their own before the meal even began, with some sitting at the bar enjoying cocktails, while others mingled with friends old and new.<\/p>\n

This past Infused Shabbat Dinner cannabis menu included Hamsa gummies and infused seltzers. Kim Max for the NY Post)<\/p>\n

Curious as to how the venue gets around strict city and state laws that prohibit smoking indoors under the Smoke Free Air Act (SFFA) and Clean Indoor Air Act (CIIA), I raised my concerns to Joshua S. Bauchner, a cannabis law attorney who\u2019s also a partner of The Fox.<\/p>\n

Curaleaf provided Star of David-wrapped J\u2019s. Kim Max for the NY Post)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re hoping that with it being a religious and community-oriented event, especially with what\u2019s going on in the world today, it will be respected without interference,\u201d Bauchner told The Post.<\/p>\n

As for the event itself, the guests \u2014 who Sibovits later told me ranged in age from 20s to 50s, and typically find the event for the first time through flyers she posts around Manhattan, or her personal Instagram \u2014 seemed to be having a grand ol\u2019 time, complimenting one another\u2019s flower crowns (provided by Sibovits) and swapping Curaleaf Star-of-David-wrapped J\u2019s.<\/p>\n

A blessing on your blunt<\/p>\n

Following the open bar happy hour, Sibovits quickly thanked her sponsors and guests before introducing Rabbi Brian H. Denker, who said a few words and prayers.<\/p>\n

Infused Shabbat Dinner guests enjoy buffet food post-blazing. Kim Max for the NY Post)<\/p>\n

These included Hamotzi and the Kiddush \u2014 the blessings over the bread and wine, respectively. He also led the lighting of the candles \u2014 a ritual performed on Friday evening before sunset to usher in Shabbat, which ends Saturday night \u2014 specifically, when at least three stars appear in the sky.<\/p>\n

Infused Shabbat Dinner guests took part in the Shabbat ritual of lighting candles near the start of the evening. Kim Max for the NY Post)<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially being in New York these days, it\u2019s a difficult time to be Jewish,\u201d Rabbi Denker told The Post, this having been his second Infused Shabbat Dinner. \u201cWhat Danit\u2019s doing is creating a unique space \u2014 finding a commonality that binds people together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once the food and libations were flowing, I had the opportunity to chat with some of the other dinner guests, most of whom were imbibing themselves and had grouped themselves among old and new friends alike (no stuffy assigned seating here).<\/p>\n

Josh Senger, a Tribeca-based textile worker, has attended seven Infused Shabbat Dinners. Kim Max for the NY Post)<\/p>\n

\u201cI really enjoy the community that has been built at Infused Shabbat,\u201d Josh Senger,\u00a0a Jewish, Tribeca-based textile worker, told The Post, having been to seven of the dinners to date. \u201cSharing the experience of an infused meal seems to enhance the connections we make.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like a lot of Jewish (activities) revolve around religion, but we\u2019re not just a religion \u2014 we\u2019re an ethnic group, we\u2019re a community,\u201d added Hannah Castillo, a Latina-Jewish software project manager based in Astoria who has attended five of these dinners. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo I love that this exists outside as a cultural thing, but we still do our Shabbat candles\u2026This has given me friends and a safe space, which is by far the most important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

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