While I remember much of a hullabaloo surrounding Y2K, I actually do not remember the front page of the newspaper on January 1, 2000. But, here is a fun fact that I learned recently.

First, a little background. For several years in the 1990s, a financial sponsor ran a small ad every Friday in the “New York Times.” Appearing on the bottom corner of the front page, the ad was a reminder — week after week — of the Shabbat candle lighting time for New York City. It read: “Jewish Women: Shabbat candle lighting time this Friday is __ p.m.” Eventually, as is the way of the world of philanthropy, the donor decided to focus their giving elsewhere and, in June 1999, the ad appeared for what was meant to be the very last time.

Now, here’s the fun fact. On January 1, 2000, the “New York Times” ran a special “Millennial Edition,” featuring three different front pages. One was a reprint of the front page from January 1, 1900, a second was the actual front page of the paper for that day. And the third, as you might guess, was a fictional front cover for January 1, 2100. And there, at the bottom corner, amongst all the imagined news stories, was an announcement: the candle-lighting time for the first Shabbat of 2100.

Whether apocryphal or not, the story told of that little corner of the newspaper is a powerful one, and a beautiful lesson as we prepare for the first Shabbat of 2024. There was no sponsor for the ad this time, nor was it the work of a Jewish staffer. Instead, the story goes that the Irish-Catholic publisher said: “We don’t know what will happen in the year 2100. It is impossible to predict the future. But of one thing you can be certain. That in the year 2100, Jews will be lighting Shabbat candles.”

For me, the story is a reminder of two remarkable truths. One is the eternality of the Jewish people and our tradition — no matter where we are, no matter what is happening in the world around us — we are here, ready for Shabbat. And the other is the commitment to light in the darkness. I pray, of course, that 2024 brings better things to Israel, to the Jewish people, and to the world. But, even if it is dark — we are here, commanded and committed to bringing light.

Almost Shabbat Shalom!
— Rabbi Sari Laufer