Thank you for volunteering to sponsor an Oneg Shabbat at the Rutland Jewish Center. Volunteers from our membership are what make the RJC run smoothly, both in the spotlight and behind the scenes. If you haven’t hosted an Oneg before (or not in a while), the Mazon Committee has developed some guidelines and procedures to help ease your task:

Rutland Jewish Center Oneg Shabbat Guidelines and Procedures

Plan on food for 25–30 people. However, you will need more if a special service or other event is planned. The Oneg Chairperson will let you know if this is the case. Unless otherwise instructed, Food must be dairy or pareve (neither meat nor dairy). Please try to provide at least one pareve option, so that folks who have meat dinners for Shabbat may enjoy our Oneg.

As an Oneg sponsor, you will be responsible for:

1. Calling the Oneg Chairperson to arrange for entry to the synagogue for set up (if setting up during non-office hours), and to let her/him know if you are planning for a special occasion, or to find out whether one is planned.

2. Bringing food and beverages (other than coffee and tea) to synagogue either on Thursday or before 7 p.m. on Friday. You will also need to turn on the coffeemaker and hot water on Friday evening.

Note: If you plan to make punch, please let the RJC custodian know a day or two in advance so that he can put the punch bowl out for your use. The RJC provides coffee and tea, but no other beverages (soda, juice, etc. as you prefer). Instructions for using the RJC’s coffeemaker are in the kitchen, attached to the refrigerator. The RJC custodian usually has the coffee in the filter and ready to go. You will simply need to fill the water reservoir and turn on warmers according to the instructions.

3. Baking or buying three (3) platters of sweets (cakes, cookies, etc.) as well as a large fruit platter. You may also provide nuts or pretzels, or other non-sweet snack. Anything left over will be wrapped and refrigerated and placed out for the kiddush luncheon after Shabbat morning service.

4. Setting the food out on platters, which the RJC has in abundance in our kitchen. We also have doilies, and plenty of plastic wrap and foil if you wish to set non-refrigerated food out earlier in the day.

5. Clearing the table and wrapping leftovers (which are usually put out for Saturday's kiddush luncheon).

6. Putting all dirty dishes in the sink. However, clean dishes and the punch bowl/lid should be left on the table for the RJC custodian.

7. Throwing away all trash in the receptacles provided.

IMPORTANT:
The RJC custodian is responsible for setting up the tables in the Lash Lounge for Oneg Shabbat.
If you are planning on a larger Oneg than will comfortably fit in the Lash Lounge (such as for a special occasion), you must let the House Chairperson know in the week preceding your event,
so that the custodian may be informed through the proper channels.