If you have a less observant friend, here’s your assignment for Shabbos Lech Lecha…

Make this year’s Shabbos Lech Lecha (Oct. 23–24) a weekend you’ll remember but, more importantly, one that can help change a friend’s life.

We understand the values and delight of turning off the outside world, enjoying a full day of quality family time, pleasant meals, catching up on reading and learning, and getting a spiritual recharge. But you likely have some friends, business associates and relatives who doesn’t know what they are missing missing.

The stress level of the average person — who is on call close to 24/7, bombarded with a seemingly endless influx of emails, social media engagement and text messages — has soared. Yet people feel they cannot put their phones and tablets down without a reason to do so.

This is where you come in.

On Shabbos Lech Lecha, 5,000 groups in 500 communities around the world — including here on Long Island — will participate in the third annual Shabbos Project, uniting Jews of every affiliation and religious inclination in a joyous celebration of Hashem’s great gift.

You can, of course, welcome another observant yid to your home as many of us do any other week, but why not take the occasion of Shabbos Project weekend to invite someone who’s never experienced a real Shabbos dinner or lunch. They will be amazed by the experience, and perhaps they’ll be inspired to start observing and enjoying Shabbos themselves.

If a meal is too difficult, invite your less religious or unaffiliated co-workers, neighbors, friends and relatives to the Great LI Challah Bake, taking place at the Sands Atlantic Beach at 8 pm on Wednesday evening, Oct 21. 

The ruach and fun of hundreds of women baking together introduces a unique aspect of Shabbos observance. Tickets are $36 for the main room and $25 for the side room; admission includes all baking supplies plus an apron, and a take-home bag with lots of goodies including a copy of the book, “Jew Got Questions?” by the evening’s MC, Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff.

To reserve spots at the Challah Bake for yourself and any number of non-observant guests, buy you tickets online at www.theshabbosprojectnyc.org.

Orthodox attendees reserving only for themselves are respectfully requested to register on or after Monday, Oct. 19, to make sure Shabbos newbies have a chance to participate.

A report on Shabbos Project around the world appears on page 21.