If a government shutdown happens, oh non-essential employees, don’t worry. The Sixth & I Historic Synagogue is there for you with Shutdown Central.

The idea, according to Sixth & I Communications Manager Hannah Orenstein, developed quickly, with Executive Director Esther Safran Foer coming into work Monday morning and asking “what can we do?” for the federal employees who would be affected by a shutdown. “We had a quick meeting” and went with it, Orenstein said, adding that Sixth & I wanted the people who make up their community — who come not just for Shabbat services but also for concerts, author talks, even beer tastings — needed a place to go.

Described as “a place to hang out during this period of uncertainty,” the venue foresees “Political Ping Pong (red versus blue, with photos of certain government officials on the paddles), bipartisan board games, reading materials, constant streaming of The West Wing, and an informal meeting space with all of the essentials for non-essentials — free coffee, food, and Wifi,” according to a description supplied by Orenstein. “At this point, we’re trying to do a lot with what we have,” she told Roll Call After Dark.

If only Congress could muster such sentiment …