We are looking forward to seeing everyone tonight as our teens get into the regular schedule with electives. We will be eating outside again. We will do this as long as the weather is nice and and have light. Remind your kids to layer as it will be a little cooler.
I wanted to remind families of one our core values at Double Chai - presence. This is not just about attending, though this is important (we can't have community without attendence). Presence is also about our engagement with one another. In order to be fully present, we ask that students forgo cell phone use during Double Chai. We know how much time and attention smart phones and social media take. We also know how anxiety and depression among teens has spiked due to the prevalence of these devices. We encourage our students to have face to face conversation with those around them during dinner and classtime.
In order to add some fun to the experience of giving up cell phones for a couple of hours, the rabbis collect student phones in a box. At the end of the night, we randomly draw 2 phones from the box. The students who own the phones then get a $5 gift card to Starbucks or Dunkin. In this way it is a win-win for our students. It is a win for the students who happen to have their phones drawn from the bucket, and a win for all of the students who are able to "unplug" a bit. If a student does not want to participate in the phone raffle, that is fine, they just need to make sure their phone remains in a pocket or bag. Should you need to reach your student for any reason, please call the temple office 781-769-5270.
We look forward to seeing the kids this evening!
L'Shalom and Chag Sameach - Rabbi Micah and Rabbi Karen
