Yom Kippur Challenge

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year, when we are closest to G‑d and to the essence of our souls. Beyond specific actions, Yom Kippur is dedicated to introspection, prayer and asking G‑d for forgiveness. But the only way to tap into this energy and begin to actually feel it in a real way, is through pro-active steps.

Yom Kippur is served best with mindfulness, and scrolling on our phones is something we do mindlessly.

It is our go-to way of distracting ourselves from whatever it is that we do not want to deal with in that moment.
Yom Kippur doubled with Shabbat is a twofer. It is an Ait Ratzon, an opportune time to turn inward and listen to the voice of our G-dly soul. As the Tanya teaches, the G-dly soul cares not for instagram and FB, tiktok and candy crush: these are all distractions of this material world. They are temporary pleasures, and not something that will create lasting contentment.

This Yom Kippur, we challenge you to a Digital Detox. 

So, what will you do with all your spare non-scrolling time? We have some suggestions.

• Read a book of Jewish wisdom in actual book form- we recommend 1. Positivity Bias  2. Jewish Literacy 3. Toward a Meaningful Life  
• Have an uninterrupted, meaningful conversation with someone in your household
• Recite Tehillim (psalms) for all of those suffering in Israel
• Go sit outside and breathe in the fresh fall air we are lucky to have in New Hampshire
• Spend time in shul communing with G-d. Or come to shul to just feel the sense of community and peace that sitting shoulder to shoulder with your people can bring.
• Take a nap to help with the long fast.
• Revel in the fact that you are not a slave to your phone, and use that inspiration to think about what is truly important to you in life. 

For accountability purposes, we ask you to fill out this short form. This challenge is between you and G-d, but we'd love to be able to congratulate you for taking on this feat. Before YK begins, let your friends and family know that you are taking the YK Digital Detox, so they too can choose to be a part of it. And when it's all over, please let us know how it went for you!

*We know it is difficult, but we suggest for best results, to abstain from all phone usage, including texting, checking the news and your emails etc.