Community
Social connection is essential to our health and well-being, and Shabbat is the perfect opportunity to build COMMUNITY. This week, look for others to join you as you unplug and play in a community new or old, large or small, boisterous or mellow. Whether opening your home to guests or attending a dinner, choosing to gather around the Shabbat table is an invaluable step towards prioritizing and building social connection and joy.
There are so many different types of communities. You might belong to an affinity group or hobby group, for example. Shabbat is an opportunity to bring your whole self to the party, and you can share your Jewish identity with everyone from your camp buddies to your new neighbors. Since it’s high summer, there’s no better time to throw a BBQ Shabbat, plan a sunset picnic, or gather a group for an outdoor concert.
If you are a OneTable host, we have several Nourishment options to choose from while planning your community Shabbat. Use your Nourishment for a picnic blanket from Target, cookware from Our Place, or something to snack on from Whole Foods. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Ask your Field Manager or login or create an account to post a dinner yourself using #unplugged in the description.
Explore a little more
Need help brainstorming group activities? Amy Poehler’s SmartGirls has a ton of options for getting creative with friends.
Thinking about asking others to unplug along with you? Thrive Global suggests 4 smart strategies to get your loved ones to unplug.
Worried that taking time to unplug and play isn’t helping you check items off your to do list? Harvard Business Review’s praise of being unproductive just might change your mind.
Inspired to try an entirely tech-free Shabbat? Forbes has 8 reasons why you should unplug one day a week.
Looking for your next absorbing read? OneTable’s Nourishment options now include Adeena Sussman’s “Shabbat”, Alan Lew’s “This is Real and You are Completely Unprepared”, and Tiffany Shlain’s “24/6”.
Elul: Preparing for the High Holidays
Elul, the Hebrew month leading up to the High Holidays, begins this August and our Unplugged partners are offering some wonderful resources to help you prepare.
At the Well has created this Shabbat Guide for a Meaningful Elul, a unique resource to support you in laying the groundwork for a new year. This month is known as a time of teshuvah, which means returning to your highest self, your true path. It is a beautiful time to take stock of your life and make note of what you’re seeking to change in the year ahead.
The Institute for Jewish Spirituality is offering a free online class, Getting Real for a New Year, for those in their 20s and 30s. The text of this course will be Alan Lew’s “This is Real and You are Completely Unprepared,” which we are now also offering as a Nourishment option!
Taking place August 13 – September 22, it will be an opportunity to share in ongoing Jewish spiritual practice with live virtual sessions, a WhatsApp discussion group, and the option to learn and practice with a chevrutah, or study partner.
Get Cooking!
Ready to look away from screens and get busy at the stove? Good, because the Jewish Food Society has shared a special recipe: Esther Weyl’s Escabeche de Peixe, or fried tilapia in vinegar and olive oil, that comes from Tangier. This recipe was shared with Esther by the Lahat sisters as she was investigating the history and culture of the Jewish community in Belém, Brazil.
For more recipes from Esther, and to read her family and community story, visit jewishfoodsociety.org.