To Till and to Tend

Reboot, a New York-based nonprofit network of Jewish professionals, recently launched the 2011 Sabbath Manifesto project, which presented a challenge to commit to a National Day of Unplugging during the first weekend of March. As part of the challenge, people around the world slowed down their normally hectic routines to take advantage of the manifesto’s ten core principles. For one day, participants were encouraged to avoid technology and connect with loved ones—a concept we in the Jewish community are very familiar with. It might be hard to imagine the average American abiding by the ancient laws of The Sabbath, but the National Day of Unplugging gave participants a taste of tradition.

As part of my new fellowship here at COEJL, I decided this was a great way to dive into the connection between Judaism and the environment. Not only is unplugging environmentally friendly, but it’s a reminder to connect with my Jewish roots and the principles of Shabbat. I let my friends and family know that I was unplugging, and they agreed not to text or call until sundown on Saturday. On Friday night, I didn’t use my cell phone, television or computer, and I didn’t ding or sing or schmooze. Instead, I read about 200 pages of my book, and fell asleep on my couch. So far, so good.

The next morning I was more determined to spend time with nature and people, and so I went for a walk through Sunset Park, near my apartment in Brooklyn. It was the first warm day of the year, and I can’t accurately tell how much time I spent walking around- I did not bring my cell phone or watch for the occasion. I can’t remember the last time I walked aimlessly, liberated and without obligation. I absorbed more nature in that morning than I have since moving to New York! At the end of my excursion, I met up with my roommate in the park, and we stayed for another hour or so before we made dinner together in our apartment.

Later that night, I thought back about the recent 24 hours which I spent calmly, happily, and unplugged. The National Day of Unplugging not only gave me the chance to take a step back and breathe, but reminded me what is so special about being human and about being Jewish. Humans have the rare ability to continuously connect with other humans. Unplugging for a day gives us the chance to enjoy that connection, and conserve energy too. Traditional Judaism calls for a literal day of rest once each week, and after my experience with unplugging, I think that it might be a refreshing break for the grid and many “plugged-in” individuals.

Do you unplug? Tell us about it in the comments!