Club for Teens Without Smartphones or Social Media Expands

Since its launch in Miami in May 2024, The Club, a grassroots parent-led organization, has quickly expanded to other schools and seen enormous success in the schools where it operates. Within just a few months, The Club has spread to New York schools like Bnos Menachem in Crown Heights and Prospect Park Yeshiva in Flatbush, where parents of middle schoolers and high schoolers are now making The Club happen.

Created by South Florida mothers Rivkah Bloom and Esti Chazanow, the initiative encourages teens to adopt healthier digital habits by committing to a year without smartphones or social media. Incentives, such as special lunches, pizza parties, and exciting trips like water skiing, all take place during school hours, making it a fun and rewarding experience for participants. The original Club in Miami is already growing, with more girls asking to join as they feel they are missing out.

At Bnos Menachem in Crown Heights, the mothers have adapted The Club to fit their unique community. Instead of focusing on trips and experiences, they emphasize physical gifts as rewards. So far, each girl has received a gift card to a nearby café, and a raffle was held for a $150 voucher to a local jewelry store. A generous donor funds this program, meaning families did not need to contribute to participate.

Mrs. Rochie Korolitzsky, one of the Club’s coordinators, shared the overwhelming support from a range of stakeholders: “We’ve received incredible feedback from the parents, school administrators, Bnos Chabad leaders, and guest speakers. They’ve noticed that the girls are more engaged, present, and involved in meaningful activities together. Even the girls themselves are appreciating the value of having friends who are fully present. Our group includes many girls without phones, while some have the new KPhone talk-only option. In addition to the school policy that all high-schoolers have to leave their phones in a collection box when entering school, they just launched a new initiative with a phone box at the entrance of all after-school events where the girls leave their phones for the duration of the event. This has led to everyone being more present and involved in the programs. We are very grateful to the mothers who shared ‘The Club’ idea, and we hope it continues to inspire positive change around the world!”

At Prospect Park Yeshiva, the program has expanded to include the entire middle school. As the head organizing mother, Mrs. Shani Choueka noted, “Many girls eagerly joined and pledged to stop using social media to build more meaningful relationships.”

While The Club is parent-driven and funded, it requires full support from school administrations. Bloom and Chazanow for example, work closely with Mrs. Shevi Sossonko, the longtime principal at Lubavitch Educational Center (LEC), to ensure that all Club benefits could occur during school hours. Mrs. Sossonko strongly supports the initiative, emphasizing its profound impact on students: “The Club has empowered our girls to break free from the distractions and negative influences in the world. It has helped them build genuine friendships, be authentic, and embrace their true selves. The Club adds a sense of purity and holiness to their lives.”

The immediate success of the first Club chapter is reflected in the positive feedback from parents. Sara Schwartz shared, “Bracha came home on such a high! And she said that everybody really got the value of being in The Club… in every way!” Other parents echoed similar sentiments: “Sadie had an absolute blast. Such a great program. Such a great day! I love this initiative,” said Rochel Eleff. Sandrine Cohen added, “Everything has been said already, we are all very lucky to be part of this amazing CLUB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Naomi Tilles also expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you so much for this incredible club! My daughter had the best time.”

School partnerships, especially in middle and high schools, are crucial to ensuring that students without smartphones or social media feel included in extracurricular activities like production practice, which often relies on smartphone communication such as WhatsApp. The Club flips the narrative, giving these teens a chance to be part of something unique and special. The initiative fosters a sense of community and belonging while promoting healthier habits, and its rapid growth highlights the increasing demand for this balanced approach.

Inspired to start a similar program for your daughter’s grade? Please reach out to Rivkah Bloom or Esti Chazanow at [email protected] and you’ll be provided with all the materials and templates you need! More information on the Club’s launch in May 2024 can be found in this article.