By COLlive reporter
Akiva Goodman, a financial advisor, and Dov Ber Gurewicz, owner of Dovtographie photo and video services, have recently noticed a growing trend in their city of Chicago, Illinois, and in shuls around the country.
“We were both noticing how smartphones have become such a distraction for so many of us during davening,” says Goodman.
“We both felt we needed to get back on track, creating a space where we were concentrating on davening without WhatsApp, text messages, social media and everything else tugging at us every few seconds.”
The two friends decided to begin with a commitment to go phone-free during the 1-hour of davening for the upcoming month of Elul, leaving their phones outside of the shul or tucked into a bag on airplane mode.
As they shared their excitement with fellow mispalelim at Chicago’s far north side Congregation Bais Menachem, the momentum continued to build, and soon an initiative was created so more and more people could commit to the same.
“Imagine the effect above of thousands of yidden putting their notifications on hold to infuse meaning in their Elul davening,” they said.
Close to 100 people already signed the pledge. “Bli Neder, my phone will be off through all of shacharis (it doesn’t take me an hour),” one person wrote. Another said, “I commit not only to davening, but to 1 hour of my regular day that I will not use my phone for non-necessary activities.”
VIDEO:
Join the commitment to a 1-hour 30-day phone-free Elul by visiting bit.ly/connectthiselul
Chazal would make the same isur as talking if it was around 2000 years ago. Osur. Your kavana is in the pits. I c ppl checking phone every 120 seconds. If totty does it, don’t expect you son in Yeshiva to learn for more than 120 seconds at a time. Learning torah need diligence. Davening needs kavana. The basics. the internet is the avode Zara of after 3 tamuz. We need huge bsiyita dshmaya to overcome it and bring Moshiach.
Why can’t the phone just be turned off? Why are we bothering with lockers and airplane mode and all sorts of systems. Simply turn your phone off.
In a shul in Pittsburgh Rabbi Dovid Friedman arranged a place for people to put their phones during davening, with available chargers. (I believe there was an article on COL about this at one point) Personally I almost never bring my phone to shul, though when I do I put it on silent, face down on the table. I’m someone who barely uses their phone but I guess it could be more difficult for others. Just keep in mind the story from I think the gemara where someone was davening and a prince came by and greeted him. When he… Read more »
Keep phone at Home.
Been doing that all year(not only Chodesh Elul)
just filled.
two comments:
1)very important!
in the form appears: “I commit to DISCONNECT for 1-hour-a-day during davening for the entire month of ELUL” to add the word BLI NEDER (to prevent from those who didn’t make it anothe problem…)
2) would be better if in the formulary you ask (also) the hebrew name with mother’s name
Hatzlocho!
A good way to get people to disconnect is by providing a charging station. It’s wonderful if it’s not needed, but it’s an added attraction
Kol hakovod!
Rabbis and shuls can help by installing cellphone lockers in shuls and schools.
The phone will be under the lock and can be charged while men are davening.
They did it in Lakewood and other places.
Why just Elul? It should be all year round!!!
beautiful & this is the way technology should be used, to enhance torah & mitsvos.
VERY IMPRESSED on your commitment!
We need to disconnect sometimes. It’s ridiculous how connected we are to our phones.