Gratitude Sticks

We miss you!  We miss your family, your children, the smiles and even the tears in the Family Room and at the Mandell JCC!  We hope you are all doing well during this most challenging time in our lives, especially practicing social distancing.  While we are faced with this new reality and experiencing feelings of loss by being away from our families, friends, schools, social gatherings, there is still so much we all have to be thankful for and many things we can find the good in.  With that in mind, why not make a gratitude stick. They are quite simple and a wonderful family activity which takes you away from technology (which has become our link to the outside world and so important to keep connections with friends, family and school), encourages family time together and fosters conversation.  

Supplies:

Sticks or twigs in various sizes

Yarn, string or tape in different colors

Scissors

Beads (optional)

Directions:

• Spend some time outdoors and find the perfect stick or twig (not too sharp).

• When inside, tightly tie one end of each length of yarn (string or tape) to one end of the stick and wrap it up and down and end by knotting the ends in place. (Beads can be added as an option)

• Find a time when your family is together without distractions (meal time might work) and pass your gratitude stick around. 

• When it is your turn to hold it, simply say something that you are grateful for.  Every answer can spur on wonderful conversations.

The Family Room is all about connections between families and we want to stay in touch with all of you.

As a step to stay connected, would you please send us a picture of your family together with your gratitude stick and tell us one thing you are grateful for.  If you do not want to participate in this activity, we would love to have a picture of your family doing anything that you are finding fun together.  We will put the pictures all together without names of course. We are all in this together as one big family and this is just another way of the Mandell JCC keeping all of us connected.  

In Judaism, hoda’ah means gratitude or thankful for what we have. Hakarat hatov goes beyond gratitude and recognizes the good all around us. There are so many blessings that we can be thankful for during this most trying time – let’s stay positive together.

Please send pictures to jpasternak@mandelljcc.org or slentini@mandelljcc.org