By Laura Seymour

Dear Families,

I love toys! That is part of what makes me love teaching children, yet what I love about toys are the many messages and lessons we get from them. Studies today show that to stay young we must always keep playing (lots to learn about play — I encourage you to Google the studies and, most importantly, PLAY!).

Today, I got a new toy that is actually an old toy many people have around the house — dominoes! The set I got comes from Training Wheels, an amazing team-building resource. Inside the box are ideas for “playing” with your dominoes, and here is the important idea:

In our interconnected world, the power of connection can be likened to a row of dominoes: each one holds the potential to impact the others, creating a ripple effect of influence and support. Just as one domino tips another in a seamless chain reaction, so too can a simple act of reaching out spark a wave of positive change in our personal and professional lives. Connections don’t just bridge gaps between individuals; they build trust, foster innovation and propel teams toward collective success.

As we prepare for the High Holiday season, we focus on those crucial connections in our lives. Families gather together to celebrate Rosh Hashanah; many of us go to synagogue, connecting with people we may see every week or sometimes only once a year (unfortunate but true); and then comes the harder job — connecting with God, however we interpret that connection. During the Ten Days of Teshuvah, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we are supposed to reach out to those we may have hurt. These are often challenging connections or reconnections. Finally, on Yom Kippur, we spend the day connecting with our deepest self and with God.

With all the technology around us, including AI and more, connecting with others — and with ourselves — is often hard work. So what can we do with our dominoes that will help us? Training Wheels facilitators, activities and toys are designed for businesses to help teams connect. However, any game that helps create connections between people can be used in many settings, from family gatherings to groups where people may not know each other well. By finding someone with the same numbers, mixing happens, and fun begins. Once partners are found, provide a question to share.

So what if you don’t like games and don’t have a set of dominoes or a large group to play with? Use the metaphor to connect as you go through this season and think about these questions:

• How can we nurture stronger connections this coming year?

• What role does vulnerability play in creating meaningful connections, especially as we seek forgiveness?

• What does it take to be the first to put your domino into play?

The month of Elul gives us the time to reflect on the past year and, most importantly, to choose how to go forward in the coming year.

Laura Seymour is Jewish Experiential Learning director and Camp director emeritus at the Aaron Family JCC.