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What Haredim Can Teach Us About Getting Off Our Smartphones

JL;DR SUMMARY In a world increasingly dominated by smartphones and social media, some members of the Haredi community, like Chani, have adopted kosher phones to limit their digital distractions and promote healthier lifestyles for themselves and their families. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jonathan HaidtMental HealthHaredi CommunityTechnologySmartphonesKosher PhonesKiryas YoelChildhood DevelopmentSocial Media AddictionDr. Anna Lembke

Places mentioned

Jerusalem, Israel
"When he began learning at Yeshivas Mir in Jerusalem, Noah got a kosher phone, per the yeshivas requirement, which was very uncomfortable at first."
Kiryas Joel, New York, United States
"David Myers, author of American Shtetl: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic Village in Upstate New York."
Lakewood, New Jersey, United States
"In fact, he estimated 30-40% of his customers are not Jewish. As the head of a kosher phone company, Miller believes that everyone can cut down on their phone use. Even the people that don't yet have a kosher phone will one day have one, Miller told me in an interview. Miller designed his product as a tool to help people use their time more intentionally. From church clergy to customers in Saudi Arabia, Miller noticed that the majority of his buyers purchase kosher phones because they are especially worried about the effects technology has on their children."
Israel
"But in a country like Israel, having a kosher phone can be a danger in addition to an inconvenience."
United States
"David Myers, author of American Shtetl: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic Village in Upstate New York."

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Retrieved 2025-08-08 05:30:39 UTC
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