I Observe Shabbat Every Week. Here’s Why You Should Too.

I don’t work on Saturdays. Ever.

As an Orthodox Jew, I observe Shabbat, a religious practice that mandates rest on the seventh day of the week. From sundown on Fridays to sunset on Saturdays, I put away my phone and focus on my faith and the people around me who matter most.

To hyperproductive Harvard students, taking an entire, fully unplugged day off each week may seem impossible — or even prehistoric. But I believe that everyone — Jewish or otherwise — stands to benefit from their own personal version of Shabbat. The sacred day — or your own personal analog — provides us with the tech-free time we so desperately need and allows us to spend more meaningful time with friends. It’s rest for rest’s sake, and that’s precisely the point.

When eager freshmen arrive on campus, they quickly become overwhelmed with new responsibilities, from classes and office hours to club meetings and coffee chats. Students plan every minute of each day yet seldom have enough time to accomplish everything. That excited freshman energy rapidly dissipates, and the mundane routine of productivity sets in. As the tasks pile up, we often forget to look around.

This mixture of passivity and fervor can cause students to forget both their social lives and relaxation. I cannot count how many times I’ve heard someone remark, “I don’t have enough time to hang out this week.”

It’s not that we don’t value genuine connections or time with others. The reality is that it is difficult to navigate the various commitments of college life and the daily revolving door of career fairs, networking, and intensive extracurriculars. At Harvard, this feeling is intensified when everyone else seems to have it all figured out.

Even when Harvard students do make time for socialization, it often takes the form of short, scheduled meals squeezed between commitments. Unlike Shabbat dinners, which prioritize meaningful interactions with peers, these quick catch-me-ups often occur merely to meet a social obligation.

It’s no mystery why I am greeted with both shock and curiosity when I share my Shabbat schedule. My peers, with their color-coded Google Calendars and endless to-do lists, cannot comprehend how for one day every week, I am forced to disengage from Harvard’s hustle culture.

So, how does one fill their time on Shabbat, you might ask?

Orthodox Jews refrain from several activities in observance of Shabbat. Among the most difficult is the use of electronics. For 25 hours each week, I turn off my phone, put away my laptop, and disconnect. It’s nice to have a break from work, but the real benefits come from being able to focus on my peers without being bothered by incessant Canvas notifications and text messages.

On Shabbat, you might find me losing an intense game of Anagrams, taking a walk along the river, or reading a book — just for fun. I can catch up on sleep and participate in religious activities often relegated during a busy week. I also attend Shabbat dinner, a tradition I have grown up with and continue practicing at Harvard.

Shabbat dinners are weekly meals which traditionally take place on Friday nights. They include some religious rituals but are foremost a dedicated space to interact with both faith and friends, something for which I would not have a forum if not for Shabbat. Such experiences don’t have to be restricted to the Jewish community — consider setting aside one meal with friends a week without phones or a designated end time.

Each week, Shabbat helps me temporarily escape the Harvard bubble and its expectations — I remember that my ultimate goals in life are not to get good grades or to have the most Linkedin connections. I retreat from the usual grind and remember there is more to life than the everyday stresses of a college student.

For someone unaccustomed to such a routine, I would recommend starting small: Get coffee on a Sunday morning without your phone, take a walk along the river, or start a book that’s been on your reading list for a while. The point of this break, contrary to much of the Harvard mindset, is not to increase productivity during the rest of the week. The point of the break is the break itself.

For my peers, I encourage you to set aside a designated period of time each week dedicated to rest for rest’s sake. Having space to step away from completing tasks and responsibilities is not only rejuvenating — it is also crucial for maintaining healthy friendships and recognizing one’s values and aspirations. If we want to be more intentional in our daily lives and more cognizant of what truly matters, we must make time for our own personal Shabbat.

If you call me this Friday night and I don’t answer, I promise it’s not personal. I’ll be at Shabbat dinner. Come join me! And who knows — if you leave the phone at home, you just might find yourself having an even better time.

Miriam E. Goldberger ’28, a Crimson Editorial Editor, lives in Thayer Hall.