Overnight, it seems as if Baltimore has begun a frenzy of building.  Out come the boards and metal poles, sheets of canvas and vinyl, bamboo poles and mats, clusters of fruits and colorful decorations.  It must be Sukkot!

For thousands of years, Jews have erected temporary huts, which become our homes for the week of this beautiful holiday.  The weather is usually lovely, inviting us to be outdoors.  Sukkot offers a wonderful opportunity for families to gather around the dinner table, under the stars.  For a few days, we can put aside the distractions of TV, the computer, and household chores, and celebrate the holiday and our blessings.  Even though the succah is fragile, what gives it stability is the opportunity for the family to be together. 

The primary way of fulfilling the mitzvah of “dwelling” in the succah is eating festive meals there.  Because the succah is a modest and simple structure, we can focus on the important people in our lives—our families.  This year, as we are celebrating Sukkot, we can also take note of “Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children” on September 27, organized by CASA, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.  Through national observance of this day, CASA hopes to raise awareness among parents that they possess powerful tools to keep their children substance-free.

According to CASA, the importance of eating dinner with your kids cannot be overestimated.  A recent CASA survey concluded that “the average risky score of teens having dinner with their family fewer than three nights in a typical week is 75% greater than that of teens having dinner as a family five to seven nights a week.” 

Research has consistently found that the more often kids eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use other drugs. They are also likelier to earn good grades in school and maintain good communication with their parents.

“The magic of the family dinner comes not from the food on the plate but from who’s at the table and what’s happening there.  The emotional and social benefits that come from family dinners are priceless,” says Elizabeth Planet, CASA’s Vice President.  Eating dinner as a family “creates routine opportunities for parental engagement and communication, two keys to raising drug-free children.” 

Jews have traditionally emphasized the family table as the focal point of family and spiritual strength.  We can now add another critical reason for sharing meals, as we recognize that dinner time is a valuable opportunity for family conversations that provide a pathway to guide our children to make choices that will keep them safe and healthy.

This year, let’s make the most of the impetus Sukkot offers for us to take time, in the midst of our hectic lives, to strengthen our relationships.  Even after the holiday, we can bring the experience of being together in this intimate space back into our homes.  No matter what the season, we can experience the benefits of family dinners, knowing that, at the same time, we are investing in the well-being of our children and our whole family. 

Visit http://www.jcsbaltimore.org/prevention for helpful resources for families.  For more information about Family Day, visit http://www.CASAFamilyDay.org.

By Susan Kurlander, Health Educator, Prevention Education, and Gail Lipsitz, Coordinator of Public Relations, Jewish Community Services, Baltimore, MD

Questions about parenting?  Send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).  To learn more about how JCS can help you solve life’s puzzles, visit http://www.jcsbaltimore.org or call 410-466-9200.  Jewish Community Services is an agency of THE ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore.