We just came back from a whirlwind trip to Israel. Traveling internationally with 8 kids is as daunting as it sounds! Thankfully, there were many other families on our flight so we were in good company.
Every detail had to be meticulously prepared. Suitcases packed, as well as snacks and toys for the flight, not to mention all the mental and emotional psyching up. Thank G-d for my wife, because my job was to order the car to take us everywhere—she took care of everything else!
We made it through the flight and arrived in Israel, only to hit another hurdle: jet lag. We couldn’t get anyone to bed before 2am or wake them up before noon. Their bodies were still on New York time and hyper until all hours.
The one morning we had a bar mitzvah and had to get everyone up at 8am was a struggle! We did it, but driving around with exhausted kids is not much fun!
Overall though, we just scheduled our days around the jet lag. Trips and meetings started at midday and ended at midnight. We got to see the Kotel, Chevron, Kever Rachel, Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea, and all worked out well.
Ironically, by our last day in Israel the kids had finally acclimated to Israel time, only to be completely thrown off again by the flight back.
Now, back in NY, the kids have all been collapsing into bed at 7pm, but wide awake and running around at 3:30am.
Even I’m struggling. This morning I was up at 2am, tossing and turning, unable to go back to sleep.
What’s the solution? Incremental adjustments. Going to bed 15 minutes later, then 30 the next day, and so on. Within a few days, you’ll have broken the habit and gone back to your regular routine in your new time zone.
We’re currently in the month of Elul, when we need to break our routines. Throughout the year, we’ve drifted spiritually, gotten used to doing things we shouldn’t be doing.
Now is the time to reconnect with G-d in preparation for the High Holidays. But how?
Just like adjusting to jet lag, it’s the slow and steady one-step-at-a-time approach that is most effective. By the end of the month, surely we’ll have made firm changes.
During Elul we should strive to go beyond our comfort zone spiritually. That means giving extra charity and being careful to eat only kosher food both inside the home and out. It means waking up early to pray or study Torah, and going to shul on Shabbat.
One step at a time, break your routine, until you’re ready to come home on Rosh Hashanah.
Together, we can conquer that spiritual jet lag.