Yom Gibush- A day of Connection, Reflection, and Chesed
Focusing on Happiness
We mark Kav L’Noar’s anniversary each year in September. As our staff has grown we now include a Yom Gibbush- Team Building/ Social Bonding Day to mark the anniversary and reflect on the work we do. The idea of a Yom Gibush for workers in Israel is to allow staff members to socialize in a non-work environment, enabling a bonding experience that highlights the importance and value of teamwork.
Kav L’Noar’s Yom Gibbush this year included both Clinical and Administrative employees. We took a few hours off from our hectic schedules for a special day of connection, reflection and chesed. The day opened with a special ‘therapeutic cooking’ workshop. An assortment of fresh fruits, vegetables, condiments and an all-important bar of chocolate became the tools for a process of self-exploration. Staff members described the symbolism and meaning for them of the various colors, shapes, textures and tastes they each used to create a food item that symbolized their ‘backpack’ of values for work and for life. The latter served as a platform that provided both a visual and tangible medium for helping a client in pain to express feelings without the need to use words.
We then traveled to Pantry Packers, an organization which distributes food to the needy. Staff members, with lively music surrounding everyone, worked together with energy and commitment to prepare neatly labelled packages of rice, and competed with each other to see who could fill the most boxes!
Over a bagel lunch graciously hosted by Dr. Ronny and Carrie Wachtel, we were tasked with getting to know each other a little better, and extending warm brachot for the New Year. In the process, we shared many surprising and amusing personal experiences, featuring parasailing, meeting rock stars and living on a farm among others.
What does Happiness really mean?
Finally, we were treated to a message from Mrs. Rivkah Rabinowitz, a respected speaker and family therapist, who shared her thoughts about ‘synthesizing happiness’- an important goal for all of us in the new year. Rivkah told us that 10% of our happiness depends on what is going on outside of us and 90% is about what is going on inside of us. We don’t always have control of what is going on outside of ourselves but we do have control of what is going on inside of ourselves. She went on to explain that synthesizing happiness means taking what you have and enjoying it. Happiness is what a person does with what they have. Kav L’Noar’s work is about using a positivity lens to look at the world. The more positivity that comes into the picture, the more productive we are and the more we are able to relate to people. How lucky we are that we work in a helping system that enables us to work not only on our own happiness but also to contribute to other people’s happiness. When we come into work with a smile and we greet people with a smile, we feel genuine happiness inside. The 90% of what happiness really is impacts our work, our lives and ourselves.
Quotes from a few of our staff members
“It is a pleasure working on such a warm, respectful environment, a feeling of family has really developed.”
“May we have the zechut to continue working together and helping guide, support and build stronger happier families and individuals.”
“Thank you for such a lovely, meaningful and fun day yesterday. It was a wonderful opportunity to deepen our connection with one another as a staff and it just re-iterated for me the zechut I have in working with all of you.”
Contributing to other people’s happiness
From the KLN family to your family Shana Tova! A good year filled with health and lots of happiness כתיבה וחתימה טובה!
Ben-Shahar “Happy people live secure in the knowledge that the activities that bring them enjoyment in the present will also lead to a fulfilling future.”