Pesach is the most educational holiday we have, but most of us walk into the Seder hoping it just works. In this mini-series, I sit down with three educators, each offering a completely different lens on how to approach the Seder and the days leading up to it. From building your night around a clear theme, to creating energy and engagement, to thinking deeply about your own role at the table, each conversation is filled with real, tangible ideas you can actually use.

Pesach is the most educational holiday we have, but most of us walk into the Seder hoping it just works. In this mini-series, I sit down with three educators, each offering a completely different lens on how to approach the Seder and the days leading up to it. From building your night around a clear theme, to creating energy and engagement, to thinking deeply about your own role at the table, each conversation is filled with real, tangible ideas you can actually use.

Pesach is the most educational holiday we have, but most of us walk into the Seder hoping it just works. In this mini-series, I sit down with three educators, each offering a completely different lens on how to approach the Seder and the days leading up to it. From building your night around a clear theme, to creating energy and engagement, to thinking deeply about your own role at the table, each conversation is filled with real, tangible ideas you can actually use.

In this episode of Stream of Dreamearly, host Alana Rifkin Gelnick speaks with AI expert David Nicholson about the rapid rise of large language models like ChatGPT, and their impact on children and society. They discuss the risks of children using AI without proper guidance, the importance of adult involvement, and the need for clear boundaries and critical thinking. The conversation covers AI's potential biases, the dangers of overreliance, and the value of creative play, offering practical advice for parents and educators navigating this evolving technological landscape.

David's LinkedIn page can be found here.

Other links mentioned in the podcast:

The MIT Study, and a Time Magazine article about the study

The trailers for Her and Toy Story 5

What happens to childhood when boredom disappears, attention fragments, and scrolling replaces staring out the window?

In the first episode of the new year, Alana Rifkin Gelnick sits down with Dr. Yoni Schwab for a grounded, honest conversation about technology, screen use, and the children we're raising inside it. This is not a "ban the phone" episode. It's a thoughtful look at what screens give us, what they quietly take away, and how families, schools, and communities can respond with intention rather than fear.

Together, Alana and Dr. Schwab explore how the unprecedented speed of technological change has outpaced our ability to adapt, and why kids (and adults) are struggling with attention, anxiety, boredom, and regulation in new ways. They unpack why boredom is not something to fix but something to protect, how constant stimulation reshapes developing brains, and what kids are actually saying about their own screen use and their parents'.

This conversation moves beyond data and into real life: late night group chats, phones at the dinner table, the loss of shared moments like car rides and waiting, and the surprising relief kids feel when phones are taken out of the equation.

Most importantly, this episode offers practical hope. Dr. Schwab shares realistic, doable ways to create phone free spaces, rebuild attention and regulation, and bring presence and connection back into everyday family life. From the power of camp and Shabbat to the simplicity of a phone pile at dinner, this episode reminds us that kids don't just tolerate boundaries around screens, they often crave them.

If you're a parent, educator, or leader navigating the tension between knowing screens are here to stay and worrying about what they're doing to our kids, this episode will help you think more clearly, act more intentionally, and feel less alone.

Click on these links to learn more about the Shefa Center and the Shefa School.
Visit Shefa on Instagram:@theshefaschool and @theshefacenter.

Today's podcast features the dynamic Dr. Sarah Roer. Together, we shed preconceived notions dictating holiday expectations and celebrations in favor of prioritizing physical presence and a recommitment to our core values. Through this new lens we hope to reframe the holiday experiences.

The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts, by Gary Chapman

The 5 Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans, by Dr. Aliza Pressman

Siblings Without Rivalry: How to Help Your Children Live Together So You Can Live Too, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Raising Good Humans Podcast with Dr. Aliza Pressman

Chalympics (Chanukah Olympics) on Danielle Renov's @peaslovencarrots Instagram