Time to Rethink Candy Culture in Our Synagogues

Walk into almost any Orthodox synagogue on Shabbat morning, and you’ll see a familiar scene: young children, some barely old enough to sit still, eagerly crowding around the junior minyan leaders, their hands outstretched for a lollipop, taffy, or sugar stick. It’s become an unofficial tradition — candy as a reward for attending shul.

The intention, of course, is beautiful. We want our children to associate synagogue with joy. We want to reward them for their budding commitment to prayer and community. We hope that a small treat will make Shabbat sweet in more ways than one.

But somewhere along the way, we’ve created a monster.

After a few minutes, the effects of these sugary “rewards” are on full display. Children — wired from a sudden sugar spike — run through the sanctuary and hallways, unable to focus, unable to sit still. Kiddush tables piled high with cookies, cakes, candies, and soda. Some communities even extend the sweets throughout the day:

This is not only a distraction from the holiness of Shabbat. It is a real danger to the health and development of our children.

Sugar addiction is not an exaggeration. Studies have shown that excessive sugar intake in children is linked to behavioral problems, mood swings, obesity, diabetes, and long-term unhealthy eating habits. What starts as a Shabbat “treat” quickly spills over into the rest of the week, creating cravings and dependencies that are hard to break.

As a grandparent who has had the blessing to live with my grandchild for two years, I have seen firsthand that another path is possible.

Every morning, we start our day with a fresh fruit salad, mixed with wholesome nuts. No processed sugars, no artificial dyes — just the bounty Hashem created for us. When my grandson celebrated his second birthday, his party table was filled with the usual cakes and ice creams. But what did he gravitate toward? The simple bowl of grapes. While other children devoured their frosted slices, he was content — even excited — to munch on natural sweetness.

Children are not born demanding lollipops. They are molded by the environments we create. Taste, like all of the five senses, can be trained. We owe it to our children — and to the sacred spaces we bring them into — to set a different standard.

To the rabbis, the community leaders, the parents: it is time to rethink our Shabbat practices. We can still celebrate the sweetness of Torah and mitzvot without teaching our children that “sweet” must come from processed sugar.

Let’s offer healthier snacks. Let’s praise attendance, participation, and kindness with words, hugs, and songs — not candy. Let’s focus on creating spiritual memories that nourish both the soul and the body.

Our children’s future depends on it.