This article was produced as part of JTA’s Teen Journalism Fellowship, a program that works with Jewish teens around the world to report on issues that affect their lives.

For generations of Jewish Americans, the clacking of mah jongg tiles was the soundtrack of a social and sometimes raucous table game associated with their mothers and grandmothers. Now, a new generation is taking a seat at the table.

The game, which originated in China in the 19th century and became a staple among American Jewish women in the mid-20th century, is finding new life among Jewish teenagers and young adults. Once associated largely with retirees, mah jongg is increasingly being played in synagogues, community centers and family homes by younger players drawn to its strategy and, perhaps most of all, its coveted demand for face-to-face connection without screens. 

For some young players, that interaction is the point.

“I always thought of it as a game for grandmothers,” said Louisa Gordon, 19, of New Jersey. “But once I started playing with friends we couldn’t stop! It has really given me an opportunity to connect with others off of my phone.”

The growing interest has not gone unnoticed by the people helping bring mah jongg to new audiences.

Dara Collins and Donna Kassman, founders of Modern Mahjong — an online mah jongg store, resource guide and Facebook group with more than 100,000 members — have watched the game’s audience get younger.

“We started teaching people in their 60s,” Kassman said. “And now college clubs, high school, middle schools.”

They increasingly see posts about high school mah jongg clubs, with players and supporters sending cards and tiles to help new groups get started.

“People just want to put the phone down and socialize,” Kassman said. “We always say ‘no phones and no politics.’”

For Sarah Shlefstein, 18, of Searingtown, New York, learning mah jongg was about spending more time with her family.

“I wanted to learn so I could play with my grandmother, mother and sister,” Shlefstein said. 

Although she found the game difficult at first, Shlefstein soon became hooked and now regularly joins her mother’s mah jongg group.

“The biggest misconception is that mah jongg is boring or only for older people,” she said. “Once you learn how to play, it’s actually very engaging and competitive.”

She said the constantly changing strategy keeps the game fresh, but the conversations around the table are just as meaningful.