On Shabbat, October 20th, the freshman had the opportunity to spend their first weekend together as a great. They arrived at school on friday morning and departed on a two-hour bus ride, stopping at the Bogota Golf Center on their way to their ultimate destination, the Berkeley hotel in Asbury Park. There, they prepared for Shabbat, undergoing the routine photo shoots with their hair and makeup done. However, the faculty supervisors took their phones before candle lighting for “safe keeping.” In order to get into the Shabbat spirit, the faculty organized a grade-wide kumzits, followed by Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv.

The theme of the shabbaton was Dr. Seuss, and more specifically, how to be the best friends possible for one another. This theme was introduced at a pre-dinner session, followed by a getting-to-know-you speed dating activity. Later that Friday night, the girls and boys went their separate ways, continuing to meet new people and bond over Shabbaton activities. The next morning, Ms. Krupka’s children provided an adorable wake-up call. They ate breakfast, davenned, enjoyed Kiddush, and had another learning-session. After lunch, the students were given the option to go out on a walk to the nearby beach, which provided both beautiful views and a slight breeze. Then they had free time, which gave them the chance to meet more people they hadn’t yet encountered, building friendships outside of their middle-school friend-group comfort zones.

Overall, the Shabbaton built relationships between students as well as increased their school spirit. They sang shabbat tunes, danced, and really bonded as a grade, giving everyone a feeling of family and community. On Saturday night, they went to a bowling alley and enjoyed pizza and fries. Unfortunately, that marked the end of what had been a remarkable weekend, and they returned to the city looking forward to future Ramaz retreats.