The eighth grade students at JKHA spent an uplifting Shabbat together with Yachad at Congregation AABJ&D in West Orange. The weekend began as the guests arrived at the shul on Friday and greeted one another. There was a student-led spirited kabbalat Shabbat, after which the eighth graders and Yachad members divided into groups for a game of Headbandz during which they “broke the ice” and got to know each other. After a delicious dinner, everyone participated in the first “circle time” of Shabbat. Circle time gave the students and Yachad members an opportunity to sit together and sing songs in an inclusive way, with divrei Torah from a member of Yachad and from Tommi Ratzker, a student at JKHA. On Shabbat morning the students were active members of the tefillah, leading shacharit and musaf. As Shabbat went on the students bonded with each other and the Yachad members through more singing and circle time, with a dvar Torah from JKHA student Daniel Ben Zvi, and Shabbat onegs. Shabbat concluded with beautiful singing as seudah shlishit turned into a festive melave malka. The students rose to the occasion, welcomed the Yachad members with warmth, and really got into the spirit of the shabbaton.