Many a student, alum and parent have tried to appropriately depict the magic of Shiriyah at Frisch, and few have successfully been able to translate it effectively. Unless you have lived it or seen it firsthand, you cannot accurately convey the ruach, unity, warmth and cohesive nature that envelopes the entire school for seven enchanted days. Words, however, can only capture a small piece of the overwhelming emotion and passion that makes Shiriyah so inspiring, beloved and important at Frisch.
Each grade is assigned a theme that is an extension of the Torah studies curriculum, and students interpret their respective theme through song, dance, art and more. This year, Frisch chose to highlight the four paths through which people can connect to Hashem. Freshmen represented Gemilut Chasidim, sophomores represented Mitzvot, juniors embodied Tefilah, and seniors, Talmud Torah. Working together and guided by their captains and generals, students chose how to interpret their theme in a variety of categories. Each grade created a wall mural, hallway design, video, dance and song that expressed their theme. Every student found a niche in which to shine and contribute to the overall experience. Whether it was in the weeklong projects or smaller competitions, there were numerous avenues for students to take and explore budding interests or established talents.
On Thursday evening, the school showcased their hard work to faculty, family and the greater community. The gym was transformed into an epic stage before which students performed and enjoyed one of the most memorable evenings of their lives. Parents were invited to walk through the school’s corridors before the start of Shiriyah to witness the hallways transformed into worlds created by the students, who painstakingly went over each detail from the most minute to the grandest to express their grade’s themes. The effort of each individual put into his or her section converged into an immense feat.
“The week starts off in such a crazed fashion as everyone finds their place and begins creating all the elements of Shiriyah, but as the week goes on, you begin to see everything coming together,” reflected Hannah Levine ’18, a captain for Team Tefilah. “As a team captain, I’m so proud to see everyone work together to get it done and enjoy such a great night together at Shiriyah.”
This year was my class’ final trek through Shiriyah. Looking through videos and pictures of our past hallways, stomps and songs, we could clearly see the changes we have undergone. While our own physical changes are apparent, even more spectacular is the level of maturity to which we have come. Each year, we dove deeper into our theme. We looked for better beats for our stomp. We designed more complex hallways. Every student, over the past four years of Shiriyah, reached for a higher level.
Personal growth during Shiriyah paralleled our development as a grade. As we flourished from freshmen, nervous and uncertain, to seniors, confident and able, our relationships and grade unity surged. We worked together until the middle of the night. We sang together throughout the week. We saw each other excel at our extracurricular talents and interests. While some students found their place in the community and Shiriyah more quickly than others, everyone—from the grade deans to the student captains—did their utmost to ensure that each and every student did find a place to meaningfully contribute and be a part of the team.
After the vigorous work throughout the week and the intense performances on Thursday night, the atmosphere of unity permeated through the entire school. There was a shared understanding that, while it was a time to pursue individual goals, Shiriyah focused on promoting the bonds we created in school. It was a week dedicated to creating and strengthening meaningful relationships and maintaining a community of support.
By Ben Barth, Frisch senior
