The ninth graders at SAR High School had the first shabbaton of their high school career in the SAR High School building in Riverdale. What an incredible shabbaton it was!! The theme of Shabbat was ”Who you Become”—which is part of one of SAR High School taglines: “It’s not just what you learn, it’s who you become.” Discussion groups and words of Torah were all aimed at encouraging students to think about the persona they create for themselves, both online and in their personal interactions, and about the choices they make as adolescents and Modern Orthodox Jews.

From the very start the students were excited and invested in every moment. They started the weekend on Friday morning by dedicating time to do chesed. Several groups spent time with the elderly, delivering challot, talking with them, playing games and singing songs. Other students packed emergency preparedness kits and facilitated a Shabbat party for Holocaust survivors. Another group spent time with veterans talking and playing games—which was particularly meaningful as this past Friday was Veterans Day—while others provided food for the hungry, and packed emergency kits and medical supplies.

Then it was time for Shabbat in the SAR HS building. Students set up sleeping bags and blow up mattresses—boys on one floor, girls on another. From the minute Shabbat started it was clear the ninth grade had already become a family. The ruach throughout Shabbat was record breaking! A beautiful kabbalat Shabbat set the tone for every tefillah. There was singing and dancing at every davening, thoughtful ideas shared during sessions and even impromptu late night words of Torah with more singing, storytelling and talent shows. Shabbat ended with a beautiful Havdalah that went on and on and shook the building. The students cleaned up after Shabbat, went ice skating together at Murray’s and finally concluded the Shabbaton by eating pizza together before going home happy and tired.

Here’s part of what their grade level coordinators wrote to them after the shabbaton. “We got to know you better! Whether it was at tefillah, or in a session, or at the meals, or tish, or circle time or free time—we saw your different personalities shine! We loved seeing you make new friends, spend time with each other, help each other, share your ideas and Divrei Torah and, of course, just hanging out and talking with us and the amazing SAR staff who took the time to be with you on your first shabbaton at SAR High School! We could not be more proud of who you are becoming!!”

By Michelle Hoch and Rabbi Yehoshua Lindenbaum