In a momentous gathering, 800 members of the SAR High School community, including students, faculty and their families, joined together this past weekend for the first schoolwide shabbaton in three years. Amidst an intense 24 hours of thoughtful learning, spirited ruach, camaraderie and fun, all who attended shared a sense of feeling blessed to be able to unite in this very meaningful and awesome way.
“From the second the students boarded the buses on Friday to the second they left the hotel, their excitement and high energy was palpable,” says Director of Student Activities Amanda Klatt. “The shabbaton offered so many ways for different students to connect. It was ruach, content and fun filled. It was so incredible to see the smiles on their faces and the way they opted into the experience, which I’m sure was one they will cherish forever.”
The weekend kicked off with a trip to Chelsea Piers in Stamford, Connecticut where students engaged in ice skating, gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, batting cages, rock climbing and more. It was the perfect start to an exciting weekend spent together.
Once at the hotel, the students gathered for lunch and watched a video spiel created by high school faculty introducing the shabbaton theme, “Geshmak To Be a Yid,” which focused on how amazing it is to be a Jew and a member of the Jewish community.
There were so many moments during the shabbaton that made an impact on everyone present. Through student-led divrei Torah, students from different grades had opportunities to interpret Torah ideas and find creative ways to relate them to their lives and to those of their peers. In the thought-provoking learning groups, students and faculty shared feelings about what makes them proud to be Jewish and how they showcase their Jewish identity to be role models for others. During tefillah, upperclassmen engaged lowerclassmen in spirited and meaningful davening, while their peers led their respective minyanim in laining and tefillah.
Rabbi Tully Harcsztark addressed the entire community before Musaf, highlighting some of the moments when he personally experiences the idea of Geshmak to be a Yid. He said, “The ability to daven with other Jews anywhere around the world, the experience of a Friday night tish with hundreds of students who know the same niggunim—these are miracles, products of millions of Jews over generations engaging in shared practices that create shared values. You are going to write the next chapter of the history of the Jewish people. It should be filled with the joy of Geshmak to be a Yid.”
Shabbat afternoon was spent strengthening connections and interacting with friends and faculty and playing games, including a schoolwide competition of “Finish the Lyrics” led by the faculty and student choir.
“It was amazing spending Shabbat together with the entire school! After feeling so separated from the rest of the school during Covid, I felt a lot more connected to everyone,” said sophomore Adira Rebarber of Paramus. Senior Gilad Karsch of Stamford, shared, “Events like the schoolwide shabbaton are what make SAR what it is. It’s not just about meeting new people and making new friends. It’s more about creating a friendly and embracing environment. Looking back at my freshman schoolwide shabbaton, I realize that it has contributed to me being so comfortable here and I couldn’t be more grateful to call SAR home.”
The most poignant moments for many were during meals when everyone gathered in a circle to sing zemirot, at seuda shelishit during slow shira and Havdala when the ruach in the room was so powerful that it touched everyone to the core. Students and faculty bonded in song and prayer, belting out passionate renditions of the most meaningful tunes. It was impossible not to feel the energy and the camaraderie in the ballroom during these times.
“The schoolwide shabbaton was three years in the making,” said Assistant Principal Rabbi Danny Kroll. “The hundreds of hours spent by the Student Activities team in preparation for the weekend paid off with the most ruach-filled weekend I have ever been a part of. The experience of the weekend truly made the students feel that it’s geshmak to be a yid.”
While the lower grades cleared out after Shabbat ended, the seniors stayed on till Sunday to watch a renowned hypnotist perform for them all. They spent the rest of the night securing the bond they established throughout their years at SAR and relishing the fleeting time they have left together. It was a schoolwide shabbaton that will never be forgotten.
