The Ma’ayanot High School community enjoyed its annual school shabbaton over Shabbat Parshat Vayera. This experience is always a highlight of the year for Ma’ayanot students since it is an opportunity for fostering positive school spirit, forging new friendships and developing relationships with faculty outside of the classroom. Over the course of Shabbat, the school community focused on the theme of “Finding my Path: Connecting Spiritually in 2016.” Between school work, tests, family responsibilities and cell phones, it can be challenging for students to find time to reflect about their own spirituality. The shabbaton created space for students to discuss important questions including, “When do you feel the most inspired and connected to G-d and Torah?” and, “How can we create more spiritual moments in our lives?” Over Shabbat, students explored how they connect spiritually in their “avodat Hashem by participating in a variety of programs including a senior-led session, ruach-filled kabbalat Shabbat and tisch, alternative tefilah session on Shabbat and faculty panels. Students also participated in an optional vatikin davening by a lake on Friday morning and a live concert with neo-Hassidic band “Simple Man” on Thursday night. The shabbaton was capped off by a spirited and inspiring havdala and melave malka. The energy from the shabbaton continues to reverberate through the halls of Ma’ayanot long after it’s over.