The entire RKYHS student body came together for an inspiring and ruach-filled school shabbaton in Connecticut. Shabbat began with a beautiful davening as the whole school welcomed in Shabbat together. After dinner, students met in small learning groups and heard a keynote session from Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky on the importance of building community and receiving support from one’s community.
Afterwards, students discussed exciting topics on various practical and life lessons including saving lives for a living—what it’s really like in the medical profession, building relationships and contacts in the world of sports, simple mediation practices to help you deal with stress, highlights of Sephardic culture, current events and much more. The night continued with grade-wide bonding as each grade participated in a oneg to finish out the night together.
After a meaningful Shabbat morning davening, a plentiful kiddush and learning sessions, the rest of the day was spent relaxing and bonding with friends and classmates. At seuda shelishit, the entire school came together to sing and relish the last moments of Shabbat followed by a Kushner kumzitz. Senior Jakey Kluger addressed the room with inspiring words about actualizing your potential in school and in life.
As Shabbat drew to a close, everyone joined as one for an incredibly moving Havdala. The energy and feeling in the room was palpable, as the room shook from the voices of the students singing fervently in unison. It was a true highlight to the weekend, and a powerful way to usher out Shabbat.
The entire Shabbat was elevated by the work of the student-led Jewish Life Committee. Motzei shabbat, students enjoyed a school-wide outing at Chelsea Piers Connecticut, ice skating, gymnastics, and trampolines to basketball, ping pong, and rock climbing and more. After the outing, everyone returned to the hotel for presentations of student-made grade videos. The senior class then had the special grade-wide kumzitz lasting late into the night, as they savored their last shabbaton together as RKYHS students. The shabbaton concluded Sunday morning with students returning home after breakfast after a fulfilling weekend of coming together as a school community.
