After their first weeks of high school the RKYHS freshmen class had the opportunity to bond as a grade at a grade-wide shabbaton in the Livingston community. To kick off the Shabbat, female students baked challah Friday morning to be enjoyed during the shabbaton. After school many of the students made pieces in the new RKYHS ceramics studio, participated in open gym time and played video games. The whole grade then came together for some pre-Shabbat fun with team-building activities such as a freshman gameshow, tie dying T-shirts and more.

The students were joined by their faculty for Shabbat for a chance to get to know one another in a relaxed, outside of school environment. The RKYHS freshman class is comprised of students that advanced from the eighth grade at JKHA, as well as new students from several areas in Bergen County, Highland Park, Passaic, Randolph, Short Hills and Staten Island.

After a ruach-filled Shabbat, and a meaningful Havdala together, the grade headed back to RKYHS for a fun evening of blacklight dodgeball and food. The grade joined together at night with the rest of the school for a moving Selichot kumzitz, before heading home after a most fulfilling freshman experience.