Ma’ayanot students and faculty had a blast at the annual schoolwide shabbaton, November 11-12, at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel in Tarrytown, New York. Expanding on Ma’ayanot’s 2022-2023 theme of “B’chol levavcha u’vechol nafeshecha; We’re all in,” the shabbaton, entitled “Heart and Soul,” encouraged students to ask big questions: “Who am I? What are my strengths? How can I best serve Hashem? Where does what I love to do intersect with what needs to be done?”

To begin the shabbaton, students compared a healthy heart and soul to physical health, and were invited to write themselves a “prescription” for maintaining a healthy heart and soul. “Positivity and spiritual connection,” suggested junior Ella Gerszberg. “Good friends and an uplifting atmosphere,” added junior Ayala Katz. Ma’ayanot’s shabbaton furnished all these in abundance, with several student divrei Torah and faculty panels such as “Doing the Heart Work: Connecting with Other People on a Deeper Level”; “Hearts on Fire: Finding Passion in Life”; as well as Dean of Students Bailey Braun’s famous chassidish-style oneg/tish, plus zemirot, ruach and a melave malka with dancing, concluding with slow shira led by Head of School CB Neugroschl.

Ma’ayanot thanks the families who sponsored the shabbaton, as well as Assistant Principal for Co-Curricular Life Rabbi Zev Prince, and the Student Activities team of Aliza Adler, Nina Kaminetsky and Miriam Schwartz for putting together an incredible program, as well as all the Ma’ayanot faculty and staff who attended with their families to contribute to a beautiful Shabbos.

Sophomores Kayla Avery and Ellie Elk praised the shabbaton as a “great opportunity to bond with friends and teachers!” Head of School CB Neugroschl said, “As we closed the shabbaton I was so inspired to see nearly 300 students linked arm-in-arm, singing their hearts out, with souls on fire, knowing that they belong to the Ma’ayanot family.”