The Heschel High School’s Shabbaton theme of “Intention vs. Impact” was a choice that could not be more relevant in today’s world. The theme explores how our actions impact the people around us, and whether the intention behind them outweighs that impact. This is a crucial aspect of being a high school student.
This theme gave students a space to reflect on the bigger picture: To what degree do intentions matter? In the theme sessions and Friday Night Learning, the focus on Intention vs. Impact helped us consider if having the right intentions makes a difference in the impact of one’s actions. These discussions were eye-opening as students discussed court cases such as the Alec Baldwin shooting case. We discussed the legal and ethical issue of whether the director is guilty of murder since a prop gun went off during filming. This encouraged students to dissect how intention matters regarding US law and how that relates to resulting consequences. I noticed that there could be many different perspectives for any case. For me, this raised another question: Is it ever possible to know what someone’s intentions are? I believe that you can never fully know someone’s intentions unless they directly express them. However, seeking the best in others can help inspire me to become a more intentional person.
What stood out most to me was the emphasis on community responsibility. The Shabbaton gave me and other students the opportunity to reflect on our impact within the Heshel community and beyond. In my view, both intention and impact are significant, but impact often carries more weight. Good intentions do not erase negative consequences, while positive outcomes can emerge from actions driven by unclear motives. These aspects of the Shabbaton are what makes Heschel such a special place, equipping students with tools to become intentional contributors to our community. Whether students decide for themselves that intention does or does not matter, the importance of these discussions is that our actions result in a lasting impact on others.