This year’s Shabbaton included many firsts: first time in Parsippany, New Jersey; first time separating meals by grade; and first time cancelling Panoply.
Upon arriving at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel, the Shabbaton officially began with circle games in the Grand Ballroom, including an annual Rock-Paper-Scissors tournament, run by seniors Rose Harnoy, Amelie Prevor, Haym Suissa, and Jordan Nili.
Harnoy said, “Leading the circles games was such a fun experience. Seeing all our work of making new games and revising old ones come together felt so fulfilling.”
After circle games, students separated into theme session groups run by members of Student Government to explore the “Me vs. We” theme. Immediately after theme sessions, students went to lunch; meals were separated by grade, so freshmen and sophomores were in one room, while juniors and seniors were in another, a result of Heschel’s rapidly increasing student body.
Junior Mika Afrait said, “I enjoyed having meal times and circle games separated by grade. It encouraged me to speak to more people since the smaller groups were less intimidating. It would have been nice to be with the larger Heschel community a couple of more times, however.”
After lunch, students had free time, consisting of activities such as Challah braiding, center-piece-making, nature walks, and the annual football tournament. At 2:30 p.m. on Friday, students checked into their rooms to get ready for Shabbat.
At 4 p.m., students returned to communal areas to take pictures with circulating digital cameras. When candle-lighting time came, students returned their cameras to their rooms, lit candles, and went to either the Orthodox Minyan, the Egalitarian Minyan, or, for the first time in Shabbaton history, the Sephardic Minyan for full Shabbat services.
Sephardic Minyan member and senior Ella Nadel said, “I 100% loved having Sephardic Minyan on the Shabbaton… they should have had it in prior years. I made a d’var Torah and everyone was so supportive.” Nadel continued, “It was different from regular davening at school because we added new shabbat prayers and tunes, but it was so interesting, warm, and welcoming.”
After services, students sat at their assigned Shabbat dinner tables to make kiddush and eat, followed by circle games and Friday Night Learning (FNL) sessions. Finally, students changed into comfier clothes for grade meetings. At this time, seniors went to the annual Senior Moments session during which they intimately gathered to share funny, important memories.
On Saturday, students enjoyed an optional early breakfast from 9:15 a.m. to 10 a.m., followed by Shacharit services. After Shacharit, students made kiddush and ate lunch, followed by circle game activities and free time. This free time included classics such as Rabbi Natan Kapustin’s “The Best Story Ever Told” and gave students a chance to change out of their formal Shabbat attire.
Later in the day were senior masterclasses, during which seniors led small groups of students in any topic of their choosing, such as games of Wavelength, proofs on why G-d is real, and coffee-themed snack taste testing. After masterclasses, all students and faculty congregated for Havdalah.
Senior Caleb Creizman said, “I thought the singing was beautiful, and I felt very emotional as a senior knowing that this would be my last Havdalah in this community.”
Finally, students packed their bags and enjoyed Heschel’s first Bar Mitzvah themed dance party.
The Shabbaton ended with a gratitude circle during which all attendees had the opportunity to thank each other and everyone who helped create the weekend: security, caterers, and faculty (as well as faculties’ families). The activity-packed retreat ended with a somber bus ride back to school.