Year-opener Shalhevet Shabbaton

Students were “glowing” with happiness as they returned from their color-themed Midreshet Shalhevet Shabbaton at Camp Seneca.

The girls arrived at camp on Friday afternoon and participated in a schoolwide “wild and wacky” scavenger hunt (congratulations to the Juniors on their first place finish!). Each girl was given a Shalhevet Shabbaton sweatshirt and received tie-dye to create their own sweatshirt design.

Shabbat began with a beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat as the girls sang melodiously together. The Friday night seudah was filled with singing and dancing and a heartening dvar torah given over by 11th grader Becky Marks. Afterwards, faculty members participated in a panel discussion during the oneg in which the students were able to ask any questions that came to mind. Some of the girls stayed up till the wee hours of the morning singing along with Coach Ilona Diamond.

Following davening Shabbat morning, Tanach teacher Mrs. Feder delivered an inspirational dvar torah. The girls enjoyed a hot kiddush before breaking into grade wide sessions with different faculty members to discuss life after high school and overcoming social pressures. The seudah was once again filled with ruach and a moving dvar torah by 11th grader Dina Farkas. The girls then played an exciting game of Headbands where they had to guess Shalhevet-related words and find their match.

Seudat Shlishit was uplifting as the entire school sat  and sang harmoniously together.

After an incredible Shabbat, Shalhevet announced its participation in the Shabbos Project and discussed the importance of keeping Shabbat and reaching out to our fellow Jews. The students then dressed up in neon for the Melave Malka which featured delicious food, music, and dancing. Thanks are extended to Gary Wallin for coming up to Seneca to entertain with upbeat music.

The night culminated in a senior-only bonfire where the students reminisced about their favorite Shalhevet memories while roasting marshmallows.

Sunday morning, as the girls tiredly boarded the buses, their smiles were still radiating. “The Shabbaton filled me with an overwhelming love for my grade and for my school,” said junior Tamar Yastrab.

Freshman Dina Seidenberg shared that “it was great getting to know everyone better and becoming better friends.”