by Sara Rosenthal, SSLI '27
This past weekend, the ninth grade attended their annual Shabbaton. This year, it took place at Midway Jewish Center in Syosset. From Friday afternoon to late Saturday night after Shabbat ended, they enjoyed activities, prayer, meals, and grade bonding.
Students and faculty had fun at the Shabbaton! (E. Gordon)
On Friday after school, students went to the synagogue and left their bags in the Hebrew School classrooms they slept in. The staff chaperones were Josh Jurysta, Esther DuBow, and Ofra Hiltzik, with Jeffery Connelly joining after Shabbat.
Over the weekend, the freshmen engaged in different activities planned both by teachers and grade representatives Lila Harris and Eitan Guy. Harris explains that she and Guy planned a game of “The Price is Right, but the items were things from school, like ‘How much is Mr. Baumvoll’s cologne?’”
Jurysta said that, over Shabbat, he “enjoyed playing board games with the ninth graders” when they had free time. Freshman Liba Fruithandler agreed, explaining, “a lot of us bonded over a game of Catan and then way too many games of One Night Werewolf,” which Guy described as “a Mafia-style game.”
Guy added that the Schechter freshmen were joined by “special guest Benjy Berman from USY [United Synagogue Youth]” who taught them about Pesach and told a story.
The students also participated in Didactic Encounters, a discussion activity that Schechter high school students participate in annually at Shabbatons. The students are split into groups of two and are given sheets of paper with a list of questions to ask one another. The questions have varying levels of depth, allowing students to get to know one another better. Guy explained, “Everyone was paired up with someone that [they] normally don’t talk to so much,” so it was nice to become closer with their partners. Harris agreed, sharing, “the didactic encounter helped me get closer to people I wouldn’t have talked to before the Shabbaton.”
The freshmen also participated in services and prayers, contributing to Midway’s service. Jurysta shared that “student participation was good. Liba [Fruithandler] and Dalia [Zareh] read Torah, and Gavi [Nitka] led Mincha.” Harris added that many other students took Aliyahs to the Torah or said some prayers at meals, and Gavi also gave a D’var Torah (words of Torah).
Jurysta continued, “It was nice to see our students feel comfortable and confident to lead in front of the Midway Jewish Center congregation.”
Harris explained that, after Shabbat ended and the students did Havdallah together, they went to Laser Bounce in Levittown. Fruithandler added that she and the other students “had a lot of fun playing laser tag.”
Harris concluded, “I think that we got closer as a grade and made some really meaningful memories that we’ll look back on as what ninth grade was like for us!”
Guy added, “I think it was a really nice [experience] to be together in an unusual atmosphere, without phones, and to embrace Judaism.”
Sara Rosenthal is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since January 2024. Sara is currently a freshman at the Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: srosenthal27@schechterli.org.
Over the weekend, the freshmen engaged in different activities planned both by teachers and grade representatives Lila Harris and Eitan Guy. Harris explains that she and Guy planned a game of “The Price is Right, but the items were things from school, like ‘How much is Mr. Baumvoll’s cologne?’”
Jurysta said that, over Shabbat, he “enjoyed playing board games with the ninth graders” when they had free time. Freshman Liba Fruithandler agreed, explaining, “a lot of us bonded over a game of Catan and then way too many games of One Night Werewolf,” which Guy described as “a Mafia-style game.”
Guy added that the Schechter freshmen were joined by “special guest Benjy Berman from USY [United Synagogue Youth]” who taught them about Pesach and told a story.
The students also participated in Didactic Encounters, a discussion activity that Schechter high school students participate in annually at Shabbatons. The students are split into groups of two and are given sheets of paper with a list of questions to ask one another. The questions have varying levels of depth, allowing students to get to know one another better. Guy explained, “Everyone was paired up with someone that [they] normally don’t talk to so much,” so it was nice to become closer with their partners. Harris agreed, sharing, “the didactic encounter helped me get closer to people I wouldn’t have talked to before the Shabbaton.”
The freshmen also participated in services and prayers, contributing to Midway’s service. Jurysta shared that “student participation was good. Liba [Fruithandler] and Dalia [Zareh] read Torah, and Gavi [Nitka] led Mincha.” Harris added that many other students took Aliyahs to the Torah or said some prayers at meals, and Gavi also gave a D’var Torah (words of Torah).
Jurysta continued, “It was nice to see our students feel comfortable and confident to lead in front of the Midway Jewish Center congregation.”
Harris explained that, after Shabbat ended and the students did Havdallah together, they went to Laser Bounce in Levittown. Fruithandler added that she and the other students “had a lot of fun playing laser tag.”
Harris concluded, “I think that we got closer as a grade and made some really meaningful memories that we’ll look back on as what ninth grade was like for us!”
Guy added, “I think it was a really nice [experience] to be together in an unusual atmosphere, without phones, and to embrace Judaism.”
Sara Rosenthal is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since January 2024. Sara is currently a freshman at the Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: srosenthal27@schechterli.org.
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