It is perhaps the most anticipated event of the DRS school year: the annual schoolwide Shabbaton. This past Shabbat, DRS sophomores, juniors, and seniors, accompanied by their rebbeim and their families, spent the weekend at the Mountain Laurel Hotel in White Haven, Pennsylvania. Students eagerly boarded the buses bound for the Shabbaton on Thursday evening. Upon arrival at the hotel, the students were treated to a lavish barbecue, and then boarded buses to head to H2OOO Indoor Water Park. On Friday morning, after Shacharis, a shiur by 10th-grade rebbe, Rabbi Friedman, and a hearty breakfast, the students traveled to a nearby park to partake in the annual Shabbaton Flag Football Tournament, where 13 flag-football games were played simultaneously!
The pre-Shabbat festivities came to an end as students returned to the hotel to prepare for the holiness of Shabbat. After an inspiring Kabbalat Shabbat, and spirited zemirot during dinner, students were privileged to hear from this year’s guest lecturer. This year’s speaker was Rabbi Yitzy Haber, who spoke of his incredible life story, and the importance of appreciating what we have in life. After some fun game-show activities by grade, it was time for one of the highlights of Shabbat, the Friday-night DRS tisch led by Rabbi Kaminetsky. All 230 students packed into a section of the ballroom, and the inspired singing went on well past midnight.
On Shabbat day, students were treated to a fabulous Kiddush followed by parashah time with their rebbeim. The seudat Shabbat included more lively zemirot and divrei Torah from various students. After an incredibly inspiring shalosh seudot and Havdallah, the students headed to the dining room for a spirited melavah malkah with lively dancing. The Shabbaton was a great way for students of different ages to strengthen friendships, as well as their relationships with their rebbeim.
