Every aspect of the Shabbaton, from the chicken soup to the comfy beds, give students an opportunity to recharge after a stressful week of classes.
This past weekend, 16 Yale undergraduate and graduate student learners in the Vaad/Vaad II programs traveled to Passaic, New Jersey for an intercampus Shabbaton, joining Meor students from Yale, Brown, Penn, and NYU. On Friday afternoon, we were greeted by our gracious hosts. Every host I met was so excited to open up their home to us for the weekend. After relaxing at our hosts, we went to welcome in Shabbat with a song-filled Kabbalat Shabbat service. A delicious home-cooked Shabbat dinner followed, where we had the opportunity to share a meal in small groups with families in the Passaic community. Afterwards all the campuses regrouped for a fascinating talk given by Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz, a renowned Jewish medical ethicist, and an Oneg with lots of socializing, and more tasty foods and drinks. Late that evening, we returned to our hosts for a peaceful Shabbat rest. After waking in the morning, we met for more food and a talk with Rabbi Tatz on the Jewish approach to risk in medical procedures, specifically cosmetic surgery. A meal later, we had the opportunity to learn with Rabbi Gershenfeld on the teachings of Purim. This was followed by another meal and a Havadalah service full of beautiful and energetic singing and dancing.
I would say this Shabbaton, or really any, has three main themes: hospitality, rest, and learning. By hospitality I primarily mean food. Everywhere we turned, we were being fed. Nobody goes hungry on a Shabbaton. But more significantly, the Passaic community really loves opening up to its guests. Our hosts were genuinely interested in making sure we were comfortable and having a great experience. Everybody I met was welcoming students back for future Shabbat stays. The Shabbaton also allows us to briefly escape the pressures of school-there are no calls, emails, or assignments. Every aspect of the Shabbaton, from the chicken soup to the comfy beds, give students an opportunity to recharge after a stressful week of classes. The Shabbaton also proves that it is possible to have an academic experience while being totally relaxed. Rabbis Tatz and Gershenfeld each spoke about very deep topics that could be studied for years, but they are both such talented teachers that after a brief session, we were able to walk away with a grasp of a fascinating and new aspect of Judaism. The Shabbaton is certainly not an experience to be missed.
