This past weekend was Pardes' first Shabbaton (or Shabbi, if you teach at Tannenbaum C.H.A.T. Richmond Hill Jewish Community Center Campus North, Sr.) a retreat held at a youth hostel next to Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea. The primary purpose of the event was to begin building this year's Pardes community and to allow the students a chance to get to know each other, as well as to provide classes that mixed together students from the school's various streams and levels.
Upon arrival Thursday afternoon, Rina and I unpacked (into a room full of bunk beds, clearly meant either for travelling hordes of students or Hareidi families), then headed to the main building for our first classes, one of which was an ice breaker and the other an interpretation of Jewish texts through art. I'm not sure if the intent was to ease us into the learning, but it was a little weird to play the same name games played in summer camps, and to draw glitter and bead bespattered pictures based remotely on a text.
Friday the entire group met at 5:45 to walk down to the beach to see the sun rise over the Dead Sea, which was nice but underwhelming. Back at the hostel, we had a choice of several classes to attend, all of which were intended to prepare us for praying sacharit (I took the Rav Kook class, while Rina opted for Yoga). After da'avening and breakfast, there was a choice of more intensive classes, followed by lunch. The afternoon was free time, so Rina and I joined a group going on a hike in Ein Gedi, then went to float in the rapidly disappearing Dead Sea. We've done both before, but were still impressed with the beauty of the oasis and the floatiness* of the sea. After an afternoon of dehydrating/burning/admiring we went back to the hostel to prepare for Shabbat.
Kabbalat Shabbat was a communal Carlebach service, followed by multiple services and dinner. At 10:30 there was a tisch, replete with singing, snacks, and stories. Although it certainly didn't compare with the massive events orchestrated weekly in and around Mea She'arim, it was lots of fun and very entertaining. The remainder of Shabbat was spent in multiple study-sessions on topics like love, the High Holy Days, and others of interest. An overly dancy* havdallah concluded the weekend, and then it was back to Jerusalem for slichot and sleeping.
The study sessions and people met were all very interesting and engaging, and I would love to go into more detail, but I can't imagine that anyone would like to read about it. If I'm wrong, give us a call and I'd be glad to rehash it all in excruciating detail!
*I realize that neither of these are real words, but these make-believe words capture the intended ideas far better.
2 comments:
That is an awesome picture!
Even my bandana? We realized that I had no hat, so rather than miss out on the hike I chose to look like a wussy pirate.
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