Bais Rivkah Girls’ Shabbos-In

By a Student

If you were to walk through the hallways of Bais Rivkah High School recently, you would find numerous signs hanging on the walls in the hallways and classrooms introducing our grand Shabbaton stating “What if I don’t care? What if I lost my passion?”

After being chased a few weeks down the line by our dear friend Sandy, hours of preparation on the part of our devoted G.O. girls, and months of excited frenzy throughout the whole school, it was Shabbat – in time.

Quite unfortunately, our school shabbaton only happens bi-yearly. Although they knew that we couldn’t have another school Shabbaton this year, a few clever minds came up with a way to still have as much as the experience as possible. They took the things that make Shabbaton amazing, the food, singing, learning, Chayus and Farbrengens, and incorporated them together to result in a mini-Shabbaton, or, as it was in-town, a Shabbaton.

The night started with the grand welcome for all those attending. Everyone was greeted by a stunning hall decorated for Shabbat. Jugs were strewn around, in accordance with the theme of the story, “Isha Achas” and Elisha, and the Maamer said on the story by the Alter Rebbe and our Rebbe. Upon entering the hall, there was a few minutes of mingling as girls collected their personalized name tags.

We all continued into the hall where a musical skit reenacted, “Ish Achas” – a young woman went to Elisha crying out that the king wanted to take her children because she had no money. Reb Elisha asked her if there is anything she owned, and after hearing her response that she owned a tiny flask of olive oil, he told her to take that flask oil that she had and to pour it into any jugs that she could find. The woman poured her small flask of oil into all the jugs that she could find. Her flask of oil miraculously kept on pouring as she filled up jug after jug until she had enough to sell and gain money to ensure that her children can remain with her.

Once we all witnessed the incredible talents of the girls who sang, acted, and painted the backdrops, we went upstairs where workshops were given to teach us the deeper meaning behind it all. According to the Maamer, based on this story. The workshops, along with almost everything else, were prepared by the students as each group had 3D visuals to help them better understand the meaning. Small scenes of the women crying to the Navi and huge fires were used to show what there is to learn. Seminary and high school students took turns explaining the concept of our Neshama thirsting for passion of drive. The Maamer explained, the one thing we all posses, the very last thing we all have no matter what, is our Neshama – our Jewish core, the fact that we are a Jew. This, it is explained, is respresented by the flask of oil the woman had. We must take this simple fact that we know and “pour” it into any good deed we do, while we help an elderly lady cross the street or drop some coins in the tzedakah pushka. Pouring into all we do the fact that we are Jewish, this will start the flame of passion which we so badly want. This is the answer to those signs hanging around school. This is how we bring out our passion, and feel Yiddishkeit.

On a high from what we had just learned, we all descended the stairs down into the shul to sing the beautiful words of Kabbolas Shabbos together. We sat down for the amazing meal prepared by our very own schoolmates. Words of song and torah filled each course. Hundreds of girls lifted their voices in song and joined together. The power is the room was palpable. You walked in and felt the effects of hundreds of voices singing together. When Rabbi Levi Baumgarten spoke, the room was silent as we all listened to his words of inspiration.

We eventually all split up by grade and sat with our respective Farbrengeners. When asked was we had learned, one girl said that the Maamer made her realize that she should fake it until she makes it. The Farbrengen took that one response, and specifically the word fake, and turned it around. He showed us that what we were thinking was not correct. We are not fakers. By doing what is right, we are being real. All it is is who we truly are, revealed and shining through. We do what our internal desire is to do and then the passion follows. It grows and sparks until it becomes a huge flame of passion- until we reach the extreme level of passion that we want while fulfilling our Avodah.

We could have gone on for hours. In fact, we did. Eventually though, we were all told to start making our ways home as it was quite late, almost two in the morning.

That was a few weeks ago but I’m still on a high. The things we learned and the energy that we felt there was amazing. It’s just making me all the more excited for Shabbaton next year!

A big thank you to Mrs. Teichtel, Mrs. Sarale Blau the G.O. girls, and all the students who put hours upon hours of work into making that amazing night come together. It paid off!