To
be honest, I was a little weary in the days leading up to the shabbaton. Will
we get along? Will the other teens like me? Will I have time to do homework?
Basically, the average questions that constantly run through a high-schooler’s
mind. Although we had orientation and two workshops, we didn’t really have an
opportunity to really get to know one another on a deeper level, aside from the
typical ice-breakers that I never seem to have anything interesting to say
about myself. Everything changed the minute I arrived. We all welcomed each
other with an enthusiastic hello, and introduced ourselves to the new fellow
Arielle. That hello quickly transformed into a tight hug by the end of the
first night. Once we got to the camp, we set up in our incredibly warm rooms
and gathered in the common room which I LOVED. We welcomed Shabbat with a
re-invented service that really blended all of our beliefs together . For me, I
really learned to trust my fellow Dillers in our blind-folded trust walk
(nerve-wracking, I know). It showed us that not only do we have to trust the
person in front of us (or our leader) but we also have to lead the people
behind us and be trustworthy and responsible. I really felt that we were “all
in this together” (*insert High school musical dance here*). We closed the
night sitting in the living room playing cards like a true family. The next day
we started with saying a prayer thanking God for allowing us to wake up and for
being alive, a concept that many of us didn’t really think about when we wake
up for school . On a side note, I actually really enjoyed the weather because I
think that it brought us closer together, literally and figuratively. The theme
of being grateful, with Thanksgiving this week, really resonated throughout the
weekend, and after learning about the anti-Semitism around the world, I became
appreciative of our group and the Jewish community as well as being safe in New
Jersey. We spent the days become more trusting, grateful, and more and more
like a family. Saturday night ended after really opening up to each
other, with a dance party, while Amanda and the JCs hid in the other room.
Although I started weary, I can now say that I know that I have made many new
best friends and we have created a family. Isn’t amazing how Jews can do that
so quickly?! Sunday we met with Diller 7 and recorded a video to send to Rishon
LeZion. AND LET ME TELL YOU, I am BEYOND excited to meet them. I can easily say
that since the minute I got home on Sunday we have already gotten in touch with
the Israelis and we have not stopped talking to them on Whatsapp and Instagram.
Instagram can really be a great thing. I am truly grateful for my fellow
Dillers (aka my brothers and sisters) and those in Rishon. Not to mention Amanda,
Sam, Annabelle, and Izhak! I am so excited that we started off this year
so awesome and there is so much more to come! Diller 8 is great!
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