Celebrating Shabbat Across Emery

 Emery’s Upper School’s annual Shabbat Across Emery was a huge success this year! The event was camp-themed and referred to as Camp Emery. Students, teachers, faculty and their families were all invited to attend and partake in various activities including roasting marshmallows, lighting sparklers and singing camp-style songs during Shabbat services. 

The Jewish Life Committee spent weeks planning the event and deciding which theme would be the best. Junior Julia Minkowitz, Vice President of Communications, said, “People had high expectations from Shabbat Across Emery last year, so it was easy to get people excited about it. It was really exciting to see such a high turnout and see everyone have such a good time.”

The night started out with Upper School students and faculty bringing in Shabbat together in the Commons Building. The service included camp themed songs such as "Adon Olam" sung to the tune of Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way.” As the semester comes to a close, students enjoyed the opportunity to be together as one community. 

Following the camp-themed services, students headed to the Arbor to enjoy sparklers and a camp fire. Students loved sitting around the campfire to roast marshmallows and make the perfect s’mores. Senior Marissa Papell explained how she loved spending her final Shabbat Across Emery as a senior with her friends. She was happy to be able to support many of her friends in various grades who spent so much time and effort planning the night. 

Ms. Miller, Judaic Studies teacher and sponsor of the Jewish Life Committee said, “It’s a special event when the EWS community gets to spend Shabbat together, made even more wonderful by how much fun everyone had. Kids particularly enjoyed the Camp Emery theme, with sparklers, roasting marshmallows and a tent piñata. It was so much for me to plan an event that brought so much joy to everyone. It’s also a great opportunity for some of the non-Jewish teachers to experience a small part of the Jewish tradition.” 

Along with the dazzling sparklers and warm campfire was the opportunity for students to make friendship bracelets out of varying colors of yarn. Once students were done with the other activities, they were invited to relax and get a massage from one the three masseuses. 

Based on the success of this year’s Shabbat Across Emery, students can’t wait to see what the Jewish Life Committee plans for next year.