Shabbaton Parent Letter

October 10^th, 2011

12 Tishrei 5772

Dear Parents,

Sukkot vacation is fast approaching and an exciting new school year is underway. Friends, separated over the summer break, have “caught up” with one another, new friendships are developing, and the students have begun to build new relationships with their teachers. One of the highlights of the year, the school Shabbaton, is just around the corner and the Student Activities department and G.O. have already started planning this event. 

This year, the Shabbaton will take place on Shabbat Parshat Chayeh Sarah, November 17^th – 19^th, at the Radisson Hotel in Piscataway-Somerset, NJ. All students are invited (and required) to attend.

Our exciting itinerary includes meals, programs and trips on Thursday and Friday, all Shabbat meals, shiurim, tefillah with a minyan and a melave malka with an amazing, ruach-filled chagiga on Motzei Shabbat. We plan to leave Ma’ayanot on Thursday, November 17^th at around 3:30 p.m. and return on Saturday night around midnight. Your daughters will contact you by cell phone once we leave the hotel to let you know the approximate time of arrival at the pre-approved locations.

Please let us know via email (gordons@maayanot.org or blockd@maayanot.org) if you would like your daughter to return home from the Shabbaton via one of the following three alternate transportation options below, instead of traveling back to Ma’ayanot when the Shabbaton is over.

The other options are:

• Picking your daughter up directly at the hotel
• Traveling on a bus that stops in Manhattan
• Traveling on a bus that stops in Highland Park

The students will also be asked to fill out an online form with their rooming and transportation requests, along with any food allergies. Please remind them to fill out the form by October 31^st. It can be accessed on the Ma’ayanot website, or by clicking on the link below:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFh4SEdMMU1ZVGhhendfRWZvWW5aYWc6MQ

The subsidized cost of the Shabbaton is $200 per student.  Please make your check payable to Ma’ayanot, and have your daughter return it to the school office, her grade class representative, or one of us by Monday, October 31^st.  Please also let us know if you would like to be a sponsor of the Shabbaton and help defray expenses by making an additional contribution.

We look forward to spending a fantastic weekend of bonding, learning, school spirit and fun with your daughters! Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.

Gmar Tov,

Sarah Gordon                      Dena Block                      Rivka Kahan

Director of Student Activities   Director of Programming     Principal