Celebrating the "Magical, Life-Changing" dTHS Shabbaton

If there were one event that could be said to most perfectly encapsulate the entire de Toledo High School experience, it would have to be this nature retreat, which the school calls its annual “Shabbaton.”  In the context of Jewish tradition, a "Shabbaton" is a Sabbath, or weekend-long, educational and celebratory gathering, focusing on learning and community-building.  Regularly described by de Toledo’s students as “magical” and “life-changing,” the school’s four-day retreat brings all students and faculty together for singing, dancing, learning, and bonding activities.  

 

Each year, one of the central highlights of de Toledo’s Shabbaton is a moving havdalah ceremony marking the close of the Jewish Sabbath and the beginning of a new week ahead.  During this ceremony, de Toledo seniors also symbolically transfer the reins of school leadership to their younger peers.  When students light the traditional havdalah candles, one has the opportunity to see firsthand their unending smiles and laughter, their tears of joy, as well as the intensity of their connections to their school and to one another. It is at this precise moment that one can begin to understand the uniqueness of de Toledo’s educational philosophy.   

 

That philosophy – which the school calls the “de Toledo Difference” – is rooted upon the belief that the development of A+ human beings is just as critical for a school as is the development of A+ students.  This educational philosophy prioritizes the creation of a truly close-knit sense of community and culture of kindness in which students are known by name and cherished as individuals to help nurture their innate goodness, life purpose, and untapped potential.

 

“Our annual Shabbaton is really the experience where our entire educational philosophy is brought to life,” said Mark Shpall, de Toledo’s Head of School.  “The de Toledo Difference is about helping our students become engaged, joyful, and ethical young adults who learn from their mistakes and develop the grit and self-resilience they need to grow, mature, and thrive at college and into adulthood.  At the same time, the de Toledo Difference is about teaching our students to become proactive and courageous Jewish leaders who aren’t afraid to take a stand and do what is right throughout their lives.”