Shabbaton with Mrs. Septimus

Last weekend, the senior girls had the pleasure of sharing Shabbat with the Septimus family. Mrs. Septimus welcomed us on Friday afternoon as we braided and cooked challahs for the coming holiday. While our doughy creations rose, everyone settled in and got dressed for Shabbat. Following mincha, arvit, and candle lighting, we had an upbeat kumzitz to welcome in the holy day. In the Septimus home, Mrs. Septimus herself says Hamotzi. This beautiful tradition, which she began herself, represented a different approach to the blessing, which most girls had never seen before. Over dinner, we got to meet Mrs. Septimus’ children and eat her delicious food. We topped off the meal with yummy desserts and fun board games. The following morning, after attending shul, we ate lunch and got to hear Mrs. Septimus’ very own rendition of Fiddler On the Roof. The room was energetic, to say the least. We all then broke out into song and finished off the meal with festive dancing. In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to hear from a successful speaker who discussed the importance of gratitude, and she also led a meditation session with us. Over Seudat Shelishit, the girls from Kulanu (a local organization for children with special needs) joined us, and we escorted out Shabbat with a unifying and holy kumzitz. Mrs. Septimus said a beautiful havdalah as we shared our final moments in the Septimus home. On behalf of all the senior girls, I would like to thank Mrs. Septimus for opening up her home to us and allowing us to share an unforgettable Shabbat together!